Savitri, a 68-year-old, Singaporean retired school teacher, is looking for something exciting to do. So she tries stand-up comedy for the first time.
That is the premise of Am I Old?, a comedic monologue written and performed by local comedy pioneer Sharul Channa. The innovative new show will be staged four times over the weekend of 6-8 March, 2020, at Drama Centre Black Box at National Library.
Over the past two years, Channa has proven her ability to use comedy to shed light on important, and sometimes neglected, social issues in Singapore. In 2017, she deconstructed misogyny at Indian weddings with Sharul Weds Sharul, performed to sold-out theatres at The Esplanade and at The Darwin Festival in Australia. In 2018, she cycled through multiple characters in Disco Sheela and Other Indian Superwomen, a show that left “listeners breathless with laughter, and in the next moment, unable to breathe because the truth hurts” (The Straits Times, LIFE!).
Most recently, in a performance that earned her a Best Actress nomination at The Straits Times LIFE! Theatre Awards, Channa highlighted the plight of women living below the poverty line in Singapore, in her landmark solo 2019 piece, Crazy Poor Sita.
Billed as an International Women’s Day 2020 special, Am I Old? presents the same actress-comedian, the same passion and the same razor-sharp truth: this time directed at ageing. Armed with nothing but her PAssion Card and her Pioneer Generation Package, Savitri is ready to hit you with her best punch lines about unrequited love, being a caregiver and, of course, coming to terms with age. After all, her rallying cry is “old woman, new jokes”!
Tickets to Am I Old? are currently available from SISTIC. Each performance will be followed by a panel discussion with a family caregiver, an elderly person and a member of AWARE (whose 2019 eldercare report “Make Care Count” provided foundational research for this show).
Show Details
Date and Timing*: Fri, 6March, 8pm / Sat, 7March, 3pm and 8pm / Sun, 8March, 3pm
*There will be a panel discussion at the end of each show.
Venue: Drama Centre Black Box, 100 Victoria Street Level 5, National Library Building, Singapore 188064
This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 20 February 2020.
A recent survey on ageism at the workplace revealed that age discrimination is a prevalent problem experienced by both younger and older generations in Singapore.
From interviews done by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) with older female family caregivers, we understand that the concerns and impact of ageism are amplified for caregivers.
The women we interviewed, all aged between 45 and 65 years old, experienced negative changes to their employment status once they became caregivers to their older family members. At the time of the interviews, only five out of 22 were in full-time employment.
Many were worried that their old age would be a disadvantage when they try to re-enter the workforce after their care recipient dies.
Also discouragingly, some had experienced age discrimination, for example, being ignored at job fairs by recruiters or dismissed by interviewers because they were visibly old.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) stated last year that on a national level, those providing caregiving (excluding childcare) to family members or relatives had been out of work for a median time period of nine years. Three-quarters of such caregivers were aged 50 and above. Their ability to re-enter the job market after not being employed for close to a decade is, unsurprisingly, limited, as job conditions would have changed significantly and their skills may have become obsolete.
In Singapore, there is limited protection against age and other forms of discrimination.
For instance, some laws provide protection against dismissal based on age, but do not apply to other areas such as hiring and promotion.
The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices also recognise age as one of the grounds on which discrimination may occur.
MOM may take administrative action against recalcitrant employers, including curtailing their work pass privileges, but these actions do not provide for a legal right to remedy for workers, for example, reinstatement or compensation.
To protect the rights of all workers, we strongly encourage enacting comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, gender, family responsibilities, disabilities, race, and so on.
Legislation defines a clear, legal responsibility for employers to not discriminate, and provides for legal remedies for discrimination.
This post was originally published as a press release on 19 February 2020.
19 February 2020 – Gender-equality group AWARE applauded the government’s endeavour to present a Budget that balances today’s most urgent needs, resulting from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, while dealing with critical long-term issues.
In particular, AWARE was heartened to see the measures in the Budget to provide greater reassurance and support for seniors and low-income households. These are steps in the right direction, which the group hopes will be expanded on when the virus clears. AWARE seeks more clarity on these longer-term schemes to better determine whether they can sufficiently alleviate the future burdens of Singaporeans in need.
