UM Brings Change From Inside The Hall

by Iman Batrisyia

---

KUALA LUMPUR - University of Malaya’s Law Society has taken a step to further women empowerment by holding a forum event yesterday evening.

The forum, themed "Women In Malaysia: The Eve of Change", was held in Tun Suffian Auditorium in the Law Faculty of University Malaya.

"The theme was set to resonate with women being the initiator to change. We aim to underline the women in various industries that are actively initiating change and discuss the necessary provisions to allow women to contribute more without being victims of prejudice," said Geoffrey Jerry J. Mosiol, the director of University Malaya Law Society.

Student Jacqueline Hannah moderated the forum and five prominent guest speakers were invited to deliver keynote speeches.

Dr. Sharifah Syahirah bt Syed Sheikh, senior lecturer from KUPTM and Sivananthi Thananthiran of Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) managed to deliver enlightening speeches on the struggles of women in a governmental context.

Latheefa Koya, another guest speaker from Lawyer for Liberty (LFL), discussed the possibility of a gender equality act with her speech entitled "Effectuating Article 8: The Gender Equality Act."

Dr. Subatra Jayaraj of All Women's Action Society (AWAM) and Amanda Ng Seang Wei of Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER) tackled the awakening of feminist movements in Malaysia and the issues women-centered NGOs faced in establishing women’s rights.

The event was then closed with a Q&A session with the guest speakers.