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Policy and Position Statements

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As an NGO that actively advocates for gender equality and women’s rights (which are an integral part of human rights), AWARE shares its research, knowledge, experience and expertise with policy makers and politicians on issues that relate to gender equality. AWARE also collaborates with policy makers and politicians on specific issues to promote a fairer, more equal, more inclusive and safer society for all, regardless of gender.

AWARE does not align itself with any particular political party and will work with all politicians, regardless of party, to further its mission.  This will include both initiating contact with and responding to queries from politicians who have a particular interest in topics relevant to AWARE.

Further, as an active member of civil society, AWARE is committed to working with other civil society organisations to push for:

  • transparency and accountability in policy making;
  • democratic governance and institutions;
  • greater civic participation in society;
  • freedom of speech, expression and assembly;
  • women leaders in politics and policy making;
  • the elimination of all forms of discrimination; and
  • the promotion of human rights for all.

AWARE’s approach to Gender

AWARE recognises gender as a multi-dimensional and fluid social construct, existing on a spectrum beyond the traditional binary of woman/man. This spectrum encompasses a wide range of gender identities, expressions, and experiences.

We believe in equality for all persons, regardless of their gender identity, expression, or sex assigned at birth. This distinction between gender and biological sex (sex) is crucial. It allows us to understand how societal expectations can shape experiences and opportunities for people of all genders. 

Our feminism is intersectional. We acknowledge that race, class, sexuality, and other identity characteristics all interact with and influence how gender plays out in each person’s life.  We recognise that various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other.

This intersectional approach informs all of our work, striving to dismantle all forms of oppression and promote a more just and equitable society for all.

While our expertise lies primarily in women’s issues, we collaborate with and support organisations specialising in the needs of transgender and non-binary communities. We believe in a collaborative approach to achieving gender justice for all. 

 

AWARE's positions - by issue

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  • 1 Abortion

    Women should be supported to make informed choices about their bodies and reproduction systems. 

    Laws and regulations surrounding abortion access should seek only to protect the rights and welfare of patients, not to promote other agendas such as sexual morality or population policy.

  • 2 Administration of Muslim Law Act (Inheritance)

    Muslims should be able to choose whether to distribute their estate in accordance with Muslim or civil law, and the law should allow non-Muslim next-of-kin to inherit from the estate of a deceased Muslim.

    Dependents of deceased Muslims should be allowed, under the Inheritance (Family Provisions) Act, to apply to court for an order for reasonable provision for their maintenance, to be paid out of the deceased’s estate.

  • 3 Administration of Muslim Law Act (Obligatory bequests)

    Obligatory bequests (wasiyyah wajibah) should be used to provide for orphaned grandchildren, adoptive children and non-Muslim relatives and dependents, who are not otherwise entitled to any share.

  • 4 Administration of Muslim Law Act (Wali)

    Abolish the requirement of having a wali (male next of kin or paternal male relative) consent to a marriage.

  • 5 Anti-discrimination law

    Incorporate in the Singapore Constitution and other appropriate legislation a definition of discrimination against women, including direct and indirect discrimination, and prohibit all forms of discrimination against women on all grounds.

    Singapore should enact a comprehensive anti-discrimination law to guide employers’ conduct in hiring, promotion and other employment matters.

     

  • 6 AWARE as a human rights organisation

    AWARE supports individual autonomy and non-discrimination. Although our work focuses on gender-based barriers to equality, our overall human rights orientation means that we must recognise human rights as interlinked and indivisible.

    Gender equality cannot be achieved without also understanding and addressing other forms of discrimination.

  • 7 Corporal punishment/caning

    We do not condone violence, including caning as punishment for sexual violence.

    The prospect of harsh punishment has deterred some sexual assault survivors from reporting, particularly when the perpetrator is known to them – thus reducing the chances of bringing the offender to justice.

    We also oppose the use of corporal punishment in other institutional settings, such as in schools.

  • 8 Death penalty

    We are against the death penalty.

    We would like to see the government move towards restorative justice approaches and more rehabilitative criminal justice, which are strongly supported by criminological research, rather than assuming that more brutal punishments are always more effective at cutting crime. 

  • 9 Female genital cutting or mutilation/sunat perempuan

    Sunat perempuan is a form of violence against women and girls. There is neither a medical nor religious basis for the procedure and it is only done to satisfy discriminatory cultural beliefs.

  • 10 Marital immunity for rape

    Marital immunity for rape has been mostly repealed as of 2020. However, the Bill maintains marital immunity for sexual activity with minors over the age of 12 and under the age of 16, who are said to “consent”.

    We are against this. Marriage does not grant an individual automatic access to their spouse’s body. Marital immunity may also violate girls’ rights to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies.

