KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Do you want to have a say in the Selangor state government’s policies for the “care economy”, or caregiving for children, older people or people with disabilities?
Selangor state exco for women development and social welfare, Anfaal Saari, said the Selangor state government’s new Selangor Care Network offers a chance for stakeholders — such as caregivers — to share their views.
“Selangor Care Network is a loose network where we can actually have dialogues or get inputs from all the stakeholders,” she told Malay Mail in a recent interview.
By joining these dialogues, you may get the chance to give feedback on and influence the state government’s policies on care.
Who can be part of the network?
The Selangor Care Network, which was launched last month, carries the tagline “We Care, Stronger Together”.
To join the Selangor Care Network, go to www.selangorcaresummit.com and click “Become Our Partner”.
Those who can join the network are informal and formal caregivers; non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations; think tanks, academia and researchers; private sector such as private hospitals as well as investors and financiers; local government; and international bodies.
Plans for the Selangor Care Network
Anfaal told Malay Mail that the Selangor state government’s portal, SEJAGAT, will be expanded to have a microsite for the Selangor Care Network.
On this microsite, Selangor Care Network members or partners are expected to be able to reach out to each other, while the Selangor state government would also provide updates and the latest information.
“We want to extend that SEJAGAT portal to another microsite, where all the partners for the Selangor Care Network can contact or network with each other,” said Anfaal, who also chairs the Selangor government’s Standing Committee for Women and Family Empowerment, Social Welfare and Care Economy.
“So that they can actually organise support among the caregivers, also giving input to researchers or academia and think tanks, and also getting information from international bodies, for example, Unicef, UNDP, UN Women and the World Bank — those are the international bodies that we have engaged so far,” she added.
Among other things, the planned Selangor Care Network microsite would be akin to a bulletin board and also serve as a directory.
In July, Anfaal was reported by Media Selangor as saying that the SEJAGAT website would map out existing childcare centres and aged care centres to enable the public to tap into such services, while also showing locations with high demand for such care services that could be potential sites for new care centres.
Who can be part of the Selangor Care Network
Those who can join the network are informal and formal caregivers; non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations; think tanks, academia and researchers; private sector such as private hospitals as well as investors and financiers; local government; and international bodies.
Other benefits of joining the Selangor Care Network include access to opportunities to build capacity; share data and explore opportunities together; exchange views; advocate policies; and expand the strategic network to improve the care support system.
The network is also expected to help drive inclusive and innovative solutions, as well as high-impact investments for the care sector.
Anfaal previously said that this network reflects the shared responsibility by everyone for caregiving, and also fulfils the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women’s (UN Women) principle of ensuring caregivers’ voices are represented at the policy-making stage.
Who will run the Selangor Care Network
The Selangor Care Network is part of the Selangor government’s wider efforts under its Selangor Care Economy Policy 2024-2030 to make Selangor a regional care economy hub.
As the Selangor state exco for women development, Anfaal is also by default the chairman of the state-owned women empowerment company Wanita Berdaya Selangor.
She told Malay Mail that Wanita Berdaya Selangor, as the state’s official agency for women, had gathered all the stakeholders, technical working groups and consultants to develop the Selangor Care Economy Policy 2024-2030.
Apart from developing the Selangor Care Economy Policy, Wanita Berdaya Selangor monitors the progress of implementation of this policy and its action plan, she said.
While pending the setting up of a specific agency for Selangor’s care economy, Anfaal said state government-linked company Selgate Corporation also helps execute and run some of the initiatives under the Selangor Care Economy Policy.
“Sooner or later, we need to establish an institution or dedicated agency to focus on the implementation and execution of anything related to the care economy,” she said.
Currently, Anfaal said the Selangor Care Network will come directly under her state exco office, with Wanita Berdaya Selangor to be in charge of running it.
