Malaysia Launches First Women's Empowerment Action Lab to Boost Gender Equality at Work

• On May 20, Malaysia opened its first Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Corporate Action Lab (WEPsCAL)  

• The UN Women Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia Pacific includes WEPsCAL 

In an effort to promote workplace gender equality, UN Women, LeadWomen, and TalentCorp formally opened Malaysia's first Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Corporate Action Lab (WEPsCAL) on May 20. This initiative is a component of the larger UN Women Gender Action Lab: The Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is supporting Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in the Asia Pacific. Out of the four nations in the region, Malaysia is the first to introduce and execute this creative project. 

A cohort-based program called WEPsCAL was created to assist businesses in evaluating their present gender equality initiatives, applying data-driven insights, and utilizing tailored resources to jointly develop and implement strategic initiatives that are in line with particular WEPs.  

These guidelines offer an internationally accepted framework to help companies implement gender-responsive practices in their supply chains, operations, and leadership roles. Regardless of business size or sector, UN Women collaborates with the private sector through WEPs to make a transformative difference. 

"Innovating the Future of Family-Friendly Workplaces" is the theme of the first WEPsCAL in Malaysia. At the launch event, which took place at Kuala Lumpur's Majestic Hotel, the first Malaysian cohort of WEPs Changemakers—11 businesses dedicated to advancing gender equality—was also revealed. Air Asia Aviation Management Services, FGV Holdings, Grant Thornton Malaysia, HAYS Malaysia, Kiddocare, Mastrak, Micron Memory Malaysia, PEOPLE logy Development, QSR Brands (M) Holdings, Sage maker Asia, and WIPRO UNZA Malaysia are a few of these. 

The significance of workplace transformation in promoting inclusive and resilient economies was underlined by Katja Freiwald, UN Women's Regional Lead for Women's Economic Empowerment and Migration. She commended Malaysia for taking the lead in introducing the first WEPsCAL with a family-friendly workplace theme, pointing out that it could serve as an inspiration for scalable solutions throughout Asia and the Pacific. 

The initiative is a significant step in the nation's progress toward gender equality, according to YB Wong Shu Qi, Chairperson of the TalentCorp Board of Directors. In order to raise the female labor participation rate to 60 percent, create inclusive workplaces that encourage women's return and professional advancement, and guarantee equal opportunities in the workforce, she emphasized the necessity of solid public-private partnerships. 

Clare Gatehouse, Political and Economic Counselor at the Australian High Commission to Malaysia, echoed these views when she said that gender equality promotes economic growth, social cohesion, and well-being, all of which benefit society as a whole. She reiterated Australia's backing for this creative strategy led by the private sector to boost women's economic involvement.