This op-ed was originally published in The Straits Times on 23 August 2024.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s first National Day Rally, where he mandated four weeks of paternity leave and introduced 10 weeks of shared parental leave, among other measures to ease the pressures of caregiving, was a breath of fresh air.

While there’s a lot to celebrate, there’s also room to ask: Why stop here?

Caregiving isn’t just a woman’s job

What struck most about PM Wong’s rally was that he didn’t frame this conversation around falling birth rates or Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR). Instead, he shone a spotlight on women – their careers, their ambitions, and their rightful place in the workforce. It’s refreshing to see women’s needs front and centre, rather than as an afterthought to population statistics.

The recent Singapore Perspectives 2024 survey revealed that 40 per cent of women aged 21 to 34 don’t see marriage in their future, and this same group is 12 per cent less hopeful about having children compared with their male counterparts. Understanding the findings starts with recognising that women approach their careers with the same ambition as men.

The reality is, the status quo when it comes to half of our population – women – hasn’t worked for Singapore, nor for other countries grappling with declining TFRs. It’s high time we tackle the root of the problem and create a society where everyone can pursue their ambitions without compromising their personal lives.

PM Wong’s direct call for fathers to step up and share in the caregiving duties, and his recognition of women’s career ambitions, is a significant move. No longer are we just talking about birth rates – the conversation is now about families.

In a society where traditional gender roles have long dictated that men work and women care, fast-tracking to make paternity leave mandatory from April 1, 2025 and adding an additional 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave sends a clear message to fathers and employers: this is the new norm.

PM Wong’s example of a Ministry of Finance colleague who was a young dad and took time off to care for his newborn in the midst of Budget preparations, is a smart, subtle nudge to show what can be achieved with the right measures in place.

Here’s another example. Nishant, a young father of one who returned to work after nine weeks of paternity leave, said that while he had expected fatherhood to be amazing, he has found that it is so much more. The connection he built with his one-year-old son during those early months gives him overwhelming feelings of love, protectiveness, and responsibility. The connection he has with his son is no less than the connection his son has with his mother.

A 2022 study by the National University of Singapore showed fathers who take two or more weeks of paternity leave can reduce stress on mothers, parental conflicts and children’s behaviour problems, more than those who took only one week of leave.

But here’s the thing: policy changes are only part of the puzzle. Employers need to not only allow but also actively encourage both fathers and mothers to take their leave. Until caregiving is actually a shared burden, young women will continue to think twice about starting a family. True gender equality isn’t just about changing policies; it’s about rethinking how we value the roles of both men and women in our society.

We can do more, surely

Sunday’s rally demonstrated how swiftly the government can enact significant changes when necessary. Maternity leave benefits for married and single mothers were equalised from January 1, 2024. But why did we stop there? If all mothers are equally in need, then unwed parents should also have access to the Parenthood Tax Rebate, Working Mother’s Child Relief, Handicapped Child Relief and Baby Bonus schemes.

These benefits aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities, and unwed mothers often need them even more than their married counterparts. Privileging the children of married mothers over those of unmarried mothers in the Baby Bonus schemes is entirely discriminatory to the children involved.

PM Wong’s talk of a refreshed Singapore dream—one that’s more adventurous and open—is promising. But this will only happen if the policies catch up.

Changing the criteria for tax rebates and Baby Bonus schemes to align with maternity leave benefits is a straightforward step. What remains to be seen is whether there’s the will to make it happen. We’re just asking for every family to have an equal start.

We hope Budget 2025 contains the news that these benefits will be equalised for all parents and all children here.

For the rest of us, we must champion equitable practices in our workplaces and communities that lead to thriving individuals and families. If we want a Singapore where everyone can genuinely succeed, then we must actively shape it—not only through policy but through the everyday choices we make.

Sugidha Nithi is AWARE’s director of Advocacy, Research and Communications.