Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development


The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, abbreviated KPWKM, is a ministry of the Government of Malaysia responsible for social welfare: children, women, family, community, children, older people, destitute, homeless, disaster victim, disabled. The ministry determines the policies and direction to achieve the goals of gender equality, family development and a caring society in line with Malaysia's commitment towards the United Nations' Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Beijing Declaration. As of 21 May 2018, the ministry is headed by the Minister,Rina Harun.

Background

Following the Fourth World Conference on Women organised by the United Nations in Beijing, China in 1995, efforts to establish a cabinet-level body to aid the Malaysian Government in realising its aspiration towards elevating the status of women were made.
KPWKM was officially established on 17 January 2001 as the Ministry of Women's Affairs with Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil acting as the first cabinet-level Minister to solely focus on the development of women. The scope of the Ministry was widened to include family development and the name was changed to the Ministry of Women and Family Development on 15 February 2001. In 2004, the scope was further widened to include social welfare and development and the Ministry adopted its current name on 27 March 2004.
Following the 14th General Elections, the Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was appointed Minister of Women, Family and Community Development on May 21, 2018. She succeeds YB Dato Sri Rohani Abdul Karim.
The following departments and agencies are under the purview of the KPWKM:
  1. Department of Social Welfare, or Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat.
  2. Department of Women’s Development, or Jabatan Pembangunan Wanita.

    Federal agencies

  3. National Population and Family Development Board, or Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Malaysia.
  4. Non-Aligned Movement Institute for the Empowerment of Women, or Institut Pengupayaan Wanita bagi Anggota Negara-negara Berkecuali.
  5. Social Institute of Malaysia, or Institut Sosial Malaysia.
  6. National Welfare Foundation of Malaysia, or Yayasan Kebajikan Negara Malaysia.
  7. Counsellors Board, or Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia.

    Key legislation

A number of Acts of Parliament are assigned to or affect the Ministry. These include:
Acts of ParliamentEnforcing Authority
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
Under the purview of the Social Welfare Department.
Under the purview of the Social Welfare Department.
Under the purview of the Social Welfare Department.
Under the Purview of the Counsellors Board.
Under the purview of the Social Welfare Department.
Under the Purview of the Social Welfare Department.
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
- Revised 2017Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.
Under the purview of the National Population and Family Development Board.
Related to the Ministry, but enforced by other Ministry or Agency.

Initiatives

Strategies

Policy guidelines developed and adopted to date include: