Forty-eight members, old and new faces alike, came together on 1st June to attend AWARE’s 28th Annual General Meeting at the AWARE Centre.

Quorum was achieved despite this being a non-election year. Members came to show their support and were keen to find out more about the activities of 2012 and the Board’s plans for the future. The Annual Report (with amendments) and Financial Statements for 2012 were also adopted by those present.

President Winifred Loh shared some of the fruits of the Board’s work in the previous year. Project Butterfly, established to enhance AWARE’s operations, was one highlight. Winifred emphasised the importance of strengthening the partnerships between the key stakeholders of AWARE: members, volunteers, staff, and Board. Following the discussions under Project Butterfly, some of the crucial developments that have taken place in this area are the refinement of processes for engaging and supporting our volunteers, and the increased channels of communication between the Board and the members.

Executive Director, Corinna Lim, shared about AWARE’s growing outreach and increased stability over the last five years. Media coverage and the outreach numbers of AWARE’s Training Institute and Support Services had increased significantly during this period, reflecting AWARE’s effectiveness in pushing for social change and gender equality in Singapore.

The Research and Advocacy Department recapped a productive year, in which it submitted a record nine sets of policy recommendations and embarked on a concerted effort to promote public discourse of gender inequality. One of the most significant successes celebrated at this AGM was the adoption of AWARE’s recommendations on the Voluntary Sterilisation Act, passed in Parliament in October last year. This achievement has strengthened AWARE’s resolve to persevere in lobbying women’s and gender-related issues.

The meeting was a chance to discuss new ideas as well. Members put forth suggestions on revising the membership scheme, shifting the focus from the payment of fees, to the intangible contributions of talent and effort by AWARE’s supporters. Another exciting proposal was to raise awareness among a wider section of the population by inaugurating a series of AWARE lectures, with speakers on topics such as women and the law.

The AGM ended on an anticipatory note, with volunteers coming up to share on events that members, friends, and the public can look forward to in the coming months. These include the 2013 edition of the Big Red Ball on September 16, and ongoing nationwide projects such as the We Can End All Violence Against Women campaign.