Women's Aid Organisation

Description

Women’s Aid Organisation is a Malaysian non-governmental organisation that fights for women’s rights and against violence against women. It was founded in 1982 and has played a leading role in Malaysia’s women’s rights movement, working on advocacy, public education and law and policy reform.

WAO set up Malaysia’s first domestic violence shelter in 1982 and is now the largest service provider for domestic violence survivors in the country. It runs a refuge for battered women and children, a childcare centre for the children of former refuge residents, and a hotline and SMS or WhatsApp line reaching thousands of women each year.

Social workers provide counselling, court accompaniment and help accessing police, hospital and welfare services for women fleeing abuse. WAO also runs awareness campaigns and trains police, social welfare officers and healthcare workers to respond to domestic violence.

It advocates with government and civil society for stronger laws and policy on women’s rights, including its campaigns for criminalising stalking and for paternity leave. It works with United Nations mechanisms such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and is a member of the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs.