Fatimah leads Sarawak delegation to forge regional collaboration in New Delhi

KUCHING (Jan 7): Sarawak is strengthening its regional and international collaboration on women’s empowerment and community wellbeing, following a series of high-level engagements led by Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah during her official visit to New Delhi, India on Tuesday.

The Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister headed a Sarawak delegation that included Sarawak Indian Women Association (Siwa) president Penghulu Lucy Linggam for strategic discussions with key regional and international stakeholders.

A highlight of the visit was an engagement with South Asian Women’s Network (Swan) founder and trustee Prof Dr Veena Sikri, according to a press release from the ministry.

The meeting marked an important milestone in advancing collaboration between Swan and Siwa in preparation for the South Asian International Women’s Assembly 2026, which will be hosted in Kuching from Sept 8 to 10.

The assembly, held under the theme ‘From the Himalayas to the Hornbills: The Global Ascent of South Asian Women Leaders,’ reflects Sarawak’s ongoing commitment to promoting women’s empowerment, inclusive leadership and regional cooperation. It is envisioned as a high-level platform bringing together policymakers, academics, civil society leaders, professionals and diaspora trailblazers from across Asia and beyond.

One of its key forums, ‘Hard Truths and Shared Triumphs from the Diaspora’s Trailblazers,’ will feature candid dialogues on leadership challenges, resilience, identity and cross-border impact among South Asian women leaders globally.

During the courtesy call, Sikri also invited Fatimah, in her capacity as Siwa patron, to participate in a dialogue and consultation session in New Delhi.

The minister’s participation was instrumental in facilitating early alignment on programme design, technical cooperation and the overall strategic direction of the South Asian International Women’s Assembly 2026, which is expected to convene a broad cross-section of civil society, including about 110 Sarawak-based women’s non-governmental organisations, alongside Sarawak Indian, South Asian and regional community partners.

As part of the same visit, Fatimah also paid a courtesy call on India’s Minister of Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi Yadav.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on advancing women’s empowerment and strengthening child development initiatives.

Fatimah also extended an invitation to Devi to attend the upcoming women’s assembly in Kuching.