The announcement that the organisation most welcomed on Tuesday was the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme from 2021 to 2025. Under this scheme, the government will match CPF Retirement Account top-ups for Singaporeans aged 55-70 who have not met the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat called this “a way of encouraging and augmenting family support for our seniors with fewer means in retirement”.
Historically, women are more likely to not meet the BRS, due to interconnected factors—such as the gender pay gap and family caregiving responsibilities—that hinder their professional advancement. Matched savings would go some way to level these obstacles on the road to women’s retirement adequacy.
“As women on average live longer than men, initiatives that centre on elderly assistance, like this matched savings scheme, end up benefiting women more than men,” noted Ms Shailey Hingorani, AWARE’s head of Research and Advocacy. “It’s exciting to see new action in this arena.”
On the other hand, more clarity is needed about the efficacy of this measure.
“It would be useful to know how the scheme’s annual cap figure of $600 was calculated,” said Ms Hingorani. “Why not top up eligible individuals’ accounts to meet the BRS? And what happens after the age of 70? As this scheme appears to be a pilot, we would like a better idea of how the government would define its success.”
She pointed out that in the example given during DPM Heng’s speech—of retired 65-year-olds Mr and Mrs Tan, who would together receive around $1,400 monthly, up from $570, with the new schemes—the couple’s payouts would still not come close to the $2,351 that researchers last year calculated as necessary to sustain a basic standard of living.
In speaking of the matched savings scheme, DPM Heng also mentioned that 435,000 people would be eligible for matched savings—a number that seems large relative to Singapore’s population. Ms Hingorani noted that a gender breakdown, as well as a detailed breakdown of active and inactive members, within this figure would be helpful.
“The 435,000 figure is still quite opaque, as we need more data on Singaporeans between 55 and 70,” she added. “Without fuller details about the profile of people without BRS, the announced measures may not be reassuring enough, especially for those elderly without families or whose families cannot afford to support them financially.”
AWARE also commended the permanent enhancements to Silver Support for the retirement incomes of the bottom 20% of Singaporeans 65 and above. With payouts raised from $750 to $900 per quarter, and eligibility criteria broadened, the improvements reflect what AWARE had recommended in its 2017 and 2018 Budget submissions. Another plus: Eligible seniors do not have to proactively apply for Silver Support, which eliminates logistical barriers for recipients.
Other measures that seemed promising included the announced Senior Workers Support Package, a four-pronged strategy to boost senior employment.
Overall, AWARE had hoped that the Budget announcement would give explicit considerations to parts of Singapore’s population that, research increasingly shows, face unique financial challenges: women and family caregivers. This lack was keenly felt in the wake of January’s national report on the gender wage gap, as well as AWARE’s own recent report on eldercare’s negative impact on women’s finances (with respondents losing out on an average of $7,705 in self and employer CPF contributions due to caregiving). Some recommendations put forth by various proponents—such as making CareShield Life gender-neutral—went unaddressed.
“With the disruption of COVID-19, strong assistance from the government is timely and prudent,” said Ms Hingorani. “The sudden crisis shifted many priorities, spurring a number of one-off grants and top-ups. That said, when the virus clears, we would like to see the government make bigger and bolder moves with regards to Singapore’s ageing population, instead of tweaks to our existing, straining, structures. When this upheaval subsides, our gaze should be trained on the future, including the generation making real sacrifices to care for today’s old folks.”
This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 15 February 2020.
Sexual violence is a complex topic, involving power dynamics that can be hard to parse. As such, the language we use to depict sexual violence needs to be up to the task.
We appreciate the efforts of Singaporean media to cover sexual violence cases diligently and comprehensively. However, we often see news stories with language that upholds – sometimes subtly – inaccurate and irresponsible beliefs about sexual violence.
One such practice: referring to child sexual abuse – “sexual penetration of a minor”, per the Penal Code – simply as “having sex”.
“Having sex” colloquially refers to consensual sexual activity. However, because by law minors cannot ever consent to sex, to say that an adult “had sex” with a minor is misleading.
It would be more accurate to say that these men “sexually assaulted” their victims, and thus convey the violence and violation inherent in their actions.
Some other practices that bear consideration: Including graphic information about an assault.
Even though the identities of the parties cannot be revealed in the press, reading about assault in detail can be traumatic for other sexual violence survivors. A more balanced approach might be to omit some detail for their sake.
