KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is advocating for a minimum of 30 per cent women candidates in the 17th state election, set for next year.
GRS Women chief Datuk Seri Azizah Mohd Dun expressed her hope that all political parties contesting in the election would prioritise the inclusion of more women candidates.
"This is important because 49 per cent of voters in Sabah are women," she said after the opening of the Women Leadership Roundtable, organised by the Women's Leadership Initiative Committee under the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah.
Azizah, who is also the chairperson of IDS, said that despite this significant proportion of female voters, the number of women elected in the last state election was very low.
"While we aim for at least 30 per cent women candidates, it's crucial that this is not just about fulfilling a quota. We need quality candidates who can not only contest but win and perform effectively. It's about more than just numbers.
"We must ensure that capable women are given the opportunity to run and succeed," she said.
She also emphasised the importance of electing women to ensure their voices are heard, especially as they push for the establishment of a Women's Affairs Ministry in Sabah.
"With such a ministry, we can identify key issues affecting women and propose effective solutions.
"We hope that, following next year's election, this ministry will institutionalise the women's agenda," said Azizah.
IDS CEO Dr Ramzah Dambul said that women's political representation in Sabah remained low across political parties, with data showing only 4 to 13 per cent female representation.
"This clearly indicates the urgent need to address the barriers that women face in Sabah's political landscape," he said.
Among the political parties, he said that Sabah Umno had the lowest women's representation, at just 4 per cent, followed by Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) with 5.5 per cent.
Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (SabahStar) achieved 13.2 per cent, while Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) leads with a higher proportion.
Both Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Parti Warisan Sabah have 8 per cent women's representation.
Dr Ramzah also pointed out that the roundtable discussion aimed at creating strategies for removing obstacles and empowering women to reach their full potential, particularly in decision-making roles.
"Next year marks 30 years since the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Beijing Declaration, which called for 30 per cent women's participation in decision-making.
"However, after 30 years, we are still far from reaching that goal. In Sabah, only about 14 per cent of women hold decision-making positions in the public sector, with most still confined to support and clerical roles," he added.