Framing alignment, strategy and political opportunities used by the National Council of Women's Organisations (NCWO) in advancing the laws related to violence against women (VAW), 1990-2016

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyse the framing alignment, strategies and political opportunities used by the NCWO to operate within Malaysia political system. The study focuses on how the women-based umbrella organisation NCWO put forward the relevant cases in reforming laws related to violence against women and how it mediates within competing women-based NGOs and the Malaysia government to forward laws related to women’s rights. The study also focuses on the development of laws related to violence against women in Malaysia. The findings of the study are as follows: 1) liberal feminist groups in Malaysia have pushed the Malaysian government for legislative reforms and NCWO has working alongside with liberal feminist groups and the government to address women interests while maintaining their role as multiracial, non-political, non-religious and non-communal organisations, 2) NCWO has been using a non-confrontational approach in advancing the interests of women whereas the liberal feminist groups has taken an aggressive approach in addressing the issue of violence against women such as public protests, and 3) NCWO and women’s groups in Malaysia have made various efforts in the dissemination of information on the law relating to violence against women, keep pushing for the involvements of various stakeholders and government agencies as well as women’s groups in formulating the proposed laws and drafting memorandum that call for better implementation of the policies.