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Millenium development goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that were established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. All 189 United Nations member states at the time (there are 193 currently) and at least 23 international organizations committed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the goals follow:
1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. To achieve universal primary education
3. To promote gender equality and empowering women
4. To reduce child mortality rates
5. To improve maternal health
6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. To ensure environmental sustainability
8. To develop a global partnership for development[1]
Each goal has specific targets and dates for achieving those targets. To accelerate progress, the G8 Finance Ministers agreed in June 2005 to provide enough funds to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to cancel $40 to $55 billion in debt owed by members of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) to allow them to redirect resources to programs for improving health and education and for alleviating poverty.

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015
Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education
Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs; reverse loss of environmental resources
Target 7B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
Proportion of land area covered by forest
CO2 emissions, total, per capita and per $1 GDP (PPP)
Consumption of ozone-depleting substances
Proportion of fish stocks within safe biological limits
Proportion of total water resources used
Proportion of terrestrial and marine areas protected
Proportion of species threatened with extinction
Target 7C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation (for more information see the entry onwater supply)
Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water source, urban and rural
Proportion of urban population with access to improved sanitation
Target 7D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers
Proportion of urban population living in slums

MDG 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUITY
The Goal: Promote Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women
What Do We Want To Achieve?
To eliminate gender inequality in education at all levels
What Have We Already Achieved?
We have achieved parity in access to primary education for boys and girls
In 2012, women occupied 19.7% of the seats in single or lower houses of national parliaments
117 countries have passed laws regarding wage equality
What Challenges Remain?
Only 9 of the 151 heads of state and 11 of the 192 heads of government are women
Women represent two-thirds of the illiterate population in the world
More than half of the women who work have unstable or vulnerable work conditions

MDG 7: ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
The Goal: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
What Do We Want To Achieve?
Incorporate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and reverse the loss of environmental resources
Decrease biodiversity loss
Reduce the number of people without access to safe drinking water and sanitation by half
Improve the lives of at least 100 million people who live in slums by 2020
What Have We Already Achieved?
In 2010, 89% of the world’s population, about 6.1 billion people, had access to safe drinking water. In 2015, that number will increase to include 92% of the world’s population
We have improved the lives of more than 200 million people living in slums
1,800 people have gained access to basic sanitation
What Challenges Remain?
2.6 billion people remain without access to healthcare
17,000 species of plants and animals are endangered
The atmospheric levels of substances that destroy the ozone layer could increase 10-fold by 2015

SINGAPORE SAYS GENDER EQUALITY CENTRAL TO COUNTRY’S PROMISING SOCIO-ECONOMIC

GROWTH, AS DELEGATION REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF WOMEN’S CONVENTION

Anti-Discrimination Committee Calls on Country to Drop Remaining Reservations
To Convention, Ratify other Human Rights Treaties, Combat Stereotypes, Trafficking

Singapore’s delegation to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women asserted today that gender equality was central to the country’s burgeoning socio-economic growth and responded to the Committee’s concerns over trafficking in persons, reservations to the women’s Convention, reinforced stereotypes and other issues, as it presented its latest periodic report.

“With people as our only natural resource, it follows that investing in, developing and maximizing the full potential of every individual, male or female, is a priority,” said Halimah Binte Yacob, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports and head of the delegation. She stressed that implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was an ongoing process that involved Government agencies, businesses, unions and employers, and civil society, representatives of which were present today.

Singapore had risen to tenth out of 138 countries on the United Nations Gender Inequality Index, she said, noting that maternal health was among the best in the world, women’s literacy had risen to 93.8 per cent and over half of entering students in universities were female. Stereotypes were disappearing — though that was “a work in progress”, and women’s participation in the work force had increased from below 30 per cent in the 1970s to 56.5 per cent in 2010. Women were also heavily represented in civil service and the judiciary, including in leadership positions.

She described multiple initiatives recently introduced to overcome challenges for better work-life integration, to ensure that women’s skills remained up-to-date and to promote fathers’ responsibility for child care. Following the most recent elections, over 22 per cent of members of Parliament were women. She stressed that through various platforms, the Government actively encouraged the political participation of women from all walks of life, something that would also increase with better education and the growing acceptance of women in public office.

On issues involving sharia applicable to the Muslim minority, she said that relevant agencies, along with the Islamic Religious Council, had undertaken a major project to ensure that religious law remained dynamic and responsive to the interest of women. As a result, the minimum age for Muslim marriage had been raised to 18, religious edicts on fairer property division had been issued and the blanket reservation against articles 2 and 16 of the Convention had been withdrawn. She added, however, that it was necessary to maintain the reservation against specific elements of those articles because of the need of the Muslim minority to practice their family and personal laws, though she pledged that the issue would be kept under review.

Outlining measures to combat sexual exploitation and abuse of domestic workers, she also described extensive efforts to stem trafficking in women, including an enhanced legal code, victim’s services and the creation of a multi-agency task force.

Following her presentation, experts welcomed progress in the socio-economic situation of women and the partial repeal of reservations, but they called on the country to drop remaining reservations to the Convention, to ratify other human rights conventions, to take proactive measures to increase women’s participation in various spheres, to combat stereotyped roles and to bolster efforts to combat trafficking in persons, among other efforts.

Explaining the remaining reservations to articles 2 and 16, a delegate from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore said they were meant to accommodate such Muslim family factors as the guardian’s permission for marriage, and various issues in divorce and polygamy. He stressed that there were mechanisms of recourse in all those areas and that sharia required that men prove they were qualified for additional marriages, with a result that the practice had declined to only 0.08 per cent of unions. One expert suggested that the practice be allowed to stand, to satisfy religious requirements, but that it be agreed that no men were qualified for it.

Some experts stressed that, even though women were making progress in participation in many sectors, so-called temporary special measures of affirmative action were needed to reach equal participation in more areas. Others voiced concern over the reinforcement of gender stereotypes, through widespread plastic surgery for women and reiteration of the idea of men as heads of households.

In response to many questions on Singapore’s efforts to combat trafficking in persons and when it might accede to the so-called Palermo Protocol concerning human trafficking of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Ms. Yacob agreed with the gravity of the situation and the need to continually step up vigilance and strengthen legal measures. While the country was not a party to that Protocol, the language of the instrument had been adopted in addressing that issue. She outlined initiatives in protection of victims and investigation of perpetrators, and said that a forthcoming national plan of action would augment those efforts with awareness-raising programmes.

In urging the ratification of additional treaties, experts stressed the importance of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and seven other such treaties, as well as the Optional Protocol of the women’s Convention, itself. They also discussed the need for comprehensive anti-discrimination language in national law and recalled that Committee had recommended the creation of a national human rights instrument in line with the Paris Principles.

The delegation replied that while Singapore lacked specific legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender, article XII of its Constitution guaranteed the equal protection of all people under the law and, therefore, prevented discrimination based on gender, marital status, age, disability or other such grounds. On the issue of other human rights treaties, Ms. Yacob said her Government considered them very seriously, but stressed that the principles involved were applied except for the provisions with which the country disagreed. “We don’t want ratification for the sake of ratification,” she added.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will meet again at a time and place to be announced.

Background

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women met this morning to consider the fourth periodic report of Singapore (document CEDAW/C/SGP/4).

Leading the delegation was Halimah Binte Yacob, the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports. She was joined, also from the Ministry, by Ong Toon Hui, Deputy Secretary; Lim Hwee She, Coordinating Director of Corporate Management; Noorul Farha As’art, Assistant Director of Women’s Development; and Kwan Sui Fen Karen, Manager of Women’s Development.

The delegation also included, from Singapore’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Vanu Gopala Menon, Permanent Representative; Kok Li Peng, Deputy Permanent Representative and Counsellor; and Chan Yu Ping, First Secretary.

Also joining were Ng Chun Pin, Director of Tripartite Programmes and International Labour at the Labour Relations and Workplaces Division of the Ministry of Manpower; Tan Sew Lan Janice, Deputy Director of Security of the Policy and Operations Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs; Liew Wan Choo Fereen, Deputy Director of Primary Care and Community Mental Health of the Ministry of Health; Davinia Filza Binte Abdulaziz, Deputy Senior State Counsel for the International Affairs Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers; and Sofia Binte Md Sharif, Senior Manger of the International Relations Unit of the Ministry of Manpower’s Workplace Policy and Strategy Division.

The delegation also included, from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Irwan Hadi bin Mohd Shuhaimy, Assistant Head of the Office of the Mufti and Secretary of the Fatwa Committee; and Raihanah Binte Halid, Executive in the Office of the Mufti.

Introduction of Report

Ms. BINTE YACOB said gender equality was central to the continued rapid socio-economic progress in Singapore. “With people as our only natural resource, it follows that investing in, developing and maximizing the full potential of every individual, male or female, is a priority.” Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was an ongoing process that required ownership by all stakeholders. Besides Government agencies, businesses, unions and employers, her Ministry worked closely with civil society, representatives of which were present today. She was pleased to announce that, last year, the country had ratified the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention.

Singapore, she explained, was a parliamentary republic with a written Constitution, which guaranteed the principles of equality and non-discrimination. The obligations of the women’s Convention were also realized through acts of Parliament, subsidiary legislation, policies and programmes, all of which were reviewed regularly and provided avenues for individual women to pursue gender equality. What she called a “whole-of-Government” approach was taken to advance such equality. A group of senior Government officials of all key agencies coordinated efforts related to the Convention, and that process was supported by the Office for Women’s Development in her Ministry, recently upgraded from what was known as “the Women’s Desk”.

Aided by such governance and robust socio-economic development, women in Singapore had come a long way, she said. The country was ranked tenth out of 138 countries on the United Nations Gender Inequality Index. In the World Economic Forum’s gender gap index, the country had risen almost 30 places in one year, from 84 in 2009 to 56 in 2010. International organizations had also recognized the country’s excellent health-care system, with a maternal mortality rate among the lowest in the world, at 2.6 per 100,000 births in 2010 and zero in 2009. Women had a literacy rate of 93.8 per cent, and female students made up more than half the full-time intake at local universities and were now well represented in traditionally male-dominated subjects. Stereotypes were disappearing and women’s participation in the labour force had increased from below 30 per cent in the 1970s to 56.5 per cent in 2010.

Concerted efforts in helping people fulfil career aspirations, including grants to spur flexible working arrangements, had resulted in adoption by an increasing number of companies of work-life integration initiatives. Since the last report, means-tested subsidies for child care and kindergarten had been significantly enhanced. Significant enhancements had been made to maternity benefits, and tax relief supported working mothers and caregivers. A national “dads for life” movement had been launched to encourage shared care-giving responsibilities. Enhanced paid child-care leave had resulted in many more fathers taking off time for child care. Women made up 25.3 per cent of employers in 2010 and constituted 56 per cent of the civil service, as well as 59 per cent of the top-two categories of officers. Six of the 22 top civil service posts were occupied by women, and more than half of the judicial officers in the subordinate courts and just under 20 per cent of the Supreme Court were women.

She said efforts were ongoing to overcome challenges for better work-life integration, to ensure that women’s skills remained up-to-date and to support elderly women in a rapidly aging society. Measures were put in place to allow older people to work longer, to provide better annuity opportunities, to maintain their health and to obtain financial maintenance from their children.

Following the most recent elections, she said, over 22 per cent of members of Parliament were women. She stressed that through various platforms, the Government actively encouraged the political participation of women from all walks of life, something that would also increase with better education and the growing acceptance of women in public office.

Underlining Singapore’s commitment to human rights in a regional context, she reported significant developments on the practice of sharia in Singapore, through the work of relevant agencies with the Islamic Religious Council and other stakeholders who had undertaken a robust comparative legal study and law reform to ensure that the religious law remained dynamic and responsive to the interest of women. As a result, Singapore had withdrawn its reservation against articles 2 and 16 of the Convention. The minimum age of Muslim marriage had been raised from 16 to 18 years old, and religious edicts issued to secure the financial welfare of Muslim women. However, it was necessary to continue to maintain the reservation against specific elements of articles 2 and 16 of the Convention because of the need of the Muslim minority to practice their family and personal laws. The delicate balance of the multicultural, multireligious society must be actively maintained, she stressed, while she assured the Committee that the Government would continue to review its Convention reservations in the context of societal needs and obligations.

On measures taken to protect vulnerable women, she said laws had been enhanced to protect women and girls against exploitation for commercial sex. It had been made an offence to purchase sexual services from a minor under 18 either in Singapore or overseas, to organize child sex tours or to print, publish or distribute any information that promoted commercial sex exploitation of minors under 18. The Child and Young Persons’ Act had been amended this year to enhance child protection of both boys and girls, and serious sex abuse was now subject to tougher penalties. This year had also seen the formation of an inter-agency task force on trafficking in persons, as part of the strengthening of the strategy consisting of prevention, prosecution, protection and partnerships. There was a comprehensive set of legislative, administrative and educational measures to protect foreign domestic workers, which were reviewed on a regular basis. A new employment agency regulatory framework introduced this year aimed to minimize abuses. She acknowledged that the Government would need to work more closely with countries of origin to overcome such challenges as the debt burdens accrued by migrants prior to their arrival in Singapore. In conclusion, she reiterated Singapore’s commitment to the full and practical realization of its Convention obligations.

