KUALA LUMPUR: The Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM programme under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) has benefited 18,664 women nationwide as of 2023, the Senate was told today.
Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, said the ministry is continuously enhancing the programme to help more women generate income.
“In 2023, 70 per cent of participants continued their businesses to support their families, while 30 per cent left due to reasons such as securing employment, health issues, taking care of sick family members or focusing on their families,” she said during the question-and-answer session.
To a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa on the importance of mental health among working women, Noraini emphasised the need to strike a balance between work and family responsibilities.
“We stress the importance of mental health because it is a current challenge, and we also prioritise this in any entrepreneurship programme we organise.
“We have a programme called the One-Stop Social Support Centre, which provides counselling to the community. In addition, the ministry has specific modules to address mental health issues,” she said.
Meanwhile, Noraini said the ministry’s initiatives to ensure a safe and conducive working environment for women include strengthening laws such as the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and amendments to the Employment Act.
“The ministry also encourages public and private companies to set up childcare centres and nurseries.
“At the same time, the ministry is drafting a strategic care industry framework to help increase women’s participation in the workforce to 60 per cent. It is hoped that these initiatives will also help increase the total fertility rate among working women,” she said.
She was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Dr Azhar Ahmad on efforts to ensure that the birth rate among women serving the nation remains unaffected.
