The move is likely to unlock the huge reservoir of housewives, senior citizens and the disabled, who will soon be able to venture into business from home.

The Cabinet agreed to the concept when Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil tabled the proposal for discussion two weeks ago.

She has been asked by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to draw up details of the concept.

Shahrizat is expected to hold her first meeting with the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry and Entrepreneur Development Ministry within two weeks to streamline the mechanism.

A working paper, to be tabled in the Cabinet in four months’ time, would contain the types of businesses which could be carried out under the concept, she said.

She was speaking to reporters after opening the Women Summit 2004 themed "Women in Leadership: Towards Excellence" at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here today.

"We have to ensure that the business will not harm the environment or disturb neighbours.

"Other factors to consider are parking space, registration of home offices, the maximum number of workers, insurance issues and types of houses suitable for these home offices," she said.

She added that some examples of suitable businesses to be operated from the home included tailoring, website management and development, and outsourcing projects from big companies.

"Many home-makers have qualifications. However, due to family obligations, they have to stay home. Instead of seeing their skills go to waste, we hope the home office concept will encourage them to contribute to the country’s economy," Shahrizat said.

The concept was one of 14 resolutions adopted by the participants of the Women Summit 2003. About 70 per cent of the resolutions have been implemented as policies or activities of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

Malaysia has 7.4 million women of working age, of whom about 3.45 million or 46.7 per cent are working and about 3.45 million are not.

Of the 3.45 million women who do not work, about 2.86 million or 72.4 per cent are housewives.

Shahrizat also pointed out that women’s participation in decision-making and in the corporate sector was still low.

"For instance, of the 613 people holding positions as members of the boards of directors of government-linked companies, only 14 per cent, or 86, are women.

"We conducted a study of 50 public-listed companies this year and found that only 11.7 per cent of the key positions like chief executive officers, presidents and vice-presidents and 10.5 per cent of the directors were women."

She also said the Government had agreed to carry out a gender analysis on the budget implications on men and women, taking into account their different positions, roles, contributions and needs.

The gender budget analysis (GBA) would be carried out at the Education Ministry, the Higher Education Ministry, the Human Resources Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Shahrizat said.

Her ministry, along with the Finance Ministry, the Economic Planning Unit and the Co-ordination and Implementation Unit would co-ordinate the project.

The project is expected to produce a training manual which will detail the process and format of a gender-sensitive budgeting system.

Source: Article by Azura Abas from New Straits Times, 24 August 2004

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