CHAPTER 4 - REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS WORKING GROUP Issues Raised by Participants (i) Awareness-raising activities The Commission should intensify public awareness of human rights, with activities starting in school. To ensure effectiveness, the Commission should ensure that activities and materials are presented in languages suited to communities of different background and education levels. (ii) Rights of refugees and asylum seekers The Commission has made various recommendations to the Government pertaining to the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers. As the next step, it should urge the Government to take up those recommendations. (iii) Rights of workers The Commission should look into proposed amendments to labour legislation like the Employment Act and Industrial Relations Act, as recent assessment by several NGOs has found that these will further erode the rights of workers. Among others, the proposed amendments will make it easier for employers to hire and fire workers. They will also restrict workers’ access to the Industrial Court, particularly when they are still on probation or have worked for less than a year. As such, participants suggested a joint submission from NGOs and the Commission to the Government, to state their position on the proposed amendments. Furthermore, the Commission should emphasise the need for a minimum wage for all industry sectors. (iv) Abandonment of babies There is the need for Malaysia to improve its efforts to prevent incidents of baby dumping, by providing education on sexual and reproductive health. This must not be limited to abstinence, which has proven to be ineffective. Children and young people should be given the opportunity to understand the repercussions of their actions and how to prevent unwanted pregnancy. They should be encouraged to run their own prevention campaigns and be part of policy making processes to ensure that these fit their needs. While prevention is ideal, the cultural and legal scenario in Malaysia should ensure that unwed pregnant individuals are not stigmatised. They should instead be encouraged to obtain assistance, like adoption and abortion services, without the risk of being apprehended and punished. The media has an important role to play in changing the prevailing negative perception of pregnancy out of wedlock. 78