FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACILITIES AT WORKPLACE NOT JUST BENEFICIAL FOR WOMEN

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Women, Family and Community
Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Thursday stressed that providing
family-friendly facilities at the workplace, does not benefit women only as it
will also have a positive impact on the country's economic growth.

According to her, the United Nations Development Programme stated that
Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product could grow by two to five per cent each year
if women's labour participation could increase from 47 to 70 per cent.

"Current statistics show that women make up 46 per cent of professionals in
Malaysia," she told reporters at the Women's Summit 2010, themed "Changing
Mindsets: Transforming Lives", here, Thursday.

Shahrizat said women's involvement in the professional field in this
country, however, still lagged behind that in other countries like Australia,
Canada and the United States which had reached about 70 per cent.

She said employers who regarded providing facilities like a childcare centre
at the workplace as a very difficult task should change their mindset,
considering its positive effect on econonic growth.

"Whether they like it or not, providing family-friendly facilities at the
workplace is not a women's issue only but a social and economic issue as well."

She said all employers must play their role to ensure balance at the
workplace and home for the women employees.

"Some career women feel they are so heavily burdened in trying to balance
their work and responsibilities as mothers and workers, so much so they think
their lives would be better without children," she added.

The two-day summit which began Wednesday is organised by the Women, Family
and Community Development Ministry.

-- BERNAMA



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