UPR Sexual Rights Database

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 12) JS3 stated that although section 377A of the Penal Code, criminalising consensual sexual behaviour between adult males, had not been enforced since the last universal periodic review of Singapore in 2016, its continued existence permitted the institutionalisation of discriminatory policies against not just gay men, but the whole lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) community.
Para 40) JS4 stated that the stigma of being LGBTQ, associated with Penal Code Section 377A and media censorship, was a contributing factor in the failure to report or seek help when abused.

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.

National Report:
Para 53) Women are better represented and occupy important positions in the public, corporate and civil society sectors today, although representation at the higher corporate levels can be further improved. The Public Service tries to lead the way on this front. As of 2014, women constituted 56.7% of the Civil Service. 6 of the 23 Permanent Secretaries and 9 of the 32 Deputy Secretaries were women. Women made up 23% of the judges in the Supreme Court, and 48%, 69% and 48% of the total number of judicial officers in the State Courts, Family Justice Courts and Supreme Court respectively. Half of the officers in the Foreign Service are women. We now have many inspiring examples of women in leadership positions in public life. Singapore's first female Speaker of Parliament, Madam Halimah Yacob, was appointed in January 2013. There are currently one female Minister, four female Senior Ministers of State, and one female Parliamentary Secretary in the Government. 2 out of our 5 mayors are women.