Empowering women key to driving ASEAN's sheconomy
KUALA LUMPUR: A whole-of-society approach is needed to empower women across all sectors, including governance, urban planning and the digital economy to unlock the full potential of the 'sheconomy' and drive inclusive, sustainable development in ASEAN, said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
She said women must not only be included in decision-making spaces but also be recognised as key architects of change especially in city-level transformation where daily life is most affected.
'The 'sheconomy' is not a parallel economy. It is a reimagining of our whole economy, powered by inclusion and inclusion is not charity; it is good policy,' she said.
She said during the plenary session titled 'ASEAN Women Leading Social Change: Integrating Social Goals with Economic Growth in the 'Sheconomy', at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) ASEAN 2025 here today.
Maimunah who is also a former executive director of UN-Habitat, stressed the importance of embedding gender equity into the fabric of urban governance, budgeting and service delivery.
She noted that this aligns with the ASEAN Gender Mainstreaming Strategic Framework 2021-2025 and Kuala Lumpur is localising the framework to the governance tool by ensuring housing, transport and public health policies serve women.
Maimunah also shared initiatives by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) through the Safe City Programme which includes the installation of 10,000 CCTVs and improved street lighting.
'These efforts are not just about safety, but about dignity and inclusion. We are creating safer zones, better transit and walkable neighbourhoods centred on women's mobility. In 2024, crime dropped by 15 per cent in the upgraded areas and women reported feeling safer,' she said.
Despite progress, she pointed only 10 per cent of local councils in Malaysia are led by women, calling the need to localise gender mainstreaming efforts at all levels of government.
Maimunah added that the private sector plays a crucial role in unlocking the potential of the 'sheconomy' by elevating women into leadership positions, fostering inclusive innovation, and building supportive workplace cultures.
'Gender-smart investing, mentorship programmes and targeted support for women-led start-ups, particularly in the green and digital sectors, are how we activate 'sheconomy'.
'Academia plays its part too by producing gender-inhibited data, training women in STEM and governance, and documenting what works. Communities must be empowered. Women entrepreneurs, mothers, and youth must be recognised, not just as participants, but as planners and leaders,' she said.
Maimunah, the first female mayor of Kuala Lumpur said since joining DBKL in August last year, significant strides had been made in closing the leadership gap.
Currently, women make up 29.3 per cent of total DBKL staff, 43.6 per cent of professionals, 44 per cent of department heads and 40 per cent of top management, surpassing the 30 per cent benchmark.
Earlier at the WEF ASEAN 2025, Maimunah was conferred the 'Women of the Decade' award alongside Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.
Themed Women Leaders Beyond Borders: Shaping the Future of the ASEAN Sheconomy, the three-day forum starting today, celebrates women's transformative role in driving global economic growth.
The WEF ASEAN 2025 which brings together influential women leaders from across the region and beyond, offers participants the opportunity to engage in impactful discussions, forge powerful networks, and explore new pathways for women to shape the future of the global economy.
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