GOSSIP

The national budget, every year, is a contentious topic for some citizens, primarily the discriminatory allocation of funds in certain departments. But beyond that, it is alarming that many might not know the importance of the national budget as well as its purpose. After all, the budget defines how public funds are raised, how they are utilized, and who benefits from them by tracking where it comes and goes.

Just last year, the Malaysian Parliament approved the country's largest budget with a total of RM332.1 billion. However, the lack of gender-focused policies and insufficient gender analysis across various sectors and ministries is concerning as it once again shows that gender equality is not at the forefront of Malaysia's fiscal policy.

In this episode, we talk about the need for gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in fighting for gender and fiscal justice, what GRB really means, and how can we analyze the national budget from a gender lens.

(Featuring guest speakers:  Omna Sreeni-Ong, Founder & Principal Consultant from ENGENDER Consultancy, and Sri Murniati Yusuf, Deputy Research Director from IDEAS Malaysia)

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Year by year, we have seen an increased need to jump onto the digital economy bandwagon in order for businesses to survive and for people to continue their bread and butter lives. This is shown beyond doubt during the pandemic where many businesses were forced to shut down or significantly curtail their operations. The majority of businesses that transitioned to online platforms such as food vendors that provide online delivery services were able to survive by the skin of their teeth. But is the digital economy all good? 

Have online giants such as Grab and Facebook irrevocably made changes to our economy and job market in ways that benefit the richest 10%? Do crowd workers get to reap the same benefits they sow? What about the communities that do not have access to the same information and opportunities? What impacts would the digital economy have on labour, the constant widening of our country’s wealth inequality and how can the State do better in ensuring the livelihoods of everyone will be protected?

In the second part of our conversation on ‘Future of Work’, we dive deeper into the world of the digital economy and question the lasting impacts it would have on the people's livelihoods, the country’s economic structures, the welfare of labour, and so on.

(Featuring guest speakers: Rachel Gong and Siti Aiysyah Tumin, researchers with Khazanah Research Institute)

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Digitalization and globalization have resulted in significant changes in our way of life and work. For some, this has meant significant improvements in productivity and efficiency. For others, it has meant increased vulnerability and costs. The situation is now made worse because the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the pre-existing negative impacts of capitalist-driven markets on labour. The immediate and frequently observed severe effect is how millions of people were furloughed or lost their jobs, and others had to quickly adapt to working from home despite maybe not having access to affordable equipment and internet connectivity when workplaces were closed. These developments pose important questions regarding job security, job creation, and the types of support available if we are unable to work or retire, the types and levels of skills we require for present and future occupations, the quality and safety of those work opportunities, and our ability to influence these outcomes.

In our fifth episode, the first part of our conversation on the 'Future of Work', we discuss how the pandemic has affected employment, what is the current state and future for young people who are seeking employment, and the lopsided "sharing" economy.

(Featuring guest speakers: Mastura M. Rashid, Strategist from Impact Malaysia, and Joseph Boo, Treasurer from Persatuan Kebajikan Pekerja Industri Ehailing Malaysia (PKEH))

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Despite the many forms of successes in advancing women's rights and gender equality that has been achieved by the women's rights movement, bodily autonomy still remains elusive for millions of women and girls around the world. According to the UNFPA's 'My Body is My Own' report, nearly half of all women in 57 countries are denied bodily autonomy. In our society, bodily autonomy is regarded as a 'western concept' rather than a fundamental right. Not to mention, when the subject of bodily autonomy is brought up, it is frequently linked to reproductive and sexual rights. However, little has been realized that the denial of women and girls' bodily autonomy has increasingly infringed on their daily lives where they are shamed for merely being confident in their own skin or for carrying out mundane activities such as exercising.  

In the fourth episode of GOSSIP, we talked about the patriarchal society's long-held perspective of women and girls' bodies, the shame surrounding femininity, and the measures forward to empower women and girls' bodily autonomy. Join us in recognizing the importance of bodily autonomy as a human right that will benefit not just women and girls but all people.  

(Featuring: Student and TikTok content creator, Mei and GoodKids Malaysia's Communication and Media Officer as well as emerging Spoken Word Artist, Kasthury Paramiswaran)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organisations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Often wrongly argued as part and parcel of "freedom of expression", online gender-based violence is the systemic tool used in denying the lived realities, identities, and opinions of women and marginalized communities who challenge the dominant status quo. It is an extension of gender-based violence that takes place online, and it is often deliberately weaponized against women's freedom of expression. Although social media has somewhat reduced the barriers for women to express their opinions and thoughts, the increased use and access to social media does not necessarily translate to freedom of expression that is equally enjoyed by women, given the historical and structural inequalities that are also reproduced on technological platforms.  

In the third episode of GOSSIP, we unpack the intricacies of online gender-based violence. Does gender really play a role when it comes to online attacks? Has the rise of social media amplified the harms of these abuses and what are some of the challenges in addressing these issues? Join us in examining the inherent inequalities in women's access to freedom of expression.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Jamaliah Jamaluddin, State Assemblyperson for Bandar Utama and Selangor Vice Chief for DAP Youth Socialist (DAPSY), and Alia Affendy, activist, feminist, legal practitioner)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organisations or institutions they are affiliated with.

Most people see that women in Malaysia are able to go out to work, and so reject the data on the gender wage gap, and do not understand why women would dare demand for "equal pay" or more specifically, "equal pay for work of equal value". The undervaluing of women as workers worsens when the work is associated with household work and household-type of work -- the cooking, the cleaning, and the caregiving. Not only is the work undervalued but women's work experience in these types of work is similarly undervalued.  

For the second episode of GOSSIP, we raise questions on common assumptions and misperceptions about women workers and the value of their work, the challenges on the ground, and how do we move forward. Find out what the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed about the sustainability and resilience of our economy, and the essential driver that advances the development of any country.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Nur Thuraya Sazali and Siti Aiysyah Tumin, researchers with Khazanah Research Institute, and; Chong Yee Shan, a member of the central committee of Parti Sosialis and works with the National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS) for better labour rights)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are of their own personal opinion and does not necessarily represent the view of the organization or institution.

Malaysia's media has a lengthy history of being silenced, most notably through the employment of repressive laws, printing license control, and media ownership restrictions. While digitalization has allowed for the creation and proliferation of alternative media, the online space still mirrors the offline patriarchal culture either in the gender stereotypical portrayal of women and gender diversity, including women’s sexuality or in the portrayal and commodification of the “ideal” woman. Consequently, the integration of social media and journalistic practice has exacerbated harassment, violence, and hate directed at women, particularly when the issues reported are deemed controversial (e.g., child marriage, LGBTQ people's human rights, female genital mutilation, polygamy, dehijabbing).   

In our first episode, we discuss Malaysian media's coverage of gender inequality issues, the lack of a gender analysis of these issues, the challenges in pushing for and advancing positive representation of gender perspectives in media as well as the next steps to better cultivate a gender diverse media.  

(Featuring guest speakers: Wathshlah Naidu, Executive Director of Centre for Independent Journalism, and @zurairi, Assistant News Editor for The Malay Mail)  

**NOTE: Views presented by the speakers are their own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of KRYSS Network, or the organizations or institutions they are affiliated with.