The Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) strives to create an enabling ecosystem for women in Penang to be economically empowered. The programmes leverage strategic partnerships to drive efficiency and to reach the intended audiences and expertise required.
Women in Economy
Objectives of WEE:
- Enable women to enter and remain in the workforce.
- Enable women to participate in the economy, and given social protection, and legal recognition.
The Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) showed that only half of the women in Malaysia are engaging actively in the labour market as of 2019 with marginal improvement over the last 9 years.
Women in Japan and Korea leave the workforce upon childbirth (first peak). When their child grows up to be independent, they return to the workforce before finally retiring (second peak). In contrast, women in Malaysia do not return to the workforce after childbirth (first peak).
Conference
Women in Economy Conference: Rethinking Entrepreneurship in Today’s Women
The conference on 24 & 25 September 2018 explored women in the economy. It looked into initiatives and partnerships for women and formulate strategies to improve women in the economy. It was a partnership with the Penang State Government and a collaboration with MBPP, MPSP, Sunshine Wholesale Mart, WomenBizSENSE, Penang Institute, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), JCI Pearl, and National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia (NAWEM),
Mentoring
Penang Women Entrepreneur Mentoring Programme (PWEMP)
This programme provides a platform for Penang’s new and growing women entrepreneurs to build their network and successful business by pairing with experienced entrepreneurs. Aspiring entrepreneurs signed up for a 6-months mentoring and training programme. Custom modules are developed to cater for mentee in the B40 and M40/T20 category respectively.
Capacity Building
Economy Empowerment through Capacity Building
Capacity Building workshops are a big part of PWDC’s work to impart knowledge, develop skills and build the connections for women to participate in the economy. Workshops modules include information sharing on business registration, book- keeping and marketing training, craft making, and the setting up e-platform to sell products
e-Commerce and Social Media Marketing Workshops
PWDC works with various stakeholders, women organizations, civil societies, service providers and educational institutions to create opportunities in e-Commerce for women entrepreneurs in this rapidly growing sector where there are currently over 20 million active internet users in Malaysia. Besides imparting basic knowledge of digital marketing, the workshops also create networking opportunities and available platform for participants to market their product from home using the internet.
Community Collaboration
Projek Eko-Kraf
A project to empower women in the community especially those in the B40 category to master the handmade craft-making skill and sell their craft product to earn side income. The initiative has been introduced at the MPSP and State people’s public housing project; PPR Ampangan and Desa Wawasan, Bukit Mertajam since March 2018.