This year, remember the unsung women too

Every year, International Women’s Day showcases the women who make it big. The ones who were promoted. The ones who excelled in a man’s world. The pioneers of fashion, science, business, and technological advancements.

Neelofa came under fire for her choice of venue after launching her latest tudung range.

Some cut a controversial figure, like businesswoman-cum-TV presenter Neelofa who came under fire for her choice of venue to launch her latest tudung range.

Quah is the founder and director of an NGO which provides aid to refugee children.

We stand proud with Heidy Quah, the founder and director of Refuge for the Refugees, an NGO which provides aid to refugee children. Quah received the Queen’s Young Leaders medal last July.

However, let us not forget the women who are perhaps less prominent but whose impacts are no less powerful.

Indira Gandhi worked tirelessly for years to keep her family intact. For nearly a decade, she fought for justice and for her children.

Although the verdict was ultimately in her favour, the police have not been able to locate her youngest daughter, not her ex-husband who kidnapped her. Surely Indira deserves our respect for persevering in the face of adversity.

Indira worked tirelessly for years to keep her family intact.

Neither should we forget the women who died doing their jobs.

Indonesian Adelina Lisao came to Malaysia to work and send money to her family. Her employers reportedly denied her medical treatment and food, and made her sleep with the dog outside.

Adelina came to Malaysia to work and send money to her family.

Lisao’s death should spark initiatives to improve the living and working conditions of domestic workers. She is not the first maid to have died in Malaysia, but her death should be a wake-up call for all of us.

The way we treat our women and the elderly shows what sort of people we are. When Dr Siti Hasmah, a pioneer in family planning, was hauled up for questioning by the police for taking part in a rally last September to protest against violence towards women, many speculated that the move could have been politically motivated.

Dr Siti Hasmah was hauled up for questioning by the police for taking part in a rally.

At the other end of the age spectrum is 13-year-old M Vasanthapiriya, the schoolgirl from Nibong Tebal who was accused of stealing her teacher’s mobile phone. The humiliation she endured could have contributed towards her attempt on her life. We should learn to treat our young adults with more care and respect.

Thousands of Malaysian women are abused, raped, beaten, denied money, or isolated from friends and family by their abusive husbands and boyfriends. Many do not complain to the authorities for fear of an escalation in their treatment. Many crimes are exposed when young girls become pregnant after being raped by their fathers, uncles or grandfathers.

Laws must be strengthened, but these women also require a helping hand to get back on their feet and become useful members of society.

Sometimes we fail to acknowledge our own strong women. For example, activist and co-founder of Sisters in Islam, Zainah Anwar, was recognised for her contributions to law and policy by Harvard Law School in its 2018 portrait exhibit for International Women’s Day.

Zainah was recognised for her contributions to law and policy by Harvard Law School.

At other times, we forget the more unobtrusive contributions by our women. Former Bersih chief Maria Chin Abdullah fought tirelessly for clean, free and fair elections. She was detained and kept in solitary confinement, her family was threatened, she was banned from overseas travel and her car was vandalised.

Perak PAS information chief Wan Tarmizi Abd Aziz recently suggested that women mark International Women’s Day by consenting to polygamy. Suffice to say that PAS may want to keep its women in the medieval age.

More effective action is needed to advance the rights of women, and to recognise their efforts, both at home and in the workplace.

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.