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EMPOWER’sVisionAsocietywherethereisequalityandathrivingdemocracythatrespectsdiversity.Masyarakat yang mempunyai kesaksamaan dan demokrasi yang subur yangmenghormatikepelbagaian.

EMPOWER’sMissionAs EMPOWER,we advancewomen’s political equality towards justice and democracycentredon feminist andhuman rights principles.Weworkwithwomenand youthofdiverse communities to build their leadership potential and transform cultures andmindsets towards dismantling power structures that reinforce inequalities. Throughadvocacy, capacitybuilding, researchand resourcedevelopment,we identify strategicconnectionsbetweenissues,actorsandmovementsfromlocaltointernationallevels.Sebagai EMPOWER, kami memperjuangkan kesaksamaan politik wanita ke arahkeadilandandemokrasiyangberpusatkanprinsipfeminisdanhakasasimanusia.Kamibekerjadenganwanitadangolonganmudadaripadapelbagaikomunitiuntukmembinakeupayaan kepimpinan mereka dan mengubah budaya dan pemikiran ke arahmemusnahkan struktur kuasa yangmeneguhkanketidaksaksamaan.Melalui advokasi,pembinaan keupayaan, kajian dan pembangunan sumber, kami mengenal pastihubungan strategik antara isu, orang yang terlibat dan gerakan daripada tahaptempatankepadaantarabangsa.

ValueStatementofEMPOWEREverywomanisaleader.Enablingherpowertodecideleadstoaninclusive,democraticanddiversesociety.Setiap wanita ialah pemimpin. Denganmemberdayawanitamempunyai kuasa untukmembuat keputusan, akan wujud sebuah masyarakat yang inklusif, demokratik danpelbagai.

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PRESIDENT’SMESSAGEIwouldliketointroduceMurni,a45yearoldwomanfromKampungTering,NegeriSembilan.Sheisof Temuandescent andhas lived in this village all her life.Our partnershipwithMurni started in2013whenshefirstjoinedEMPOWER’sOrangAsliWomen’sLeadershipTrainingWorkshop.Averysoft-spoken,shyandself-effacingwomanwhowentontoorganizeanengagementwiththeAnti–CorruptionAgency inFebruary2016.Shecoordinatedthe tri-stateactivity to raise issuesaffectingtheOrangAslicommunity.During this interaction, she questioned the national director of the Department of Orang AsliDevelopmentfromPutrajayaaboutOrangAslichildren’saccesstoculturallyappropriateeducationthat reinforces their indigenous identity in a safe and protected enviroment. Despite, the evasiveresponse from the official, Murni had made an official accountable for an issue affecting hercommunity. Murni’s courage to speak to power reveals the transformation process that she hasundergoneovertime.Wehavebeenfocusedondevelopingleaderswithawomen’shumanrightsframework,communityorganizing skills and the ability to solve problems in consultative manner with their groups ofinfluence.The leadershipmodulehasbeenadaptedforvarioustargetgroupssince its inception in2009.Thegapsofingenderinequalitythatexistdenotethatthelackofgovernmentcommitmenttoprovide women with a level playing field and ensuring the results of substantive equality.EMPOWER’seffortstoexpandwomen’srightstoincludemeaningfulparticipationindemocracyandcreating safe spaces forwomenonline fromviolenceandharassmenthasbeenchallenging to saytheleast.We experienced severe government backlash for demanding for good governance andaccountability thisyearwhenourofficewasraidedandouroperationscameunderstatescrutiny,thistimeforreceivingforeignfundingwhichis legalandacceptableunderourConstitution.This isindicative of the closing of space in this country for working in areas where the state isuncomfortable with dissenting voices. An EXCO member and two staff members faced policeintimidationandharshquestioninginthisheightenedatmosphereoffearandintimidation.Despitethat,staffreturnedtocarryontheworkwiththesupportofmembersandencouragementofotherCSOs in the country. This is indicative of their commitment to carrying onorganization’s vision instayingtruetothecause.Looking forward,wehave takenstockof the risk factors involved in thework thatwedoandareimproving our preparedness with the increasingly volatile political atmosphere prior to theimpendingelections.Wehavestartedreworkingourinstitutionalstructureandbrandinginordertocounterthestatenarrativewhichvilifieshumanrightsorganizationsthroughbadpress.Inadditiontothis,wewillexplorewaystoconsolidatetheprogrammestobetterreflecttheworkthatwedotocontribute to an inclusive society that respects diversity and equality for a thriving democracy toexistinMalaysia.Pleasesupportusinthisexcitingjourneytowardsachievingourvision.JanarthaniArumugamPresident

