WHAT WE DO

RURAL OUTREACH

Awareness and capacity building for rural communities

Public awareness raising campaigns

Gender inequality and violence against women and children

Provide SUPPORT SERVICES

To women and children in need

capacity building

For women and community empowerment

Advocacy Programme

       Since our formation in 1985, SAWO has worked on gender-based violence but most of those who were involved in this work are no longer active in SAWO. Due to the urgent need to regroup and to clarify our focus for our advocacy work, the SAWOrriors program was started in 2018 to recruit and train young women who are interested in gender equality and women’s rights. Currently SAWO does not have a fulltime coordinator for advocacy program and we are depending mostly on volunteers. The activities undertaken in this program is mainly fueled by the energy and passion of a few key SAWOrriors who have developed their skills and understanding of SAWO’s mission and work through their involvement.
                     
       In 2020, SAWO advocacy activities  has focused on highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which exacerbated the difficulties women and families, who are impacted by domestic violence, faced to seek protection and help. The situation is more dire in rural communities who have difficulties accessing govern-ment/frontline services even prior to the pandemic.
                       
    Another unexpected event, the snap state election on 26th September 2020 has also greatly impacted our advocacy program. It meant that we had to fast forward activities that were planned for the near future to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the snap state election 2020. Together with advisors and friends, the SAWOrriors were able to run a short campaign to highlight important issues that voters should be focusing on, such as corruption and the lack of women running in the state elections.
                           
       SAWO brought the case of children being sexually abused in a village in Kota Marudu to the attention of SUHAKAM’s Child Commissioner and accompanied her and her staff on their investigative mission. Other issues we worked on included child marriage, sexual harassment and the Sustainable Development Goals 3 &5, health and wellbeing and gender equality, in collaboration with the All Party Parliament-Group Malaysia.

Women's Political Empowerment

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Child Protection

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Sexual Harassment

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Community Education

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helpline Programme

helpline

Provide emotional and psychological support
​and information

FACE-TO-FACE COUNSELLING

At the SAWO Centre or
​other places of
convenience to clients.

LEGAL & PRACTICAL SUPPORT

For women in crisis: Including short - term  crisis fund for single mothers and B40 families and assistance to apply for longer term financial aid. 

REFERRALs SERVICE

Needing help from the police, the Medical Social Department, Sabah Welfare Services Department and other agencies, including the Legal Aid Bureau and Syariah lawyers for Muslim women as well as those looking for shelter homes.