STATEMENT BY MS BERNICE TEO, FIRST SECRETARY (SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES), PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE 79TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 27, ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN, THIRD COMMITTEE, 8 OCTOBER 2024

8 October 2024 

Mdm Chair, 

1 Singapore aligns itself with the statement made by Thailand on behalf of ASEAN.

2 We are approaching a key milestone on the issue of women’s rights. Next year, we commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. However, gender inequality and discrimination against women continues to be one of the greatest injustices of our time. This has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and other intersecting crises, with disproportionate effects on women. 

3 In this context, Singapore reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. We strongly support the full, effective, and accelerated implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action as well as the Commission on the Status of Women in advancing efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality. 

4 Indeed, as our people are our only resource, Singapore has always placed gender equality, and empowering women and girls to reach their full potential, at the centre of our policies. Singapore issued a White Paper on Women’s Development in 2022, covering 25 action plans to advance women’s development. Allow me to elaborate on a few priority areas.

5 First, Singapore remains steadfastly committed to strengthening support and protection for women. This commitment is reflected in our Constitution and extensive legislation such as the Women’s Charter and the Employment Act. We continuously strengthen legislation to ensure that women’s rights are protected at home and in workplaces. 

6 We amended the Women’s Charter in 2023 to empower victim-survivors of family violence to better protect themselves. We will bring into effect new Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests in December to foster more inclusive workplaces. This will be bolstered by the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation which prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sex, age, race, marital status, pregnancy and caregiving responsibilities.

7 Second, we will continue to empower women and girls to pursue their aspirations. In line with Sustainable Development Goal 4, all children in Singapore have equal access to a high standard of education. We have achieved high literacy rates of over 95% and half our university graduates are women. 

8 Today, more women have entered the workforce in Singapore and assumed leadership positions across our society. 3 in 4 women aged 25 to 64 are employed. Women make up almost 30% of our Parliament. Last year, women’s representation on the boards of the top 100 companies listed on the Singapore Exchange was 22.7%; we will continue to strive towards our target of 30% by 2030.

9 Third, we must transform mindsets and break gender stereotypes to further advance women’s development. This requires a whole-of-society approach, starting with our families. 

10 Parents are children’s first role models of partnership and respect between men and women. To encourage fathers to play a more active role in raising their children, government-paid shared parental leave will be increased by 10 weeks and mandatory paternity leave will be doubled to 4 weeks by 2026. In schools, our curriculum teaches our children the values of respect and addresses gender stereotypes, such as in their choice of careers. In contrast to many stereotypes, women make up close to 40% of students studying STEM courses in our tertiary institutions. 

Mdm Chair,

11 Advancing women’s rights has been an integral part of Singapore’s development story. Next year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Singapore’s ratification of CEDAW. Over the years, we have made significant progress. Singapore is honoured and humbled to have been ranked among the top ten countries globally for gender equality in the latest UN Human Development Report’s Gender Inequality Index. But our work is never done. We will continue to strive towards a fairer and more inclusive society, where both women and men can pursue their aspirations freely and fully. 

12 Thank you, Mdm Chair. 

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