women lawyers

Parliament probe missed the mark, says lawyer

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Meera was recently barred from entering the Parliament building as her skirt was deemed too short. ― Picture by Choo Choy May for the MMO.

Meera was recently barred from entering the Parliament building as her skirt was deemed too short. ― Picture by Choo Choy May for the MMO.

PETALING JAYA, April 14 — How can an investigation be complete without speaking to the complainant?

That was the question raised by Women’s Aid Organisation assistant treasurer Meera Samanther, who was recently barred from entering the Parliament building as her skirt was deemed too short.

Unhappy with the investigation, she said the findings were “incomplete and disingenuous” and pointed out no one from Parliament had contacted her for her statement.

Parliament’s corporate communications division head Tengku Nasaruddin Tengku Mohamed had said in a statement on Wednesday Meera was denied entry because of safety reasons as they did not have prior information of her attendance.

He said the results of the investigation contradicted Meera’s claims.

Meera, a lawyer, said the report focused on her encounter with the security office at the entrance, which was a non-issue.  Read more →

51% Badan Peguam Malaysia terdiri oleh peguam wanita, jadi kenapa mereka tidak bersuara? – Animah Kosai

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Terbitan HAKAM sempena sambutan Hari Hak Asasi Manusia 2015
#HAKAM-MMO Human Rights Day 2015 project

51%! ADAKAH INI MEMBOLEHKAN PERSAINGAN YANG ADIL?

Karangan ANIMAH KOSAI

Photograph: Stephen Hird/Reuters

Photograph: Stephen Hird/Reuters

Pada 2014, Persatuan Peguam Wanita (“the Association of Women Lawyers (AWL)” dengan usahasama Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM) dan Pertubuhan Pertolongan Wanita (WAO) telah mengendalikan satu kaji selidik bertajuk “51%! Is it a Level Playing Field?” (“51%! Adakah ini membolehkan Persaingan yang Adil?”)

51% Badan Peguam Malaysia terdiri oleh peguam wanita. Baguslah. Akan tetapi, seperti dalam bidang korporat antarabangsa, wanita merana di rangka bawahan. Peguam wanita membentuk 68% rangka bawah bidang undang-undang (tidak termasuk rakan kongsi firma guaman undang-undang). Sejauh mana 68% ini bertungkus lumus menjadi rakan kongsi firma guaman undang-undang? 42%. Dan hanya 25% perunding pakar undang-undang (iaitu peguam berpengamalan dan hakim) adalah wanita.

Adakah terdapatnya siling kaca (“glass ceiling”) dalam profesion yang bertugas menegakkan kesaksamaan dan keadilan? Read more →

51pc of the Malaysian Bar are women so why won’t they speak up? – Animah Kosai

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Published in collaboration with MMO
>> Read original article in Bahasa Malaysia 

BY ANIMAH KOSAI

Women lawyers have confessed in the AWL survey that having children had a high impact on their careers. ― Picture by Saw Siow Feng

Women lawyers have confessed in the AWL survey that having children had a high impact on their careers. ― Picture by Saw Siow Feng

OPINION, Dec 13 — In 2014, the Association of Women Lawyers (AWL) conducted a survey in collaboration with  Human Rights Commission, Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) : “51 per cent! Is it a Level Playing Field?”

Fifty-one per cent of the Malaysian Bar are women. Wonderful. But like the international corporate environment, women tend to languish at the bottom. Sixty-eight per cent of legal assistants, i.e. the bottom rung of the Bar are women. How many stay on long enough to become partners? Forty-two per cent. Only 25 per cent of consultants (experienced lawyers or judges) are women.

Is there a glass ceiling in the profession which has sworn to uphold equality and fairness?

The French Bar lost out when IMF head Christine Lagarde was told by the French firm she worked for she would never make partner because she was a woman. So she left and ultimately became Chairperson of one of the largest law firms, Baker McKenzie. You know what happened next.

Could we be losing our stars as well? Read more →