UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 20) Enhancing protection against violence. Singapore has robust legislation criminalising violence under the Women’s Charter, the CYPA, the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA), and the Penal Code. With effect from January 2020, we fully repealed marital immunity for rape and expanded the definition of rape to cover nonconsensual oral and anal penetration by the penis. We also enhanced penalties for a range of offences committed against persons vulnerable to harm, including children, domestic helpers, persons in intimate relationships with offenders, and persons with disabilities whose mental or physical disabilities render them substantially unable to protect themselves from abuse.
Para 25) The Penal Code was amended in 2019 to double the maximum punishment for persons convicted of causing …, sexual offences, … against FDWs [Foreign Domestic Workers].

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.

UN Compilation:
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.
Para 82) [CEDAW] remained concerned that women continued to be underrepresented in ministerial posts, the judiciary, the police and the diplomatic service, in particular at decision-making levels.
Para 83) The ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations noted that in 2017 the median gross monthly salary of women employed in the same occupational category as men was systematically lower than that of men, except for clerical support workers, among whom it was slightly higher.

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 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.