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HIGHLIGHTSIN2016January30Jan-2Feb:InternetRightsareHumanRights(IRHR)Workshop

February18:IRHRTalkwithHelpUniversitystudents27:UPRWritingWorkshop24:MeetingwithCSOsontheupcomingCommunicationsandMultimediaAct(CMA)amendmentsandtheformationofNetMerdekacoalition

March19:StrategicCampaigningTraining22:MajlisSambutanHariWanitaSedunia2016PeringkatNegeriSelangor24:#NewsNotPorntweetchat29-1April:RightsConSanFrancisco

April7-10:OrangAsliwomencapacitybuildingtraining

May3:#NetMerdekaGoogleHangoutonCMAamendments16:NationalHumanRightsActionPlan(NHRAP)Consultation19:JAGmeetingwiththeMinistryofWomen,FamilyandCommunityDevelopmentonDVActamendments-onlineVAWintroducedbyEMPOWERaspartofJAG’sproposals20:LaunchofCOMANGO2013BMreportandmid-termreport25-31:APCIMPACTSecureOnlineCommunications(SOC)RegionalTraining27-29:OATOTinNegeriSembilan

June4:1stNetMerdekaFocalPointWorkshop10-20:UNHumanRightsCouncil,32ndSession23:UPRMonitoringTrainingforHealthGroups27:UPRMonitoringTrainingforNGOsinSabahandSarawak27:CEDAWTrainingatWAO28:InequalityinEducationWorkshopwithcollegestudents(Taylor's)

July1:UPRMonitoringTrainingforPWDGroups12-16:Land-MappingwithJOAS-Sg.Tuang,Pahang14-17:IRHRWorkshopwithWHRDs-InternetRightsareWomen'sRights17-21:Land-MappingwithJOAS-TanjungRambai,Selangor22:UPRTrainingforchildren’srights&PWDgroups24-26:Pre-APrIGFWHRDWorkshop27-29:AsiaPacificRegionInternetGovernanceForum(APrIGF)31:UPRMonitoringTraining

August1-5:ASEANPeoples'Forum2:COMANGOMid-TermConsultation9:SOCWorkshop11:UPRMonitoringTrainingwithESCRGroups17:JAGMeetingonMassMobilisationinEMPOWER22:JAGMeetingwithYBDato’SriAzalinaOthman24-27:UPRInfoWorkshoponImplementationofUPRRecommendations26-27:WomenandElectoralReformConference,Penang

September5:MeetingwithSUHAKAM8:JAGMeetingwiththeMinistryofWomen,FamilyandCommunityDevelopmentonaproposedGenderEqualityBill10-11:NetMerdekaWorkshop-PulauPinang24-25:EMPOWER&COMANGO@ArtforGrabs27-30:Cyberpolicytrainingprogramme

October1-5:WorkshoponGenderMainstreaminginInternetandDevelopmentintheAsia-PacificRegionandAsia-PacificRegionalInternet&DevelopmentDialogueConference,Bangkok4-6:EGMonEnhancingCapacityDevelopmenttoPromoteWomen'sEmpowerment,Bangkok15-16:COMANGO@ArtforGrabsJohor24:TolakRUU355ProtestatParliament25:InternetSafetyTalkforWAO'sclients

