KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Nurturing young women into efficient and competent leaders is critical for the future of Malaysia and the Asean region, said the prime minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
She said young women were invaluable assets and had a greater role in leading and shaping the future of nations.
“In nurturing young women, education is acknowledged as the most significant factor. Education has indeed been attributed as the single most important enabler for women’s success.
“With knowledge and skills, women become better equipped to design policies, introduce initiatives and pioneer innovations that enhance their ability,” she said in her speech at the welcoming hi-tea for participants of the Asean Young Women Leadership Conference 2015 (AYWLC), here, today.
Rosmah, who is also the AYWLC 2015 patron, said the education system must not only emphasise on science, technology and humanitarian studies, but it must also be designed to help students learn and think critically and creatively on how to make important decisions.
She said educated women would be able to be in the forefront of economic, political and social activities.
Besides that, Rosmah said young women should be provided with the environment that encouraged and cultivated their leadership capabilities and to ensure their potentials as leaders were fully capitalised.
“To nurture young women into productive, effective leaders, the efforts and support facilities must be put in place.
“In order to assist young women employees to effectively balance their work and family roles, new work structures and ‘family-friendly’ policies should be introduced, including childcare centres at the workplace, flexi-time, job sharing and working from home,” she added.
She also urged women who are at the top of their profession, to take a step further and to consider how they could reach out to coach and mentor potential young women, both as individuals and as employees of their organisations.
“This is what young women employees miss in their development programmes, a role model for them to emulate,” she said.
Most importantly, Rosmah said, women needed appreciative and supportive spouses and family members to succeed.
On the AYWLC 2015, she said it would be a platform for young women to express their views and share their aspirations and dreams.
The two-day conference which will be from tomorrow at Dewan Tun Dr Ismail, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here, involves more than 500 participants comprising young women across Asean countries and from various backgrounds.
The conference aims to further develop young women leaders in the economic, educational and socio-cultural spheres. — Bernama
