Gender-related issues crucial in 2022 budget, say MPs

 

(From left) Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh and Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said policymakers must always consider women when drawing up development programmes.

PETALING JAYA: Several elected representatives have called for gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in the 2022 budget, with one arguing it must be more sensitive to the needs of women and children.

Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said said businesses and manufacturers that allowed a more important role for women and children should be given a slightly better tax bracket or tax deductions.

“There must be a way, I believe,” she said at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Malaysia special series on the importance of GRB for the upcoming budget, to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow.

Azalina said there must also be an impact assessment on how the Covid-19 pandemic is linked to various types of crimes against children and women.

One of the most important things for the government would be looking into gender segregated data across different ministries and agencies, she added.

Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh hoped the budget will offer some allocation to set up a data management centre and train officers to collect information for better gender analysis to drive future policies.

She said gender equality was one of the targets set under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

Meanwhile, Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said policymakers must work together across ministries and agencies to make sure the GRB is taken into account in the implementation and disbursement of support programmes for women.

“Women-headed households are in urgent need of a home. If you don’t have a quota for public housing for them, they’re going to be marginalised,” she said. - FMT