Media coverage of sexual assault has an impact on the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of the public. So the media has a responsibility – as do we all – to counter sexual assault myths, avoid insinuating consent in cases of child sexual assault, and prevent the retraumatisation of survivors.
News outlets could develop guidelines with suggested terminology, advice on how to sensitively interview sexual violence survivors and other best practices.
January 2021: CANCELLATION NOTICE FOR SUPERWOMEN IN CONCERT
With deep regret, we are cancelling our Superwomen in Concert 2021 event. With Phase 3 of Singapore’s re-opening still ongoing, and safe management measures restricting audience size, it is not possible to hold the event as envisioned by ourselves and the performers. We have thus made the difficult decision to cancel.
Customers who have purchased tickets will receive a full refund from Ticketmaster (formerly known as APACTix). The refund will be automatically credited to the same credit card used for the transaction. It will take 21 business days for credit card refunds to be processed. Patrons who purchased via cash or NETS will be contacted by Ticketmaster for refund arrangement. Please call +65 3158 8588 or email to enquiry@ticketmaster.sg for refund enquiries. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause you.
If you can afford it, and would still like to support the gender equality work that we do at AWARE, please also consider donating your refunded amount to us via Giving.sg. We strongly encourage you to donate to our NextGen Fund, as 40% of your gift will be matched by Tote Board. You may contact Desiree at fundraising@aware.org.sg for more information.
The AWARE team would like to express our enormous gratitude to all of our supporters and collaborators: the performing artists and their teams, our sponsors (including Twitter, Google, KOP, Montigo Resorts and Dymon Asia), the Esplanade, our official media partners (Her World and Finder) and other partners, and everyone who bought tickets to Superwomen in Concert.
This post was originally published as a press release on 10 February 2020.
10 February 2020 – Singapore’s biggest female entertainers will come together for Superwomen in Concert, a fundraising concert by AWARE on Friday, 10 April 2020 at Esplanade Concert Hall.
Mandopop icon Stefanie Sun will headline the all-female, all-star show, alongside an array of local legends such as singers Rahimah Rahim and Joanna Dong, musical cabaret trio the Dim Sum Dollies and violinist Lynnette Seah. Other performers include Tamil rapper Lady Kash, singer Aisyah Aziz, Narelle Kheng and Sandra Riley Tang (RRILEY) of pop band the Sam Willows, jazz vocalist Alemay Fernandez, singer-songwriter Inch Chua, stand-up comedian Sharul Channa and theatre actress Siti Khalijah Zainal.
This vibrant, diverse line-up will also feature some family pairings: ChildAid 2018 singer Heema Izzati Zainudin with her sister Maya and mother, Lazmin (formerly of local band Culture Vulture); and mother-daughter hip-hop dancing duo Sheena Seah and Jade Riccio. Rahimah Rahim will also perform a song with her 14-year-old granddaughter, Alyaa Qistina, marking Qistina’s first public performance.
Actress-presenter Nikki Muller and director Beatrice Chia-Richmond will be hosts for the night. Supporting the female talent will be a 15-piece, all-male group from the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, led by Music Director Julian Wong.
Superwomen in Concert is part of AWARE’s 35th anniversary celebration in 2020. Proceeds will benefit AWARE’s Women’s Helpline and Sexual Assault Care Centre services—integral parts of the NGO’s wide-reaching work towards gender equality. This year’s concert comes 10 years after the first edition of Superwomen in Concert, held in 2010 to mark AWARE’s 25th birthday.
Says AWARE Executive Director Corinna Lim: “The very first Superwomen in Concert in 2010 was a smashing success—a fabulously entertaining, joy-filled night of community and camaraderie. I wasn’t sure that we could ever top that edition! However, this year’s show promises even more star power than before, towards our ever-more urgent mission. I cannot wait to share the experience with a new audience.”
Multi-hyphenate entertainer Pam Oei once again produces and directs this year’s Superwomen in Concert, as she did in 2010.
“Every single woman I asked to perform at this concert said ‘yes’ immediately,” said Ms Oei. “I nearly fell off my chair when Stef Sun agreed. She said it was a cause she really believed in and would be happy to support AWARE and its work. It is a really powerful gesture: women coming together to help other women. And this concert gives us otherwise very different women—spanning three generations of homegrown talent—a chance to be in a unique tribe for just one night.
