Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the Exemplary Mother Award 2022

Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development; and Adviser to the Panel of Judges for the Exemplary Mother Award

Datuk Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my pleasure to join you today to honour and recognise the exceptional mothers who have nurtured their families, improved the lives of others, and juggled their careers – all while facing challenges of their own. This is the 29th year of the Exemplary Mother Award and the fourth year of the Exemplary Young Mother Award. I am heartened by Jamiyah’s sustained efforts to honour the contributions of mothers of all ages, races and faiths who have touched the lives of their families and the community. The nominees never fail to inspire through their stories of sacrifice, determination, and resilience.

Last year, we commemorated the Year of Celebrating SG Women. This year, we celebrate SG Families. Mothers are at the intersection of both celebrations, as the pillars of family and society. I am therefore heartened that we are paying a lot more attention to the issues faced by mothers in recent times.

One particularly pertinent topic is caregiving. While caregiving by definition is not gender specific, this role has in practice fallen mostly on women because of our social norms.  As our society ages, more women may find themselves balancing additional caregiving responsibilities in the family – not only bringing up children, but also taking care of elderly parents. The Survey on Singapore Women’s Development last year found that women were at least four times as likely as men to be responsible for managing housework and caregiving, with women in dual income households five times as likely to do so.

 Caregiving work tends to be undervalued, partly because of the expectation that it should be carried out of love. While it is true that a mother’s love undergirds caring for her child, society must also recognise that caregiving entails commitment and sacrifice. Many caregivers worry about finances, in addition to having to endure physical and mental toll. To raise awareness on the value of caregiving and the indispensable role that caregivers play in our society, we designated the focus area for President’s Challenge 2023 to be ‘Caring for Caregivers’. This is one way we hope to rally community support for caregivers. Stakeholders at all levels of society can also do their part, whether it is companies providing flexible work arrangements or family members taking turns to provide care to offer the main caregiver some respite.

The White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development released this year outlined action plans by the Government and the community to better support caregivers. Among others, this included broadening the scope of the Household Services Scheme to include basic child- and elder-minding services, creating 10,000 more full-day preschool places by 2023, and helping pregnant women gain equitable access to quality maternal care services. The People’s Association is also partnering National Council of Social Service and Caregivers Alliance Limited on the WIN Caregivers Network, a community-based peer support network, to better connect caregivers and provide easier access to the support they need. These are good developments that support motherhood and caregiving. The White Paper was developed based on insights from the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development, to which Jamiyah Singapore had submitted feedback and recommendations.

 We also need to recognise that caregivers face different challenges and have different needs. For example, some of the finalists of this year’s Exemplary Mother Award – Iris, Parimala, and Rajeswari – have raised children with developmental needs. I am glad that they are being recognised today. I am also encouraged to see more focus on supporting caregivers from lower-income families, and of children with developmental needs. Aimed at reducing caregiving stress and creating a more inclusive environment, ECDA’s Inclusive Support Programme pilot allows children with developmental needs to receive early intervention support within their preschools, alleviating the need for caregivers to shuttle between preschools and early intervention centres. There are currently 38 children enrolled in seven pilot preschools, and the aim is to provide 100 places over the next three years. This is a good start to reduce the strain on caregivers of children with developmental needs.

Beyond policies and institutions to support caregiving, mothers also need support from their loved ones. For example, husbands can play a more active role in their children’s development, and in providing social and emotional support to their wives. To support working fathers in doing so, the Government has been enhancing our Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave provisions. Fathers now enjoy up to eight weeks of leave in their child’s first year, to bond with their newborns and care for their wives. Last year, the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit was also introduced to support working fathers who may not qualify for paternity leave due to their employment arrangements, such as those on short-term employment contracts. It is heartening to see more fathers taking Paternity Leave over the years, and I encourage every father to make greater use of these provisions.

Couples can also make a commitment to better support one another through the Celebrating SG Families Pledge. Strong marriages are key to building resilient families. MSF’s Alliance for Action to Strengthen Marriages and Family Relationships (AFAM) promotes the Marriage Preparation Programmes for soon-to-wed and newlywed couples, as well as evidence-based parenting programmes. These are useful resources that encourage partnership in parenthood. AFAM also works with community partners and supports ground-up initiatives to enable single parents to work, care for and raise their families. Several finalists have journeyed motherhood largely on their own – Maharonnisah, Parimala, Rajeswari and Zuridah. They inspire us with their independence and determination in raising their children, despite life’s difficult circumstances.

In closing, my heartiest congratulations to the finalists of this year’s Exemplary Mother Award and Exemplary Young Mother Award. I also congratulate Jamiyah Singapore on its 90th anniversary this year. Since its founding by Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddique in 1932, Jamiyah has provided services to those in need, including persons with disabilities and other less privileged groups irrespective of race or religion. It also serves the Muslim community through education, social welfare, religious services, and the promotion of interfaith ties. The Exemplary Mother Award is one example of Jamiyah’s longstanding service, and I look forward to its contributions in the years to come.

I end with a verse from the song ‘Dia Ibuku’:

Tak ternilaikan budinya,

Berkorban jiwa raga,

Bagai dewi luhur hatinya,

Kasih dialah ibuku penuh.

Thank you.