OBJECTIVES of the commision on consumer issues

	To play a vigorous role in overcoming poverty and assuring that the poorest and vulnerable communities can at least meet their basic needs
	To ensure a fair marketplace for consumers with specific emphasis on women as they play a key role in managing household family expenditure

ACTIVITIES OF THE CONSUMER RIGTH COMMISSION, NCWO FOR THE YEAR 2001-2002:

Activities relating to the priority areas listed below will be carried out between the periods of the years 2001-2002 :-

	Health
	Environment and sustainable development
	Financial budgeting , savings and planning
	Food security and food safety

Health:

Disturbing trends of materialism, hedonism, eating fast food and the self centred culture weakens appropriate human values and practices such as breast feeding, community caring , eating local vegetables and responsible consumption. There is a need to create awareness and empower women through consumer education, dialogues and campaigns on good eating and lifestyle haabits and prevent conspcuous consumption.

To lobby and ensure that women's access to healthcare is not jeopardized by privatization efforts of the government of the public healthcare system especially in rural areas

Environment and ssustained development :

Consumption and production patterns have an impact on environment and consumers' especially women should promote patterns of consumption and production that are sustainable and ethical.

	Activities to be carried out to promote steps that reduce wasteful use of resources and prevent damages to environment, for example the elimination of CFC in household appliances, promote the 3 Rs, i.e Recycling, Reuse and Repair.
	Consumer education and campaigns to be carried out in ensuring consumers especially women have sound information and education on the environmental impacts of their buying decisions and lifestyle choices

FINANCIAL BUDGETING, SAVINGS AND PLANNING

To provide capacity building for poor rural women on financial budgeting and planning in order for consumers to have value for their money and thereby promoting a savings - centred society

Developing a training module on financial budgeting and management and thereafter conducting training programmes throughout Malaysia for rural and poor women.

FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD SAFETY:

There has been a great concern on the safety aspect of food such as issues relating to indiscriminate use of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics ( food additives ) and genetically engineered food which has raised many concerns for consumers about safety for human consumption and implications for environment. Eating patterns and lifestyles of consumers have also led to importation of food thereby creating a dependency syndrome on imports without much emphasis on self sufficiency for domestic consumption and self reliance.

	To organise workshops and pamphlets for consumers awareness raising on the benefits and risks of gene technology , pesticides and food additives.
	Promoting consumers right to information and choice by requesting clear and explicit labelling of all food being produced locally and abroad in order to ensure food is safe and truthfully represented.
	Through consumer education and campaigns, to encourage women on the consumption of locally produced organic food

Commission Chair: Ms Indrani Thuraisingham