04 Oct 2022
Mr Chair,
1 Singapore aligns itself with the statements made by Pakistan on behalf of the G77 and China, as well as Thailand on behalf of ASEAN.
2 We are halfway to the deadline for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls remains a distant goal. Pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened family violence. Caregivers, many of whom are women, have faced greater stressors balancing their work and home responsibilities. As we navigate these challenges, the five transformative measures in the Secretary-General’s report on Our Common Agenda can help to shape our policies.
Mr Chair,
3 Singapore remains steadfastly committed to ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women. As a small island state with no natural resources, the survival and success of Singapore depends on our people. We have spared no effort in ensuring the equality of all persons before the law. Women’s rights are protected under our Constitution and extensive legislation, including the Women’s Charter.
4 Singapore also strongly believes that the seeds for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women must be sown at a young age. All children in Singapore have equal access to a high standard of education, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. We strongly support education for girls, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Nine in ten young women have post-secondary or higher education – on par with their male counterparts. Today, women in Singapore have made great inroads into male-dominated professions such as medicine, scientific research, and digital entrepreneurship. Women’s representation in Parliament has risen to nearly 30% in the last General Election, and our first female President, Madam Halimah Yacob, took office in 2017.
Mr Chair,
5 Our work is not yet done. While women’s standing in Singapore has improved greatly, women still battle stereotypes at workplaces, and shoulder a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities. To address this, greater measures to facilitate women’s economic inclusion are needed. Singapore issued a White Paper on Women’s Development in March following extensive multi-stakeholder national consultations. Going forward, we will strengthen fair employment practices through new legislation. We have also introduced incentives to encourage employers to offer flexible work arrangements, enabling more women with caregiving responsibilities to remain or return to work.
6 One of the recommendations in the Our Common Agenda report was to facilitate women’s economic inclusion through investment in the care economy. Singapore strongly supports this. On the childcare front, we have provided heavy subsidies and increased the number of infant and childcare places by 50% in the last six years. We are also committed to providing more affordable and comprehensive care options for caregivers of seniors, and to forming community-based peer support networks for caregivers.
Mr Chair,
7 Singapore believes that inclusive policies which uplift all citizens are essential. We are heartened to be ranked 12th out of 191 countries on the Gender Inequality Index in the 2021 UN Human Development Report. However, achieving gender equality will always be a work in progress. Singapore will continue to strive to empower all women, and to fully implement the goals in the 2030 Agenda.
8 Thank you.
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