KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is committed to addressing child marriage as part of efforts to meet at least eight of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to poverty, food security and health, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun.
She said Malaysia's commitment to the SDG Goal 5 (Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls) refers to eliminating all harmful practices, including a child, early and forced marriage.
"Malaysia is committed to addressing child marriage, as seen in the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1995 and the subsequent removal of the reservation to Article 16(2) about child marriage in 2010.
"The Malaysian government also ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1995, in which we committed under Article 24(3), to take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of the children," she said.
Rina said this in her opening remarks during online launch of the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF)'s Advocacy Brief entitled 'Towards Ending Child Marriage' here, today.
She said in Malaysia, an average of 1,500 children, regardless of racial and religious background, involved in child marriages and this practice happens in both urban and rural areas; Muslim and non-Muslims, even among the Orang Asli community as well as migrant and refugee communities.
Due to this, the government has previously introduced a five-year National Strategy Plan in Handling the Causes of Child Marriage last year, containing short, medium and long-term actions, involving government agencies, civil society and communities from 2020 to 2025.
"Both the National Strategy Plan and the Advocacy Brief recognise that the enactment of laws alone is insufficient to combat child marriage effectively, and should be supplemented with a comprehensive set of measures to facilitate their implementation and enforcement, along with a follow-up, monitoring and evaluation of the results achieved.
"Today's launch provides an opportunity for the government and all stakeholders to renew our commitment to addressing child marriage together through the implementation of the National Strategy Plan and other complementary efforts," she said.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said the National Strategy Plan in Handling the Causes of Child Marriage, launched in January last year was a positive indication of Malaysian government's commitment in addressing the issue.
The advocacy brief launched today outlined recommendations for the way forward in nine key areas in particular, legal reforms; centrality of data; addressing social and cultural norms, and capacity development; sexual and reproductive health education; specific girl empowerment programmes and engaging men and boys.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Mar 09 2021
Rina said in Malaysia, an average of 1,500 children, regardless of racial and religious background, were involved in child marriages. BERNAMA pic
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Isnin, 29 April 2024.
Thailand-Brunei perkukuh kerjasama sempena ulang tahun ke-40 hubungan diplomatik
Sempena ulang tahun ke-40 dalam hubungan diplomatik pada tahun ini, Thailand dan Brunei berharap dapat mengukuhkan lagi kerjasama dua hala dan meningkatkan kerjasama ekonomi.
Rangka manusia dijumpai di Gemas
Satu rangka manusia dijumpai di ladang kelapa sawit Felda Sungai Kelamah, Gemas, Tampin pada 2.10 petang hari ini.
Putera Mahkota Arab Saudi berhasrat adakan lawatan rasmi ke Malaysia akhir tahun ini - PM
Hasrat itu dizahirkan semasa dialog khas Putera Mahkota Arab Saudi itu bersama beberapa pemimpin negara lain di luar Mesyuarat Khas WEF 2024 pada Ahad.
10 Berita Pilihan - (29 April 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Tumpuan Selasa - 30 April 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
SC, IsDB jalin bersama majukan pasaran modal Islam dan kewangan sosial
SC hari ini memeterai MoU dengan IsDB, sekali gus membuka ruang kerjasama lebih erat dalam ICM dan meluaskan jangkauan teknologi kewangan (fintech) dan kewangan sosial Islam, terutama wakaf.
Hamidin sedia terima kritikan, terbuka dicabar
Presiden Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM) Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin tidak terkecil hati dan sedia menerima kritikan mana-mana pihak termasuk bekas Timbalan Presiden FAM Khairy Jamaluddin.
Bekas penjawat awam ditahan kes tipu tanah rizab Melayu
Penipuan itu menyebabkan pemecahan lot Tanah Rizab Melayu melibatkan kawasan seluas kira-kira 649.2 hektar.
Protes anti-PBB: 3 anggota ATM di Congo selamat dipindahkan dari Goma - Hishammuddin
Menerusi perkongsian di media sosial beliau, Hishammuddin memaklumkan mereka telah dipindahkan dari Goma.
Malaysia komited terus berjuang bersama PBB - Hishammuddin
Dalam soal keselamatan, Malaysia antara negara penyumbang terbesar dalam Misi Pengaman PBB iaitu berada di tangga ke-26 daripada 119 buah negara.
PM gesa PBB main peranan tangani 'diskriminasi COVID-19'
PBB telah berfungsi dengan baik selama 75 tahun khususnya dalam mempromosi pembangunan sosial dan ekonomi, namun secara realitinya PBB gagal menyelamatkan generasi daripada bahana perang.
Bagai X-ray, COVID-19 dedahkan perpecahan dan jurang kekayaan - PBB
Kata Setiausaha Agung PBB Antonio Guterres, 26 individu terkaya di dunia memiliki jumlah kekayaan yang sama dimiliki oleh separuh populasi global.
172 negara sokong inisiatif Malaysia, optimis Majlis Keselamatan PBB realisasi gencatan senjata
Inisiatif Kenyataan Bersama mengenai gencatan senjata diketuai Malaysia berjaya mendapat sokongan 172 buah negara dan pemerhati PBB. Namun, ia tidak mudah dan misi ini tidak hanya berhenti di sini.
KKM kesan 601 kes positif COVID-19 libatkan warga asing
KKM turut menasihati majikan dan indusri yang menggunakan tenaga kerja warga asing agar mengambil langkah ketat.
Suara kanak-kanak harus diketengahkan - Lisa Surihani
Kanak-kanak adalah generasi yang bakal mencorakkan masa depan negara sekaligus akan terkesan dengan proses perancangan oleh generasi hari ini.
Dunia berbelah bahagi dalam mengkritik layanan etnik Uighur di China
Pakar PBB mendakwa sekurang-kurangnya sejuta golongan etnik Uighur serta kumpulan minoriti Islam lain ditahan secara paksa dalam kem tahanan di Xinjiang.
Sejuta spesis tumbuhan dan haiwan menghadapi ancaman kepupusan - PBB
Perkara ini semua berlaku khususnya akibat aktiviti manusia sekaligus mengancam kebajikan dan keselamatan manusia di seluruh dunia.
Malaysia sumbang dana untuk mangsa terkorban perangi rasuah - Tun Mahathir
Malaysia akan memperuntukkan dana RM500,000 kepada Persatuan Pihak Berkuasa Anti Rasuah Antarabangsa (IAACA).