Experts’ Questions and Comments

DUBRAVKA ŠIMONOVIĆ, expert member from Croatia, asked about Singapore’s plans for the potential future ratification of the Optional Protocol to the women’s Convention. She also wondered what role the country’s Parliament played in Singapore’s interactions with international treaty bodies. Had it received the concluding observations from the Committee’s previous review?

She wished to know more about Singapore’s dualist legal system. The Committee understood that it was not possible to directly invoke articles of the Convention in the country’s courts. Was that correct? Was it then possible for courts themselves to make references to relevant parts of the Convention? Noting that Singapore had not followed the recommendation to create a comprehensive prohibition of discrimination, which was contained in the Committee’s previous concluding observations, she asked if it would now consider doing so.

She was pleased that Singapore was “taking steps in the right direction”, and progress was evident, for example, through the partial withdrawal of some initial reservations to the Convention. However, some reservations remained. What obstacles stood in the way of their withdrawal?

PATRICIA SCHULZ, expert member from Switzerland, said that despite Singapore’s ratification of the Convention, the Committee was concerned that its accession to other important international treaties — especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — was lagging. Would the country ratify the seven other major international treaties? If so, what was the time frame for that process?

Further, there seemed to be a discrepancy between the assertion of Singapore’s Constitution that all people were equal and entitled to protection under the law, on the one hand, and a clause saying that only Singapore’s citizens were afforded legal protection. Could the delegation clarify the discrepancy? Like other experts, she was concerned about Singapore’s lack of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law. Its Constitution prohibited and criminalized male homosexuality, she noted. How did that affect lesbians? Finally, the media were fined for “presenting lesbianism as acceptable”, she said, asking how Singapore could reconcile such activities with the principles of the Convention.

VICTORIA POPESCU, Committee Vice-Chairperson and expert member from Romania, said that she hoped the country would ratify the Convention’s Optional Protocol, and asked for more information on steps taken towards that aim. Ensuring Singapore’s stated commitment to human rights through real implementation was critical. To that end, the Committee had recommended the creation of a national human rights instrument in line with the Paris Principles, as well as a national mechanism for monitoring the Convention’s implementation and for handling discrimination complaints filed by women.

The drafting of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, along with a specific law prohibiting discrimination based on gender, was critical, she agreed with other experts. The Committee, therefore, strongly recommended an amendment to Singapore’s Constitution, in order to introduce those elements, or alternatively, the enactment of specific anti-discrimination legislation.

Noting that various forms of discrimination, especially against disadvantaged women, were still prevalent, she echoed concern that the Convention had not yet seen a “full domestication” in Singapore. Could the delegation provide information on steps taken — and those still outstanding — to better enforce the Convention and to allow for its invocation in national courts?

YOKO HAYASHI, expert member from Japan, said that Singapore’s economic growth had opened a “wealth of opportunities” for women in Singapore. However, the country needed to ensure that all growth was in line with the principle of gender equality. In that light, what budget was allocated to women’s development, and what percentage of the overall budget did that constitute?

As much progress had been affected through the work of the inter-ministerial committee, she wondered about that committee’s engagement with the national Parliament. Was gender training of various professionals in place? Had any work been done to incorporate migrant women and foreign wives into the national legislative provisions?

Delegation’s Responses

The head of the delegation said that while Singapore lacked specific legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender, article XII of its Constitution clarified the important principle of equality. That article guaranteed the equal protection of all people under the law, and therefore prevented discrimination based on gender, marital status, age, disability or other such grounds. No cases along those lines had yet come before the Singapore courts, but cases falling under similar jurisdiction showed that it was possible.

That article was in line with local academic opinion, she continued. The Government worked through both legal and non-legal channels, under the purview of the inter-ministerial committee, to counter discrimination. Additionally individual forms of discrimination fell under the appropriate ministry, she said, or were referred to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices. Legislation also covered some of those specific areas.

With regard to the position of the Convention in domestic law, she said that the treaty’s provisions did not automatically become part of the law. But a woman facing discrimination could invoke the principle of equality under Singapore’s national law. Reporting on and dissemination of international recommendations was taken seriously, and their implementation was monitored; for example, the recommendations from the Committee’s last review had been disseminated all the way to the Office of the Prime Minister himself.

A delegate from the Attorney-General’s Chambers took the floor to address Singapore’s dual jurisdiction status. In practice, if an individual wished to cite a principle of the Convention in court, he or she would not invoke that principle directly, but would first refer to the relevant national law. Courts, however, had referred to the relevant international standards in several instances, which had established a precedent.

On the conflict between the Convention and the Constitution’s article XII, the point was not to limit the guarantee of equality only to citizens of Singapore; it was simply an additional clause added to refer to specific grounds of discrimination, she said. Singapore had given further consideration to the Convention’s Optional Protocol following the last review in 2007, and after careful consideration, it had decided not to accede to it. Singapore felt that it had sufficient mechanisms in place to address discrimination, and assured the Committee that the Convention’s implementation was under constant review.

Another member of the delegation said that Singapore did not condone any discrimination in the workplace. National legislation offered avenues for both complaint and redress. Complementing that legislative approach, the Tripartite Alliance aimed to change the mindsets and behaviours of employers. It had concluded guidelines on fair employment practices, which provided for equal hiring practices. It was also important to note that only 0.2 per cent of women had cited discrimination as their reason for not working, she said.

Another delegate added that the reservations to articles 2 and 16 had only been partially withdrawn as some parts of the domestic framework, or sharia made parts of those reservations necessary.

To elaborate further, a delegation member from the Islamic Council of Singapore said that sharia made an allowance for men to engage in polygamy in very exceptional circumstances. However, only 0.08 per cent per cent of marriages were polygamous and that represented a significant decline. All applications for such marriages were rigorously reviewed, he stressed. Additionally, the first wife had several avenues of recourse available, including appealing on the decision to allow a polygamous marriage, or filing for divorce.

