The legal protection of women's rights to be free from violence is crucial in demonstrating the commitment by the government and country, the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) said today.

WAO's Jaclyn Kee said this will help eradicate violence against women and ensure gender equality and their full participation in every facet of society.

"We urge the government to ensure non-discrimination against women as obliged under the Federal Constitution and as ratified under the Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1995," she said in a statement in conjunction with International Women's Day today.

International Women's Day is celebrated worldwide every March 8, commemorated by the United Nations, in recognition of the struggles and victories of the women's movement for equality, justice, peace and development.

Kee said violence against women arose from society's structured gender inequality where men are proferred dominance and superiority over women, and where it is exerted through force and violence.

She said WAO, together with other women's non-governmental organisations call for the eradication of this unequal power relations by working not o­nly with civil society but also with government machinery through legal and policy reform.

On the substance and implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, she said o­ne of the greatest concerns was the issue of legal protection.

Enhanced provisions

"We are working to minimise the bureaucratic processes that a survivor has to go through and to ensure her immediate legal protection."

Kee said another strategy was the Anti-Rape Task Force set up in 2001 to identify gaps in the rape laws, where several amendments to the Penal Code are being considered.

The proposals seek to widen the rape definition to include penetration by objects and to introduce a new offence of aggravated rape where the circumstances result in greater harm to the survivor, as in gang-rape.

Other amendments to the Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code are also being formulated to ensure a non-traumatic experience for the rape survivor through the criminal justice system.

Sexual Harassment Bill

On the issue of sexual harassment, Kee said the relevant joint action committee has produced a proposed Sexual Harassment Bill seeking to protect women and men against unwelcome sexual advances as well as provide a redress mechanism.

She said the committee is working with the Women and Family Development Ministry, together with other stakeholders, including the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.

"Last year saw women's groups raising the issue of polygamy and Muslim women's rights to form a coalition that will work to promote the rights of women under the syariah law," said Kee.

She added that women's groups have also handed a memorandum o­n the Right to Redress for Migrant Workers to ensure that abused foreign domestic workers will have real recourse to justice, including a standard employment contract stipulating minimum wage and rest days.