MALAYSIA’S APPROACH IN CURBING CHILD POVERTY AND

INCREASING SOCIAL PROTECTION

Chua Choon HwaMalaysia’s Ministry of Women, Family and Community

Development, Malaysia

Child Poverty and Social Protection Conference 10–11 September 2013

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CHILDREN’S PROFILE, 2013

Total children population:

9.8 million

(34% ofpulation)

*POPULATION IN MALAYSIA : 28.55 million

DEFINITION OF CHILD

• Child Act 2001 [Section 2]

“Child means a person under the age of eighteen years”

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) [Article 1]

“a child means every human being below the age 18 years…”

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Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

• A human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.

• Core elements:

– Survival Protection

– Development Participation

• Ratified by Malaysia in 1995

• Malaysia is obligated to make every effort in implementing innovative initiatives and continue to provide an enabling environment for the well-being of it's children.

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Main Ministry In-charge of Children:Ministry of Women, Family and Community

Development (MWFCD)

• Other Ministries:

– Ministry of Education

– Ministry of Health

– Ministry of Youth and Sports

– Ministry of Home Affairs

• Main agency in handling well being of children:

– Department of Social Welfare

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Role of MWFCD

• Formulate/Amend Legislations

• Formulate Policies And Action Plan

• Implement Programmes

• Coordinate Cross Agencies Programmes

• Synergise Cross Agency Measures on Children

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Hardcore poverty 2012:

Hardcore incidence: 0.2%

15,800 hardcore poor household

Poverty Line Income (PLI) between RM520-RM660.

• Poverty:

Number of poor households

reduced between 54.6%

(urban) to 60% (rural)

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POVERTY DATA

0

50

100

150

200

250

2004

2007

2009

2012

Rural

Urban

(000’)

POVERTY DATA

Incidence of poverty : 1.7% (2012). Achieved target of <2% under The Millennium Development Goals 3 years before 2015.

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%

POVERTY DATA2013 statistics:

40% Malaysian household earns less than RM2,300.00 a month.

PLI between RM830-RM1,090;

Average household income increase from RM4,025.00 in 2009 to RM5,000.00 in 2013.

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Source:BNM FOREX 6 Sept.13$1:RM3.32,

CHILD POVERTY

• Houses headed by individuals aged 35-44 have higher probability to be poor.

• Level of child poverty differs by geographical context. Eg: rural, urban and ethnicity

• Children living in poverty

experiences multiple

deprivations.

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CHILD POVERTY

• Incidence of poverty decreased from 19.9% (1989) to 1.7% (2012) reducing the percentage of children living in poverty and malnourished children.

• No record or data in relation to child suffering from hunger.

• Household Income Data surveys shows about *400,000 children living below PLI.

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Source:

Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey 2012, Department of Statistic, Malaysia.

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ECONOMY

EDUCATION

SOCIAL PROGRAMMES

HEALTH

TOTA

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Strategies Towards Reducing Poverty

Strategies Towards Reducing Poverty

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

By drafting, amending and

introducing new acts and

regulations towards

safeguarding the child’s rights

POLICIES AND ACTION PLAN

Designed and implemented to

address child poverty by enhancing

education and health pertaining

to child and family

INCENTIVES

Means of assisting to ease burden of poor families in

bringing up a child and not practicing

the concept of Welfare State

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LEGAL FRAMEWORK

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CHILD ACT 2001

To consolidate and amend the laws relating to the care, protection and rehabilitation of children and to provide matters connected therewith.

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EDUCATION ACT 1996

• To provide for education and matters connected to it.

• Section 29A, Education (Amendment) Act 2002 - Parents obliged to enrol the child from 6 years old and remain so for a duration of 6 years.

• Read with Compulsory Education Act enforced on 1 January 2003:

- of Children are ensured to complete primary education in between 5 to 7 years.

- Fine RM5,000.00 or jail ≤6 months or both on parents who fail to abide by the Act

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Other Legislations Related to Child Poverty

Penal Code

• Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966 (Revised 1988)

• Anti-Trafficking In Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Amendment) 2010

• Married Women and Children (Maintenance) Act 1950

• Domestic Violence Act 1994

• Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976

• Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957

• Registration of Birth and Death Ordinance of Sabah

• Registration of Birth and Death Ordinance of Sarawak

• Adoption Act 1952

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POLICY AND ACTION PLAN

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National Policy on Children and It’s Plan of Action

• Approved by the Government on 29 July 2009

• Focuses on the thrusts of development relating to children’ssurvival, protection, development and participation asprovided for in the CRC

• A Technical Committee chaired by MWFCD is established inorder to coordinate and monitor the implementation of thePlan of Action

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National Child Protection Policy and its Plan of Action

Approved by the Government on 29 July 2009

Ensures children’s protection from all forms of neglect,abuse, violence, and exploitation

Encourages all organizations that deal with children todevelop their own policies on the protection of the child

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NATIONAL POLICY ON FAMILY

• Approved by the Government on 17 December 2010

• Aims to develop a prosperous family, healthy and resilient to ensure social stability

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INITIATIVES TO UPLIFT QUALITY OF CHILDREN IN MALAYSIA

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National Human Papilloma Virus Immunisation Programme

Malaysian Breastfeeding Policy

National Immunisation Program (NIP)

