MIRI : The Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development will advocate and conduct studies on both the social and economic value of women’s unpaid care work.
At the same this will involve looking into possible and relevant social support services which can enhance further the quality of their social contribution to the wellbeing of our local community.
This was disclosed by its minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah during the launching of State-level Women’s Day celebration in Miri today.
“We know and are fully aware that there are a lot more that need to be done to ensure that we are empowered to determine our own future,” she pointed out.
“ Moreover, there are still many economic, education, social, health, administrative, governance, and even citizenship issues that are yet to be solved, and all these warrant our immediate attention.
“ In this regard, I would like to assure everyone, that the women of Sarawak will always be ready to be an integral part of that change process,” said the minister.
On women’s empowerment in economic development , Fatimah said women make enormous contributions to our economy, whether in businesses, via farming activities, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home.
“Women perform the bulk of household work that makes them often having little time left to pursue economic opportunities. However, with the state’s digital initiatives, more and more women contribute to the economy by working from home,” she stressed.
Her ministry is ready to carry out the functions entrusted and will intensify efforts to ensure twelve manifestos out of 34 can be implemented for the common good, Fatimah added.
Anongst those 12 manifesto are concerning stateless children and eradication of poverty in the rural areas.
In conjunction with the State-level Women’s Day celebration this year themed “Expresi Tinta Wanita’, a total of four awards were presented to deserving recipients for their contributions in the development of women in Sarawak.
These awards are Sarawak Premier Women Entrepreneurship Award, Sarawak Premier Social Activist Award, Sarawak Premier Special Achievement Award, and Sarawak Premier Non-Governmental Organisations ( NGOs) Outstanding Award.
For the Sarawak Premier Women Leadership Award, it went to Datin Aisah Eden; Sandra Trinata Kolarensius Sugeng took the Sarawak Premier Women Entrepreneurship Award, while the Sarawak Premier Social Activist Award was presented to Raja Noor Akmar Binti Raja Kamil ; Sarawak Premier Special Achievement (Scholarly writing ) was won by Dr Lulie Melling and Dr Catherine Chen Jean Ai was given the Sarawak Premier NGOs outstanding award.
Also present were Minister for Transport Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin and Fatimah’s two deputies Datuk Rosey Yunus and Mohammad Razi Sitam.
