AWL IN THE MEDIA

​AWL recommended that a domestic violence registry be established through a coordinated, multi-agency framework underpinned by amendments to the Domestic Violence Act 1994 and Personal Data Protection Act 2010. An existing protection gap whereby a person may only verify their own marital status with an existing spouse — not that of a prospective partner — leaving victims potentially exposed before they can seek legal recourse. AWL further recommended that access to the registry be limited to specific legal contexts, such as marriage applications, to prevent misuse such as harassment or reputational harm.

Azira Zainal from AWL's Projek30% Committee and Ayesha from EMPOWER were recently interviewed by BFM to talk about Akta Projek30% and why women’s representation in politics isn’t just important, but necessary. Right now, women make up only about 13% of Parliament in Malaysia, despite being half the population.

Malaysia's proposed maternity leave assistance allowance is a welcome step, but the real test lies in its reach and design. As President Jasmine Wong noted in The Star, whether the allowance extends to the informal economy, and how it interacts with existing employer-paid benefits, remains to be seen. Without tackling affordable childcare, workplace enforcement, and child support systems, the impact will be limited.

While the government's mulls the possibility of establishing a Malaysia Mediation Centre (MMC) under the Legal Aid Department to strengthen out of out dispute resolution, reduce case backlogs and lower legal costs for the public, AWL's Vice-President Denise Lim cautioned against conflating mediation with legal advice.

The Association of Women Lawyers (AWL) is proud to reflect on the resounding success of its 5th International Women Lawyers Conference (IWLC), held on 12 February 2026 at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Themed ‘The Future is Ours to Lead,’ the conference brought together 13 speakers from 6 countries and served as a powerful testament to the increasing influence of women speakers in shaping the future of dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution across the Asia-Pacific. 

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, The Edge Malaysia has featured President Jasmine Wong and AWL, recognising the impact of AWL’s work.

The feature highlights AWL’s role in driving meaningful change, both within and outside the profession. This includes our advocacy in the lead-up to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and the establishment of a tribunal to provide more accessible avenues for justice. It also recognises the Peer Support Network of volunteer lawyers who assist complainants with empathy and care.

It is important to sustain momentum in recognising women’s participation as vital to a resilient society, including through greater representation in leadership and stronger institutional support. 
 
Increased involvement of men in caregiving and household responsibilities is key to enabling women’s fuller participation in public and professional life.  It must also be noted that structural barriers and underrepresentation in leadership, politics, and policy-making spaces remain significant challenges despite ongoing progress.

AWL was featured in The Star in response to a reported case of sexual harassment involving an e-hailing driver. The article highlighted the importance of shifting public discourse away from victim-blaming and towards holding perpetrators accountable. It was emphasised that considerations of what a victim could have done differently are misplaced, and that the focus should remain on the wrongful conduct of the perpetrator. The feature also referenced the legal recourse available in such cases, including potential prosecution under Section 354 of the Penal Code.