Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women in Malaysia

ORIGIN GREAT Women In ASEAN Initiative (GWAI) was formally launched during the Dialogue on GREAT Women held at ASEAN SME Showcase and Conference (ASSC) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27, 2015.

THE GREAT WOMEN IN ASEAN INITIATIVE DIALOGUE AND LAUNCH

About 40 GREAT Women Entrepreneurs and co-branders participated to showcase their products of GREAT Women.

The dialogue attracted women entrepreneurs from across the region, as well as potential support partners from public and private sectors.

The GWAI booth was formally officiated by the Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, accompanied by

H.E Ms Nina Hachigan, US Ambassador to ASEAN and H.E Mr Le Luong Minh, Secretary General of ASEAN.

GW-ASEAN COLLECTION DURING THE ASCC

Promotion and other materials are under compilation to showcase the strengths, common values, unique local cultures, and success stories of women enterprises and artisans in ASEAN. The materials aim to inspire women entrepreneurs and artisans as well as to attract interest and support from consumers, businesses, and social and other investors.

87 women entrepreneurs from Malaysia have registered their interest in joining the GWAI initiative from the lifestyle industry, F&B and beauty industry. The GWM has taken the initiative to replicate the GWAI initiative by focusing on capacity building, focusing on one pillar – Fashion and Accessories, as its pilot program for 2015 and 2016.

GREAT WOMEN MALAYSIA (GWM) MOVING FORWARD

AS PLATFORM GW initiative supports the efforts of majority women-owned

enterprises, women entrepreneurs and women artisans to add value to their products and services under fair-employment and fair-trade

conditions. It also helps to build up GW supply chains and markets at the regional and international levels.

AS BRAND GW initiative facilitates women entrepreneurs’ and artisans’ marketing efforts, and secures their access to international and regional markets.

In the process, it protects as well as highlights the rich and diverse ethno-cultural expressions and traditional technologies and know-hows

embodied in GW products and services.

INTRODUCTION

MALAYSIA

GREAT WOMEN Malaysia is an initiative that will include developmental programs and commercialization programs to rope Malaysian women entrepreneurs into the larger ASEAN Great Women initiative. GREAT WOMEN is a long term initiative, with the first roll-out focusing on fashion and accessories,

DEVELOPMENT

• Matching underserved communities with artisanal skills and products that have potential for scale to entrepreneurs and designers from ASEAN.

• Development of skills and talents of the community and quality of products for commercialization.

• Development of capacity for export.

• Development of a regional Accelerator program with Shared Service Facilities and Co-Working Spaces in the selected communities in Malaysia.

COMMERCIALIZATION

• Develop Malaysian products for GREAT WOMEN brand intended for global market distribution

• Develop branding and market pitch that would tell the stories of the GREAT WOMEN, Malaysia, subsequently promote the Malaysian culture and geographical indications.

• Match local artisanal communities from Malaysia, and their skills or products with ASEAN entrepreneurs for sourcing/outsouring.

MALAYSIA • Co-create products with unique ASEAN identity by establishing collaboration between

Malaysian women entrepreneurs or skilled and artisanal community to the ASEAN community or entrepreneurs

• Help Malaysian women entrepreneurs produce products with ASEAN influence, possessing commercial values that can penetrate the global market

• Develop an Accelerator program that will connect mentors, investors, buyers, and other relevant stakeholders to help take the products to market viably. The concept of Maker Lab will used to develop prototypes of collection and brands. Brands will then work collaboratively with skilled and artisanal women communities to develop their products of market consumption.

• Establish an ASEAN brand that would carry products from Great Women Malaysia, for global market distribution, where percentage of profit would be used for further development of Great Women Malaysia communities

• Help Malaysian women entrepreneurs address market access • Raising the underserved/B40 communities up the value chain, by providing them the

opportunity to supply/work for ASEAN designers/entrepreneurs, raising their income levels, and exposing them to regional entrepreneurship and network.

ASPIRATIONS

MALAYSIA

OBJECTIVES Facilitate, enable and produce collaborations and partnerships: 1. Malaysian entrepreneurs to leverage from ASEAN by:

1. Sourcing 2. Outsourcing 3. Co-creation of products

2. Malaysian entrepreneurs to break into ASEAN markets by establishing sales and distribution channels

3. Malaysian artisanal communities to benefit by: 1. Becoming an outsource partner to ASEAN entrepreneur 2. Develop and supply products to ASEAN market

4. Bring women and underserved community up the value and economic chain, increasing their income, converting workers into entrepreneurs, subsequently creating job opportunities within the communities.

WORKING MODEL

MALAYSIA

1. Move into agreements with government agencies or other private sector groups forming a local supportive eco-system

2. Commercialization of GWM brands 3. Development of ASEAN Fashion

Maker Lab Accelerator (AFMLA), SSF and retail stores

4. License owner for replication of (AFMLA)

5. Fund raising and management in Malaysia

For-profit Social Enterprise

AWEN focal point for Malaysia and development partner

Engagement and collaboration with other NGOs, relevant associations and entrepreneurs

Operationalization of the initiatives in ASEAN • Product development strategy for each product

cluster • Marketing strategy and plan for each product cluster • Design directions to support product development

(with the eventual development or creation of GWBrand designers circle or services)

• Co-branding directions and development

MALAYSIA Development Commercialization

Identify mentors, coaches and

trainers

Identify community & products

Identify entrepreneurs

Skills, design, network, quality Train Product &

Service Match, outsource,

supply

Brand Promote, Market,

Distribute

SELL

% of profit to sustain development

MECHANICS

1 2 3

4

5

6

7 8

GW Malaysia is a for profit social enterprise.

ASEAN Fashion

Maker Lab Accelerator

Fund

MALAYSIA

OUTCOMES/DELIVERABLES

The GREAT WOMEN Malaysia will be a work in progress with timelines and outcomes as below:

DEC

1AES: 1. Implement ASEAN Fashion

Maker Lab – to foster collaboration among ASEAN designers, fashion entrepreneurs, and artisanal communities in developing fashion collection with ASEAN infusion of style, materials and culture.

2. Showcase of 15 GREAT WOMEN Malaysia products with ASEAN Collaboration, ready for commercialization

JUN

1. Form ASEAN Designer community that will act as mentors, coaches and trainers

2. Select 3 local artisanal communities (Sabah – Batik/Beadings, Sarawak, - Tenun/Beadings, Kelantan – Songket/Batik)

3. Develop training and matching program – matching communities with mentors and trainers to develop capacity, skills and quality of products.

4. Implement training and matching program (June-Nov)

NOV

1. Establishment of the ASEAN Fashion Maker Lab Council – to act as country representatives, to engage with fashion stakeholders and communities.

2. Development of the ASEAN Fashion Maker Accelerator and Shared Service Facilities.

3. Fund raising activities for the ASEAN Fashion Maker Accelerator that will drive products under GWAI.

ASEAN FASHION MAKER LAB

ASEAN Fashion Maker Lab and Buyer’s Day during the 1ASEAN Entrepreneurship Summit (18th-20th November 2015), bringing together 150 participants from 5 ASEAN countries, 15 collections were produced.

PREPARED BY:

NADIRA YUSOFF COUNTRY LEAD GWM FOR GWAI PRESIDENT WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR NETWORK MALAYSIA (WENA)

Tel: 019-2090323 Email: nadirayusoff@gmail.com

MALAYSIA