Keynote Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Say No to the Oppression of Women 2022

Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State, Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Ministry of Education

Ms Georgette Tan, President, United Women Singapore

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to join you today at the ‘Say No to the Oppression of Women’ event organised by United Women Singapore (UWS).

Today’s fundraising gala is the sixteenth in UWS’s history, but your first as a local non-profit organisation. UWS originally started as an international charity and is now dedicated to actively supporting and uplifting women in Singapore.

In January last year, I met the girls from the UWS Girls2Pioneers programme during my visit to the UWS office. The programme actively nurtures their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, equipping them with the requisite skills and opportunities to explore potential careers in the field. In addition to Girls2Pioneers, UWS has initiated the UWS Boys Empowered programme and GenSafe Workplaces programme, which seek to prevent gender-based violence by empowering boys to be positive change-makers and advocate for protection from domestic violence, workplace harassment and discrimination. These programmes are important efforts that will help build an environment where girls and women feel safe, supported, and can aspire to achieve their fullest potential in whichever path they wish to pursue.

In 2019, UWS in collaboration with Ipsos, released the findings of a survey on domestic violence. According to the survey, 3 in 10 Singaporeans claim that they or someone close to them have experienced domestic abuse. However, 40% of Singaporeans are apathetic, thinking that domestic abuse is not prevalent in Singapore, and that it rarely occurs, a cause for concern as it shows a lack of awareness on the part of many Singaporeans. The pandemic has also caused an increase in domestic abuse cases as families working from home have had to juggle between work and family causing an increase in tensions and conflicts.

Whatever the reasons, there is absolutely no place in our society for violence against women. Such violence robs women of their dignity, inhibits their development, and prevents them from taking their right place in society. We need to send very strong signals to perpetrators or potential perpetrators that such abuses will not be tolerated and will be severely punished. Often, it’s not just the women who suffer. The worst victims are their children whose lives are disrupted and future compromised. We must do more to prevent violence against women and to support those who are victims of such violence.

Ground-up efforts by UWS and other social service agencies are important in raising awareness, providing relevant feedback for policy changes, and creating a safe network of support and education for women who are victims of abuse. Such efforts must be reinforced by policies and institutions that foster a strong culture of safety and respect in our society. The Government remains committed to enhancing the safety of all Singaporeans.

In particular, the Government will continue to strengthen protection against violence and harm by:

a) First, inculcating the value of respect from young and laying the foundation for healthy relationships with others. Such values must be instilled at home, reinforced in schools, and supported in workplaces.

b) Second, ensuring that punishments for those who commit sexual and hurt offences are a sufficient deterrent and commensurate with the extent of the harm inflicted on victim-survivors. In 2021, the Government revised the sentencing framework to increase penalties for three sexual offences in the Penal Code and harsher sentences for adult offenders who commit sexual and hurt offences.

c) Third, providing better support for victim-survivors through implementing the recommendations of the Taskforce on Family Violence. These include recommendations to enhance protection for victim-survivors, such as empowering the Court to make additional orders to prohibit the perpetrator from visiting or communicating with the victim-survivor, and to raise greater awareness of family violence through campaigns, such as, the MSF’s Break the Silence public education campaign which will be refreshed.

I am happy to know that UWS was part of the Taskforce on Family Violence and had facilitated conversations and contributed to the recommendations. We have come a long way in our efforts to raise the status of women and in ensuring that their voices are heard. Success will always be a work in progress, but we must continuously look at how to make improvements and engage in meaningful partnerships for the best outcomes. I am heartened that UWS has rallied the support of companies to sustain and enable your programmes. Companies recognise that a fair and equal workplace based on merits and capabilities does not only benefit women but will also enable them to access a wider talent pool. UWS has made a difference to our women and girls and I am confident that you will continue to grow your efforts.

Let me conclude by expressing my appreciation to all women for taking on multifaceted roles in society and for staying resilient in dealing with the challenges brought about by the pandemic in the past two years. As the tagline of today’s event reminds us, women have remained the ‘beacons of light’ in society. Let us join hands so we can shine a light for a brighter future in the years to come.

Thank you.