November5-6:EMPOWEREvaluationandPlanningMeeting15-16:RoadmaptoSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDG)2030,Putrajaya17-19:EngageMediaPlanningforSEADigiRightsCamp19:Bersih5rally23:#BebasMariaWomen’sMarch23-28:IMPACTCapacityBuildingworkshop25-10Dec:16DaysofActivism&InternetKita

December5:PublicLectureonFOAAbyMainaKiai,UNSpecialRapporteur5-8:InternetGovernanceForum,Mexico7:ACSC/APF2017meetingatKOMAS21:EPUSDGSteeringCommmeeting

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MEDIASTATEMENTSIN2016

• Governmentmustnotviolateourfreedomofexpressionandprivacyonline(12January)• StopCensoringInformation(26February)• PoliticalParticipation:Parity,Inclusiveness,Diversity(8March)• JAGJointStatement:ConsultationbeforeAmendments:KeeptheInternetFree(12May)• WanitaberhakturutsertasecarabebasdalamsistemdemokrasiMalaysia(7June)• IdamkanPingatEmasOlimpik?JanakuasaAtletWanita(19August)• EMPOWERMenyokongAnakMudadalamPenggerakkanMobilisasiBesar-besaran

#TangkapMO1(19August)• JAGJointStatement:DeathThreatsAgainstHumanRightsDefendersMustBeAddressed(23

September)• JAGJointStatement:ProsecuteThoseWhoMakeDeathThreatsagainstHumanRights

DefendersandTheirFamilies(18October)• JointMediaStatement:AccusationsofForeignInterventionUnfounded(21December)

Allstatementsareavailableathttp://empowermalaysia.org/work/public-advocacy/

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2016OVERVIEW2016broughtwithitnewdimensionsinEMPOWER’sworkonwomen’spoliticalequality:whatdoesthismean in terms of political participation and civil liberties, and in real terms forwomen? TheAssociation for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) defines four key dimensions of changenecessarytoadvancingwomen’shumanrights:internalattitudes,societalnorms,lawsandpolicies,andmaterialresources.EMPOWERhasbeguntore-examineitsworkalongthesedimensions,notingthechangeswehavecontributedtobringingabout.Oureffortstoconsolidateourworkonwomen’srightsandempowermentwasrudelyinterruptedon28th November 2016. The Malaysian police raided EMPOWER’s office, allegedly over “foreignfunding.” InDecember,anExecutiveCommitteememberandtheFinanceOfficerwerequestionedbythepolice.ThiswasanunfortunateendingtoanotherwisesuccessfulyearforEMPOWER.EMPOWERdidsignificantworkin2016intermsofchanginginternalattitudesamongparticipantsofitsworkshops and trainings.Oneof themost significant changeswitnessedwas thedevelopmentand strengthening in self-belief among women leaders EMPOWER has worked with. A change ininternalattitudescanalsobeseeninparticipantsoftheinternetrightsanddigitalsecuritytrainings,thoughagain,apermanentchangewillonlybearfruitwithfurthersupport.EMPOWERhasalsobeenpartofadvocaciestowardlawandpolicyreform,asanactiveparticipantinState-CSOengagementsandasamonitoroflawandpolicydevelopment.Anumberoflawsaredueforamendments,however incases suchas theCommunicationandMultimediaAct,EMPOWER isactively campaigning against repressive amendments. Changes in societal norms also remain aquestionmark, andapointof furtherexcitingwork:EMPOWERhasbegun tomuchmoreactivelyengagewiththepubliconhumanrightsissuesbeyondmediastatements.Underpinningalloftheseistherecognitionthatthisisalong-termprocess,andthatthechallengewill be to find funderswilling to support aprocess thatwill only achieve its largerobjective afteryears of work.While EMPOWER has been developingmaterial resources in the form of researchwork,forexample,theirrealworthcanonlyberealised intheiruseasadvocacymaterialwiththeStateandthepublic.EMPOWER is also in transition: much like the women who come to our workshops hoping forsomethingnewandsomethingmore,theorganisationknowstheendgoalitwantsbuttheroadtoget there is yet to end. The reworkingof its value statement and its re-brandingexercise arenot“newthings”perse,butacommitmenttowardschangesthatneedtohappentoenableustoworkmoreeffectively,andwithmuchmoreclarityandastrongerpurposeasafeminist,women’srightsorganisation.

