Family Frontiers follows a multi-pronged approach in its advocacy for equal citizenship, with the main focus on engaging with the focus population to ensure representation of lived realities by amplifying the voices of those affected in the advocacy.

In its current advocacy for equal citizenship of children born overseas to a Malaysian mother and a non-citizen father, Family Frontiers engages with relevant actors nationally, regionally and globally, parliamentary machinery and the media. Through its outreach activities and engagement efforts—such as webinars, training, briefings, meetings and community engagement—Family Frontiers works on building awareness on Malaysian citizenship provisions and their impact on women and children.

As a result, the constitutional amendment to grant Malaysian women the right to confer citizenship to their overseas-born children has been passed in the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysian House of Representatives). As the next step, the amendment will be tabled in Dewan Negara (the Malaysian Senate) for its approval.

FSSG also works consistently on building its network of Malaysian bi-national families and works directly with the focus population to gather information on the challenges faced on the ground. Apart from its daily inquiries and case management, FSSG receives its frontline knowledge on the challenges faced by the community through thematic surveys, data collection exercises and focus group discussions.

With the evidence gathered, Family Frontiers conducts public outreach activities to shed light on the impact on these families, particularly the disproportionate impact on women and children. This allows FSSG and Family Frontiers to understand lived realities and translate them to relevant actors such that these issues do not remain a blind spot in policymaking, and the best interest of children and family unity is taken into account while reviewing and reforming policies and practices.