UNDP: Extend legal protection to women with informal jobs

By LOH FOON FONG

foonfong@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Legal protection should be extended to the informal sector of the economy to ensure women's rights are protected.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assistant representative James George Chacko said the informal economy was a major source of employment for many in developing countries, especially women.

“In general, more women work in informal employment compared to men, and they tend to be grouped in the most precarious and poorly remunerated forms of work.

“In this context, extending the protection of the rule of law to informal and vulnerable work is vitally important to reducing poverty and inequality and protecting women's rights,” said Chacko in his speech at the International Seminar “Towards a More Inclusive Labour Market: Promoting Women's Increased Participation” on Thursday.

It was read out by UNDP programme manager Anita Ahmad.

Chacko said 53% of working women were employed in vulnerable jobs, including as unpaid workers in family businesses or farms.

Due to the lack of public and private support for family responsibilities, the informal economy might offer the only paid work that provides enough flexibility, autonomy and geographic proximity to home for women to combine paid work with family responsibilities, he added.

In her speech, Women, Family and Community Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur said that last year, 66.9% had cited housework as the main reason for leaving the labour force.