“Many of these performers are my own personal ‘superwomen’. I feel very lucky to be at the centre of this landmark celebration, in service of an NGO I have passionately supported for so long.”
Tickets for Superwomen in Concert will be available to the public at two levels: ● Charity packages, priced at $438 and $488 (tax-deductible), with top-tier seating, a VIP after-party and other bonuses. These tickets are currently available at aware.org.sg/superwomen ● Standard tickets, priced at $58, $88, $128, $158 and $188. These tickets are available starting 13 February 2020, 10 a.m. from vendor APACTix (apactix.com).
Select performers and AWARE representatives are available for interviews. Please email Phoebe at phoebe@aware.org.sg to request an interview for your outlet.
Annex
About AWARE AWARE is Singapore’s leading women’s rights and gender equality advocacy group. It works to identify and eliminate gender-based barriers through research, advocacy, education, training and support services. AWARE embraces diversity, respects the individual and the choices she makes in life, and supports her when needed.
Select performer bios
Stefanie Sun, better known as Sun Yanzi, ascended to the position of Singapore’s most celebrated Mandopop star after bursting onto the scene in 2000 with hit debut album Yan Zi. Beloved all over Asia, she boasts over 30 million record sales and has bagged numerous awards over her prolific 20-year singing career. Locally, she is also known for her National Day Parade theme songs “We Will Get There” and “One United People”.
Rahimah Rahim released her first album, Mana Ibumu, in 1972. Over the next 34 years, she went on to release 11 more hit albums, including Gadis Dan Bunga and Bebas. An internationally recognised entertainer, she toured Asia, delighting audience in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. As a young actress, Rahimah starred in Masuk Angin Keluar Asap, Kasih Ibu and the television show Pak Awang Temberang. Her more recent acting credits include Dick Lee’s musical Fried Rice Paradise (2010) and Royston Tan’s film 3688 (2015).
Joanna Dong is a Singaporean jazz vocalist, musical theatre actress and TV host. A bilingual talent, Joanna is passionate about sharing her love for jazz with Mandarin-speaking audiences. In 2017, she made Singapore proud by coming in second runner-up in popular Chinese singing competition Sing! China, for which she was mentored by superstar Jay Chou. In 2018, Joanna sold out two nights at the Esplanade Concert Hall for her solo concert So Here I Am. She also launched an EP of the same name and took the show on a successful tour of seven Asian cities.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: We have regretfully decided to postpone our 26 February Sexual Assault First Responder Training. A new date will be advertised as the virus situation becomes more clear. We are working to refund those who have already signed up. Our deepest apologies for this inconvenience.
“Are you sure that happened? Why didn’t you fight back? You should have known better.” These are some common responses survivors of sexual assault have heard, which may further their feelings of doubt, guilt and shame.
First response that is sensitive to the survivor’s needs and choices is necessary in preventing re-victimisation. We may not always know the right words to say, but we can all agree that sexual assault should never happen to anyone.
One way to show zero tolerance for sexual assault is through our own words and actions. It is not always easy for survivors to tell someone about what happened. In fact, for some survivors, it can be especially daunting.
As an individual that they put their trust in, our response becomes pivotal in their journey of recovery. SACC’s First Responder Training helps familiarize participants with trauma reactions and symptoms to better contribute to a survivor’s well-being. In this workshop, SACC will share more on the following:
1. Definition of sexual assault and harassment
2. Recognising Singapore’s legal framework
3. Understanding consent
4. Understanding the impact of sexual assault and trauma on survivors
5. Role of a first responder
6. Providing support to survivors of sexual assault
7. Resources available for help
8. Key skills such as ensuring safety, active listening and empathy
Under AWARE’s #AimForZeroSG campaign, this popular workshop has been made affordable to all. While you are welcome to pay what you can, we suggest a sum of $10 per workshop attendee. Please note that all proceeds to towards SACC and that the donation made towards the workshop is non-refundable.
