Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

A watercolor artwork by Rupa Subramaniam for diverse Indian Women fused with traditional Kalamkari artworks. EXCAPE URMI logo is superimposed on the right.

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EXCAPE-URMI Research Project

Co-creating solutions to escape poverty for Malaysian Indian Women

Rani masih terkurung bayang kemiskinan kota.
Kisahnya bukan asing, walau gigih bekerja,
Harapan ibu tunggal pupus ditelan masa.

EXCAPE-URMI membawa kajian dan seni,
Berganding bahu menyingkap punca,
ketidakadilan sejarah dan tekanan jiwa.

Imagine Rani, a single mother in Kuala Lumpur.
She juggles two cleaning jobs to put food on the table for her children. Despite her hard work, Rani struggles to make ends meet. The cost of living keeps rising, but her wages remain stagnant.

Rani's story is not unique.
Many urban-poor Malaysian Indian women face a similar struggle, trapped in an intergenerational cycle of poverty.

Precarious lives: Malaysian Indian Women left behind in the city

Generations of urban-poor Malaysian Indian women have faced a multitude of challenges,
including higher unemployment, lower labor force participation, greater responsibility for unpaid care work, limited educational attainment, and rising crime rates.

Sources: Khazanah Research Institute, 2019; McKinsey & Company, 2019; Thambiah, 2014

EXCAPE-URMI logo

Through a blend of academic research and storytelling, EXCAPE-URMI aims to unearth the root causes of poverty faced by this community in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

We explore historical inequalities, the psychological toll of hardship, and the gendered barriers that hold women back.

Explore

We delve deep into the experiences of poverty for these women through research.

Enagage

We work collaboratibely to identify strategies for overcoming these challenges.

Enact

We propose actionable recommendations to address policy gaps and create lasting change.

Hari ini kisah mereka,
menjadi panduan kami bersama mencari jalan keluar.

Their narratives become a roadmap, guiding us towards solutions. How so?

According to Yayasan Pemulihan Social, 40% of the 2.6 million Malaysian Indians live in the B40 income bracket.

Existing programs are not 'gender specific' thus initiatives like MITRA overlooks the specific needs of Malaysian Indian women.

Reducing gender inequality remains an urgent and critical focus for Malaysia according to the Malaysia SDG Investor Map.

Tamil inviting Malaysian Indian women and femmes to join EXCAPE URMI.

Tamil Invitation for Malaysian Indian women and femmes to join EXCAPE URMI.
(Click the image to enlarge)

Putuskan rangkaian kemiskinan, analisa polisi sedia ada.
Pemerkasaan wanita India, demi masa depan lebih cerah.
Sertai kami, ciptakan masa depan bebas kemiskinan untuk Rani dan ramai lagi.

Get involved

Putuskan rangkaian kemiskinan, analisa polisi sedia ada. Pemerkasaan wanita India, demi masa depan lebih cerah. Sertai kami, ciptakan masa depan bebas kemiskinan untuk Rani dan ramai lagi.(Malay)

Ketahui lebih lanjut tentang EXCAPE-URMI dan cara anda boleh terlibat.

Join us in breaking the cycle of poverty for urban-poor Malaysian Indian women. Learn more about EXCAPE-URMI and how you can get involved.

More information will be shared in due time.

Image credit: Rupa Subramaniam

Support Our Initiative

  1. Postdoctoral Research Associate (18 months, Malaysia-based) Opening will be posted in July.
  2. Creative Collaborators (Malaysia-based): Are you a creative professional passionate about social justice? We're seeking for collaborators to translate our research into a digital exhibition (2025/26).
  3. Partner Organisations: Interested organisations with a shared commitment to social change for Malaysian Indian women, we welcome you to explore collaboration opportunities.

Email us at excapeurmi@gmail.com