STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR KAREN TAN,PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE 59TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, 9-20 MARCH 2015

Mdm Chairperson,

1                Thank you for convening this meeting.  Singapore aligns itself with the statements delivered by South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

2                 The year 1995 saw major milestones in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment for Singapore.  Not only was the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPA) adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, Singapore also acceded to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).  We are, therefore, proud to celebrate the 20^th anniversaries of the adoption of the BDPA and our accessions to CEDAW and CRC this year.  As our Minister for Social and Family Development, Mr Chan Chun Sing, said on International Women’s Day, the progress made by Singaporean women would not have been possible without the concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders.  Numerous unsung heroes and heroines, before us and in our midst, had relentlessly worked the ground for girls’ and women’s well being and advancement.  We owe our achievements to them.

Singapore’s experience

Mdm Chairperson,

3                 Since our independence 50 years ago, women in Singapore have made considerable progress in all the 12 areas of action identified in the BDPA.  In 2014, our literacy rate for resident females was 94.9 percent  and our resident labour participation rate of females in the prime-working ages of 25-54 was 78.7 percent, a significant increase from 58 percent in 1995.  The UN Human Development Report 2014 ranked Singapore 15th out of 152 countries in the area of gender equality, while the 2014 State of the World’s Mothers Report ranked Singapore 15th out of 178 countries, rating Singapore the best place in Asia to be a mother.  These indices reflect the opportunities available to Singapore women in areas such as employment, empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, life expectancy, educational attainment and political participation.  We are encouraged that our implementation of the BDPA and CEDAW have borne fruit.  

4                  Nevertheless, as our society evolves, we face a different set of challenges.  As women become better educated and hold good jobs, their expectations of family life have also changed.  Some choose not to marry, or marry later and have fewer or no children.  Because they participate actively in the workforce, work-life balance is also a challenge for both women and men.  While we are pleased that average life expectancy at birth for women in Singapore has increased to 84.6 years in 2013, this also means that we need to prepare our social services and physical infrastructure for an increasing number of elderly women.  We are expanding eldercare services, providing more nursing home beds, opening Senior Care Centres, and increasing the services available to homecare clients.    

5                 The Singapore government recognises these challenges and has expanded opportunities and resources for women, as well as introduced new programmes to help them balance their many work and family commitments.  Affordable, quality and accessible child care is a priority, and we aim to provide one child care place for every two children by 2017. We have also continued to promote the importance of shared parental responsibilities.  Fathers now get a week’s paternity leave from work, and working mothers can share a week of their maternity leave with their husbands

6                 Singapore strongly supports the Beijing+20 and the HeforShe campaigns.  We are convinced that they will raise awareness and strengthen political will to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment.  In particular, the HeforShe campaign goes to the heart of the matter in directly challenging men and boys to stand up and speak out for gender equality.  The greater involvement of fathers, especially in the day to day management of children, goes a long way in promoting gender equality at home.  In 2009, with support from the government, our community partners launched a “Dads for Life” movement to inspire and involve fathers to be good influencers in their children’s lives. 

The Post-2015 Development Agenda

7                 In conclusion, Singapore reiterates its firm commitment to the BDPA and CEDAW and to the advancement of women as integral and equal members of our society.  We remain convinced that gender equality and women’s empowerment deserve to be reflected through a standalone goal in the post-2015 development agenda and integrated into other relevant targets and indicators.  We must all continue the unfinished work of gender equality and women’s empowerment.  Thank you. 

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