The Melaka state government has established a think tank under the state Women, Family and Community Development Committee to empower and fight for the rights of women in the state in various fields, including economic and social aspects.

Committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Nordin said the think tank will comprise members from various professional fields from within and outside Melaka to mobilise the initiative and it represents one of her missions for the year.

“The think tank will meet after Aidilfitri to discuss efforts, approaches and programmes that can be implemented to empower and fight for the rights of women in the state,” she said when met by reporters at the state assembly’s Aidilfitri Open House in Pengkalan Batu here today.

“Among the issues to be focused on are persecution, abuse and the rights of women other than single mothers because women are everything…we are born from a woman’s womb.”

Kalsom, who is also the Pengkalan Batu state assemblyman said among other individuals invited to join the think tank are UMNO Supreme Council members — Women and Family Affairs Council chairman Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Barisan Nasional (BN) Wanita chairman Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

In other another development, she said parents are urged to monitor movements or activities of their children, especially when they are outdoors, to avoid heatstroke incidents due to the current hot weather and El Nino phenomenon expected to take place next month.

“Although the temperature in Melaka has reached category one or alert stage, preventive measures, especially involving children, against the effects of the hot weather is important to avoid incidents of heatstroke,” she adde.

She said that apart from this, parents must also make sure their children consumed sufficient boiled water and ate on time as well as have sufficient nutrition to avoid health issues during the current hot weather.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency