2024
Brunei Darussalam
Women, Business and the Law 2024 (WBL2024) presents an index covering 190 economies and structured around the life
cycle of a working woman. In total, 35 questions are scored across eight indicators. Overall scores are then calculated by
taking the average of each indicator, with 100 representing the highest possible score. Data refer to the laws and regulations
that are applicable to the main business city (Bandar Seri Begawan). Different rules may apply in other jurisdictions so local
legislation should be reviewed. Based on this approach, Brunei Darussalam scores 53.1 out of 100.0. The overall score
for Brunei Darussalam is lower than the regional average observed across East Asia and the Pacific (73.0). Within the East
Asia and the Pacific region, the maximum score observed is 91.9 (Hong Kong SAR, China).
Brunei Darussalam - Scores for Women, Business and the Law 2024
Mobility
Workplace
Pay
Marriage
Parenthood
Entrepreneur-
ship
Assets
Pension
WBL 2024 Index
Score
50
25
75
40
0
75
60
100
53.1
Relative Strengths
When it comes to laws affecting the size of a woman’s pension, Brunei Darussalam gets a perfect score.
When it comes to constraints on freedom of movement, laws affecting women's decisions to work, laws affecting women's
pay, constraints related to marriage, laws affecting women's work after having children, constraints on women starting and
running a business, and gender differences in property and inheritance, Brunei Darussalam could consider reforms to
improve legal equality for women.
For example, one of the lowest scores for Brunei Darussalam is on the indicator measuring laws affecting women’s work
after having children (the WBL2024 Parenthood indicator). To improve on the Parenthood indicator, Brunei Darussalam
may wish to consider making paid leave of at least 14 weeks available to mothers, making the government administer 100%
of maternity leave benefits, making paid leave available to fathers, making paid parental leave available, and prohibiting the
dismissal of pregnant workers.
Recent Reforms
No reforms were observed during the past year (October 2nd, 2022 – October 1st, 2023).
Further data details for Brunei Darussalam are available at:
https://wbl.worldbank.org/en/data/exploreeconomies/brunei-darussalam/2024
2024
QUESTION
ANSWER
LEGAL BASIS
Mobility
Can a woman choose where to live in the same way as a man?
No
Islamic Family Law, Art. 61(2)(c)
Can a woman travel outside her home in the same way as a man?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Can a woman apply for a passport in the same way as a man?
Yes
Passport Act, Sec. 3; Passport Application Form
Can a woman travel outside the country in the same way as a
man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Workplace
Can a woman get a job in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment based on
gender?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Is there legislation on sexual harassment in employment?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Are there criminal penalties or civil remedies for sexual harassment
in employment?
No
Criminal: No applicable provisions could be located
Civil: No applicable provisions could be located
Pay
Does the law mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Can a woman work at night in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Can a woman work in a job deemed dangerous in the same way as
a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Can a woman work in an industrial job in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Marriage
Is the law free of legal provisions that require a married woman to
obey her husband?
No
Islamic Family Law, Art. 61(2)
Can a woman be head of household in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Is there legislation specifically addressing domestic violence?
Yes
Married Women Act, Part IIA; Islamic Family Law Act, Part VA
Can a woman obtain a judgment of divorce in the same way as a
man?
No
Islamic Family Law, Arts. 42-60
Does a woman have the same rights to remarry as a man?
No
Islamic Family Law, Arts. 2 and 42(5)
Parenthood
Is paid leave of at least 14 weeks available to mothers?
No
Employment (Amendment) Order 2012, Sec. 3
Does the government pay 100% of maternity leave benefits?
No
Maternity Leave Regulation 2011, Sec. 4
Is paid leave available to fathers?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Is there paid parental leave?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Is dismissal of pregnant workers prohibited?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Entreprene
urship
Does the law prohibit discrimination in access to credit based on
gender?
No
No applicable provisions could be located
Can a woman sign a contract in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Can a woman register a business in the same way as a man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Can a woman open a bank account in the same way as man?
Yes
No restrictions could be located
Assets
Do men and women have equal ownership rights to immovable
property?
Yes
Islamic Family Law, Art. 44(d)
Do sons and daughters have equal rights to inherit assets from
their parents?
No
Islamic Family Law, Art. 144(2)
Do female and male surviving spouses have equal rights to inherit
assets?
No
Islamic Family Law, Art. 144(2)
Does the law grant spouses equal administrative authority over
assets during marriage?
Yes
Islamic Family Law, Art. 144(2)
Does the law provide for the valuation of nonmonetary
contributions?
Yes
Islamic Family Law, Art. 59(4)
Pension
Is the age at which men and women can retire with full pension
Yes
Old Age and Disability Pensions Act and Regulations, Sec. 3; Retirement Age
Order, 2010, Sec. 4
Is the age at which men and women can retire with partial pension
Yes
No applicable provisions could be located
Is the mandatory retirement age for men and women the same?
Yes
No applicable provisions could be located
Are periods of absence due to childcare accounted for in pension
benefits?
Yes
Old Age and Disability Pensions Act and Regulations