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1.BUILDINGLEADERSHIPFORWOMEN’SRIGHTSANDGENDEREQUALITYIn2016,EMPOWERcontinueditswork inbuildingwomen’s leadership inpoliticalparticipationandcivil society spaces, increasing theengagementofwomen–particularlywomenwho facemultipleintersectingformsofdiscrimination–inissuesthatmattertothem.EMPOWERstrengthenedits long-termcommitmenttoOrangAsliwomen’spoliticalparticipation.AcapacitybuildingtrainingwasheldinAprilwithwomencommunitymobilisersfromNegeriSembilanand Perak. The training focusedon enhancing their understanding on the importance ofwomen’sparticipation in decision-making and leadership; deepening their understanding of gender and sexandtherootcausesoftheirproblemsaswomenandyoungwomenusingtheproblemtreeanalysis.Thetrainingalsoemphasisedacriticalrangeofskillsthatthesewomenhadtoworkon—communityorganizing and mobilizing, communication skills, and strategic campaign planning. A separatestrategic campaigning training had been held earlier in March with the aim of mainstreamingwomen’s human rights perspectives into political campaigns through women leaders who couldanalysecommunalneedsanddevelopcommunity-basedsolutions.Followingtheseworkshops,twotraining of trainers were held in Negeri Sembilan and Perak respectively. A number of long-termparticipants of EMPOWER’s Women’s Political Participation programme were facilitators at thesetrainings,drawingonskillslearnedfrompastworkshopswithEMPOWER.EMPOWER collaborated with Jaringan Orang Asal Se-Malaysia (JOAS) to conduct land-mappingactivities in three villages namely Kampung Gebok, Kampung Tering (both located in NegeriSembilan) and Kampung Sungai Tuang (Pahang). These were aimed to strengthen and increaseindigenouswomen’sparticipationandrepresentationat localdecision-making levels.Asaresultoftheanalysisdevelopedthroughthecapacity-buildingworkshopsandtheadvocacyofgroupssuchasJOAS and JKOASM, participants felt that they needed more skills on community mapping. It is apowerfultoolforassertingownershipoflandanditsresourcesamongindigenouspeoples,especiallyamongindigenouswomen.In spite of the prominence of activists like Tijah Yok Chopil, Fatimah Batin and Jannie Lasimbang,women’svoicesaremarginalized in their land struggles.Thiswasalso theopinionof thecapacity-buildingworkshopparticipantswhorevealedthatcommunitymappingtrainingsat their respectivevillages excluded women. Mapping is considered labor-intensive and requires the handling ofsophisticated technological tools such as the Global Positioning System which is presumed to bechallenging for women. Despite their keen interest, they were overlooked and deprived of thevaluable training that helps communities, specifically women, identify and protect their naturalresources.Theexclusionofimportantvoicessuchaswomenandchildrenisverydetrimentaltotheprotectionofcollectivecommunitylandsandresources.Onceopportunitieswereavailableandaccessible to them, itwasclear that theOrangAsliwomenaretrulyvestedinpreserving,protectingandpromotingtheirtraditionalandindigenousresources.