Another sharia provision that prevented the full withdrawal of reservations was a rule that women who wished to get married must have a legal guardian, or a “wali”. However, it was ensured that the right of a woman to be heard was integrated into that wali requirement under Singapore’s national laws.

On divorce, several grounds existed for women to seek recourse, he said. Those included infidelity, failure of a husband to provide for physical and emotional needs and abuse or violence. After a divorce, a time period must elapse before a new marriage was permitted, he added. He then shared specific recent developments in the areas of inheritance law, namely that many of those laws were now in harmony with provisions of civil law, including in the area of property division, as well as with the Convention. Since the last review, Singapore had raised the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 for both genders. However, written law still allowed for the marriage of a girl between the ages of 16 and 18 under exceptional circumstances. Marriages in that age group had nonetheless dropped by 80 per cent in recent years.

The head of the delegation then addressed the issue of other human rights treaties. Singapore’s Government took ratification very seriously and had fully considered its potential obligations under those treaties. However, she stressed, “we don’t want ratification for the sake of ratification”. Simply because Singapore had not ratified those treaties did not mean that those principles were not applied — in fact, they were, but it did not agree with certain provisions.

On the lack of a national human rights commission, she said the end goal was to achieve gender equality. Singapore felt that aim could be achieved through its existing mechanisms. The inter-ministerial committee was an important element of that machinery, and, in fact, went beyond the scope of the Convention to encompass other critical human rights elements. It was also supported by the Office of Women’s Development, which was able to address new and emerging issues in a more targeted way.

On budgets for women’s issues, it was difficult to state a figure as the ministries all worked collectively. Through all those offices, she said, a strong budget was available. Singapore believed that the “different” approach brought together more areas of expertise, she added.

More than half of those working in the civil service were women, another member of the delegation said. All of those employees underwent a series of obligatory training on the protection of the rights of different stakeholder groups, including women, which naturally imposed a gender perspective. There was also, increasingly, a requirement to engage in consultation with the affected stakeholders before a new legislation was enacted. All law-enforcement professionals were strictly trained on handling gender issues, and abided by strict guidelines.

Experts’ Questions and Comments

VIOLETA NEUBAUER, expert member from Slovenia, said it appeared that a number of ministries, including that of finance, did not participate in the Government group dedicated to the implementation of the Convention. She asked whether gender mainstreaming was widely applied or if there was a more narrow approach. Regarding special temporary measures of affirmative action, she said that was not enough to treat women equally in many areas. Often, special measures were required to fulfil the treaty obligations. The problem was not always disadvantages of women, but the advantages already enjoyed by men. She asked if proactive efforts were being considered to help increase women’s participation on boards of public organizations and to ensure participation of women with disabilities.

AYSE FERIDE ACAR, expert member from Turkey, said she was concerned about the overemphasis on women’s beauty in Singapore, including increased plastic surgery, which reinforced the idea of women as sex objects. In addition, she said, it appeared that the role of men as heads of households was being reinforced. She asked what kinds of programmes were being put in place to counter those stereotypes. Regarding the remaining reservations to the Convention, she said “it was important to achieve equality of results, not just equality of opportunity”.

NAELA MOHAMED GABR, expert member from Egypt, recommended a review of best practices of other Muslim countries to see how sharia was integrated. She encouraged the ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Domestic Workers. On trafficking, she asked if the Government was working with civil society organizations. She said the legal definition of trafficking was too narrow, and she asked about services for the protection of victims and witnesses. She also asked when the Government might accede to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol) of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

SOLEDAD MURILLO DE LA VEGA, expert member from Spain, congratulated Singapore on having extended maternity leave, but said the father’s responsibility for child care was not addressed strongly enough. She noted also that women could not do military service. Pointing to advertisements in magazines, she asked if Singapore regulated international marriage agencies, and if the Government intervened to assist women who developed problems in the resulting marriages. She asked also what was done to prevent discrimination against divorced single mothers or widows. Finally, she asked how violence against domestic workers was addressed.

SILVIA PIMENTEL, Committee Chairperson and expert member from Brazil, asked how a grievance of gender stereotyping could be brought, if a general anti-discrimination law was being considered and if reform of censorship laws on homosexual matters was being considered. She also asked about laws to prevent domestic violence in the context of same-sex relationships.

ISMAT JAHAN, expert member from Bangladesh, said that, in practice, trafficking victims were usually deported, so they were discouraged from reporting the crime, and as a result, few substantiated cases had been brought to justice. The full means called for by the Palermo Protocol, therefore, was not being applied. She asked what was being done to redress the situation, as well as what kind of monitoring of the trafficking task force was being conducted. She added that restrictive immigration laws could increase trafficking. On domestic foreign workers, she asked if separate legislation for their protection was being considered. Finally, she asked about protection measures for foreign wives.

ZOHRA RASEKH, Vice-Chairperson and expert member from Afghanistan, asked about the mandate and accomplishments of the anti-trafficking task force, as well as about any efforts to reduce the demand for trafficked women or to educate migrant workers to prevent them from becoming victims of trafficking. She also asked about funding for non-governmental organizations working to help trafficking victims and about education to help migrants from falling into trafficking or other forced servitude.

VIOLET TSISIGA AWORI, Committee Rapporteur and expert member from Kenya, said that Singapore’s definition of trafficking was narrower than the language in the Palermo Protocol, so the full extent of trafficking might not be confronted. Training for law enforcement and other stakeholders was also needed. She asked about monitoring and assessment of the trafficking task force.

Delegation’s Responses

Ms. YACOB agreed with the gravity of the trafficking situation and the need to continually step up efforts on vigilance and legal measures. She said that the law allowed targeting both domestic and overseas traffickers. While the country was not a party to the Palermo Protocol, the language of that instrument had been adopted in addressing the issue. In addition, the claims of those who said they were victims of trafficking were taken seriously. There was a template for law enforcement officers to elicit information to determine whether or not a person was a victim, and they were trained to deal with trauma. Resources were available to deal with foreign-language victims. There were clear guidelines on investigating trafficking claims.

Victims, she said, were provided shelter, and the sufficiency of the three existing shelters was constantly reviewed. At present, the facilities were only 80 per cent full. There were also networking systems to ensure that victims’ needs were met. Foreign embassies had been contacted to ensure that information on victims was passed on to the law-enforcement authorities, but often there was no follow-up. That area had to be strengthened. The approach to trafficking was proactive. More than 40 per cent of investigated cases arose from that proactive approach. The task force coordinated all related initiatives and worked with the international inter-agency task force, and had worked with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). A forthcoming national plan of action would augment those initiatives with awareness-raising programmes.

Specific to public education campaigns, a delegate said that Singapore, along with other member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was part of an initiative of the organization Child Wise on child sex tourism. Diligent border checks served to interrupt the supply of victims, and perpetrators were subjected to tough penalties. All suspected sex workers were questioned in several languages, and those identified as victims were treated as victims. In 2010 alone, she said, 24 child sex tourism perpetrators had been arrested.

On the rights of foreign domestic workers, a delegate from the Ministry of Manpower said that Singapore engaged in the regular review of legislation, enforcement and outreach measures. There was extensive coverage of the rights of those workers. All employers were responsible for adequate conditions, health, housing and the personal well-being of their foreign employees, and those who did not comply could be prosecuted and punished.

The new employment agencies act had been enacted specifically to make sure that employment agents could not charge exorbitant rates, she continued. While Singapore’s strong regulatory framework had drawn many foreign domestic workers, a survey had shown that most were happy. Seven out of ten surveyed said that they intended to stay in Singapore beyond the length of their current contract, and almost 90 per cent were aware of their employment rights.

Regulating domestic work was difficult, she said, and would require further review and consultation with stakeholders. Singapore was reviewing the sufficiency of its current provisions, including penalties for those violating the rights of domestic workers.

On the portrayal of women in the media, a delegate from the Ministry of Health said that a multipronged approach was in place. Self-esteem and positive body images were used in schools, as were emotion management programmes and other supportive services. Medical practitioners that did not follow national laws on aesthetic practices were liable to penalties, she added. They were also subject to publicity regulations, requiring that ads be factual and not misleading. Only licensed institutions could advertise medical procedures, and an advertising standards monitoring body existed.

Another delegate said that Singapore had adopted a definition of “head of household” to mean the person generally acknowledged as such by other members of the household, or the person who managed the family’s affairs. That definition was quite gender neutral, she pointed out. Efforts had been made in recent years to emphasize the importance of role-sharing in families. Initiatives were under way in public schools to promote active fatherhood, and they were beginning to gain traction and bear fruit.

Currently, she said, only male citizens had mandatory military service. However, no rule existed excluding women from serving if they so chose. Furthermore, it was not true that men in national service earned more than women; in fact, in many occupations the reverse was true. Taking the floor, another delegate said that matchmaking agencies in Singapore were registered legally; while the industry was not officially regulated, those services gained credibility by becoming accredited. Such agencies also had to abide by advertising guidelines, including requirements that ads portray images respectful of human dignity, and that they never promise or guarantee marriages, among others. If they failed to comply, their ads would not be published.

It was true that the Ministry of Finance and others were not represented in the inter-ministerial committee. That was because their work was not directly relevant to ensuring the equality of women, she said. Those ministries would be consulted if issues related to their subject matter arose. The fact that the Ministry of Finance, in particular, was not represented did not mean that financial issues were neglected, she stressed. However, further engagement with that Ministry could be proposed.

Singapore felt that special temporary measures should only be used in very urgent cases or to rectify severe imbalances, she added. The country believed that its policies were, by and large, gender neutral, and that temporary special measures, therefore, were not required.

Experts’ Questions and Comments

Ms. SCHULZ, expert from Switzerland, again asked what prevented the ratification of treaties, if Singapore was already living by their principles. Did the country plan to repeal the section of the Penal Code on male homosexuality? In a related vein, the delegation had not responded to the question about the status of lesbians. Could the delegation explain whether all employment discrimination cases could be brought to court, or if any exceptions existed?

Unfortunately, she said, she still had not fully grasped the situation of the Convention’s implementation in Singapore. It still seemed that the treaty was not domesticated. Could the delegation offer a comment?

Ms. ŠIMONOVIĆ, expert member from Croatia, referred to the “Ministry of Manpower”, which she said was oddly named considering the issues under review today. With respect to the partial withdrawal of reservations to the Convention, she felt that good answers had been given, but additional questions existed, including whether article 2 would be domesticated and how it would fit into national law. Why did reservations still exist to article 2(a) if, in fact, no discrimination existed?

Ms. ACAR, expert from Turkey, called for more information about the “head of household” definition. In the last census, what percentage of household heads had been men, based on the criteria mentioned? What was being done to counteract the prevalent attitudes that men were automatically the heads of households?

Ms. MURILLO DE LA VEGA, expert from Spain, said that the implementation of the Convention was still not seen in Singapore. She requested more information on the controls placed on marriage agencies, and asked the delegation to discuss its policy on marriages with immigrants. Additionally, was paternity leave considered a right in Singapore?

RUTH HALPERIN-KADDARI, expert member from Israel, appreciated the wide process of consultation, which the delegation had described in many instances of legislative drafting, as well as the work Singapore had done with experts aimed at harmonizing of domestic law with sharia. She wondered if there were women on the Islamic Religious Council, and whether any women leaders represented the Muslim community at large.

Ms. POPESCU, Vice-Chairperson and expert from Romania, asked again about the domestication of the Convention. She was concerned, in particular, about its position in Singapore’s dual legal system. What had the Government done, including by enacting special laws, to attempt to domesticate it? If it was not incorporated into domestic law in some way, she stressed, the Convention was essentially “useless”. Additionally, the delegation had noted that it was not possible to invoke the Convention directly in courts. What measures were being taken to change that fact?

Secondly, she returned to the issue of a human rights commission. While the delegation had stated that its inter-ministerial committee performed an equivalent function to such a body, “they’re completely different”, she emphasized. The inter-ministerial committee was a Government body with a precise mandate related to the Convention, while a human rights body was designed as an independent institution in line with the Paris Principles. The creation of such a commission would help Singapore go beyond the declared level of its commitment, she said, encouraging it do so and to report to the Committee on a proposed timeframe.

Delegation’s Responses

The head of the delegation took note of the expert’s comment regarding the name of the “Ministry of Manpower”, and said that she would pass the comment along to the appropriate parties within the Ministry.

She said that questions about the domestication of the Convention had already been fully addressed, and further reassured the Committee that Singapore’s adherence to the principles of the Convention was not a “mere declaration”. The intent and purpose of its domestic laws were aligned with the Convention, if not, with all of its exact language.

Taking the floor to augment that explanation, another member of the delegation said that Singapore’s dualist system, by which domestic laws took precedence, was used and respected by many other countries. Nevertheless, the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the country’s Constitution, including those in article XII, were enforceable in court; since those constitutional laws were well aligned with the Convention, they were subsequently also respected. She also reminded the Committee that while international treaties were not directly applicable in court, the courts themselves would refer to them in their decisions. That had been done in several instances, which had set a legal precedent.

