Women’s groups want reforms to go on

PETALING JAYA: Women’s rights groups have called on the new Women and Family minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun and her deputy Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof to deliver on the legislative reforms that safeguard the well-being and rights of women, which have been drafted and were ready to be tabled in Parliament.

“These reforms have been developed after years of collaboration and were close to being tabled in Parliament. These reforms include the Sexual Harassment Act and the

Gender Equality Act (led by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry), the introduction of seven-day paternity leave and anti-discrimination provisions in the Employment Act (led by the Human Resources Ministry) and the enactment of anti-stalking laws (led by the Law Minister’s Office), ” said Sumitra Visvanathan, executive director of the Women’s Aid Organisation.

Women’s Centre for Change programme director Karen Lai agreed, adding that a change in government and a new minister and deputy must not jeopardise decades of work that has gone into the development of the proposed laws.

“What’s important is that these reforms go on. We may have a different government but we must put the interests of women and children first, particularly women who are vulnerable due to poverty and children who are vulnerable to abuse. A lot of work has been done and without these reforms it will be difficult to move on, ” said Lai.Gerontologist Lily Fu wants the new minister to look into the well-being of the country’s senior citizens.“The ministry must upgrade senior citizen activity centres and ensure better management and regular, sustained programmes and activities for them.

“The ministry must also look into elder-friendly housing, especially for low-cost housing for the B40 group. Another area she must address is the provision of more affordable nursing homes for

seniors and the inclusion of seniors in the community by introducing upskilling courses so they can be better equipped to get jobs, ” says Fu, who founded Seniors Aloud, an online community for seniors.