Day: October 24, 2021

Recognising that humankind is one big-extended family, Malaysia joins the other 192 United Nations (UN) Member States in celebrating the United Nations Day. The UN Day is celebrated annually on 24 October to mark the anniversary of the entry into force of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945.

Since joining the UN in 1957 and becoming the 82nd member of this august body, Malaysia attaches great importance to the three (3) main pillars of the UN, which are peace and security, human rights and development. Malaysia has played an active role in the UN and was elected as a member of the UN Security Council on four occasions: 1965, 1989-1990, 1999-2000 and 2015-2016. Malaysia was also elected as a member of another main organ of the UN, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on seven occasions: 1971-1973, 1976-1978, 1983-1985, 1991-1993, 1995-1997, 2003-2005 and 2008-2010.

Malaysia is delighted to have been elected recently for a third time to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2022-2024. As a member of the HRC, Malaysia looks forward towards improving human rights in Malaysia and abroad by working closely with all countries and other relevant stakeholders through constructive engagement, cooperation, inclusivity, transparency and mutual respect.

Malaysia is a firm believer in promoting peaceful coexistence between nations and between different peoples, faiths and cultures. This is evident with the issuance of a Joint Communique to Commemorate the 1st Anniversary of the Statement of Support to the Secretary-General’s Appeal for Global Ceasefire by the Co-Initiators in June this year.

In supporting the longstanding desire of the UN to achieve a nuclear-weapons-free world, Malaysia will continue to play an active role in nuclear disarmament, as it chairs Main Committee I on Nuclear Disarmament at the upcoming 10th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) early next year. The Review Conference will be an avenue for State Parties to the NPT to reaffirm their obligations and past commitments towards the Treaty and progress effectively towards its implementation.

In support of the plight of the Palestinians, the Government decided recently to extend predictable long-term contribution amounting to USD 1 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The contribution will be disbursed annually in the amount of USD 200,000 per year from 2021 until 2025.

Malaysia recently launched its 12th National Plan (2021-2025) with the theme “A Prosperous, Inclusive, Sustainable Malaysia”, which embeds the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Malaysia also presented its second Voluntary National Review (VNR) report at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which was held from 6 to 15 July 2021 in New York. It highlights actions and measures taken by Malaysia to advance the implementation of SDGs and to fulfil the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to achieve a carbon neutral nation by 2050 to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. In this regard, Malaysia looks forward to participating in the upcoming 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom from 31 October to 12 November 2021.

Malaysia believes there is an urgent need for the United Nations to address the COVID-19 pandemic including on ensuring vaccines are accessible, equitable and affordable. Malaysia looks forward to work together with the world family and engage with the UN agencies and Member States to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Malaysia is also committed to play a more prominent role in health diplomacy by collaborating with all stakeholders on an array of health-related issues.

On this day, Malaysia renews its longstanding commitment to the UN. Malaysia is of the belief that this august body is the best platform to pursue international cooperation and to address various problems around the world.

 

 

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

Datuk Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore

 

Ms Claire Chiang, Chairperson of the Exemplary Mother Award Panel of Judges

 

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

Good afternoon. I am pleased to be here today to celebrate the achievements of mothers, and to present the Exemplary Mother Award 2021.

 

This is the 28th year of the Award. I am heartened that we continue to value the contributions of mothers of all ages, races and religions. Thank you, Jamiyah, for leading this effort and organising today’s event to recognise the two recipients of this year’s award.

 

The last twenty months have been difficult for everyone because of COVID-19 and the many restrictions imposed on our movement and social activities. The impact on women, has been even more drastic as women carry a greater share of the caregiving responsibilities at home. As more activities for work and caregiving are moved online, women find themselves having to juggle both work and caregiving at the same time. Hence, while we welcome hybrid work as one positive outcome of the pandemic, opening opportunities for women to remain gainfully employed, we also need to acknowledge the greater stress that such work arrangements place on women as compartmentalisation of work and family duties is difficult to achieve at home. For many women, the office provides them with an enriching environment where they can engage with co-workers, bounce off ideas and receive support and encouragement for the work that they do. A hybrid work environment could limit such exposures and experiences. Notwithstanding such limitations, a properly organised hybrid workplace can be beneficial to women, particularly for those who cannot work outside the home, but it must be carefully thought through, adequately resourced for home-based work and the rewards properly structured to ensure fair evaluations.