Regarding article 2 of the Convention, she wished to correct the misperception that Singapore’s was a wide-ranging reservation. In fact, the reservation referred only to personal and religious law. Both Articles 2 and 16 appeared elsewhere in national law, outside of those limited areas.

Moving to article 5 of the Convention, she elaborated on Singapore’s domestic framework, which protected women from family violence. Victims of such crimes could apply directly to courts for protection; family violence was a “sizeable” offence, and if one was found guilty, serious penalties existed. Other articles supplemented the Constitution in protecting citizens from violent acts. Further, under the implementation framework, women could apply for immediate protection and temporary assistance, including shelter. Medical and other services were also available through a network of providers.

A delegate from the Islamic Religious Council added that, in 2006, a fatwa had been enacted allowing women to sit on the appeals boards of sharia courts; several initial appointments of women had since been made, marking the significant entry of women into sharia courts in Singapore and “setting a tone” for the future. Women had also sat on the Islamic Religious Council, he said, and among other recent progress, seven female religious scholars had been appointed to serve as advisers to the Council.

Turning to the question of a national human rights commission, the head of the delegation reiterated that the goals and objectives of gender equality could be achieved under Singapore’s current structure. She was not aware of any legislation requiring the heads of household to be men; any other understanding of the matter was a misconception.

It was not possible to “100 per cent eradicate” negative stereotypes, she said, but many efforts were under way to do so, especially through measures targeting fathers. “The mindsets are changing,” she said, but added “it is a work in progress”.

There were no plans in place to repeal section 377(a) of the Penal Code. That had been vigorously debated in Parliament, resulting in divided views. The general approach, however, was that the provision would not be enforced unless a complaint was filed. There was no systemic discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, she emphasized. With regard to censorship, all movies, including those with such themes, were subjected to the same review by a board of censors as all other movies.

Addressing concerns raised about the welfare of foreign brides, she said such wives were able to apply to stay in the country on their own merits, regardless of actions taken by a spouse or ex-spouse. Legal provisions and enforcement agencies existed to regulate matchmaking agencies, she added.

Paternity leave was not guaranteed by law, but was offered by nearly half of employers, she said. The practice was gaining traction. Singapore did indeed hope to see more women on the boards of publicly traded companies; efforts were under way through the Board Agenda Project to ask companies to consciously place women on their boards. A gender-neutral master plan on disabilities was in place in Singapore, though it was currently under review in an effort to make it more comprehensive.

Experts’ Questions and Comments

OLINDA BAREIRO-BOBADILLA, expert from Paraguay, welcomed progress in parliamentary representation of women, but asked if parliamentarians were involved in decisions on the national budget. She suggested that they could then better finance the ministries related to women’s interests. She also asked about the nature of the inter-ministerial committee on the Convention’s implementation. She expressed concern over the lack of mechanisms to promote proportionality in the legislature. She also asked about the role of the Islamic Council in the inter-ministerial committee, and about women’s movements in the country.

MARIA HELENA LOPES DE JESUS PIRES, expert member from Timor-Leste, said there seemed to be discrepancies in the number of women Members of Parliament. She wondered if there were structural or societal difficulties for women who wanted to enter public life and if there were special organizations to help them. She also asked about the participation of minority women in various programmes. Finally, she asked if there was an electoral commission and, if so, whether women were included in it.

ZOU XIAOQIAO, expert member from China, welcomed the lifting on reservations on granting of nationality for children of foreign-born parents and asked about the situation of children born before that reservation had been withdrawn. She also asked for information about obtaining permanent-residency status by foreign-born wives.

Delegation’s Responses

Ms. YACOB said the discrepancy in the figures for Parliament resulted from the loss of one woman’s seat in Parliament in the last election, with the loss of a women minister as well. There was a women’s wing in the ruling party structure, which pursued reforms to policies affecting women; for example, removing the quota concerning medical students. She stressed that women in Parliament had more impact than their numbers would suggest.

On disabilities services in schools, she said there was training for teachers to allow regular schools to admit children with disabilities, as well as well-resourced special schools. On the situation of divorced foreign wives, she said they could apply for special visas; other immigration laws were gender neutral and a minimum residential period was applied before permanent residency was granted. There were more than 1 million foreign workers in the country, which was a huge portion of the population.

A delegate from the Foreign Ministry added that divorced spouses retained their permanent residency or citizenship gained while they were married, and foreign wives received equal protection under the law. Information had been disseminated about such issues. Approximately 9 out of 10 applications of foreign spouses for citizenship between 2006 and 2010 had been granted.

Experts’ Questions and Comments

Ms. ZOU, expert from China, said significant progress had been made in Singapore with regard to the education of women. Were its training centres open to women seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce, and women with very limited skills or experience? Were they open to foreign workers? If not, what programmes were open to foreign workers? Additionally, the report noted that the compulsory education act excluded children with disabilities, she said, asking the delegation to clarify its position.

NIKLAS BRUUN, expert member from Finland, recalled that, despite the Committee’s recommendation that Singapore withdraw its reservation to article 11, it had not done so. An in-depth study of the content of that article had not been conducted by Singapore, it seemed, as the country already adhered to most of its obligations. Why did Singapore then continue to maintain its reservation to paragraph 1(d), regarding women in the labour market? He hoped the delegation could assure the Committee that it would at least reassess its withdrawal.

Additionally, did Singapore conduct objective job evaluations? Were remedies available to those who suffered from the non-compliance of an employer with regard to the principle of equal work for equal pay? Laws could be used to prosecute sexual harassment in the workplace, but he said that even more effective legislation was needed. Was Singapore paying special attention to the problems that vulnerable categories of women might face in the workplace?

On the issue of foreign domestic workers, Ms. HAYASHI, expert from Japan, drew attention to the point in the report that such workers were given the choice of additional compensation, instead of rest days. Why did only foreign workers lack compulsory rest days? On the resolution of employment disputes in which employers were at fault, she asked for figures on the number of foreign domestic workers who had actually submitted complaints under the conciliation provision. How many had received compensation? Had they been able to find another employer, following the settlement?

Finally, she noted that migrant foreign domestic workers in Singapore were subjected to mandatory tests for HIV and pregnancy. Were either of those findings grounds for deportation, and if so, did that not violate their rights?

