PETALING JAYA: The employment disparity between young men and women in the country is alarming.
More young Malaysian women are eager to join the workforce, have clearer career goals, and are more academically qualified, but they face higher unemployment rates.
This worrying trend was identified in a study by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute titled “Unemployment among Malaysia’s Youth: Structural Trends and Current Challenges”, authored by its senior fellow and Malaysia Studies Programme co-coordinator Lee Hwok Aun.
The paper, which was published on June 18,2020, addresses several factors affecting youth unemployment, and substantial gender disparity was one of them.
While diverse reasons affect employment opportunities among young Malaysian women, various bodies and non-governmental organisations say marriage-related reasons and cultural aspects play a vital role.