PETALING JAYA: Women’s groups lauded the government’s allocation of RM21mil to set up support centres for domestic violence victims, as well as RM24mil to strengthen mental health, violence and injury prevention, and substance abuse programmes.
They also pointed out that Budget 2021 had outlined incentives and allocations to set up childcare centres in workplaces.
However, they highlighted several “missed opportunities” where the needs, welfare and protection of women are concerned.
Since the movement control order (MCO) was enforced in March, the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) helplines have experienced a notable increase in the number of calls and WhatsApp messages. “Mental health and substance abuse may not cause domestic violence or child abuse but they can be a trigger, and a consequence of domestic violence and child abuse,” said WAO executive director Sumitra Visvanathan.
“The allocation of RM24mil to address this, as well as violence and injury prevention efforts, is much needed, given this period of high economic uncertainty.
“The government, however, needs to provide more information on what these programmes entail and how the public can benefit from them,” she added.
She also welcomed the RM20mil matching grant for companies to set up childcare centres, among others.
“But we observe that some previously announced initiatives, including the Women@Work incentives for hiring women re-entering the workforce, were not mentioned,” said Sumitra.
“This is a missed opportunity as the pandemic has forced more women out of the labour force, having to care for their dependants.
“If left unaddressed, this group of women will find it harder to re-enter full-time work, or will have to accept a diminished pay status.”
To address this, she urged the government to tailor the existing TVET (technical and vocational education and training) and other formal adult education systems to the needs of women who had left the labour force.
“We also hope to see steps taken to encourage men to play a more equal role in childcare.
“We hope to see, for example, at least seven days of paternity leave introduced,” said Sumitra.
Executive editor of Sisters in Islam Rozana Isa said that while the budget for social support centres to address domestic violence was “a good start”, the government had yet to be totally inclusive of women.
“The Budget is still glaring in addressing the realities on the ground. The Budget is still in handout mode and has not addressed the realities of women and families in the B40 category in terms of the support and aid needed for them to earn a living in a time of the pandemic,” she said.
Women’s Centre for Change programme director Karen Lai hoped that the National Work Council announced in Budget 2021 that would be headed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would include a gender perspective and critically look at policies for women in the workforce.
“Women are over-represented in informal work sectors, including short-term contract work with relatively low formal protections.
“In the long term, it is important to redress this long-standing imbalance and ensure that women are at the forefront of receiving equal benefit of the country’s blueprint towards economic recovery and development,” said Lai.
They also pointed out that Budget 2021 had outlined incentives and allocations to set up childcare centres in workplaces.
However, they highlighted several “missed opportunities” where the needs, welfare and protection of women are concerned.
Since the movement control order (MCO) was enforced in March, the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) helplines have experienced a notable increase in the number of calls and WhatsApp messages. “Mental health and substance abuse may not cause domestic violence or child abuse but they can be a trigger, and a consequence of domestic violence and child abuse,” said WAO executive director Sumitra Visvanathan.
“The allocation of RM24mil to address this, as well as violence and injury prevention efforts, is much needed, given this period of high economic uncertainty.
“The government, however, needs to provide more information on what these programmes entail and how the public can benefit from them,” she added.
She also welcomed the RM20mil matching grant for companies to set up childcare centres, among others.
“But we observe that some previously announced initiatives, including the Women@Work incentives for hiring women re-entering the workforce, were not mentioned,” said Sumitra.
“This is a missed opportunity as the pandemic has forced more women out of the labour force, having to care for their dependants.
“If left unaddressed, this group of women will find it harder to re-enter full-time work, or will have to accept a diminished pay status.”
To address this, she urged the government to tailor the existing TVET (technical and vocational education and training) and other formal adult education systems to the needs of women who had left the labour force.
“We also hope to see steps taken to encourage men to play a more equal role in childcare.
“We hope to see, for example, at least seven days of paternity leave introduced,” said Sumitra.
Executive editor of Sisters in Islam Rozana Isa said that while the budget for social support centres to address domestic violence was “a good start”, the government had yet to be totally inclusive of women.
“The Budget is still glaring in addressing the realities on the ground. The Budget is still in handout mode and has not addressed the realities of women and families in the B40 category in terms of the support and aid needed for them to earn a living in a time of the pandemic,” she said.
Women’s Centre for Change programme director Karen Lai hoped that the National Work Council announced in Budget 2021 that would be headed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would include a gender perspective and critically look at policies for women in the workforce.
“Women are over-represented in informal work sectors, including short-term contract work with relatively low formal protections.
“In the long term, it is important to redress this long-standing imbalance and ensure that women are at the forefront of receiving equal benefit of the country’s blueprint towards economic recovery and development,” said Lai.
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