  • 11 Migrant domestic workers (MDWs)

    Migrant domestic workers (MDWs, or foreign domestic workers—FDWs) should be included in the Employment Act and given the same protections and benefits as other workers in Singapore, with the same amount of public holidays and maximum weekly working hours.

    Pregnant and post-natal MDWs should not be subject to criminal proceedings as a result of being pregnant/giving birth in Singapore.

  • 12 Migrant spouses

    Migrant spouses married to Singaporeans should have automatic right to work; enjoy healthcare subsidies; be granted LTVP+ automatically; be able to access public rental housing and have clear, timed routes to obtaining PR status.

    Some of our recommendations include:

    • Allowing abused migrant spouses to renew their LTVP/+ passes independently of their citizen spouses 
    • Granting the LTVP+ to all migrant spouses of citizens 
    • Increase migrant spouses’ access to legal assistance 
    • Ensure all migrant spouses are informed of their rights and avenues of support 
    • Easing their access to housing with clear, timed routes to PR status
  • 13 National Budget: ageing population, support for caregivers, welfare of older persons, poverty

    We make written recommendations to the Government about the annual Budget, advocating for the state to budget for care as a social good, rather than leaving its cost to individual families to address on their own. 

    We call for greater recognition of and support for unpaid, family caregivers through:

    • Longer paternity/gender-neutral parental leave
    • Caregivers’ allowance 
    • Universal social pension and healthcare scheme for older persons
    • Free childcare for low-income families
  • 14 National Service

    National Service should include more options than military service, and men and women should have a choice in what they want to do—be it military service or other forms of community service. It should not be gender-determined.

    We are against the perpetuation of a culture of violence against women as part of the NS experience.

  • 15 Polygamy

    We believe that polygamy should be prohibited under the Administration of Muslim Law Act. Polygamy has negative economic, social and emotional effects on women.

  • 16 Single parents

    Mothers, regardless of marital status, should be recognised and supported equally.

    Single-parent families deserve fairer access to public housing. 

    The legal concept of “illegitimacy” should be abolished.

  • 17 Sexual consent

    We advocate for a positive, affirmative definition of consent, emphasising “free, voluntary and informed” consent to sexual activities. 

    We propose that the Penal Code adds a subsection that lays out specific situations either where there is no consent in law, or no consent obtained, in order to facilitate the handling of sexual assault cases by professionals such as social workers, police and counsellors.

  • 18 Sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression

    We support the rights of all people to make their own decisions about their individual sexual conduct, their gender identities and their bodies, so long as it does not harm others. No sexual orientation or gender identity or expression should be prescribed by others.

  • 19 Sexuality education

    We promote Comprehensive Sexuality Education, guided by the principles of empowerment through scientifically accurate and practical information, non-judgment, respect for diversity and an ethos of respect.

    Sexuality education should cover human development, relationships (communication, negotiation, consent), decision-making, abstinence, contraception and the prevention, management and treatment of disease.

  • 20 Suicide

    Suicide and suicide attempts have been decriminalised as of 2020. We are in full support of this.

    Suicide is a matter for social support and public health, not criminal law. Treating people as criminals worsens their distress, rather than resolving the underlying difficulties that lead to suicide attempts.

  • 21 Tudung/Hijab in the Workplace

    We are against the tudung ban in employment. The ban limits women’s access to paid work.

  • 22 Underage marriage

    Underage marriage should not be allowed. Set an equal minimum age of marriage (18 years) for all and remove the exception for girls under 18.

  • 23 Women's Charter (maintenance, domestic violence)

    The Women’s Charter should be renamed the Family Charter.

    Spousal maintenance should be based on fairness and need, not gender.

    The Women’s Charter regime should cover domestic violence rather than family violence, and include unmarried/live-in partners, tenants and domestic workers. It should also include financial and emotional abuse.

    All 18-21 year olds should be allowed to seek Personal Protection Orders on their own behalf.

  • 24 Women in politics

    We support proactive commitment to increasing women’s representation in political leadership. 

    Efforts should be made to proactively identify and groom female talent, with a view to increasing the profile of women in political leadership over the next few decades.

  • 25 Women’s leadership and quotas

    We support proactive commitment to increasing women’s representation in leadership. Examples of positive action that we support: 

    • Improved search and recruitment procedures that specifically look to a wider pool of candidates than traditional “old boys’ networks”
    • Training decision-makers (e.g. recruiters) in gender sensitisation so that they understand more about unconscious bias
    • Greater accommodation of domestic responsibilities in formal employment and structural incentives to more equally share domestic responsibilities 
    • Anti-harassment policies
  • 26 Workplace sexual harassment

    We urge the government to expand the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) or amend the Employment Act to legally require employers to take measures to address workplace sexual harassment.