Women's Aid Organisation opened Malaysia's first Refuge in 1982. This project shelters over 120 abused women and their children and provide telephone counselling to over 2,000 women in crisis per year. We also shelter foreign women like domestic workers and aslyum seekers. Women are given a safe place to free themselves from the violence perpertrated by their husbands, partners or employers.1 in 10 women are affected by domestic violence, we are claiming the right to be protected.We work with government agencies to improve the response to women who are abused. The police are critical in ensuring safety, however we still face numerous challenges. Our long term objective is to institute in every part of Malaysia a coordinated gender sensitive response to women who are abused and seek protection.WAO provides not only safe shelter and telephone counselling, We also provide legal options, safety planning, assistance in making police reports and getting protection orders.

This project will empower over 3,000 women per year through our shelter and counselling services to claim a better life for their children and themselves. At the same time through our public education programmes, we educate the public that domestic violence is unacceptable and gender equality is a human right. Eliminating Gender Discrimination is our end goal in a community that is in the grips of conservatism. We want to ensure that the 15 million women in Malaysia can claim their rights.