Concrete proposals to tackle women's issues in the works

Concrete proposals will be tabled in Parliament next year to give women a more level playing field, and tackle the key issues of workplace opportunities, caregiver support, and protection from harassment and harm.

These include enhancing caregiving grants and improving access to childcare.

This push for further equality between genders, which will be crystallised in a White Paper, comes from the proposals gathered during the year-long Conversations on Singapore Women's Development initiative.

Speaking yesterday at the initiative's final session, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that while women have made great strides here, societal attitudes towards them "have not fully modernised".

At home, they are still expected to shoulder a heavier share of domestic responsibilities, while at work, they are subjected to stereotypes.

"If they are too gentle, they get bulldozed over by male colleagues. Too firm, and they are resented for being too bossy..." said PM Lee. "And while the incidence of crimes against females is low in Singapore, it is not zero.

"All these remind us that we still need to make more progress in the way men and women treat each other, and the sort of society we want to be."

Launched last September, the initiative has conducted 160 conversations involving more than 5,700 participants of both sexes, while many more gave feedback online. Several organisations, including the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO), also submitted recommendations.

Three priority areas emerged from the feedback, including workplace issues. Employers are sometimes reluctant to hire, promote or groom female employees, PM Lee highlighted.

There will be better protection from such prejudices with Singapore having decided to enshrine employers' current anti-discrimination guidelines into law.

PM Lee said more will also be done to improve childcare arrangements to make it easier for mothers to go back to work or, better still, not leave the workforce in the first place.

Another key issue is supporting caregivers, many of whom are women. The Health Ministry will look at expanding options for respite care to support the well-being of caregivers, as well as enhancing the Home Caregiving Grant, which helps families to alleviate the cost of care.

Women's physical safety and sense of security in Singapore also cannot be taken for granted, said PM Lee. While punishments for some sex crimes have been toughened last Monday, PM Lee said Singapore must be a place where people respond with empathy and support.

"Victims must be able to seek help easily, and without suffering additional distress. More importantly, victims must not have cause to fear that they themselves will be blamed or shamed for what has happened to them, and therefore suffer in silence."

The task force on family violence will give recommendations on how to prevent family violence and support its victims, he said.

Meanwhile, a garden at Dhoby Ghaut Green, located "right in the heart of the city", will be dedicated to the women of Singapore to honour and celebrate their pioneering spirit and contributions, said PM Lee, calling the proposal from the SCWO an excellent idea.

The proposal also includes the naming of roads to reflect the central role that Singapore women have played in society and the nation.

PM Lee noted that as society advances, so must people's mindsets, even though changes do not happen overnight.

He said: "Our policies and programmes will nudge behaviour, gradually change attitudes and enable us to make lasting progress.

"We must continue to strengthen the ethos of fairness and justice in our society where men and women partner each other as equals, progress together and pursue their aspirations freely and to the fullest, and where we take care of the vulnerable amongst us."