Ita urged the government to consult and engage women’s rights NGOs in more depth, and base its policies on their knowledge.
“All the policies the government has developed, whether they are for development or for women in general, are based more on what the government knows, rather than on what we are good at,” she said.
Ita was speaking at a press conference today representing NGOs that recently took part in a review of Malaysia’s track record on women’s human rights by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) committee in Geneva, Switzerland.
The delegation, led by women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri, had attended the dialogue session earlier this month, which also saw NGOs submit reports on critical issues affecting Malaysian women.
Wathshlah Naidu, the executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, concurred with Ita, saying the NGOs already have “decades of experience on a number of issues”.
“We are offering ourselves as civil society organisations with extensive knowledge and research that has already been conducted.
“You cannot ‘syok sendiri’ (be full of yourself) and (only) release your own policies. Genuine consultation (is needed).
“You have to not only increase your own understanding, knowledge and capacity in dealing with the issues but, at the same time, make sure that all women on the ground are also aware of them,” she said.
Sisters in Islam executive director Rozana Isa raised the matter of female genital mutilation, saying the government has sidestepped its duty to stamp out the harmful practice.
She said the government’s stance that the practice is cultural instead of religious and, therefore, would take time to end has put the onus on parents to decide on the matter.
“(By saying this) it has no longer become a state obligation. And Cedaw is all about state obligation,” she said.
Rozana urged the government to take “complete” steps to educate the public openly that there are no medical benefits, including hygiene, to the practice of female circumcision.