Source: CNA
SINGAPORE: The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) says for all the progress made in the last 25 years, gender discrimination still exists in Singapore today.
This, it said, was the unanimous view of about 200 participants at the Women's Choices, Women's Lives: Shaping the Next 25 Years conference last Saturday.
In a statement Tuesday, AWARE said this discrimination must be eradicated and gender equity achieved if Singapore is to truly flourish in the next 25 years and if the challenges of the low fertility rate and the ageing population are to be tackled effectively.
It is pushing for a quota of 30 per cent to be set for women in Parliament as recommended by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which was ratified by Singapore in 1995.
While this has not been achieved, greater women representation in Parliament has made some headway in the last 10 years.
The number of women in parliament doubled from 12 per cent in 2001 to 24.5 per cent today.
Singapore also saw its first female Minister, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, sworn in in 2009.
Mrs Lim is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.
AWARE is also calling for an independent body to be formed to ensure equal opportunities for both women and men.
It also wants all policies and legislation to be reviewed and all gender discriminatory laws, policies and practices to be removed or replaced with laws, policies and practices that promote an equitable and sustainable work-life balance for both women and men.
AWARE also recommends that gender studies be added to the core curriculum for all students, and in the Civil Service.
The recommendations are part of a 100 point wish list submitted by participants during the conference.
AWARE says it will submit finalised recommendations to policy makers and other stakeholders.
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SINGAPORE: The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) says for all the progress made in the last 25 years, gender discrimination still exists in Singapore today.
This, it said, was the unanimous view of about 200 participants at the Women's Choices, Women's Lives: Shaping the Next 25 Years conference last Saturday.
In a statement Tuesday, AWARE said this discrimination must be eradicated and gender equity achieved if Singapore is to truly flourish in the next 25 years and if the challenges of the low fertility rate and the ageing population are to be tackled effectively.
It is pushing for a quota of 30 per cent to be set for women in Parliament as recommended by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which was ratified by Singapore in 1995.
While this has not been achieved, greater women representation in Parliament has made some headway in the last 10 years.
The number of women in parliament doubled from 12 per cent in 2001 to 24.5 per cent today.
Singapore also saw its first female Minister, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, sworn in in 2009.
Mrs Lim is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.
AWARE is also calling for an independent body to be formed to ensure equal opportunities for both women and men.
It also wants all policies and legislation to be reviewed and all gender discriminatory laws, policies and practices to be removed or replaced with laws, policies and practices that promote an equitable and sustainable work-life balance for both women and men.
AWARE also recommends that gender studies be added to the core curriculum for all students, and in the Civil Service.
The recommendations are part of a 100 point wish list submitted by participants during the conference.
AWARE says it will submit finalised recommendations to policy makers and other stakeholders.
