UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 78) We supported Recommendations 94.18-19, 95.4 and 96.33 because we do not condone any form of Trafficking In Persons (TIP) and we seek to protect victims who fall prey to this scourge.

Para 79) We launched a National Plan of Action on TIP in 2012. This adopted a "4P" strategy to combat TIP - Prevention, Prosecution, Protection and Partnership. The InterAgency TIP Task Force has been implementing this plan, including securing a dedicated budget to fund various TIP efforts. It continues to work closely with other institutions, civil society and our international partners.

Para 80) Prevention of Human Trafficking Act. Our Parliament passed the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act in November 2014, which took effect on 1 March 2015. This Bill was developed by Member of Parliament Mr Christopher de Souza with the support of the TIP Task Force, and after extensive consultations with civil society and the public.

Para 81) This Act is an important additional tool for Singapore to deter and combat TIP. It clarifies the legal regime by providing a formal definition of TIP and prescribing severe penalties in a more targeted manner. Traffickers can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to S$100,000 for the first offence. The Court may also impose caning. We support these strong penalties because they serve as a strong deterrent against this serious crime. For cases involving children, this Act lowers the threshold of proof so that investigations can be initiated more easily.

Para 82) This Act also supports our collaboration with external law enforcement agencies for cases involving persons trafficked to, or through, Singapore. Our law enforcement officers are now empowered to investigate intermediaries in the trafficking chain. This Act also provides measures to protect the welfare of trafficked victims and to encourage the reporting of trafficking or suspected trafficking activity through provisions to protect informers.

Para 83) Singapore's recent efforts to combat TIP were positively noted in the June 2015 United Nations Secretary-General's report on TIP, which highlighted the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act and our work with NGOs to help businesses understand the implications of TIP for their supply chain management, among others. Most recently, Singapore acceded to the UN TIP Protocol in September 2015. This is an important step towards stronger cooperation with international law enforcement agencies. At the regional level, Singapore has worked closely with other ASEAN countries to conclude an ASEAN Convention to Combat, Prevent and Suppress TIP, which will be accompanied by a regional plan of action. This will improve regional capability to combat TIP and protect its victims.

Para 84) Protection of and assistance for victims of trafficking. Singapore's approach to TIP is not just about having effective laws and enforcing them. We also emphasise increasing public awareness of the TIP issue and protecting victims, including removing barriers that may impede them from approaching our authorities for assistance. Regardless of how a victim of trafficking is identified, once a person claims to be a victim or is identified to be a victim due to the presence of elements of TIP, they will be treated as such. Under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, there are measures to protect victims such as mandatory in-camera court proceedings for child victims and media gag orders for proceedings involving sexual exploitation. We also extend assistance to all victims. The Government works with a network of NGOs to provide them with food, shelter, medical care, trauma counselling and repatriation assistance. The movement of victims at shelters is not restricted.

UN Compilation:
Para 22) While welcoming the establishment of the Inter-agency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons and the adoption of the definition of "trafficking in persons", the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women remained concerned at the continuing prevalence of trafficking in women and girls in the country, the alleged criminalization and deportation of trafficked women and girls as immigration offenders and the low reporting rate ...

National Report:
Para 16) The Inter-Ministry Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) monitors the implementation of Singapore’s CEDAW obligations. The CEDAW Committee considered Singapore’s fifth periodic report (CEDAW/C/SGP/5) in 2017. In 2020, Singapore launched the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development, a national conversation series to gather feedback from thousands of Singaporeans on issues concerning women at home, at work, in schools, and in the community. The Conversations will culminate in a White Paper to be submitted to Parliament in 2021, with recommendations and a roadmap to further advance women’s protection, interests, and development in Singapore.
Para 19) Islamic law is applied for certain religious and personal matters pertaining to Muslims in Singapore. The application of Islamic law in Singapore takes into account evolving societal contexts and norms. For instance, in May 2019, the fatwa (religious ruling) on joint tenancy was revised to recognise joint tenancy contracts as religiously valid, without the need for additional documents to effect the right of survivorship. This protects Muslim widows, in particular, from financial distress and uncertainty.

UN Compilation:
Para 21) The Independent Expert on older persons noted that although the Constitution guaranteed equality for all persons, it did not explicitly recognize equality on the basis of sex.
Para 75) The Independent Expert on older persons noted the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men within the family and in society at large. She stated that such stereotypes were not only a root cause of violence against women in the private and public spheres, but also placed women in a disadvantaged position, including in the labour market.

National Report:
Para 17) Increasing participation. Singapore actively supports women’s participation in politics and in public service. In 2017, Singapore’s first female President, Halimah Yacob, took office. In 2020, 28 out of 95 Members of Parliament (29%) were women, greater than the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s world average of 24.5%. Currently, we have nine women out of 37 political office-holders. Women also make up 53% of the Public Service (as of 2019). The Council for Board Diversity, formed in January 2019, promotes greater representation of women on boards of listed companies, statutory boards, and non-profit organisations.
Para 18) Support for women in the society and family. Many women continue to shoulder many household and caregiving responsibilities. We have continued to enhance measures to promote sharing of domestic and family responsibilities, such as flexible work arrangements (FWAs). From 2018 to 2020, we committed more than S$200 million (US$152 million) in financial grants and developed practical guides to support employers in implementing and sustaining FWAs. Since 2017, fathers have enjoyed two weeks of paid paternity leave and can share up to four weeks of their spouses’ maternity leave. Under the national movement, “Dads for Life”, we have rolled out initiatives, such as “Dads@School”, to promote active fathering. Since 2017, single mothers also enjoy the same infant care and childcare subsidies and maternity leave as married mothers.
Para 122) … Taking stock of our progress against international measures, Singapore ranks: … (f) 12th for gender equality in the 2019 UN Gender Inequality Index.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 107) MARUAH stated that women in Singapore were still under-represented politically and in the workforce, and recommended that the Government actively push for gender parity.
Para 108) JS4 stated that Singapore did not have any policies that prohibited gender-based discrimination at the workplace.
Para 109) JS6 stated that women were paid less than men for similar work performed, and that sectors where women were concentrated were often lowly-paid. Gender discrimination and the gender wage gap affected women’s retirement savings.