Sharifah Hapsah

President of the National Council of Women’s Organization (NCWO)

“We went to Sabah and Sarawak where the women tell us, ‘They just give the money to the men, and we never see it. Before it comes home, it’s finished on the toddy.’ So it’s very important to get from the women what development means to them. If some segments are not benefitting, then I don’t think it’s sustainable development.”

Dr. Sharifah Hapsah is a well-known public intellectual and prolific columnist focusing on education, health, and gender issues. She began her career as a medical doctor and professor. She became the first female Vice Chancellor of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). During her time at UKM (2006–2013), she successfully merged her role as Vice-Chancellor with her impressive social activism as President of the National Council of Women’s Organization (NCWO). She is committed to the inclusion of women in decision-making at every level and strives to incorporate social sustainability as a pillar of Malaysia’s development efforts. Not satisfied with merely the appearance of addressing women’s issues, she leads NCWO in its call to the government to make certain that implementation reaches women of all income and ethnic groups. She wants to be certain that engagement in development activities means more than providing factory jobs for women. She wants them to realize opportunities to grow and develop according to their own wishes and talents.