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KUCHING, Aug 15: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) has expressed its intention to conduct a comprehensive cost study regarding the upbringing of disabled children in Sarawak.
The matter was conveyed by the Unicef representative to Malaysia, Robert Gass, during a courtesy visit to Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here, today.
Gass elaborated on the purpose of the proposed study, which aims to quantify the additional expenses associated with raising a disabled child and to gain insights into how these costs impact the financial stability of families, with the ultimate goal of providing targeted support to alleviate the burden.
He highlighted Unicef’s endorsement of the Sarawak government’s focus on multiple fronts, including investments in early childhood development, provisions for the elderly population’s welfare, and the facilitation of digital transformation within early childhood education.
“Unicef is committed to expanding accessibility to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
“We want to ensure that STEM education is available to all, particularly children in rural areas, those within the B40 demographic, and those with disabilities who may face challenges in traditional education settings,” he said, according to a news report by TVS today.
Gass underscored that Unicef is collaborating with five municipal councils in Sarawak to establish the ‘Child Friendly City’ initiative.
He noted that this initiative aligns with the Sarawak government’s approach to prioritise children’s rights by allocating budgets and resources towards education, nutrition, healthcare, and various other domains that affect children’s well-being.
“We really hope to support the efforts of the Sarawak government under the leadership of the Sarawak Premier in advancing this agenda,” he added.
Sarawak’s selection as the focal point for this initiative is attributed to its pioneering efforts to champion children’s rights, aligning harmoniously with the core principles of Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 which focuses on economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
Also present were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah. — DayakDaily