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Womenappliedthemselvestolearningaboutandusingnewtechnology—GlobalPositioningSystemand the Geographic Information System (GIS)—as well as using cameras and audio recorders todocumenttheprocessofmapping.Suchdocumentationwasimportantasitisadmissibleincourtsasevidence in land contestation. The immense knowledge possessed by the women about theresourceswithinthedomesticsphereof thevillagewascrucial;withoutthewomen’sparticipationand their perspectives, the community risks being deprived of traditional knowledge andwisdomwhichisprimarilythedomainofindigenouswomen.EMPOWERexpanded itsefforts in increasingthevisibilityofwomenasactiveactors incivilsocietyspaces,particularly inengagementswith theState.Theorganisation is currentlypartofMalaysia’sSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDG)SteeringCommittee,ajointgovernmentandcivilsocietybody,as a representative of JAG and COMANGO. The inclusion of women’s groups into the SteeringCommittee and the Working Groups of Malaysia’s national SDG processes is a significant steptowardsmakingsurethatgenderequalityandwomen’sparticipationaremainstreamedintopolicydevelopment.EMPOWER introduced the concept of ICT-related gender-based violence (“gender-based violencethat is committed, abetted or aggravated, in part or fully, by the use of information andcommunication technologies (ICTs)”,alsoknownasonlineviolenceagainstwomenoronlineVAW)into discussions between the Joint ActionGroup forGender Equality and theMinistry ofWomen,Family and Community Development on proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act. AmeetingwasheldwiththeMinistryofWomeninMay.There is a need for long-term work on ICT-related GBV and further engagements with both civilsociety organsiations (CSOs) and the State on how to best address this aspect of gender-basedviolence.Forwomen,offlineandonlinespacesare inextricably linked:VAWthatbeginsofflinecancontinueonline(e.g.anabusiveformerspousestalkingawoman'ssocialmediaaccounts),andonlineVAW always has offline repercussions (e.g. emotional harm, economic loss). There are alreadysufficient laws inMalaysia tomanage online harassment (e.g. section 233 of the CommunicationsandMultimediaActon"improperuseofnetworkfacilitiesornetworkservice,etc").However,thesearenotbeingappliedtocasesofICT-relatedGBV.

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2.TRANSFORMINGCULTURESANDMINDSETSCommunicating ideas and values in both physical and virtual spaces have been a significantcomponentofEMPOWER’sworkin2016.The concept that internet rights are human rights – ie., that the rightswehold offline also applyonline–isfairlynewinMalaysia.Alongwithstrengtheningcivilsocietycapacitytounderstandtheinterrelatedness of the internet and human rights, and the impact of these issues on theirwork,EMPOWER also sought to break the general perception that information and communicationtechnologies(ICTs)arethedomainof“techies”,specificallymaletechies.TheFeministPrinciplesoftheInternet(FPI)arepartoftheframeworkthatunderpinsEMPOWER’sworkintheareaofinternetrights.EMPOWER held twoworkshops on internet rights and secure online communications in 2016, aswellasseveraldigitalsecurityworkshopsfordifferentgroupsincludingwiththeclientsofWomen’sAidOrganisation.Buildingthecapacityofmarginalisedwomenandwomenhumanrightsdefendersto adopt digital security practices is part of the larger work of empowering them to have morecontroloverresourcesandopportunities.Inthiscase,specificallyovertheiruseofICTsandexercisetheirrighttoprivacy.EMPOWER,aspartofNetMerdeka,werealsotrainersandfacilitatorsinfocalpointworkshopsforthecoalitioninthethreestatesofSelangor,PenangandSabah.EMPOWER conducted two pieces of research as part of its international collaboration with theAssociation for Progressive Communications through the project entitled APC IMPACT. Theresearchesbrought tosurface thecritical issues facedbywomen in relation toonline freedomsofinformation(FOI),andofassemblyandassociation(FoAA)inMalaysia.Thesereportswillbeusedinfuture advocacies around internet rights inMalaysiawith the State and other civil society actors,breaking down the perceived separation of offline and online spaces in terms of human rights.EMPOWER isparticularlyhopeful that the research into FOIonline canbeused to strengthen theimplementationofexistingFOIenactmentsinSelangorandPenang.Asaco-secretariatofCOMANGO,EMPOWERconductedengagementswiththegeneralpubliconlineand in twoarts-relatedevents todebunkanti-COMANGOmyths.The face-to-faceengagementsatArtforGrabswereparticularlysuccessful,withmanycuriousvisitorscomingtoCOMANGO’sboothtoaskquestionsand take their photoswithCOMANGO’sposters.Adual-languageversionof the2013 stakeholder report was also published in 2016 to ensure that members of the public cancompareanti-COMANGOclaimswiththeactualcontentofthereportinBahasaMalaysia.Furtherengagementswiththepubliccontinuedthroughthe#InternetKitacampaign,aspartoftheglobal Take Back the Tech campaign and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. In2016, EMPOWER collaborated with the Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ), Women’s AidOrganisation(WAO),andMalaysianCentreforConstitutionalismandHumanRights (MCCHR).Twopublic forums were held, and posters and videos were disseminated featuring women and theirrelationship with technology. #InternetKita sought to reclaim women’s historical contribution totechnologyandcounterthegrowinggender-basedviolencethroughtheuseofICTs.As part of the Net Merdeka coalition, EMPOWER sought to bring the issue of the upcomingamendments to the Communication and Multimedia Act (CMA) into public discourse, againemphasising the idea that human rights offline also apply online. Two public tweetchats,#NewsNotPornand#BiarlahBlog,wereparticularlysuccessfulatreachinginternetuserswhowould

