Cedaw Shadow Report

Cedaw Shadow Report

SCWO CEDAW NGO Report - June 2011 CEDAW SHADOW REPORT National NGO Commentary on the Fourth Periodic Report of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations Committee on CEDAW (49 th Session) June 2011 EQUAL SPACE * EQUAL VOICE * EQUAL WORTH © SCWO 2011 1 SCWO CEDAW NGO Report - June 2011 Table of Contents 1. FOREWORD ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 3. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 6 4. GUIDE TO ACRONYMS USED .............................................................................................................................. 8 5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................10 6. RESERVATIONS: ARTICLES 2, 11(1) AND 16 .......................................................................................................14 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 14 6.1. Consideration of withdrawal of reservations ............................................................................................ 14 6.2. Progress in practice ................................................................................................................................... 14 CHALLENGES TO THE REMOVAL OF RESERVATIONS TO ARTICLE 11(1) .......................................................................................... 16 7. ARTICLES 1 – 3: DEFINITION OF DISCRIMINATION, POLICY MEASURES AND GUARANTEE OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS & FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS .......................................................................................................................17 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 18 7.1. Constitutional protection .......................................................................................................................... 18 7.2. Progress in practice ................................................................................................................................... 18 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLES 1 – 3 ....................................................................................................... 19 7.3. Multi-level discrimination ......................................................................................................................... 19 7.4. Vulnerable socio-economic status of older or aged women ..................................................................... 19 7.5. Unavailability of gender disaggregated data ........................................................................................... 20 8. ARTICLE 4: TEMPORARY SPECIAL MEASURES ....................................................................................................21 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 21 8.1. Increased representation in practice......................................................................................................... 21 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 4 .............................................................................................................. 22 8.2. Underrepresentation of women on boards/senior management ............................................................. 22 9. ARTICLE 5: SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING AND PREJUDICE ......................................................................................23 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 5 .............................................................................................................. 23 9.1. Body image and media portrayal of gender ............................................................................................. 25 10. ARTICLE 6: TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION ..................................................................................................25 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 26 10.1. Legislative efforts to support the criminalisation of trafficking and protection of trafficked women ...... 26 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 6 .............................................................................................................. 26 10.2. Singapore identified as destination country for trafficking ...................................................................... 26 10.3. Acknowledgement of existence of trafficking ........................................................................................... 27 10.4. Improving the response to trafficked women and girls ............................................................................ 27 10.5. Awareness and education ......................................................................................................................... 28 11. ARTICLE 7: POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE ............................................................................................................28 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 28 11.1. Increased numbers of females in senior public positions .......................................................................... 28 11.2. Representation in Parliament ................................................................................................................... 29 CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 7 .................................................................................................................... 29 11.3. Appointments to full Minister happening too slowly ................................................................................ 29 11.4. Funding women’s groups .......................................................................................................................... 30 11.5. Women’s Leadership and Development grants ........................................................................................ 30 11.6. Participation of women with disability ..................................................................................................... 30 11.7. Funding for development and gender initiatives ...................................................................................... 31 11.8. Clear articulation of gender architecture .................................................................................................. 31 12. ARTICLE 8: PARTICIPATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL ..............................................................................31 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 32 12.1. Efforts towards realizing Millennium Development Goals ........................................................................ 32 12.2. Singapore’s participation at international forums .................................................................................... 32 © SCWO 2011 2 SCWO CEDAW NGO Report - June 2011 13. ARTICLE 9: NATIONALITY ..................................................................................................................................32 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 32 13.1. Amendment to citizenship law .................................................................................................................. 32 13.2. Availability of assistance in cases of family violence shelters ................................................................... 33 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 9 .............................................................................................................. 33 13.3. Lack of assistance to foreign wives, or foreign mothers of Singaporean children .................................... 33 14. ARTICLE 10: EDUCATION ...................................................................................................................................34 POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 34 14.1. Fruition of lifting of quota on medical school entry .................................................................................. 34 CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 10 ............................................................................................................ 34 14.2. Education for reintegration ....................................................................................................................... 34 15. ARTICLE 11: EMPLOYMENT ...............................................................................................................................35

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