This post was originally published as a press release on 8 July 2021.

8 July 2021 – To coincide with the government’s landmark 2021 White Paper on improving gender equality, gender-equality group AWARE held in-depth discussions with 191 members of the public about the changes they most want Singapore policy-makers to enact.

This effort, titled “Reimagining Equality”, culminated in a series of policy wishlists launched today by AWARE, touching on everything from sex education to workplace discrimination.

Of different ages, genders, ethnicities, income levels and backgrounds, the 191 participants were solicited via a public application form and attended 29 virtual community discussions held by AWARE between March and May 2021. Each fell into one of the following groups: single parents; migrant spouses; students, parents and teachers who had opinions on sexuality education; individuals who had experienced workplace discrimination, harassment and/or bullying; students at Institutes of Higher Learning who were concerned about campus sexual harassment; and men who were interested in advocating for gender equality. Each discussion was facilitated by an AWARE staff member and a community member.

This made for “an opportunity to collaborate with people of all ages calling for us to do better for our future generations,” said Daryl Yang, who led discussions on sexuality education. “Drawing on participants’ diverse experiences, the discussions allowed us to brainstorm creative and important recommendations, and build consensus across generational and ideological differences on the changes we need to see.” As Mr Yang noted, discussions were frequently “difficult and painful, as participants bravely shared stories of abuse and discrimination”. Yet this “open and rewarding” quality enabled a rich sharing of ideas.

Terence* (not his real name), who took part in a discussion for men, commended Reimagining Equality for “allowing the masses to have a say on topics rarely introduced in public”. Such an endeavour “may indeed change how future generations look at such topics, spearheading an improvement to many facets of Singaporean life”.

“We applaud the government’s ‘Conversations on Women’s Development’ initiative this year,” said AWARE President Margaret Thomas, “and we are glad to complement their work with these additional insights. While many of the points raised during our discussions corroborated the findings of AWARE’s existing research, there were plenty of revelatory moments, the kind that only arise from intimate and in-depth dialogue.”

Here is a summary of the challenges and recommendations brought up by each group:

Single parents in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, their limited housing options (impacted by their finances and their ability to obtain care and control of their children), and needs assessments that underestimate household expenditure. Divorced parents reported having to apply many times over for maintenance to be enforced, whereas unwed parents worried that their “illegitimate” children were not eligible for intestate inheritance. Policy changes suggested by this group included allowing single parents the same housing and grant options as married applicants; establishing a governmental Child Support Agency to manage maintenance payments; abolishing the concept of “illegitimacy” under inheritance law; and making financial aid criteria more inclusive.

Migrant spouses in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, the prospect of separation from their Singaporean children; their inability to co-own homes; and their limited work options (as LTVP/+ holders cannot hold more than one job at any given time, or do app-based work, and those on short-term visit passes cannot work at all). Policy changes suggested by this group included simplifying access to Permanent Residence (e.g. upon the birth of Singaporean child or death of Singaporean spouse), which would help facilitate home ownership; and granting the automatic right to work without Letters of Consent.

Victims of workplace harassment and bullying in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, a general lack of understanding of workplace bullying and options for recourse; the absence of anti-harassment training programmes for employers, employees and interns; TAFEP’s insufficient powers to assist complainants; and the prospect of retaliation from harassers or employers. Policy changes suggested by this group included introducing national legislation on workplace harassment; mandating relevant training for employers and employees; updating TAFEP and TADM websites to clarify the actions they can take in bullying situations; and establishing an external regulatory body to investigate harassment and audit companies’ HR policies and processes.

Victims of workplace discrimination in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, the lack of comprehensive legal protections for employees experiencing discrimination; employees’ lack of awareness of internal reporting processes; and TAFEP’s insufficient enforcement powers and confidentiality measures (leading to fears of retaliation from employers). Policy changes suggested included introducing comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation (and protections for returning mothers); mandating relevant training for employers and employees; and establishing an external regulatory body to investigate discrimination and audit companies’ HR policies and processes.

Students at Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, the lack of standardised protocol for dealing with campus sexual harassment; policies, processes and staff behaviours that were not victim-centric; and the re-traumatising effect of institutions making police reports without victims’ consent. Policy changes suggested by this group included introducing a National Code of Conduct across all IHLs; implementing a clear protocol of support and resources for victims; mandating relevant training for all students and staff at IHLs; and clarifying “reasonable grounds” for exemption from the legal obligation to report cases.

Students, parents and teachers of sexuality education in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, the mainstream curriculum’s default sex-negative approach and inadequate focus on consent and gender-based violence; teachers perpetuating problematic ideas such as victim-blaming; LGBTQ students’ feelings of exclusion during sex ed classes; and overall lack of engagement from students. Policy changes suggested by this group included teaching about consent and gender-based violence; adopting a fact-based instead of scare-mongering approach; and fostering respect for different sexual orientations, gender identities, family structures, etc.

Male advocates for gender equality in Singapore were concerned about, among other things, the reproduction of rigid ideas of masculinity during National Service (NS); stereotypes and stigma produced by media portrayals of gender and diverse sexual orientations; and gendered laws such as those pertaining to paternity leave. Policy changes suggested by this group included reviewing how gender, sex and sexuality issues are taught in schools; mandating Diversity & Inclusion training for NS instructors and other educators to better support people with different gender identities and expressions; codifying the prohibition of negative stereotypes related to gender and sexuality in media; and increasing paternity leave.

“One of the many reasons I participated in AWARE’s community discussions is that I hope my children will grow up in a world where they can be whoever they want to be and love whoever they want to love,” said content writer Janice Leong, who took part in discussions on single parents and sexuality education. “It was very insightful hearing the thoughts of other parents in Singapore—knowledge is power.”

“It was heartening to see male allies stepping up to lend our voice, emphasising that we want to make a better society for all,” said student Didi Amzar, who took part in a discussion on sexual harassment at IHLs. “Notably, the discussion did not occur in a vacuum, as we actively listed possible policy solutions to overcome the challenges within our institutions. I look forward to a society where we can freely live on equal and fair terms.”

“We thank all Reimagining Equality participants for bravely sharing their lived experiences and their far-reaching visions for Singapore’s future,” added AWARE’s Ms Thomas. “These policy wishlists are truly by the community, for the community. We are glad that AWARE could serve as a vessel for these individuals, amplifying their concerns to the national stage.”

AWARE will also submit a comprehensive “omnibus report” of recommendations, based on its own research and advocacy positions, to the government in late July.

Read the policy wishlists by each community:

1. Single parents
2. Migrant spouses and transnational couples
3. Workplace harassment and bullying
4. Workplace discrimination
5. Campus sexual harassment at Institutes of Higher Learning
6. Sexuality education
7. Male advocates for gender equality