BRUNEI DARUSSALAM - mhlw.go.jp · Follow up of the 7th HLOM in Brunei Darussalam 1. To strengthen community-based approach of rehabilitation through the mobilization and training

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

8th High Level Officials Meeting on Caring Societies

Poverty alleviation with a focus on vulnerable people-through strengthening the collaboration between

social welfare and health services

The Brunei Delegation:Dr Hajah Lailawati Haji Jumat (Director of Hospital Services)Mohd Husaini Abdullah (Assistant Director of Community

Development Department)Dr Hajah Mawarni Haji Abdul Hamid (Specialist

Paediatrician)Rogayah Haji Abdullah (Community Development Officer)

Part 1

Follow up of the 7th HLOM in Brunei Darussalam


1. To strengthen community-based approach of rehabilitation through the mobilization and training of volunteers.


2. To promote preventive measures and early detection and intervention, especially the use of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Handbook

Current measures concerned with children with disabilities

• Interagency collaboration between Ministry Of Health, Department of Community Development and Special Education Unit (SEU)

1. Monthly Inter-agency Students Progress Meeting

2. Annual school planning meeting with SEU for children with disabilities to enter formal schooling, working together towards an Individualized Education Plan


• National Social Issues Council – formed in 2008 by command of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam. This Council is chaired by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, with membership by most of the cabinet ministers.

• The main issues addressed by this Council included the current situation of persons with disability and the eradication of poverty.


• Brunei Disability Order has been drafted to further ensure that children and persons with disabilities are fully included in society,

• using the guiding principles set out by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• The Pensions Act – currently being revised

Future plan

• For our country to develop a joint workingcommittee for children with disabilities, betweenMinistry of Health and Ministry Culture, Youthand Sports including other relevant agencies suchas Ministry of Education

• Proposed members should be high level officialswho are in a position to influence and modifycurrent policies accordingly such as PermanentSecretaries or Director Generals.

Future plan

• Roles and Terms of reference of the Proposed Joint Working Committee:

1. Planning and implementation of the outputs and recommendations of the meeting.

2. Addressing policy issues

3. Monitoring and evaluation of the education provision

4. Further enhancement of their collaborative efforts

Part 2

Case Study:

Good Practice of Poverty Alleviation Program

Poverty Alleviation in Brunei Darussalam

Setting the scene

Setting the scene

• Brunei Darussalam provides its citizens and permanent residents:

1. Universal free education

Setting the scene



2. Universal free health care

Setting the scene




3. Subsidized housing ( Interest free housing loans to government servants, The National Housing Scheme, The Scheme for Landless Citizens)

Setting the scene





4. Good infrastructure

Setting the scene





4. Good infrastructure

5. Stable political environment

Setting the scene


1. Universal free education 2. Universal free health care3. Subsidized housing ( Interest free housing loans

to government servants, The National Housing Scheme, The Scheme for Landless Citizens)

4. Good infrastructure5. Stable political environment6. Stable economy

Setting the scene


1. Universal free education 2. Universal free health care3. Subsidized housing ( Interest free housing loans to

government servants, The National Housing Scheme, The Scheme for Landless Citizens)

4. Good infrastructure5. Stable political environment6. Stable economy7. Zero income tax

Social Security Strategy

“In order to ensure that, as Brunei Darussalam prospers, its people are properly cared for through the provision of social safety nets, the following policy directions are emphasized:Providing an economically sustainable social security system for those of our people least able to cater for themselves…”

(Brunei Darussalam Long Term Development Plan, Vision 2035, Outline of Strategies and Policies for Development 2007-2017)

Provision for the elderly

• Full pension scheme for government servants employed prior to 1993

• For those employed in 1993 onwards – Employee Trust Fund (ETF). Retirement age increased to 60 (since 2009).

• 1995 onwards - Universal Old Age Pension from the age of 60 years –regardless of employment history or status (BND250)

• 2010 - Supplementary Contributory Pension (SCP)• There is no upper limit at which a person is not

allowed to work.

Provision for women, children and families

• Gender equality in employment opportunities and benefits

• Therefore women also have:

1. Full pension scheme for government servants employed prior to 1993

2. For those employed in 1993 onwards – Employee Trust Fund (ETF). Retirement age increased to 60 (since 2009)

3. 2010 - Supplementary Contributory Pension (SCP)

Provision for women, children and families

• Those families who fulfill certain eligibility criteria are also entitled to apply for all of the following (for those with a family income of <BND150/household member/month.

1. Monthly Subsistence Allowance BND65/month per child (< 18 years) and

2. Monthly Financial Assistance Allowance BND200 per head of family

3. Additional Educational Allowance of BND60 per child as long as the child is in school

Provision for persons with disabilities

• Disability Pension from the age of 15 years –currently being reviewed

• Opportunities for employment (a mark of self-sufficiency and inclusion)

• Need to spend more on disability programmeswhich has a positive relationship with employment rates among the disabled

• Skills training to increase employability

Other safety nets

1. Other government agencies – Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) – manages the compulsory tithe Scheme

• Distribution of tithe to the destitute and marginalized persons

• Housing provision or home improvement

Other safety nets

2. His Majesty, Sultan Haji Hassanal BolkiahFoundation:

• Housing

• Students scholarship

• Provision of means to self-sufficiency such as boats, fishing equipment, lawn-mower etc.

• Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Orphans Fund

Other safety nets

3. Extended family system

4. Department of Community Development initiatives:

• Microcredit scheme - interest free loans for setting up businesses

• National Welfare Funds – include NF for the blind, NF for disabled, NF for Orphans etc

• Inexpensive temporary housing

• Collaboration with HelpAge Korea – to provide training to volunteers on how to look after the elderly

Other safety nets

5. Inter-ministerial efforts to help those with destitute housing - Department of Community Development, Fire and Rescue, Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

6. Voluntary fund raising – Government (e.g. Ministry Of Health Welfare Fund) and NGOs

7. National Welfare Council – newly set up Non –Government Organisation

“Poverty is the worst form of violence”

- Mahatma Gandhi

TERIMA KASIH

THANK YOU

Documents

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM - mhlw.go.jp · Follow up of the 7th HLOM in Brunei Darussalam 1. To strengthen community-based approach of rehabilitation through the mobilization and training