SHAH ALAM, May 6 — The state government is looking to strengthen its partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to enhance social policies and improve women and children welfare across Selangor.
The commitment was reaffirmed by Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari when receiving a courtesy visit from a UNICEF delegation yesterday led by Robert Glass, its representative to Malaysia. Also present was state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
Amirudin said the discussion centered on strengthening support systems for low-income families, early childhood development, and a more inclusive social protection system.
“A data-driven approach, including the (documentation) of children in childcare centres, was also explored to ensure policies implemented are well targeted and impactful,” he said in a Facebook post.
He said that while the state takes pride in Petaling Jaya’s achievement as the first city in Malaysia to receive UNICEF’s Child-Friendly City recognition, efforts to improve children welfare must be enhanced comprehensively, in line with Selangor’s commitment towards a safe, inclusive and child-friendly environment.
Amirudin said the state government sees strong potential in the collaboration with UNICEF, which has a 70-year presence in Malaysia, to add value to existing state initiatives such as MamaKerja, Asuh Pintar and the Selangor care economy ecosystem.
He added that during the discussion, he asserted the need to shift from a traditional, centralised, top-down approach, which can exclude real dynamics, especially during implementation.
“This is why, through the next steps both teams will embark on, I encouraged (roping in) 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 be ready to accept that data changes rapidly, which calls for adaptive approaches.”
Amirudin added that the state government is committed to boosting collaboration with strategic partners such as UNICEF to prioritise children and family well-being.
