KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has allocated a RM500,000 grant to women non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to organise empowerment programmes for women.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the grant, which would be provided under the New Key Result Areas (NKRAs) for NGOs, would be approved for economic empowerment programmes that could increase women's income.

"I hope the grant will be administered well by National Council of Women's Organisation Malaysia (NCWO) in efforts to increase women's participation in the economic sector," she said at the 48th Women's Day dinner hosted by the NCWO at Bukit Kiara here Friday night.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah graced the occasion.

Shahrizat said active women's participation was very important to the success of the country's economic transformation and their potentials should be developed optimally under the New Economic Model.