PRAMILA PATTEN, expert member from Mauritius, also asked about sexual harassment in the workplace. Could the delegation clarify under what law employees could seek redress from management? To what extent did the Penal Code contain an adequate definition of sexual harassment? Had it developed a national sexual harassment prevention strategy?

It was commendable that mothers were given 16 weeks maternity leave, she said. However, the policy suffered from problems of implementation; furthermore, it seemed to be limited to citizens and to married women. One example of an implementation gap was the case of Singapore Airlines, which required pregnant flight attendants to resign. Were the current penalties for sexual discrimination in the workplace sufficiently strict? Had a study been conducted to measure the impact of work-life balance initiatives? Many companies were still not embracing such programmes, she said. What new measures were envisaged to encourage the participation of women in the workforce?

On article 11 of the Convention, which addressed health, MAGALYS AROCHA DOMINGUEZ, expert member from Cuba, expressed concern about the situation of certain “invisible” women in Singapore. Employers had been responsible for guaranteeing health services since 2006, she recalled. Had a follow-up assessment been taken on the effects of that change on the health of women migrant workers?

How did Singapore ensure that workers were not laid off in an effort by employers not to make health payments, or that women were not prevented from leaving work to have medical checkups? she asked. She also echoed concern about mandatory HIV and pregnancy tests for migrant women workers. What measures were adopted for compliance with, and follow-up to, anti-discrimination rules in the workplace? Finally, she asked about a reference made in the report to an increase in medical coverage for older women and those with severe disabilities. Why was that increase restricted to those with “severe” disabilities only?

Ms. PIMENTEL, Chairperson and expert from Brazil, asked whether women undergoing childbirth and other necessary health procedures, who were not covered by health insurance, had access to free prenatal, antenatal and related care in hospitals? Was pre- and post-test counselling, or provisions for treatment, available for those found to be living with HIV/AIDS? Would Singapore consider the recognition of same-sex partnerships in order to make health-care benefits more equitable?

Moving to article 16, Ms. HALPERIN-KADDARI, expert from Israel, asked if the name “Women’s Charter” might be changed to a more general “Family Code”. In areas of sharia, such as the need for wali permission to marry, polygamy and unequal inheritance rights, she wondered if more harmonization with domestic laws could be sought. Why not adopt the position that there was a presumption that a man was never able to provide for second wife? That would leave the law in place, but end polygamy in practice.

Regarding civil family law, especially divorce, Singapore offered a very liberal understanding of the consequences of divorce, she said. However, a stay-at-home mother might receive less property in a divorce. Could the delegation provide more information on that, as well as on the distribution of intangible property and future earning potential? Relating to maintenance, she wondered if there was a framework for the Government to provide for women and children who were not able to collect debts from men who defaulted on their payments.

Marital rape was only defined as a crime in cases when the couple no longer lived together, she noted, which was “extremely alarming”. Could the delegation provide information on any changes envisaged? Lastly, what were the rights of de facto unions, or those couples not formally married?

Delegation’s Responses

A delegate explained that the Government had carefully considered the withdrawal of reservations, but found that the reservation concerning article 11 was necessary. It was not the only country to have reached that conclusion, she said. Nonetheless, the inter-ministerial committee would keep the matter under active review. “We are not saying we are closing the door,” she said.

A delegate from the Ministry of Manpower said that the 50 continuing education and training centres, the “pride of Singapore”, was in fact available to all people regardless of gender or other factors. More than 270,000 workers were training in 2010 alone, he said, half of them women. Specific training programmes also existed for foreign domestic workers. Employers who did not provide their foreign domestic workers with sufficient rest were liable to be punished, he added. The Government was considering a legal weekly requirement for rest; however, the issue was a complex one and required wide consultation.

Regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, Singapore had in place a tripartite approach. When the harassment was of a criminal nature, offenders could be prosecuted and faced high fines, caning or prison time. Rates of sexual harassment in the workplace had been found by a recent survey to be on par with those of the European Union, he added.

Another delegate said that medical insurance for migrant workers had been raised from $5,000 to $15,000 annually. The exclusion of children with severe disabilities from compulsory schooling was for their own benefit, as many could not function in normal schools. Exclusion, therefore, protected their parents from being prosecuted for not sending them to school.

Most of Singapore’s laws were gender neutral and did not consider the sexual orientation of a person in their application, he said. Therefore, all rights, services and mechanisms available were accessible by both hetero- and homosexual people alike.

Another delegate said that pre- and post-HIV test counselling was available, and described an individual health savings account that she said was available to almost all Singaporeans, as well as complementary funds and services. Pregnant women also enjoyed the same benefits, she said. Lastly, as there was no rural population in Singapore, no comparative statistics were available. She referred the Committee to a website for other health-related data.

Yet another member of the delegation said that two measures provided protection for pregnant employees: the employees act, and the child core savings and development act, which was designed to encourage women to have children. The name of the Women’s Charter had been debated, she said, and might be changed in the future if some structural adjustments were first made. Singapore was making progress through its incentives to companies for instituting flexible work patterns. Additionally, Singapore Airlines was making changes to its policy on pregnant women. Overall, complaints on pregnancy-related discrimination had decreased in recent years, she said.

On reservations to article 16, some progress had been made, but it was important for Singapore to move at a pace acceptable to its community at large, she said. The focus in the future would be on how to improve the status of women under Muslim law. The country would constantly revisit and review the issue. Finally, she said that marital rape had been addressed as far as it could be at this time, but it would be revisited in the future.

United Nations, Bangkok, 8 March 2012 — On 8 March, the United Nations observes International Women’s Day. This year, the focus of the Asia-Pacific regional event was young people’s activism to end violence against women and girls. An interactive panel was held at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok under the framework of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s global campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women. Young activists from the region addressed an audience of students, professors, NGOs, members of the international community and journalists on their own work and experiences on preventing and ending violence against women and girls in their communities and beyond. Also joining the young panelists were Prof. Dr. Pongsapitch, President of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand who gave the keynote speech, and Noel Cabangon, Filipino singer and activist.

On this day, which celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women, the grim reality is that violence against women and girls continues to be one of the world’s most widespread human rights violations: 44% of women in Thailand and 64% of women in the Solomon Islands report having experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, while in rural Bangladesh, 30% of women reported their first sexual experience was forced. This is a result of deeply embedded cultural values, social attitudes and unequal power relations, which both lead to violence against women and girls and are even used to condone it. “It is these values and attitudes that young people have the power to change,” says Nanda Krairiksh, Co-chair of the UN Regional Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. “By rejecting outdated gender stereotypes and refusing to accept behaviours which perpetuate violence and discrimination, they can transform society.”

