KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The Department of Women’s Development (JPW) will intensify various initiatives under Budget 2027 to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, safety, well-being and leadership in the country.
Its director-general Hanani Sapit said the main focus areas included expanding income-generating opportunities for women through the KIRANA programme, strengthening women’s participation in leadership, and enhancing protection and support for women, including single mothers.
She said the KIRANA programme would be expanded through equipment grants and entrepreneurship training, with more than 400 women nationwide targeted to participate next year.
“To implement this programme, an allocation of RM1.5 million has been identified to provide training and start-up grants for equipment to help participants start or strengthen their income-generating businesses,” she told Bernama.
Hanani said the programme would also train its target groups to explore digital platforms as a way to reach wider markets.
“The KIRANA programme will continue to be implemented as a structured initiative, starting with comprehensive training and followed by continuous monitoring to ensure that the target groups can achieve more sustainable incomes,” she said.
On leadership, Hanani said the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) would introduce new initiatives to empower women and develop them into competitive, confident and capable leaders with the necessary skills to achieve the target of at least 30 per cent female representation in decision-making, particularly in politics.
In this regard, she said the implementation of the Women’s Inclusive programme, which aims to establish a talent pool of future leaders, was expected to drive greater female participation in top leadership positions.
Hanani also said the government had allocated RM1 million to continue the Kasih Ibu Tunggal (KasihnITa) programme, which is expected to benefit 2,000 single mothers.
She said KasihnITa focuses on the personal development of single mothers through three main modules: legal skills, financial management and potential development.
It also promotes the holistic empowerment of single mothers, covering economic aspects, knowledge of their rights and legal matters, personal development and psychosocial well-being, to help them strengthen their own and their families’ capabilities towards greater self-reliance and sustainability.
“At the same time, the programme also provides legal aid to single mothers for court-related documentation involving divorce and child maintenance claims, while supporting their self-reliance,” she said, adding that its implementation was planned based on the needs of the target groups and approved allocations, with a focus on communities in identified localities.
On women’s safety and well-being, Hanani said the KPWKM, through JPW, would continue to strengthen advocacy and interventions to safeguard women’s safety and well-being through the Santun Kasih Pemandiri (SARI) initiative. This includes strengthening advocacy and campaigns to prevent violence against women through the combined efforts of Aku Wanita@KRT and the Eliminate Violence Against Women (EVAW) campaign.
Through the Legal and Rights Literacy Programme for Women (IRIS) and Psychological Well-being for Women (MATAHARI), JPW also provides legal literacy training and face-to-face emotional support through the KasihnITa, as well as interactive online sessions through the State Women’s Development Offices (PPWN).
Efforts to enhance women’s safety also include psychosocial support through the WAJA Squad, referral and intervention services through Perantara Rujukan dan Intervensi (PRISMAnita), and Advokasi Anti Gangguan Seksual (AAGS) at higher education institutions, public and private offices, and local communities.
Under Budget 2027, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of RM4.355 billion to KPWKM to strengthen social protection and women’s economic empowerment.
The government has also allocated RM200 million through the MADANI Sejahtera Grant to provide equipment and training to 40,000 recipients, particularly women.
-- BERNAMA