By Fiqah Roslan
Socio-economic issues, ICT main concerns among women — professor
KOTA KINABALU: Issues pertaining to social and economic welfare prevail as main concerns amongst women, as well as information and communication technology (ICT) and infrastructure.
National University of Malaysia (UKM) Tun Fatimah Hashim Women's Leadership Centre director, Associate Professor Dr Madeline Berma, said after the Sabah Women National Transformation 2050 (TN50) programme yesterday that women mostly raised issues affecting their families and shared aspirations related to TN50.
“One of the issues raised was child sexual abuse that is rampant, especially in rural areas. Some of the women suggested setting up a one-stop centre to lodge complaints or reports of sexual abuse amongst children.
“This is crucial because most families in rural areas do not have financial means or access to lodge complaints through proper channels, so they suggested something like a Rural Transformation Centre; even if it is not 24 hours, at least it operates at longer hours,” she said.
Dr Madeline also said some women suggested that there should be a smart phone application (app) through which sexual abuse complaints can be lodged, as it is handier and faster than to go through a website.
However, such technology must be supported by proper infrastructure and as it is now, rural areas do not have access nor enough facilities, she said.
Meanwhile, Rozita Ibrahim of Citra UKM said although infrastructure and ICT advancement are pertinent, human capital is equally important.
“We need people who can carry these developments well. As we go into it, ethics come into play and this comes from the home, through parents' role in educating children,” she said.
Rozita stressed that the impact of ICT advancement can be detrimental if not handled delicately, expressing concern that women may not be on par with technology for fear of it having adverse effects on family values. However, she said, the older generation must adapt their parenting style to changing times and the mentality of youths, to prepare themselves for the challenges that come with the digital era.
Dr Madeline added that women by then, especially those in rural areas, will be at least secondary school-educated.
“We aim to have women who are at least SPM-certified then. The system must be in place to ensure they will move on to high school. The government wants to prepare for that generation, that period where everything will improve. Women then need to be more educated in the cyber age.
“We also hope that this will aid in economic and poverty innovation, because we aspire to be a zero poverty State, especially amongst women. We want to ensure the development of entrepreneurship is coherent with present requirements then, because we also aspire for women to have financial independence,” she said.
Dr Madeline told members of the press that yesterday's discussion will be submitted as a report to the Sabah Women Affairs Department (JHEWA) and Sabah Women's Advisory Council (MPWS), expressing the hope that it will ultimately be part of government's policy.
Officiating the closing ceremony of the Sabah Women TN50 programme was Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin, representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman.