Keynote Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the Women’s Forum Global Meeting 2022

Ms Anne-Gabrielle Heilbronner, President, Women's Forum for the Economy & Society

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for the invitation to address the Women’s Forum Global Meeting which Singapore hosted in 2018 and 2019. While I am unable to join you in person today, I am delighted to have this opportunity to share some thoughts on Singapore’s approach to women’s development. 

Today’s theme “Race for Humanity: Time to Act” is apt.  The pandemic has disproportionately affected women around the world. As we embark on global recovery efforts, we should seize the opportunities the pandemic has brought about, and chart new paths of growth and development that are more sustainable and inclusive.

Joining the growing international resolve to address climate change, Singapore has also raised our ambition to achieve net-zero by or around mid-century. Women are an indispensable partner in the sustainability space. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, women are more likely to recycle, minimise wastage and practise sustainable consumption habits.

Singapore supports the participation of women in the sustainability space. For example, a non-governmental organisation entitled ‘Women in Sustainability and Environment’, or WISE, focuses on gender action to ensure responsible consumption and production patterns that are in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.

Beyond the important issue of climate change, there remain other challenges that women face today. Barriers such as a lack of equal opportunities in the workplace, unconscious gender bias perpetuating traditional notions on what women can be, and digital gender gaps, need to be addressed. This necessitates a partnership-based approach across all stakeholders, built on a culture of respect. Allow me to share Singapore’s experience.

Singapore is fully committed to the advancement of women. Soon after Singapore attained self-government, one of the first things the government did was to pass the landmark Women’s Charter in 1961, which institutionalised the equal standing of men and women in marriage and ensured the protection and welfare of women in Singapore.  Since then, we have significantly improved healthcare services for women and both boys and girls enjoy equal access to education.

Various statistics demonstrate the success of these efforts. For example, within two generations, our literacy rates of women aged 15 and above have doubled from about 42% to over 96%. In a UN report published in September this year, Singapore was ranked 7^th worldwide and the only Asian country in the top 10 for gender equality on the UN Gender Inequality Index. This was an improvement from our 12^th placing just two years ago. In addition, women make up almost 30% of the Singapore Parliament, which is higher than the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s average of 25.5%. While we have made great strides in women’s development, we want to go further.

Earlier this year, Singapore published the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development, after a year-long, nationwide engagement with close to 6,000 Singaporeans from various walks of life. Unanimously endorsed in Parliament, the White Paper sets out 25 action plans to be achieved by the end of the decade, by the Government and in partnership with the community, in areas most salient to Singapore women.

It also reflects our shared vision towards a fairer and more inclusive society, where men and women partner each other as equals to fulfil their aspirations freely and fully.

Our vision emphasises the critical role of men, as both are partners to one another in all aspects of society, including in the family. Strong families form the cornerstone of resilient societies in Asian cultures, such as Singapore.

A key area of the White Paper is ‘Equal Opportunities in the Workplace’, to enable women to pursue their aspirations. According to a 2021 Deloitte report, Singapore has the highest percentage of women CEOs globally, but more needs to be done. Some key action plans in this area include:

a)  The Government working with employers and the union to strengthen workplace fairness, including through legislation.

b)  Entrenching flexible work arrangements as a workplace norm among others. This will help women to participate more fully in the workplace, and allow both men and women to balance their responsibilities within and outside work. The pandemic has shown that it is possible for workers to work from home. Properly organised and implemented with a clear evaluation mechanism in place, hybrid work can open up more opportunities for women to enter the job market or remain working without compromising productivity. Bearing in mind that women still carry most of the caregiving responsibilities, hybrid work provides many with the option to remain economically active and financially independent. Every employer should make their own assessment, and the recent announcements of some global employers reversing hybrid work should not be taken as the start of a Covid endemic norm or a desirable post-Covid recovery workplace. Employers need to look at the best way to recruit and retain talents and women form an important component of that talent pool.

c) Increasing women’s representation on boards with efforts led by the Council for Board Diversity. The benefits of board diversity are well-established. Having leaders with varied experiences, skillsets and perspectives enables organisations to be nimbler and more competitive.

Beyond legislation and policies, a whole of-society partnership is needed to engender broader mindset shifts. This includes breaking gender biases and traditional expectations of roles that men and women play.

A recent survey on marriage and parenthood in Singapore found that, among married respondents, 99% agreed that fathers and mothers were equally important as caregivers for children. 95% agreed that both parents should share equal responsibilities at home. Our mindsets and attitudes are already shifting as we speak.

Still, we will continue to do more:

a)   Men play a crucial role to champion equal opportunities at work and can play a greater role in caregiving, as men and women are equal partners and stand to gain from each other’s growth.

b)   Employers play an indispensable role in fostering a more supportive and family-friendly workplace culture.

c)  Starting from young, parents and teachers can encourage both boys and girls not to be limited by gender stereotypes. This should be complemented by ground-up efforts. For instance, in Singapore, the SG Women in Tech is a movement that seeks to attract, inspire and motivate girls and women to pursue careers in the tech sector. Today, women comprise 41% of Singapore’s technology workforce, compared to the global average of 28%. However, I believe more can still be done to encourage women and girls to join the tech sector.

Through this whole-of-society partnership approach, I look forward to a more equitable and inclusive future, where every man and woman is valued, and every woman has an equal opportunity to achieve her aspirations. I know I can count on the collective resolve of the Women’s Forum community to inspire and partner one another to act now, as there is no more time to lose. Together, let’s amplify each other’s capacity for impact on these issues.

I wish everyone a fruitful conference. Thank you.