KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) — The female labour force participation rate in the country is still significantly lower than that of the male, despite an upward trend over the past years, said Muslim World Women’s Summit president Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.
According to her, as of June last year, 56.3 per cent of women entered the workforce, up from 55.5 per cent in 2020 and 55.9 per cent last year.
“Compared to the male labour force participation rate of 82.9 per cent, women still lag far behind. Additionally, the country’s female labour force participation rate is much lower than that of regional countries.
“Malaysia is ranked eighth out of ten Asean countries in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2022 report, with Laos leading at 74.8 per cent, followed by Cambodia at 74.0 per cent, Vietnam at 69.6 per cent, and Singapore and Thailand at 59.4 per cent and 59 per cent, respectively,” she said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Apa Khabar Malaysia programme today.
As such, she said that the government has implemented several initiatives to increase female labour force participation, including extending tax incentives for women returning to work until December 31, 2027, as well as raising the limit of the child care allowance.
“Looking at the initiatives, the government has set a target to increase female labour force participation across different sectors in the country to 60 per cent by this year,” she said.
Meanwhile, Noraini, who is also the Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister, said the Muslim World Women’s Summit 2024 will take place on February 23 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, bringing together women from around the world to explore new opportunities for social and economic growth.
Themed ‘The Powerful Women Next Generation Vanguard of Feminine Power’, the summit is anticipated to attract 15,000 participants from 57 countries.
— Bernama
