JPW ASSISTED OVER 17,000 WOMEN THROUGH 734 ECONOMIC PROGRAMMES LAST YEAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM), through the Women's Development Department (JPW), implemented 734 programmes nationwide last year to assist women in economic activities, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that 17,290 women had benefitted from various programmes, courses, and training, and financial management guidance in entrepreneurship.

“Among the programmes implemented to strengthen women’s economic standing, especially housewives and single mothers, is the Sustainable Development Economy Programme (OMEGA), which is based on the circular economy concept in collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

“This programme is part of a skills development initiative aimed at helping participants generate income by creating commercially valuable products from waste or used material," she said during the question-and-answer session.

She said this in reply to a question from Dr Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi (PN-Kuala Kedah), who asked about the implementation of support programmes aimed at boosting the economic status of women and families who have lost their primary provider, as well as the statistics for this group in the Kuala Kedah parliamentary constituency.

Nancy said that a total of 1,043 women in Kedah, including single mothers, had benefitted from 49 programmes that were implemented.

“Participants for the OMEGA programme in Kedah cover various areas, including Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Padang Serai, Pendang, Lunas and Baling. A total of 27 women from Kedah participated in this programme in 2024.

“Alhamdulillah, more than 65 per cent of them have successfully increased their total income by 50 per cent compared to before,” she said.

-- BERNAMA