Gender Budget Group Urges Bold Gender Equality Measures In Budget 2026

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- A coalition of civil society organisations, academics and experts has called on the government to embed bold, actionable and transformative measures on gender equality in the upcoming Budget 2026.

The Gender Budget Group (GBG) said in a statement that it has drafted a comprehensive memorandum which outlines seven key thematic recommendations.

“Gender equality is not only a social imperative but also a strategic driver for Malaysia’s ambition to become a high-income and inclusive MADANI nation,” it said. 

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The coalition urged stronger institutional mechanisms for gender equality, including the implementation of robust results-based key performance indicators (KPIs) for ministries, accelerating the Anti-Discrimination Against Women Bill, and expanding the collection of gender and disability-disaggregated data for evidence-based policymaking.

It also pressed for inclusive infrastructure planning through the adoption of universal design principles, as well as constitutional amendments to strengthen protections for women and persons with disabilities.

On economic opportunities, GBG highlighted the stagnation in women’s labour force participation rate at around 56 to 57 per cent, recommending measures such as expanding returnship programmes, mandating gender pay gap reporting, incentivising flexible work arrangements and boosting investments in the care economy.

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“The civil service has yet to achieve even one per cent employment of persons with disabilities, despite a quota pledged since 1988. Budget 2026 must break this ceiling by ring-fencing and expanding incentives,” said GBG.

On social protection, the group called for reforms to strengthen retirement security, pilot a national long-term care policy, and make childcare subsidies more accessible, particularly for middle-income families.

It further urged higher funding for shelters and crisis hotlines, enhanced training for frontline responders, and targeted action to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

In education, GBG proposed strengthening early childhood education, addressing menstrual health poverty, and ensuring inclusive classrooms with sufficient resources and assistive technology for students with disabilities.

The coalition also called for increased investment in preventive healthcare, including support programmes for teenage mothers, initiatives to address women’s health gaps, and national awareness campaigns and workplace policies on menopause.

-- BERNAMA