National Policy on Reproductive Health and Social Education

200676.3 years

201177 years

InfantMortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

6.8 per 1,000 live births

• To combat cervical cancer

• To produce individuals who are knowledgeable and have a positive attitude towards reproductive health and social education

•Government support for extended maternity and paternity leave;• provision of childcare centres at work place; and •breastfeeding facilities in public areas • growth monitoring for early

detection of malnutrition; and• cooking demonstrations for antenatal and postnatal mothers

•Reduce mortality of children due to vaccine preventable disease

Prevention of Malnutrition Related Diseases

2010

2005

91.95%

96.20%

Gross Enrolment Rate

Sumber: Malaysia Education For All Report-Goal 2

Food Assistant Financial Assistant Tuition Aide Schools in Hospital Schools in Detention Centres

EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

• Education:

- The Poor Students Trust Fund

- The Scholarship Programme

- School Boarding Programme

Holistic/Religious education:

- J-QAF Programme

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Nutrition:- The Supplementary Food

Programme- The Integrated School Health

Programme- The School Milk Programme

Reading material/interests:

- Free Textbooks- The Supplementary Reading

Programme in Sabah and Sarawak

- The Nilam Programme

EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

• To reduce school dropouts:

- Special Model Schools

Aboriginals:

- K-9 Comprehensive Special Model Schools (to reduce dropouts/absenteeism)

- Educational Development Action Plan for Aboriginal and Penan Communities

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Children with special needs:- Education for students with

special needs- The Assistance Programme

for Students with Special Needs

Health:- The 3K Programme (Safety,

Health and Aesthetics)- The Counselling and

Guidance Programme

SOCIAL WELFARE SCHEME

• to provide temporary assistance by easing the burden of families below the poverty threshold that have school going children.

• Total Allocations (year):

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YEAR Case Allocations (RM)

2008 221,602 371,214,940.00

2009 353,889 758,798,563.00

2010 424,526 1,195,454,944.00

2011 473,928 1,352,739,117.00

2012 514,066 1,472,064,853.00

SOCIAL WELFARE SCHEME

Children’s Aid

- introduced in 1 January 2006 by the Department of Social Welfare (DSW)

- financial assistance to ease the burden of poor families in bringing up children

- RM100 per child to max RM450 per household per month per family .

(400,000 X RM100 =RM40,000,000.00

actual expenditure in 2012 is RM326,962,202.00)

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SOCIAL WELFARE SCHEME

Fostering Allowance- to encourage participation of public to care for orphans or

children unable to live with their families. (a monthly allowance of RM250 per child).

Other SchemesGeneral Aid, Disabled Worker Allowance, Natural Disaster Aid, Special Aid for persons with disabilities who are unable to work and Special aid to the caregivers of the disabled and chronically ill who are bedridden.

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CHILD PROTECTION TEAM

• To assist the DSW to deal with child abuse cases by coordinating locally based services to families and children.

• Presently, there are 134 Child Protection Teams.

• Chairman: Child Protector

• Members: medical officers, police officers, and community members.

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CHILD ACTIVITY CENTRES

• 142 Centres provided throughout Malaysia.

• Place where support services are provided to help families overcome their social problems and as a venue for children, families and surrounding society to participate in activities provided by at the Centre.

• Contributed to the prevention of social ills. Eg: school droput, truancy moral decadence, child abuse, etc

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CHILDREN’S HOME

• Established by the DSW for victims of neglect, abuse, abandonment and exploitation.

• Provide substitute care and protection, healthy growth and holistic development of children in a harmonious and safe environment.

• Programmes focused on care and protection ( As of Jan 2012, 1900 children placed in the children’s home.)

• Duration: specified period/until determined by the court.

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PROGRAMMES TARGETED TOWARDS IMPROVING HOUSEHOLD/

FAMILY INCOME

Program Inkubator Ibu /tunggal (I-KIT)

Program Inkubator Keusahawanan Wanita

(I-KEUNITA)

1Azam Program (Akhiri Zaman Miskin)

Smart Spending

Programme

Housing for Rakyat

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CHILDLINE 15999

Launched as a dedicated line for children on 13 November 2010

The operators are specially trained to handle calls from children

Establishment is in line with the CRC Committee’s recommendations

Since the launching, the line has received 7,331 calls [abt 410 cases a month]

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THE WAY FORWARD

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ECONOMY

EDUCATION

SOCIAL PROGRAMMES

HEALTH

TOTA

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Strategies Towards Reducing Poverty

TWO NEW PROJECTS

• Mapping of the Social Safety NetTo establish a clear overview of the existing social protection programmes in Malaysia, which is fundamental to be able to evaluate current policies and help generate insights and policy improvements to ensure that barriers to access social services are removed and children’s rights are realized in-line with the Convention of the Rights of the Child, with special emphasis on the rights to social security and to an adequate standard of living.

• Child Data Mapping To establish a set of child well-being indicators (cover Material Well-being, Education & Development, Health, Subjective Well-being and Family and Peer Relationships) to serve as a guide for future policy planning.

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TWO NEW CONCEPT

• Productive Welfare

Ultimate aim is to encourage the target group to participate and put in their own efforts in the programmes. (Eg: AZAM)

• Social Enterprise

do not aim to offer any benefit to their investors, except where they believe that doing so will ultimately further their capacity to realize their social and environmental goals.(Eg: co-operative, mutual organization)

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