KANGAR, March 26 — The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is in the process of getting input from interested parties before proposing the Gender Equality Act and the Sexual Violence Act to the government.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Suriani Ahmad said both acts would have to go through a long process including discussions, referencing and inclusive consultations with various parties to ensure the rights of the victims were protected.
“The Gender Equality Act is not to discriminate against women, but to ensure equal treatment for both parties (women and men).
“Our country is actually left behind in this aspect (the acts) as our neighbours have implement them, whereby we are made their reference,” she told reporters after the launch of the state-level Women Empowerment Year 2018 by Raja Muda Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail here today.
The programme was implemented through the National Blue Ocean Strategy approach, involving agencies under the state ministry, as well as other government agencies, private sector and non-governmental organisations.
According to Suriani, there is currently only one guideline pertaining to sexual violence which is applied only in the public sector. — Bernama
