Govt aims to end poverty by 2030

KUALA LUMPUR: The government aims to eradicate poverty by 2030 and ensure no one is left behind in its efforts, in line with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

“My ministry has been entrusted with four SDG, ensuring there is no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being and gender equality.

“No poverty and zero hunger will include all vulnerable groups. The government, through the Social Welfare Department, continues to enhance assistance for people with disabilities, the elderly and children.

“The government’s commitment to help this group has been proven by our decision to revise financial assistance for those who need aid.”

She said the government’s goal to reduce poverty and ensure zero hunger is not limited to such assistance and involves policy revision and an obligation towards international conventions to support achieving the goals.

Nancy said the ministry is also working on revising the Persons With Disabilities Act 2008 to enhance its provisions to better serve the differently abled.

Her speech was read out by the ministry deputy director (operations) Farah Hamidi during the second Malaysian Sustainability Leadership Summit held at Berjaya Times Square Hotel.

Nancy also said a Children’s Development Department has been set up, while under the National Development Agenda, the Economy Ministry will deal with the challenges facing the ageing population.

“Good health and well-being could be significantly enhanced by ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare.

“We will focus on granting universal access to sexual and reproductive care, family planning and education. Family planning is important for improving population well-being.”

Nancy added that the entire community will benefit if the health and well-being of women and girls are attended to. She said this would be achieved by holding programmes that provide information to the group on their health and inculcating in them the skills to make wise decisions regarding it.

On addressing violence against women, she said this too is critical to achieving gender equality, and that for the overall well-being of women and girls, special attention will be given to promoting policies that focus on eliminating violence against them, including laws that criminalise such acts and support survivors.

She added that education and awareness programmes are much needed to challenge the social norms and stereotypes that contribute to violence against women.

“Gender equality is specifically mentioned in 10 of the 17 SDG. Across the globe, women can be drivers of change by bringing forth innovative solutions. Women and girls constitute half of the world’s population and as a result, half of the world’s human capital.

“Benefits must resonate equally across society by achieving gender equality,” she said.

Before the end of the event, two books were also launched, SGD Solution Project: Best Practices Impacting the Grassroots and From Global to Local: Sharing Experience and Impact in Localising Solution in Malaysia.

The summit, which was organised by the KSI Institute for Asia Pacific, the Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur, All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on SGD (APPGM-SDG) and Malaysia CSO-SGD Alliance, saw the SDG Icon Leadership Award being presented to 16 companies.

There were also special awards for four organisations, with theSun receiving the SDG Icon Leadership Award.

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