KUALA LUMPUR: The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality, ENGENDER Consultancy and Young Women Making Change, recently met with representatives from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the Special Advisor on Law and Human Rights to the Prime Minister, members of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women and Children Affairs and Social Development (PSSC), as well as drafters from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to discuss the need to review the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021.
In statement today, the group said it was a great opportunity to share their concerns on the apparent gaps in the Bill, as well as provide legal justifications on their proposed amendments directly to the drafters from the AGC.
Despite the many points of discussion, they were heartened by the consensus that a review of the Bill is necessary to ensure that an effective and survivor-centric anti-sexual harassment legislation is passed in Malaysia.
Previously, they had advocated for the Bill to be reviewed by the PSSC before the second reading in this parliament session, and now more time is needed for their proposed amendments to be studied, considered, and hopefully implemented in the Bill.
They were cautiously optimistic that the drafters from the AGC will undertake a meticulous review of the Bill within a reasonable timeframe so that the Bill can be passed in the next Parliament sitting in July 2022.
However, they will continue their advocacy and engagements to ensure some key areas of concerns which they had consistently raised were addressed in the Bill, including the comprehensive definition of sexual harassment, protection against victimisation, and organisational duty to prevent and address sexual harassment in creating a safer environment including schools, universities, workplaces and public spaces.
