Women Ministry plans to enact law to address gender discrimination

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development plans to enact a specific law to address discrimination against women in all sectors.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said as member of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the ministry is committed to ensure there is no discrimination against women in the public or the private sector.

"Discrimination against women is stated in Article 8 of the Federal Constitution on equality. The Employment Act 1955 on discrimination against women has been amended and came into force on April 1, 2012," she said in reply to a question from Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai) in the Dewan Rakyat, here today.

Teo wanted to know whether the government plans to enact a law to stop discrimination against women, particularly in the private sector, just like in developed countries.

Rohani said the ministry was in contact with various parties for the purpose of drafting the law to ensure that it was holistic and complete before taking it to Parliament.

"I want to involve many parties to provide ideas and views to protect the rights of women in this country," she added.

On poverty eradication, she told Wong Sze Pin@Jimmy (DAP-Kota Kinabalu) that 5,615 business grants were given from 2010 to 2015 under the Welfare Department's 'productive welfare' programme.

"It involves a total expenditure of RM16.88 million. Some 913 people received job placement via Jobstreet Malaysia, and 4,017 people received assistance in the form of business equipment via the 1AZAM programme."

The Welfare Department annually allocated RM1.5 billion for various assistance to listed recipients monthtly. -- BERNAMA