SINGAPORE: Recommendations on enhancing equity on the office, help for caregivers and safety for victims of sexual offences and violence might be a part of the White Paper on girls’s points, mentioned Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo on Tuesday (Mar 8).
Speaking on the 2022 CNA Leadership Summit, Mrs Teo mentioned the White Paper might be introduced quickly, and that there might be “many important recommendations”.
This yr’s Leadership Summit was held on International Women’s Day, underneath the theme of “women inspiring change”.
The White Paper was first introduced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September on the closing session of the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development.
The initiative was launched in September 2020 and concerned a collection of engagements between the private and non-private sectors, in addition to non-governmental organisations.
“I think it’s also important to recognise that in putting together the White Paper what matters most is what our women want, what they tell us is important in their lives,” mentioned Mrs Teo, who can also be chairperson of the People’s Action Party’s Women’s Wing.
“It’s not policymakers, the team just looking at numbers looking at analysis and then just thinking about it. That’s important, that ultimately we want to hear from the ground what’s important to your day-to-day experience.”
Adding {that a} “bumper crop” of suggestions have been submitted to the Government for consideration, Mrs Teo famous that 1000’s of ladies “enthusiastically participated” within the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development.
“I should also say that, very interestingly, lots of men were part of the conversation too. That was very refreshing,” she added.
Three suggestions are “particularly responsive” to what girls shared within the classes main as much as the White Paper, mentioned Mrs Teo.
The first is enshrining equity on the office, together with by way of recruitment, development, and the way harassment is handled, she mentioned.
Responding to an earlier query within the dialogue about what is required to see extra females in prime management roles within the office, Mrs Teo mentioned folks “quite often” specific a want to see equality within the office.
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“I think there are two parts to it. One is equality of opportunity, and the other is in terms of outcomes,” she added.
In phrases of alternatives, there was a “tremendous amount of progress” in Singapore as a result of schooling and coaching is “very widely available”, and girls are profiting from these alternatives, mentioned the previous manpower minister.
“But… in terms of outcomes, there is still a lot of room for improvement. It’s not uncommon these days in every occupation to see women. And at the entry level, there is no shortage also, women candidates perform very well, and they are very much tapped upon by employers,” mentioned Mrs Teo.
“But as the years pass and as we go further up the ladder, and when you look into the C-suites and if you look into the boardroom, the numbers are still relatively small; they can be better.”
But employers have a “very strong realisation” that they need to not deprive themselves of proficient girls staff, she added.
“And if we continue to grow the economy well, if opportunities continue to expand, then that is good for everyone, and I think especially for women,” mentioned Mrs Teo.
“I’m quietly hopeful that in my lifetime, we will be able to see, even at the highest echelons, much more equal representation of men and women.”
The White Paper may even discover and make suggestions on how Singapore can improve help for home-based caregiving.
“Because majority of the caregivers are still women. And this is absolutely necessary because families that have to deal with frail seniors, and this can be for very long term, they do need better support, they need more relief,” mentioned Mrs Teo.
Violence in opposition to girls, sexual offences and household violence, which is one thing an “advanced society” like Singapore doesn’t need to see a lot of, may even be addressed within the White Paper’s suggestions, she added.
“So it would be in strengthening protection for victims of sexual offences and violence, and making it absolutely clear that there is no place for such acts in Singapore, and women really should not have to bear with it.”
