Budget allocation for women shows gov't efforts to address inequalities

KUALA LUMPUR: The Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) today described the Budget 2022 as a good platform to address fundamental inequalities that hinder the development and well-being of women in the country.

In a statement, WAO executive director Sumitra Visvanathan was also of the view that the budget has also touched on gender-related issues including violence against women, employment, health, and social protection.

"There are several important announcements, for example, RM13 million is allocated to strengthen the Sexual, Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (D11) of the Royal Malaysia Police, including creating 100 new posts as well as implementing the Waja Squad for community awareness programmes on violence against women nationwide.

"Overall, while we acknowledge there is an emphasis on gender allocation in the budget, we also feel the budget should be more ambitious, especially as the gender gap widens following the COVID-19 pandemic," she said.

Meanwhile, in SEREMBAN, Negeri Sembilan Women's Affairs, Family and Welfare Committee chairman Nicole Tan Lee Koon was of the view that the government's effort to allocate RM5 million to the Women Leadership Foundation could boost the group's participation in the economic sector.

She said the allocation should be channelled to those who are truly eligible and not based on the available list.

"More women, especially single mothers, can get involved in the economic sector through young leadership training and entrepreneurship programmes," she said when contacted by Bernama here.

Meanwhile, Tan also praised the government's efforts to distribute free basic personal hygiene kits every month to 130,000 young women in the B40 group.

However, Tan said the delivery system should be scrutinised so that the effort achieves its objectives.

Meanwhile, commenting on the individual income tax relief of up to RM3,000 for the payment of daycare and kindergarten fees until the year of assessment 2023, she felt that it should be expanded.

"This effort is good but should be expanded to a more comprehensive policy to encourage more women to join the employment sector," she said.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, when tabling the Budget 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, announced that the government has allocated RM230 million in financing funds to assist women entrepreneurs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to increase their business capacity.

Among the funds are MARA's Special Business Financing Scheme for Women (DanaNITA) and Tekunita under Tekun Nasional.

Tengku Zafrul said the government would also implement the MyKasih Capital programme to encourage women to generate income from home.

He added that incentives in the form of basic business capital will also be given in addition to a training programme towards promoting online businesses, and this programme will benefit 5,000 participants, including 2,000 single mothers.

In addition, more than RM11 million is also being allocated as a subsidy for mammogram tests for women in the high-risk category and also for cervical cancer screening tests.

The government will also focus on working mothers and RM30 million has been allocated for child nursery facilities at government buildings especially in hospitals and public universities.

Apart from that, the government, through the Securities Commission, will also compel all public listed companies to appoint at least one female director, which is expected to take effect on Sept 1, 2022, for large-cap companies and on June 1, 2023, for other listed companies.

-- BERNAMA