A lawyer by practice, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah Binti Mohd Awal recently retired from her role as Professor of Law at the National University of Malaysia or Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia after 36 years of service.
With over 23 years of experience in human rights laws, especially those related to women and children, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah was appointed as the first Children’s Commissioner of Malaysia at SUHAKAM in 2019. She was reappointed for another five years in 2022.
In her capacity as a commissioner, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah has been vocal in fighting for the rights of marginalised children, such as providing temporary documentation for stateless children, child marriages, and children’s rights in the face of crime and child abuse cases in care homes.
Before she was appointed the commissioner, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah was part of the Malaysian Representative to Asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Right of Women and Children (ACWC) for three years 2016-2019 and a member of the National Advisory and Consultative Council for Children 2017-2019. Notably, she was the first female to be appointed as a member of the Islamic Religious Council of Negeri Sembilan (MAINS) in 2016.
In addition, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah is a member of the Complaint Committee of Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (2021-2024). In her years of academia, she has written three books (i) Wanita dan Kepimpinan (ii) Wanita dan Undang-undang (iii) Pengenalan Kepada Sistem Perundangan di Malaysia (ILBS) and co-author : (i) Undang-undang Keluarga Sivi (DBP) (ii) Dilentur Patah (UKM) (iii) Hak Penjagaan Anak: HADANAH. Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah has also graced television talk shows along with publishing numerous articles and chapters in books relating to family law, comparative family law, women and law and child law.
If I do something, I give my very best so that what I did, will have an impact on others. An impact means to give someone a chance to change their life or to lead a better life. Everyone deserves to be happy. Never give up.