AWAM brings forward women’s concerns to decision-makers, and lobbies and advocates for improved legislation and policies on gender-related issues, including rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and women and the media.

Working with allies and partners, our achievements include:

• The amendments to the laws relating to rape (1989)
• The enactment of the Domestic Violence Act (1994)
• The setting-up of the One Stop Crisis Centre in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (1996) and subsequently in all major government hospitals
• The introduction of the Code of Practice on the Prevention and Eradication of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (1999)
• The amendment of Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender (2001)

We have been able to influence decision-making through our interventions in several government-led steering committees and technical working groups, such as the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s National Steering Committee on Violence against Women, and Technical Working Group on Women and Law. When necessary, we collaborate with other women’s NGOs – for example, through the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) – to give greater impetus to our lobbying and advocacy efforts.