Women migrant workers in Malaysia's electronics sector are strengthening their confidence, building connections and ability to articulate their rights at work, with support from the PROTECT project - Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers, implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with funding from the European Union (EU).
Malaysia is a global electronics hub, accounting for roughly 13% of semiconductor testing and packaging and nearly 40% of national exports. Within this labour-intensive industry, migrant workers, including many women, form a critical part of the manufacturing workforce. However, they remain largely absent from workplace representation and decision-making processes.
Through this initiative, the ILO partnered with the Electrical Industry Employees Union (EIEU) to promote worker voice and social dialogue in sectors with a high concentration of migrant workers.
"Being a trade union member has helped me find solidarity among my friends at work. I know that as a union member, I have somewhere to turn to when my rights at work are not respected," said one female worker in an electronics factory.
In January 2026, women migrant workers employed in the electronics sector from across Indonesia, Viet Nam, Nepal and Myanmar gathered in Penang as part of an outreach initiative led by EIEU, with support from the PROTECT project. While introducing women workers to the trade union movement, the training went beyond information and skills-building, creating space for honest peer exchange, shared reflection and collective recognition within the industry. Discussions on labour rights and representation were closely linked to everyday experiences on the production floor, helping participants articulate workplace issues and see how these concerns are often shared. Leadership was discussed in practical terms, with emphasis on trust, communication and supporting others, as well as the value of collective voice.
Participants selected their own worker leaders through group discussion, identifying the qualities they considered important for representation. This included courage, integrity and a willingness to speak up for others, reflecting a shared understanding of leadership as being accountable to peers, rather than tied to formal roles or titles.
"We want to choose leaders who are brave, who have integrity and who are willing to speak up for us," said one female worker in an electronics factory.
By creating space for women migrant workers to speak, listen and connect, the training helped strengthen collective confidence and visibility in the workplace, while reinforcing links to trade union support structures. For women migrant workers in the electronics sector, opportunities to participate more actively in workplace processes are an important step towards a safer, fairer and more inclusive world of work. These efforts contribute to preventing labour exploitation by strengthening women workers' agency and access to representation in the electronics sector.