 

Another undesirable outcome of the pandemic is the increased mental toll that it has taken on women. The Lancet, a medical journal, reported that globally, COVID-19 has led to a sharp increase in anxiety and depression, and women have fared worse than men. The greater increase in mental health issues prevalent among women compared to men was anticipated because women are more likely to be affected by the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. Additional caregiving and household responsibilities due to school closures or family members becoming unwell are more likely to fall on women. Women are also subject to greater financial stress during the pandemic due to the lower salaries, less savings, and less secure employment that they hold, compared to their male counterparts. They are also more likely to be victims of domestic violence, the prevalence of which increased during periods of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. This is an alarming global report, and although I have not seen a similar study in Singapore on how the pandemic has affected the mental health of women compared to men, I would not be surprised if there are similarities. To overcome this situation, having more programmes alone to help women will not be sufficient. We need to see a more fundamental shift in mindsets, attitudes and social norms where there is respect and understanding of women’s place as equal partners in society and not as subservient, supporting members of the cast.

 

Yet another aspect of the pandemic that has disproportionately affected women, is the increase in the burden of their caregiving responsibilities. This situation was already prevalent before the pandemic, but has become even more acute during these twenty months when the pandemic raged on. As people are confined to their homes, caregivers have seen their stress levels climb to an all-time high. Many caregivers are providing help or are “on call” almost all day. During this period, many programmes providing respite care are suspended or restricted for health and safety reasons. Some have gone online, but it is never the same.

 

A survey shows that there are about 210,000 caregivers in Singapore, although I feel that this figure is probably an underestimation considering the extent of ageing in our society. Most caregivers are women, and the majority are aged 40 and above. In the US, by comparison, 1 out of every 5 Americans is a caregiver. For a long time, we have been undervaluing caregiving work, although the cost to society if recipients of caregiving are institutionalised would be tremendous. A recent Institute of Mental Health (IMH) survey shows that six types of mental illness cost society $1.7b a year. But this covers only direct medical cost and productivity loss. It excludes other costs such as caregiver burden, which refers to loss of income or reduced income if the caregiver can only work shorter hours.

 

We need to provide better support to caregivers who are doing an invaluable service not only to their families, but also to society, by taking on the burden of caregiving and not transferring the care to the public or the state. Our caregivers’ greatest concerns are two-fold; who will take care of their loved ones who need caregiving when they grow old and frail, and how will they survive retirement without enough savings or income of their own. These are legitimate concerns. Although there are currently some benefits extended to caregivers, we need to review them to ensure their relevance and adequacy in meeting the needs of caregivers.

 

As more women join the labour force, take on leadership and decision-making roles, and contribute to our society, there is a need for effective policies and programmes to help them integrate more fully into our economy and society. The Government recently concluded a year-long, nation-wide Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development co-organised with our community partners. The Conversations are part of a broader Government effort to engage a wide range of Singaporeans to understand their aspirations for Singapore women, and mindset changes required for the further advancement of Singapore women. I am glad to hear Dr Hasbi saying that Jamiyah has also made some suggestions and recommendations. I am sure all these recommendations will be very useful coming from different segments in our community, our society, our womenfolk and I hope holistically that will lead to a very good paper. From this feedback and ideas shared at the Conversations will be consolidated into a White Paper to be presented to Parliament in early 2022.

 

The Ministry of Social and Family Development has designated 2021 as the Year of Celebrating SG Women – with respect as the cornerstone of the rapport and partnership between men and women to celebrate women’s multi-faceted roles in society. We also celebrate the men who help to debunk stereotypes, change mindsets and play an active role in supporting and uplifting women.

 

In a similar vein, the Exemplary Mother Award and the Exemplary Young Mother Award recognise and celebrate sacrifices, determination and resilience of mothers in overcoming life’s many challenges. The awards honour mothers from all walks of life who have left an indelible mark on the lives of their family members and the community. The awards pay tribute to the many accomplishments of mothers which often go unnoticed. The awards recognise the integral role that mothers play in building strong families, strong communities and a strong nation.

 

It has been a half century – 56 years to be exact – since we became independent. We can look back with pride on our many achievements across diverse fields and the many glass ceilings that we have broken along the way, but we cannot be completely satisfied. Progress is a journey and there’s still so much to do, so many more paths to traverse and an exciting future to reach out for.

 

Let me congratulate all the finalists here today on your achievements, and the two award winners for your outstanding contributions.

 

Thank you once again Jamiyah Singapore for organising this event every year to recognise our women, our mothers’ contributions.

 

 

Source: President’s Office of Singapore

YANGON– Myanmar’s Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment for COVID-19, yesterday announced further extension of the closure of schools nationwide, until the end of this month.

 

The move was made, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 and to make preparations for reopening of schools, the committee said.

 

The Ministry of Health has been administering COVID-19 vaccine doses to middle and high school students, aged over 12 years, since Oct 12.

 

As part of the anti-pandemic measures, the authorities re-closed all schools across the country, since early July.

 

According to a health ministry release yesterday, Myanmar recorded 1,067 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 20 more deaths in the past 24 hours.

 

The total number of COVID-19 infections has risen to 493,576, with 18,511 deaths in the country.

 

Myanmar detected its first two COVID-19 cases on Mar 23, last year.

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK