Dr Hajah Norhayati b. Hj Md Kassim

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Starting Point

The Ministry of Health focuses on all matters related to health. Many health issues are specific to women. Dr Hajah Norhayati b. Hj Md Kassim used to be the Head of the Health Promotion Centre before becoming the Senior Advisor of the Department of Environmental health Services.

Peace Journey

“Initiatives or efforts in contributing to the overall peace and security of women and youth. So HPC (Health Promotion Centre) for this was involved a lot in the promoting of healthy lifestyles, basically, to the population. And the population can be segmented into women and youth.

Women's specific activities, we don't have a lot of. I understand…from other countries there's a lot of emphasis in ensuring that women are also equally involved or are given the opportunity to be involved. But from what I can see, you know, that's not an issue in Brunei.

“So in the building of HPC, that building, was a gift to the government of his majesty from Dutch Shell back in 2006. The building was completed in 2008. I was involved in giving some inputs on the design of the building. So I remember during that time, we made sure that there were facilities for women, breastfeeding, like breastfeeding rooms, which tend to be sort of

overlooked during that time. But now I think, it's already part and parcel of the policy of ABCI… there was a committee that I was a member of here at the Ministry of Health, and that committee had actually advocated for breastfeeding rooms in public buildings, in shopping malls, and all those things… And, obviously, like, traditionally, there are gender specific facilities: shower facilities and toilets for men and women. Separate…

“So, the work that we used to do, if you're talking about women and health promotion campaigns, targeting women, so these are things like, obviously, the breast cancer awareness campaign. So we used to work with the breast cancer support groups or women groups, on raising awareness, on breast cancer and the importance of breast cancer screening. And this tends to be popular and we're in the month of October and October is actually the breast cancer awareness month. We also get requests from community groups, NGOs, women groups, majlis wanita, [etc]. They've requested, specific, talks on healthy lifestyle or some sort of…, noncommunicable disease prevention Information…

“In relation to youth, actually, I have to state that I am an ex co member of the Brunei Darussalam AIDS council. So, but in my capacity as the previous head of HPC, we also work closely with the AIDS Council, in raising awareness on HIV and sexually transmitted infections as well as teenage pregnancy. I think, you also know Nurul Adila. She's also a member of the AIDS Council. So, I find we have a close working relationship with the AIDS Council. We advocated and, we initiated collaboration, formal collaboration with the AIDS Council in the delivering their, I thought the HAPPY program, the HIV awareness, for peers and awareness program for peers and youth to secondary and tertiary education students. And that has been going on for the last few years and is delivered by youth for youth. And that's how I see it.

“I found in the early stages of my career in HPC, when talks are delivered, sort of top-down, when you have adult talking to young people, youth, adolescents… so I believe that if youth speak to youth, adolescents speak to well, it's not adolescent, but it's actually young people. I was talking to adolescents and also to young people. I think they can identify more easily with the speakers, and the speakers can also share their experience. You know? They're in a position to be able to be speaking more openly, I think, about such issues. I know it's really taboo to talk about, as young. It can be quite uncomfortable for, you know, other older age groups, I would say, older adults to actually have to deliver such talks. So I think that has worked wonderfully well, working with the AIDS council.”

Success Stories

Active collaboration with NGOs, such as BD Aids Council helps to achieve mission.