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Podcast  >  Bigger Picture  >  Beyond The Ballot Box  >  Budget 2026: Achieving Gender Equality

Budget 2026: Achieving Gender Equality

Dr Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakwan, Lead Consultant, Engender | Dr Sulochana Nair, Vice Chancellor, Binary University | Datuk Ong Bee Leng, CEO, Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC)

07-Oct-25 15:00

Budget 2026: Achieving Gender Equality

The Gender Budget Group (GBG), a coalition of civil society organisations and academics, has urged the Malaysian government to make bold, transformative investments in gender equality in the 2026 National Budget, highlighting that progress on women’s political representation, economic participation, social protection, and protection from violence remains slow. Their memorandum outlines seven key areas for action including strengthening governance and accountability with gender-responsive budgeting,  boosting women’s labour force participation, reforming social protection systems and more. 

In this episode, we speak to three representatives from the GBG, namely, Dr Ummu Atiyah Ahmad Zakwan, Lead Consultant, Engender, Dr Sulochana Nair, Vice Chancellor of Binary University and Datuk Ong Bee Leng, CEO, Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC)


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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Dashran Yohan

Presented by: Dashran Yohan


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Categories:  governmentLaw/Activism

Tags:  the bigger picturebeyond the ballot boxBudget-2026-Mahsingbudget 2026Belanjawan 2026women's rightsgender equalitygender budget groupsocial protectionBudget2026





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