WAOFest’ 22 is a three-day festival taking place from Friday 23rd September to Sunday 25th September 2022 and we hope that the event will raise awareness of the organisation and the work it has achieved in shaping Malaysia to become a better country for women and girls since it started in 1982.

Day 1, 23rd September (Friday)
WAOBazaar comprising 26 Women Owned Businesses (All 3 days)
Day 2, 24th September (Saturday)
10:00 AM Launch of WAOfest’ 22
Welcome Remarks
Sumitra Visvanathan
Executive Director
Women’s Aid Organisation
10:30 AM RSquare Twins Dholi Percussion Performance
10:45 AM
Level Up Forum & Launch : Building A Gender Equal Workplace
Moderator : Roberto Benetello (Executive Director of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia (BCSD))
 
Panel Speakers : Cynthia Peterson ( Custodian, Social Performance PETRONAS), Dinatra Mohd Saat ( Dpt. VP (Women’s Programmes) Talentcorp), Kristina Rai ( COO , Asia School of Business )
3:00 PM
SAKSI Gender Progressive Journalism Spotlight 
Speaker : Mahi Ramakrishnan ( Award Winning Filmmaker and Investigative Journalist)

4:00 PM


4:30 PM
Changing Mindsets of Malaysian Public Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Violence Against Women

 A Brief Presentation with WAO Research Team – Shazana Agha and Isabel Chung


WAO Conversation: Changing Mindsets of Malaysian Public Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Violence Against Women – A Focus on Ending Child Marriage in Malaysia and Child Survivors 

  
Guest Moderator : Nandini Balakrishnan (Content Creator and SAYS Video Lead) 
Panel Speakers : Ajeet Kaur (Co-Chairperson CRIB Foundation – Talisman Project) , Azira Aziz (Child Rights Advocate – Mssrs Azira Aziz) , 
Spotlight Speaker : Sheela Pillai (Monsters Among Us (MAU)) 

 
Day 3, 25th September (Sunday)
9:00 AM Zumba with Jacinda
10:00 AM Yoga with Abby
11:00 AM WAO Fest’ 22 Colouring Competition
12:00 PM Young Art Entrepreneurs (YAE!) Sustainable Art Making Session
2:00 PM
WAO Child Care Centre and Enrichment Programmes
Speaker : Daphne Low (Head of Shelter, Women’s Aid Organisation)
3:30 PM
Child Survivors Forum : Understanding Child Survivors of Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Moderator: Jean Tan (Services Outreach and Psychosocial Coordinator Women’s Aid Organisation and registered Clinical Psychologist)
 
Panel Speakers :
Charlene Murray ( Services Director Women’s Aid Organisation)
Kimberly Lee ( Managing Editor Makchic.com and Author ‘What If?’ )
Puveshini Rao (Clinical Psychologist & Executive Coach Remind Psychology Centre)
5:00PM
WAO Volunteer Induction & Film Screening of Survivor’s Speak Up
Speakers : Joyce Lai (WAO Ambassador) & Sindhu Paneer Selvam (WAO Ambassador)
5:00 PM
Centrestage : Stepping Up for Survivors
6:30 PM
Closing Ceremony & Drum Circle
Speaker : Shanthi Mary Dairiam ( WAO President & Women’s Rights Advocate)