By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 26: Sarawak Energy’s Handicraft Development Programme has been recognised as one of the top seven winners of the ‘Community Engagement and Partnerships’ Award at the 2024 Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards, held during the UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL) Malaysia Summit at the Asia School of Business recently.
The programme was honoured for its impactful initiatives aimed at empowering women through community engagement.
Launched in 2016 in collaboration with the University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), the Handicraft Development Programme supports Penan women near the Murum Hydroelectric Plant by preserving traditional rattan weaving skills and fostering economic independence.
The programme aims to enhance market access for their crafts both locally and internationally, ensuring sustainable livelihoods for artisans while safeguarding the cultural heritage of the indigenous Penan community.
According to a press release, Sarawak Energy along with six other Malaysian winners, including Bursa Malaysia Berhad, Red Communications, PwC Malaysia, Pinkcollar Employment Agency, Bintang Capital Partners, and Kiddocare Sdn Bhd, will advance to the Asia-Pacific WEPs Regional Awards, set to take place in December 2024.
Representing Sarawak Energy at the award ceremony, Siti Aisah Adenan, senior vice president of Corporate Services and Executive Champion of the Sarawak Energy Leading Women Network (SELWN), accepted the accolade.
“The Handicraft Development Programme is one of several initiatives we undertake and develop in partnership with our host communities, as we believe that collaboration and mutual respect are crucial for successful social investment programmes,” she said.
She emphasised that the initiative reflects Sarawak Energy’s commitment to community development and gender equality through meaningful partnerships.
Supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as part of UN Women’s GAL regional initiative, the WEPs Awards recognide private sector efforts in driving gender equality.
The ‘Community Engagement and Partnerships’ category highlights companies promoting gender equality through community involvement and collaboration, celebrating their contributions to systemic change.
The WEPs initiative, a joint effort by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, empowers women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors.
Sarawak Energy became a WEPs signatory in 2021 through its Group chief executive officer, Datuk Sharbini Suhaili. Globally, over 10,000 companies have signed on to the WEPs, including around 2,700 from the Asia-Pacific region.
The 2024 Malaysia WEPs Awards took place as part of the GAL Malaysia Summit, organised by the Ministry of Human Resources, TalentCorp, and LeadWomen.
During the summit, UN Women, TalentCorp, and LeadWomen also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the ‘UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL): Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in the Asia-Pacific’ initiative.
Sarawak Energy remains committed to integrating gender-inclusive practices into its broader sustainability efforts, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and continuing to promote gender equality and empowerment within the communities it serves. — DayakDaily
