Malaysia’s Orang Asli Women Roles in Indigenous Community

Abstract

Globally, there are still many occurring social issues that may be a hindrance towards the achievement of the overall development of a nation, and one of them is gender equality. Although it is a social issue that can affect the society, gender equality however affects women more than men as it can put women at a more disadvantaged situations such as limited access towards good health and education, lower financial status, lower employment opportunities, and more. Gender equality should be properly addressed to ensure that women can enjoy the opportunities and rights that they deserved as part of the members of the society. In this study, we investigated the Orang Asli women roles from a selected tribes in Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to explore how Orang Asli women contribute to the preservation of the indigenous community's culture, language, and beliefs. This study employed a qualitative case study research design. To obtain data, a semi-structured interviewing tool was used. We collected and analysed data from Orang Asli women as participants of the study. The study's findings demonstrated that the Orang Asli women had meaningful roles in their community. The study's conclusions are designed to provide insight into how indigenous women can carry out their responsibilities in promoting gender equality and sustainable development in the indigenous community.