The APPGM-SDG Solution Projects: Empowering Women Through Mobilising Grassroot Communities

Authors

  • Zaireeni Azmi Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia
  • Nor Hafizah Selamat Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, MALAYSIA
  • Noraida Endut Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, MALAYSIA

Keywords:

APPGM-SDG, SDG5, gender equality, women empowerment, TVET, grassroots communities

Abstract

In 2019, the Malaysian Parliament established the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on the Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG) to offer multi-party collaborations related to the sustainable development goals (SDG). This article evaluates its key programme, the Solution Providers Projects. The article’s primary objective is to showcase the work and activities of grassroots communities in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, goal 5 of the SDG. It analyses projects led by women, those exclusively benefiting women, and those substantially involving women's participation. The paper also aims to assess how these projects' outcomes contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment and assists women to pursue TVET opportunities and skills. In the Northern Region which covers several districts in Penang and Perak, 22 projects were evaluated of which nine specifically address women's needs. The study employed a qualitative approach to data collection including observations, focus group discussions (FGDs), and document analysis from November 2023 to February 2024. The participants for FGD were selected among the beneficiaries of the 22 projects. The elements of empowerment-resource, agency, and achievements were evaluated by analysing six domains of APPGM-SDG model: Deep, Wide, Clear, High, SDG, and Gender. The main findings indicate that these projects with TVET opportunities and skills development foster greater economic and social inclusion while empowering women, creating opportunities that uplift them, benefit the broader community and promoting gender equality. Additionally, some projects have ensured diversity and inclusion among their targeted beneficiaries, thus achieving multiple SDGs within a single project. This comprehensive evaluation underscores the critical role of grassroots communities in advancing sustainable development and community well-being. 

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Author Biographies

  • Zaireeni Azmi, Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia

    ZAIREENI AZMI is a lecturer at the Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), USM. With extensive research experience, she focuses on various issues, particularly women in politics, leadership, elections, and other women's issues from a gender perspective. She is involved in various international, national, and internal research projects as a principal investigator and co-researcher, collaborating with research and educational institutions such as the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Germany), Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI), ALiGN, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS-MOHE), AKEPT, IKRAM,  Malaysian Social Institute (ISM), as well as internal university research grants. She served as the Principal Consultant for a collaborative project with Milliman. Her contributions include academic journals, book chapters, and mainstream media, and she has also reviewed books and journal articles. Dr. Zaireeni was also appointed as the National Consultant for the Study on Women's Political Participation and Leadership in ASEAN by the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM).  In 2023, she was part of the consulting team that assessed the effectiveness of the Women's Development Action Plan, which is an action plan under the National Women's Policy 2009. In the same year, she joined the research team for the Needs Assessment of Women-Owned Micro and Small Enterprises (MSES) And Digitalization in Malaysia study sponsored by the Asian Foundation. She collaborated with ODI, London and led a research project on male allies titled “Men as Agents of Change.”

  • Nor Hafizah Selamat, Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, MALAYSIA
    Nor Hafizah Selamat

    Nor Hafizah SELAMAT is a Malaysian academic scholar. She is an Associate Professor in Social Anthropology and Tourism in the Anthropology and Sociology Section, the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang Malaysia. She is also currently the Deputy Director of the Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), USM. Her scholarly interests include the anthropology of tourism, community development, gender tourism, and gender entrepreneurship. Among her latest research consultancy projects include The Needs Assessment of Women-Owned Micro And Small Enterprises (Mses) And Digitalization In Malaysia funded by The Asia Foundation; The Evaluation Study of the Effectiveness of the Women's Development Action Plan (funded by the Institut Sosial Malaysia) with the focus to review the goals, implementation strategy and approach of National Women Policy as well as evaluate the effectiveness of The Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women, especially from the point of view of its development and implementation; Men as Allies in Shaping a Gender Equality Society focusing on Men In Politics as Agents of Gender Equitable Change funded by the ODI, London.

  • Noraida Endut, Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, MALAYSIA

    Noraida Endut is Professor and past Director of the Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA). She is consultant, lead researcher and co-researcher of several research and advocacy projects on women and gender in Malaysia, regionally and internationally. She is a Permanent Member of the National Council of Women and Family and the Deputy Head, Cluster of International Affairs of the National Council of Professors. She is also Vice President of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies (AAWS) and Board Member of the International Women’s Rights Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW AP) [2013-2023]. She recently completed, as Lead Consultant, a Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s project “Kajian Keberkesanan Pelan Tindakan Pembangunan Wanita”  (A study on the effectiveness of the Action Plan on Women’s Development) and Principal Researcher of a project on sexual and reproductive health of women migrant and local workers utilising the framework of SDGs 4, 5 and 8, funded by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT). She is Co-consultant for an Overseas Development Institute (ODI)-funded project on male alliance in promoting gender equality in politics and The Asia Foundation (TAF)-funded project on digitalisation of women’s micro- and small enterprises. Noraida was research consultant of various national and international projects, including those commissioned by Women’s Aid Organisation, DM Analytics, International Human Rights Inc. and UN agencies (UNICEF, UNGTG, Partners for Prevention).

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Published

15-04-2025

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2025): SPECIAL ISSUE

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Azmi, Z., Selamat, N. H. ., & Endut, N. (2025). The APPGM-SDG Solution Projects: Empowering Women Through Mobilising Grassroot Communities. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 17(1), 180-189. https://penerbit.uthm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/JTET/article/view/18261

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