When: 26 February 2020, 3pm – 7.30pm [4.5 hours] Where: 5 Dover Crescent #01-22 S(130005) For whom: Parents, educators, all NGO/VWO staff and volunteers, social sector professionals or students above 16 years old studying a relevant discipline (e.g. psychology, counselling, social work etc.) Cost: Suggested donation $10 (Light refreshments will be provided)
Persons of all genders and nationalities are more than welcome to attend.
We strongly request that all participants commit to the full duration of the 4.5-hour workshop to ensure that everyone will get the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions and learn useful skills.
This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 30 January 2020.
Forum contributor Cheng Shoong Tat asked whether job applicants honestly believe that identifying details should not be disclosed to potential employers (Tafep job application guidelines are unrealistic, Jan 23).
But isn’t that only right?
In response to a parliamentary question last year, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said that in the last three years, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) received 50 gender-related discrimination complaints and 70 maternity-related dismissals annually.
These numbers do not even include other forms of discrimination.
This is consistent with the experience of a newly launched service by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) – the Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Advisory. So far, the majority of discrimination-related calls received by our adviser have to do with maternity issues.
Mr Cheng also questioned the efficacy of blind recruitment, that is, the removal of identifying information.
Blind recruitment reduces the risk of conscious or unconscious bias affecting the decision-making process. Several experts have found blind recruitment – including the removal of names – to be particularly helpful in enhancing the diversity of their organisations, providing better team performance and making talent retention easier.
Organisational change to a new system of hiring will come with costs, and we must be mindful of these, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The writer highlighted one such cost: blind recruitment leading to extra rounds of interviews.
But online applicant tracking systems can help. They are designed to blind the identifying details you do not want access to, so that employers do not have to do it manually.
Blind recruitment is not the panacea for all biased hiring ills.
This is why it is important to set out objective criteria for hiring, promotions and performance management, as well as to develop tests that assess the skills required for the job rather than relying on the subjective assessment of hiring managers.
The success of any blind recruitment strategy ultimately relies on educating employers on the advantages of a diverse workforce.
The guidelines on recruitment acknowledge a world where people of a similar calibre may be rewarded differently in the hiring process because of their name, age or gender.
We should build on the successes of the guidelines and move the conversation to a different type of intervention: a national anti-discrimination law.
Shailey Hingorani Head of Research and Advocacy Aware
“This was valuable… it made me reflect on my own values regarding sex and what I may project onto my children.”
“It opens up our inhibitions and gives us real opportunities to put [our thoughts into] words.”
“Often boys are let off the hook, but I think they should be mindful and learn about boundaries, especially in this day and age when lines are blurred and there’s so much to access online.”
“Can they do this in school for our children?”
– Previous Birds & Bees workshop attendees
How do you talk to your children about sex? It’s a topic that many parents are happy to put off discussing for as long as possible. But what are the consequences of making home an environment where talks about physical intimacy are off-limits?
Birds & Bees is an experiential workshop for parents, run by parents, to help you start and sustain the important conversation about sex – in a non-judgmental way. No matter where you are in your parenting journey, this workshop will allow you to:
Understand the lasting, positive impact of talking to your children about sex and relationships
Introduce crucial information about consent, personal boundaries, and safety to your children
Talk openly about the difference between respectful, healthy relationships, and abusive, unhealthy relationships
Improve your communication with children on difficult or uncomfortable topics
Create a home where your children are not afraid of approaching you if they have questions or are troubled about a relationship or sexual encounter.
Through case studies, role-play and facilitated discussions, the workshop will give you a chance to think more deeply about your values and sexual health knowledge, and improve communication with your children. All parents are welcome, though we’ll deal with issues most relevant to parents of teenage children (12-18 year olds).
Date: 22 February 2020 (Saturday)
Time: 10am – 1pm (3 hours)
Venue: AWARE Centre (5 Dover Crescent #01-22)
Workshop Fee: $15*
*Good news! Due to new funding, we have been able to reduce our workshop entry fee from $25 to $15 in 2020.
Survey: After you sign up, you will be asked to complete a short pre-workshop survey about the age(s) and number of your children. We will try to group participants with children of similar ages together during the workshop.
Refunds and cancellations: Unfortunately we will not be offering refunds. However, with minimum two days notice, you may switch to a future workshop date. If you need to do so, or if you have any other questions, please email Joo Hymn at publiceducation@aware.org.sg.
