In a statement, its chairman Hasmy Agam said that among the many issues affecting females in the country were employment equality and child marriages.

He cited the recent case of Noorfadilla Ahmad Saikin, whose employment was revoked due to her pregnancy and the compensation awarded to her later, reduced by the court, as an example.

“The Commission was surprised by the Court of Appeal’s decision in February to reduce the compensation awarded (to Noorfadilla) from RM300,000 to RM30,000.

“The Commission is equally concerned with the practice of marrying young girls who are victims of rape to their rapists in an attempt to salvage their honour, regardless of their feelings about the marriage,” said Hasmy, in conjunction with International Women’s Day today.

In 2014, a report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), revealed that more than 15,000 Malaysian children were married off before the age of 19.

The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) had in October last year also stated that these statistics only represented cases of child marriages that were reported.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable nation.

“It can only be achieved when all human beings are able to access and enjoy the same rewards, resources and opportunities regardless of their gender.”