UPR Sexual Rights Database

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 60) Singapore is fully committed to our obligations under the CRC. We are currently considering accession to the OP-CRC-SC. Like the other treaties we accede to, we want to ensure that necessary legislation and resources are in place at the time of accession so that our obligations can be implemented immediately.

National Report:
Para 33) The National Programme for Combating Human Trafficking for the 2011-2014 period and the National Programme for Combating Human Trafficking for the 2015-2018 period contain the National Action Plan for Combating Human Trafficking. The objective of the Programme for the 2015-2018 period is to ensure a comprehensive and effective fight against human trafficking that supports the development of coordinated activities of all stakeholders to reduce risks and prevent crimes of human trafficking, while creating conditions for providing assistance to human trafficking victims and for ensuring protection of their human rights, freedoms and dignity, taking account of gender-related aspects.

National Report Annex 1:
The Information Centre for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Crime Prevention of the MI SR, the SCP OMI, and Departments of Communication and Prevention at Regional Directorates of the PF deal with preventive activities focused on the fight against human trafficking within the MI SR. As of 1 July 2013, the National Unit for Fighting Illegal Migration at the Office of the Border and Foreign Police of the Presidium of the PF is a specialized unit dealing with detecting and investigating crimes of human trafficking.
Several outreach and education campaigns implemented in the 2014–2017 period focused on preventing human trafficking. A schedule of training courses was created, focusing on increasing the level of professional competence of both government and non-government entities in this field. Staff at MI SR give ad hoc lectures at schools, and for children in children’s care homes, who are a group at risk in terms of human trafficking. In order to provide information to the public, they attend meetings with various formats (conferences, workshops, panel discussions and round tables, breakfasts with journalists).
The Slovak Republic participated in the “HESTIA – Preventing Human Trafficking and Sham Marriages – a Multidisciplinary Solution” project, financed by the EU.
As part of its human trafficking prevention efforts, the MI SR implemented a number of outreach and educational campaigns, such as “GIFT BOX Slovakia – People Are Not for Sale” and a film festival to mark the European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The recommendation has been implemented.

UN Compilation:
Para 33) The Committee against Torture was concerned that Slovakia remained a country of origin, transit and destination for human trafficking, in particular for labour and sexual exploitation and forced begging. CEDAW noted with concern the ineffective identification of victims of human trafficking, the lenient sentencing of perpetrators and the vulnerability of Roma women and girls to trafficking for sexual exploitation.