The situation of stagnating and low participation of women in the labour workforce in Malaysia is a major concern. The Government of Malaysia in seeking to address this has in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) targeted a 55% women participation rate in the workforce by 2015.

This project specifically looks at why women’s labour force participation rates have been low despite the Nation successfully achieving gender parity in many national developmental areas particularly in education.

The present statistical evidence of 47.9% women labour force participation rate is significantly less than most developed economics and within the ASEAN nations. This figure is also low compared to the OECD countries record of 61% women in their overall labour force participation rates1. The objective of the study was to ascertain in detail what factors, both direct and indirect, contribute to this phenomena wherein the study.