Courtesy Visit From UNICEF
Received a courtesy visit from a UNICEF delegation led by Mr. Robert Gass, alongside Ms. Sanja Saranovic, Dr. Juanita Vasquez-Escallon and other representatives, in a strategic discussion on social policy and the welfare of women and children in the State of Selangor. Also present was YB Puan Anfaal Saari, EXCO for Women Development & Social Welfare.
The discussion focused on strengthening support for low-income families, early childhood development, and enhancing a more inclusive social protection system. A data-driven approach, including the mapping of children in childcare centres, was also explored to ensure that policies implemented are well-targeted and impactful.
In this context, Selangor is proud that over two years ago, Petaling Jaya was recognised as the first city in Malaysia to receive the UNICEF Child Friendly City recognition. However, efforts to strengthen child welfare must continue to be enhanced comprehensively, in line with our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and child-friendly environment.
The State Government sees strong potential for collaboration with UNICEF, which has been present in Malaysia for over 70 years, through existing initiatives such as MamaKerja, Asuh Pintar, and the development of a Care Economy ecosystem to ensure more holistic support for families and communities.
I shared the importance to move away from the traditional, centralised, top-down approach which can sometimes miss the real dynamics on the ground, especially at the policy implementation level including on matters such as these which strike at the heart of households.
This is why through the next steps both respective teams will embark on, I encouraged to rope in the local councils as they too are familiar with workings on the ground and which families most need intervention. When it comes to families and children especially, we have to work with real-time data, understand how to interpret the data accurately, and also be ready to accept that data changes rapidly which calls for adaptive approaches.
Insya-Allah, the State Government remains committed to strengthening collaboration with strategic partners such as UNICEF to ensure that the well-being of children and families remains a priority, in line with our aspiration to build a more just and inclusive future for Selangor.
