Government to Continue Empowering Women

Empowering women and granting them access to equal opportunities and benefits must continue. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said that women have participated in significant roles in policy and decision making in various sectors and capacities, including the public service sector and government agencies.

Hajiji said that many challenges still need to be addressed, including the gap in employment opportunities between men and women; indirect gender discrimination; cultural barriers; societal perceptions; fair access to education; skills training, and economic opportunities.

The State Government has allocated RM10 million to the Sabah Women’s Affairs Department (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Wanita Sabah or JHEWA) for various programmes to empower women leaders. The most recent programme – on 16 June 2025 - involved 1,300 women. The next programme is a workshop for 300 participants where a committee will select representatives to a special women’s empowerment project, Global Women @ SABAH.

“We look forward to nurture women to be leaders at community, state, national, and international levels,” Hajiji said at the Sabah Women Leaders Symposium on 18 September 2025, Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), with 3,000 participants.