PERANTIS- EMPOWERING AND MENTORING YOUNG RURAL WOMEN FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP: PERANTIS – LEARNING, LEADING AND INSPIRING

EMPOWERING AND MENTORING YOUNG RURAL WOMEN FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP: PERANTIS – LEARNING, LEADING AND INSPIRING
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through its Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), continues to contribute to the advancement of gender equality by strengthening women’s participation and leadership in public and political life. One of the initiatives reflecting this commitment is the Pementoran Kepimpinan Politik Wanita Muda Luar Bandar, implemented under the Program Perantisan Kepimpinan Wanita (PERANTIS). The programme brings together 40 young women from diverse political parties and non-governmental organisations across rural communities in Kedah, Perlis and Penang. The programme directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5): Gender Equality, particularly the objective of ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.

The programme was developed in recognition that increasing women’s political representation requires more than encouraging women to participate. Young women also need access to leadership development, mentoring, networks, confidence-building opportunities and practical exposure to political leadership. With a particular focus on young women from rural communities, PERANTIS seeks to strengthen their capacity to recognise their leadership potential, articulate their voices, engage with community issues and develop the confidence to participate meaningfully in public and political spaces.
A central component of the programme is its structured mentoring approach, which connects participants with women political leaders and practitioners. Through a series of mentoring engagements, participants gain direct exposure to the experiences, challenges and strategies of women who are already active in political and community leadership. The mentoring process provides participants with opportunities to learn from lived experiences while developing practical competencies in leadership, political engagement, communication, influence and community mobilisation. This approach is particularly significant in addressing the gendered and structural barriers that can limit young women’s access to political networks, leadership opportunities and decision-making spaces.
The programme also incorporates a series of capacity-building activities designed to move participants from learning to practice. Participants are encouraged to identify issues within their communities, develop their own leadership visions and consider how they can create meaningful change. Through activities such as “Pentas Pemimpin Muda: Suara dan Visi” and “Mengapa Saya Layak Memimpin”, participants are given opportunities to articulate their leadership aspirations, present their visions and advocate for themselves as potential leaders. These activities are intended to strengthen not only public speaking and communication skills, but also political self-confidence, political ambition and the ability to communicate a compelling leadership message.
Importantly, PERANTIS recognises that women’s leadership development must be connected to the communities in which women live and participate. The programme therefore encourages participants to translate their learning into community-oriented initiatives and practical actions. This provides an opportunity for young women to experience leadership not simply as a position or title, but as a process of identifying community needs, mobilising others and contributing to positive social change.

The programme further reflects the importance of creating a supportive leadership ecosystem for young women. By bringing together participants, women political leaders, mentors and institutional partners, PERANTIS creates opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange and intergenerational learning. Such connections are particularly important for young women who may have limited access to political networks and role models. The presence and visibility of women political leaders also provide participants with tangible examples that women can occupy decision-making positions and exercise political leadership.
Ultimately, PERANTIS represents USM and KANITA’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of women leaders. By combining leadership training, structured mentoring, practical engagement and opportunities for participants to exercise their voices, the programme contributes to creating an enabling environment in which young women can see themselves not merely as participants in political processes but as potential leaders and agents of change. Through this investment in young women, particularly those from rural communities, PERANTIS supports Malaysia’s broader efforts towards achieving gender equality and advancing progress under SDG 5: Gender Equality.