KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The government will table a gender-responsive budget for the bottom 40 per cent (B40) households for next year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced today.
He said this initiative is the result of Putrajaya creating gender focus groups in every ministry and government agency as announced last month to identify the needs of women.
"Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with several women's NGOs, has been given the responsibility of preparing a gender-responsive budget for B40, starting in 2023.
"This initiative will identify the target group and distribute resources according to the needs of a significant number of beneficiaries, not only to single mothers but also to single fathers if the increase is high in a community,” he said in a speech while attending the National Council of Women’s Organisation’s (NCWO) Women's Day celebration here.
Ismail said the government will also improve and refine more gender-sensitive policies, legislation and programs including reform efforts in the revision of the National Women's Policy and the drafting of gender-sensitive Bills.
He added that the country is currently facing a major challenge with the female population standing at 47.7 per cent (as of 2020), which is almost half of Malaysia's population, while the participation rate of women in the labour force in 2021 is only 55.5 per cent.
"This rate is low when compared to other South-east Asian countries such as Singapore at 69.7 per cent and Thailand at 66.8 per cent,” he said, adding that his administration has done many things for women in a year which saw the passing of the anti-sexual harassment Bill in the last Parliament sitting
Ismail said the government has also allocated RM13 million specifically to strengthen the police's D11 Division for Sexual Investigation, Women and Children, to ensure that cases involving sexual crimes against women and children can be managed more effectively.
The government is also concerned with ensuring that victims of domestic violence receive immediate protection by establishing Local Social Support Centers (PSSS) that provide psychosocial services to Malaysian families throughout the country.
"Until August 2022, a total of 591,000 target groups especially women, have received PSSS services, namely guidance and counselling sessions.
"All of this is the Government's commitment to the women of 'Keluarga Malaysia' who are expected to receive solid support from all parties,” he said, referring to his administration's initiative.
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah officiated the 60th Women’s Day celebration at Dewan Perdana Felda here today.
Also present were the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rina Harun and the NCWO chairwoman Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin.
