Page 5 - 01/2022 PULSE@FASS e-Bulletin

Issue no. 1 | 2022
I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o m e n ' s D a y

Podcast on Sexual Towards a More

Identities of (migrant) Sustainable Gender
women in Sabah Equality Agenda

On the 8th of March 2022, Dr Shanthi Thambiah
Dr Vilashini Somiah from The Gender Studies Programme
participated in a live webinar under the Malaysian Institute
was invited to speak on a special George Town Literary
of Management’s Crucial Conversations series. This
Festival (GTLF) Podcast in conjunction with International
webinar was held in conjunction with International
Women's day and the release of her latest book 'Irregular
Women's Day 2022 .
Migrants and the Sea at the Borders of Sabah, Malaysia:
Pelagic Alliance' (Palgrave MacMillan, 2021). Hosted by
The title of the webinar was “Gender Equality Today for a
human rights activist and better masculinity advocate
Sustainable Tomorrow: Shifting Mindsets, Behaviors
Rizal Rozhan, the podcast focused primarily on Chapter 3 and
Practices for Enduring Change”. As Diversity, Equity and
of her book and discussed how migrant women found
Inclusion (DEI) issues come to the forefront, many
strength, courage, and empowerment through the sea.
governments are beginning to examine how policies are
Apart from that, the podcast also explored some of the
made, implemented, and assessed to address underlying
more patriarchal issues faced by women in Sabah, and
systemic imbalances. Besides governments, DEI has also
what needs to be done to improve this. The podcast can
continued to gain traction in corporate circles in recent
be heard here.
years. Research have shown that DEI environments drive
better decision-making, stimulate innovation and increase
organizational agility.

Dr Shanthi highlighted that the terms ‘diversity’ and
‘inclusion’ are frequently used together. However, it is
important to uncouple these two terms in order to
understand the different practical and theoretical work
these concepts represent. Diversity rhetoric that has
gradually come to replace the equal opportunities rhetoric
and approaches has been critiqued for shifting diversity
and equality from a political anti-discrimination project to
become a business case underpinned by economic
Dr Shanthi with fellow moderator and panel from the government
arguments.
and industry
Leadership Workshop on Gender Equity, Diversity and

Inclusivity (GEDI) in Higher Education Institutions

Dr Lai Suat Yan, Senior lecturer from the Gender Studies
Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional
Programme was nominated to represent University Malaya
Centre in Higher Education and Development (RIHED).
by the Malaysian Government to participate in the
Leadership Workshop on Gender Equity, Diversity and
Inclusivity (GEDI) in Higher Education Institutions held
virtually from 7-9 March 2022.

The workshop included 60 leaders and designated
representatives of universities from Cambodia, Lao PDR,
Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor-Leste and Brunei
Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines as well as
5 U.K. partner universities.

The workshop, conducted by the project consultant team
from the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, was
supported by the British Council and the Southeast Asian
5 | Pulse @ FASS