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otherwisenotknowtheprobablecontentoftheamendments.#BiarlahBloghadanestimatedreachof32,823Twitteraccounts.Itwasthenumber#1trendingTwittertopicinMalaysiaforthedurationofthesessionandcontinuedtobeintheTop10trendinglistthefollowingday.WiththeMalaysiangovernment refusing to divulge the text of the amendments before tabling them in Parliament,publicpressureiskeyinensuringthattheyremainaccountabletotheMalaysiancitizenry.

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3.STRATEGICADVOCACIESEMPOWER continued to engage at national, regional, and international levels to push genderequalityandhumanrights.Theorganisationsteppedup itsworkontheUniversalPeriodicReview(UPR),traininggroupsworkingondifferentissuesontheUPRprocessandamonitoringframeworkwas developed for EMPOWER’s UPRMonitoring Project.Many of these groups were not part ofprevious civil society-ledUPRprocesses, and their perspectiveswill strengthen future stakeholdersubmissionswhenMalaysia’shumanrightsrecordandsituationonthegroundisreviewed.TheorganisationalsoconsolidateditsrelationshipwiththeJointActionGroupforGenderEquality,takingpartinitsworkonlawreformsandtheupcomingCEDAWreviewforMalaysia.EMPOWERiscurrentlypartoftheNGOCEDAWShadowReportWorkingCommittee,andisleadingthethematicgroupworkingonwomen’sparticipationinpoliticalandpubliclife.EMPOWERalsostrengtheneditsroleinmainstreaminggenderasanintegralcomponentofinternetrights at regional and international levels. EMPOWER collaborated with other civil societyorganisationsin:

• The32ndsessionoftheHumanRightsCouncilinJune,whereEMPOWERwasapanellistinaside event organised by FORUM-Asia, SUARAM and World Organisation Against Torture(OMCT).ThesideeventdiscussedMalaysia’simplementationofUPRrecommendationsandthe state of human rights in the country, including on internet rights. EMPOWER alsoparticipatedinaroundtablediscussionwiththeSpecialRapporteurs

• Asia-Pacific region Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) in July,where EMPOWERworkedwithAPC toorganiseapre-eventworkshop forwomenhuman rightsdefenders, and tookpart as speakers in three sessions. One of the sessions was a collaboration with theFoundationforAlternativeMediaPhilippines(FMA),on“GenderandAccess”.

• ASEANPeople’sForum2016(APF)inAugustinTimorLeste,whereEMPOWER,CIJandAPCjointly organised several activities including aworkshop on “The InternetWeWant”withpanellistsfromseveralASEANcountries.

