BUILDING A NATION ON EQUAL SHOULDERS – USM’S WOMEN'S DAY TRIBUTE TO THE FORCE OF ALL WOMEN

USM PENANG, March 8, 2026 - On this International Women's Day, we at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) pause to observe the landscape of our nation through a clearer lens. As we align with the global theme, "Give to Gain," we recognise that the true narrative of progress isn't written in a single story. It is written in the contrasting inks of the boardroom and the blueprint, the lecture hall and the factory floor.

Today, we honour the totality of women's labour - the visible and the invisible, the intellectual and the physical, and reaffirm a simple truth: women carry the weight of this nation equally, and it is time our institutions reflect that weight with equal support.

The story of Malaysian women is one of quiet revolution. Nationally, the female labour force participation rate stands at 56.9%, with progressive states like Penang surging to an impressive 57.6%. This it is a testament to the resilience of women navigating the complex maze of professional ambition and societal expectation, rather than mere statistics.

However, participation is not the same as inclusion. While women make up the majority of our university graduates, this talent pool remains an underutilised economic engine. Experts suggest that increasing women's workforce participation by just 5% could inject a potential 2-3% boost into our GDP. This is a matter of macroeconomic strategy, and not a matter of charity by the patriarchy.

The business case is further solidified in the private sector, where women currently hold approximately 29% of board positions in top PLCs. While progress is steady, the push towards 40% leadership representation isn't just about filling quotas, but it's about the data that proves diverse leadership drives stronger governance and financial performance.

This year, we are honoured to amplify the voices of our own academic leaders, whose words reflect the depth of our institutional commitment to this cause.

Dr. Miharaini Binti Md Ghani, Senior Lecturer at the School of Communication, frames this year's theme within the context of academic rigor and social resilience:
"Today, we celebrate more than just women. We celebrate the resilience of the human spirit manifested through women, the courage that refuses to fracture under pressure, the dreams that remain vivid despite relentless challenges, and the voices that refuse to be muted by convention. In our academic pursuits and in the stories we document, we witness that it is often through perseverance that the most significant contributions are made. To every woman who rises after every fall and continues to shine despite every obstacle, know that the world progresses because of your quiet strength and visible determination. Happy International Women's Day."

Complementing this perspective, a Senior Staff member from the School of Distance Education (SDE-USM) provides a pragmatic view in saying:
"It is essential for women to cultivate both courage and confidence in navigating their professional responsibilities and daily lives. By maintaining this inner strength and to remain discerning against negative influences, women naturally become beacons of integrity. They transform into role models not through grand gestures, but through consistent example; inspiring their colleagues, their friends, and their families to strive for excellence. This International Women's Day, let us recognise that every woman who stands firm in her values contributes to a stronger, more principled society for all."

At USM, we see the future in dual lenses.
We see the white-collar women, particularly, the academics, the administrators, the thought leaders. We celebrate trailblazers like the first female Vice-Chancellors shaping national STEM policy and representing Malaysia on global platforms like ASEAN and UK-Malaysia higher education alliances. We acknowledge that within the Ministry of Education, women now lead 9 of 18 key divisions, proving that when the door to leadership is opened, women don't just enter - they lead with empathy and excellence.

Yet, we refuse to let the glitter of the office lights overshadow the sweat of the factory floor. We see the blue-collar women, whom we call the backbone of our industrial zones, the technical staff maintaining our labs, the cleaners who keep our campuses pristine, and the assembly line workers who fuel our economy. These are the women whose hands are calloused but whose spirits are unbreakable.

Let us speak the unspoken detail today. The reason the female participation rate hasn't hit the 60% target faster isn't a lack of ambition, it's a lack of infrastructure for the "second shift."

Women often work one full shift at the office or hard labour industry, and a second full shift at home. The "care economy" is still seen as women's work, yet it is the very engine that allows the formal economy to run.

When we advocate for flexible work arrangements and upskilling programmes like the Women Leadership Apprenticeship Programme (PERANTIS), we are not just investing in individuals, we are investing in an ecosystem. We are saying that a woman's contribution is too vital to be lost to systemic friction. Whether she is in a hard hat conducting field research or in overalls maintaining our infrastructure, her presence is a competitive advantage.

This Women's Day, USM stands firmly on the principle of equal weightage. We reject the outdated notion that physical labour defines masculinity and intellectual labour defines femininity. Women bear the weight of complex administrative decisions in esteemed academic centres on a global scale, just as they bear the physical weight of constructing and maintaining the very establishments we inhabit.

To the women reading this, may you find your weight honoured, not humoured. May your contributions be measured by your impact, not your gender. To the female professors shaping global paradigms, and to the female technicians ensuring our campus runs without a hitch - we see you. We value you. We are you.

As we move towards 2033 and beyond, let us build a Malaysia where a woman's place is everywhere she chooses to be, and her burden is shared by a society wise enough to know that no nation can soar when it asks only half its population to carry the wind.

Text: Privinkumar Jayavanan / Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharuddin