COVID-19: Ministry urges all parties to protect rights of women, girls

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 -- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has called on all parties to be more sensitive towards the issues and challenges of the country’s population especially those involving women and girls.

This was in line with the theme for this year’s World Population Day, “Putting The Brakes on COVID-19: How to Safeguard The Health and Rights of Women and Girls Now”, it said in a statement today.  

“According to the International Labour Organisation, more than 70 per cent of the workers in the health and social sectors are women and they should be appreciated for sacrificing their time and energy at the front line in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.

For its part, the ministry has set up a special line for COVID-19 tele-counselling to lend support to women and the people affected by the outbreak particularly during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

In addition, employers in the country are also urged to play a role to ensure working women continue to be productive by working from home and having flexible working hours as well as rotational scheduling system for couples with young children.

Even though, it was challenging to provide the flexibility, it helped women who have families to continue contributing to the country’s economic development by fully utilising communications technology, at the same time preventing COVID-19 infection, it added.

Meanwhile, to strengthen reproductive health services throughout the movement control period, the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) would work with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide online family planning advisory services, said the statement.

-- BERNAMA