• The InternetGovernanceForum inDecember inMexico,whereEMPOWERwasapanelliston“WorkshoponSolutionsforCounteringOnlineAbuseAgainstWomen”and“AssembliesandAssociationsOnline:CopingwithChallenges”.

Finally, EMPOWER forged a strategic partnership with Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Land andDevelopment (APWLD) and attended its Partner’s Meeting in November in Chiang Mai, whereEMPOWERunderwent a capacity-buildingworkshop inorder tomonitor and reportonMalaysia’sSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDG)implementation.Thismeetingprovedinstrumentalinhelpingto advance EMPOWER’s advocacy forwomen’s rights and human rights through the SDGprocessnationally,regionallyandinternationally.ThesecollaborationsarecrucialinbuildingnotonlyEMPOWER’sinternalcapacity,butalsolinkagesthat could bring resources and much-needed opportunities for skills-building among civil societyactorsinMalaysia.Womenareoftenmarginalisedinthesespaces,whichdesperatelyneeddiversevoicesandviewpoints.Inturn,EMPOWERbringsitsrichexperienceinwomen’shumanrightsworkontheground.

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4.GOVERNANCEANDOPERATIONSTheexecutivecommitteemembersfor2016were:President: JanarthaniArumugamVice-President: LauShuShiTreasurer: NormawatiGhazaliSecretary: PookLiYoonCommitteeMembers: Arutselvid/oAmalanathan

MohaniNizaMelanieYong

InternalAuditors: CharlesTan WasantheeShanthiSinnasamyThestaffmembersfor2016were:ExecutiveDirector: AngelaM.KugaThasProgrammeManager: YasminS.MasidiProgrammeOfficers: RusniTajari(Women’sPoliticalParticipation)

SereneLim(APCIMPACT)NorsyamimieRahman(APCIMPACT)RizalRozhan(UPRMonitoring)

AdminandFinance: LeongMeeNan@MeiYun(Finance) SitiNorbtYatimMustafa(Administration)Interns: JaneKhor TanJinChi

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5.FINANCIALREPORTEMPOWER’s total income for 2016 was MYR982,523, largely from grants (MYR671,506). Theorganisation’s total expenditure was MYR964,658, with MYR541,988 going to project costs andMYR354,131goingtopersonnelcosts.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWewouldliketothankallourfundersandprojectpartnersin2016:AsiaPacificForumonWomen,Law and Development, Association for Progressive Communications, Bytes for All Pakistan,Commonwealth Foundation,Digital Empowerment Foundation India, theEuropean Instrument forDemocracyandHumanRights,andOpenSocietyFoundations.Wewouldalso liketoespeciallythanktheCentrefor IndependentJournalism,JaringanOrangAsalSeMalaysia,JaringanKampungOrangAsliSemenanjungMalaysia,theJointActionGroupforGenderEquality,SuaraRakyatMalaysia(SUARAM)whichalsoactsastheco-secretariattoCOMANGO,theCoalitionofMalaysianNGOsintheUPRProcess(COMANGO),andtheNetMerdekacoalition;aswellastheCSOsfromaroundSoutheastAsiawhocametogetherfortheAPF2016inTimorLeste.We extend our gratutidue to YB Elizabeth Wong, Selangor State EXCO Member for Tourism,ConsumerAffairsand theEnvironment for supporting thepilotproject to trainOrangAsliwomenleadersundertheauspicesoftheBadanBertindakTanahOrangAsliSelangor(BBTOAS).Inadditiontothis,weacknowledgethecontributionoftheMemberofParliamentforPetalingJayaSelatan, YB Hee Loy Sian for his contribution to the publishing of our Freedom of Assembly andAssociationOnlineinMalaysiaReport2016.Finally, we acknowledge and thank our interns in 2016, Jane Khor and Tan Jin Chi, for theircommitment,enthusiasmandhardworkinsupportingourprogrammesandactivities.Withoutyourpresenceandcontinuedsupport,noneofourworkwouldbepossible.