FEATURE-Malaysian mothers fight government over sexist citizenship law Reuters 4 hrs ago Mothers cannot pass nationality to children born overseas Top court tells gov t to explain apparent discrimination Law perpetuates domestic abuse, statelessness, critics say
By Emma Batha
July 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Former Malaysian squash champion Choong Wai Li has a cabinet full of trophies from the five years she played for her country, but if her son were to inherit her sporting talents he would not be able to represent the nation.
That is because Malaysia is one of 25 countries that do not give mothers and fathers equal rights to pass their nationality to their children.
Wednesday, 14 Jul 2021 08:49 AM MYT
Along with five other Malaysian mothers, Choong has launched legal action against the government over sexist and outdated citizenship rules. Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
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KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 Former Malaysian squash champion Choong Wai Li has a cabinet full of trophies from the five years she played for her country, but if her son were to inherit her sporting talents he would not be able to represent the nation.
That is because Malaysia is one of 25 countries that do not give mothers and fathers equal rights to pass their nationality to their children.
Youth activists from Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East will discuss their involvement in advocacy for gender-equal nationality rights and innovative advocacy approaches to advance gender equality. Date: 1 June 2021.
Tuesday, 27 Apr 2021 04:18 PM MYT
BY IDA LIM
Members of Family Frontiers hold up placards demanding equal citizenship rights for Malaysians at the Kuala Lumpur High Court April 27, 2021. Picture by Hari Anggara
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KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 The Malaysian government today argued that the High Court should strike out a lawsuit filed by several Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses who want their children born abroad to automatically be recognised as Malaysian citizens.
But the mothers’ lawyer said that the doors of the courts should not be closed to them at this stage and that they should not be denied access to justice, and the High Court should hear their court challenge instead of throwing it out now.
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In this interview, she shares her journey of fighting gender inequity and explains how to rally for wide-reaching and sustainable impact.
How did you become an advocate for women’s rights and gender equality in Lebanon?
Reading Nawal El Saadawi’s book “Woman and Sex” was a turning point in my life – experiences similar to mine confirmed my ideas about gender discrimination. As a result, I started following women’s issues in Lebanon and later volunteered at the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights as a freshwoman in university, which was the foundation of my career.
Over the years, I developed my knowledge of feminism and built local, regional and international networks, as I am a strong believer in solidarity and collaboration. Working in the media enabled me to raise awareness of gender issues through mainstream and social media platforms. The more I learned about women’s daily sufferings, the more vocal I decided to be, to make sure I was really heard.