Our policies will protect women, girls, vows KJ

 

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said violence against women was actually a health issue and more policies will be drawn up to protect their wellbeing in all aspects.

PETALING JAYA: Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has vowed to create more gender equality policies to protect women and girls.

He said the right to “bodily autonomy” was endorsed by law. However, there were still social and legal gaps when it came to women and girls.

“These gaps can, and will be, filled when all of us as a society decide to do better.

“As a policymaker, I will do more to create policies that will ensure not only the protection of women and girls, but that which focus on their wellbeing in all aspects,” he said in a keynote address at the second annual Malaysia Women and Girls Forum, organised by the United Nations Population Fund Malaysia.

Khairy Jamaluddin.

The theme for this year’s forum is “Bodily Autonomy: Ensuring Rights & Choices for Malaysia’s Women and Girls”.

Khairy said violence against women was actually a health issue.

“Abused women are more likely than others to engage in high-risk behaviour, such as smoking and substance use disorders.

“Furthermore, the stress caused by violence is linked to higher rates of chronic diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes), mental health disorders and infections in abused women.”

He said the government had been making efforts to stop domestic violence against women. This included setting up a one-stop crisis centre aimed at providing a consolidated processing point for survivors of violence to have access to protection, healthcare and justice.

In conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2021, Khairy also launched the National Strategic Plan for Mental Health 2020-2025 that highlights inter-sectoral collaboration and crisis preparedness in addressing mental health issues, suicide and suicidal behaviour.

Khairy said Malaysia was a signatory to many human rights conventions, such as the International Conference of Population Development and its Programme of Action in 1994 which ensures the rights and reproductive choices of women and girls, followed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) in 1995.

“These are commitments that are rooted in the understanding that, just like most countries in the world, we must do better to ensure we can fulfil the absolute potential, rights and choices of our people, no matter their age, sex or creed.

“We have also set a target to achieve this by 2030, in line with the goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.”- FMT