Underlining the key role of youth, Shoko Ishikawa, the other Co-chair of the thematic working group said, “In the Asia-Pacific region, the UNiTE campaign is working with young people, among others, to raise public awareness and to bring about fundamental behavioural change. Engaging with youth, especially young men, is a cornerstone to ending the pandemic of violence against women and girls in all countries, communities and social contexts.”

Using both new technologies and traditional means of outreach, the panelists exemplify how young people are developing networks, sharing ideas and inspiring one another locally and internationally. Coming from Cambodia, Indonesia, India and Thailand, they shared experiences on community volunteering to end violence, responding to violence against women living with HIV, using social media as a tool to mobilize young people, and addressing violence, stigma and discrimination against transgender people. Singer and activist Noel Cabangon from the Philippines joined the panel and performed his song “Men Move’, which calls on men to end violence against women and has been adopted by the Asia-Pacific UNiTE campaign as its theme song.

UNiTE to End Violence against Women is the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s campaign to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world by 2015. Asia-Pacific UNiTE is coordinated by the UN Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (RCM TWG-GEEW), co-chaired by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Asia-Pacific countries are making major headway on improving the lives of women and girls in the region. In Kyrgyzstan, landmark legislation on violence against women has been enacted. In Mongolia, maternal deaths at child birth have decreased dramatically to less than 100 per 100,000 live births. And in Nepal, women now fill 32.8 per cent of seats in parliament. These and other milestones in the stride for gender equality have been spurred by the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year.
Unanimously adopted by 189 countries in 1995, the Platform called for international commitment in 12 areas of critical concern for women and girls such as education, economy, violence and politics. In Asia-Pacific, tangible results in advancing gender equality are evident, fifteen years on. This progress was featured at an ESCAP gathering of Ministers and senior officials from 40 countries in the region, held in Bangkok, from 16-18 November 2009. "We recognize the role and positive impact that the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW and Millennium Development Goals have in helping countries to achieve and maintain their gender equality goals", stated Chompoonute Nakornthap, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. "And we consider it crucial to translate those commitments into solid action." The ESCAP meeting showcased success stories on women’s empowerment from across the region.
In the Philippines, a Magna Carta for Women's Law was adopted in 2009, laying out comprehensive women's human rights legislation. In Tonga, a Domestic Violence Unit was established in the Ministry of Police in 2007. In Sri Lanka, women have been successful in drawing attention to gender issues in the peace process. And in the Cook Islands, a National Policy on Reproductive health was adopted in 2008, along with a strategic plan to guide its implementation. The creation of women's departments in almost all countries in the region, was cited by ESCAP's Executive Secretary, Dr Noeleen Heyzer, as a concrete outcome of the 1995 Platform for Action.
Further, the Women's Convention, CEDAW, that aims to put an end to gender discrimination, has been adopted by almost all nations. Dr Heyzer cautioned however, that despite these gains, real challenges remain. Half of the world’s maternal deaths occur in Asia and the Pacific owning to complications during pregnancy and at child birth. Also violence against women still poses a significant challenge to the region. Furthermore, Dr Heyzer noted, "There is still so little accountability to women. Women must be included in systems of oversight at every level. They must be legitimate participants in all spheres of public life."
Attended by close to 400 participants of governments, NGOs and international organization, the ESCAP High Level meeting on Gender Equality had the following objectives: taking stock of achievements made in the region since 1995; laying out future challenges; and identifying ways to bridge the gap between policy and practice. Delegates called for renewed action in the region in specific areas of concern to women: accountability mechanisms in national policy making statistical capacity building farming support poverty eradication entrepreneurship information and communication technologies, and violence
A strong mandate was also given to ESCAP to strengthen its work in supporting initiatives for gender equality across the region, including mainstreaming gender considerations across all of its own programmes. Reaffirming their commitment to women's empowerment at the highest level of decision making in the Bangkok Declaration, regional leaders spoke with one voice at the ESCAP meeting. Backed up by the rich experiences of governments, civil society and international organizations, this regional position will make an important contribution to the global summit to mark the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, to be held in New York in March 2010.

‘Mixed picture’ of women’s progress shows need to better harness synergies – UN official
4 December 2013 – Despite significant progress in meeting international development goals for women’s empowerment, gaps in key areas remain, which require a renewed effort from all partners to better integrate gender issues into the overall quest for sustainable development, a United Nations gender equality official said today.
“It is … essential to harness the synergies between gender equality, women’s rights and empowerment with sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social, and environmental,” Lakshmi Puri, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) said as she opened a high-level forum at UN Headquarters in New York this morning.
The two-day event, organized ahead of the fifty-eighth session of the UN Commission of the Status of Women (CSW) next year, is looking at challenges and achievements in meeting the targets for women’s and girls’ progress in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which call for the reduction of extreme poverty and other global ills by the deadline of 2015.
MDG number 3 is specifically targeted to gender equality and the empowerment of women, but all eight Goals have been important for that purpose, Ms. Puri said.
“We know that the MDGs have played a critical role in galvanizing attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment – not least thanks to the existence of a stand-alone goal on the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment – but also to poverty eradication, education, health, water and sanitation, and the environment,” she stated.
As a result, there has been what she called “significant progress” in some areas, such as access to primary education and to water. On the other hand, progress is falling short in areas such as maternal mortality, social norms, access to decent work and participation in decision-making. There were also stark gaps within and between countries, she said.
Systematic mainstreaming and monitoring of gender equality issues across development goals was therefore needed, she said, noting that women’s empowerment was a precondition for achieving many goals and vice-versa.
In regard to the development framework beyond 2015, she called for a new, stand-alone goal with three core concerns: ending violence against women; equal access to resources and opportunities; and equal participation in all sectors of society.
The UN Women Stakeholders’ Forum continues today and tomorrow with six interactive panels, the last of which will focus on the post-2015 framework and include the participation of UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

Strengthening national mechanisms for gender equality and the empowerment of women
UN Women, in collaboration with the United Nations regional commissions, and with support from the Government of Italy, is implementing a multi-year project that aims to strengthen the collaboration and synergies between different mechanisms at national level to facilitate achievement of the goals of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The project will increase knowledge of different types of mechanisms for gender equality and women’s empowerment established at national level since 1995; increase understanding of priorities and strategies for strengthened collaboration and synergies between mechanisms for gender equality and women’s empowerment across regions; and increase capacity (skills and tools) of national mechanisms to collaborate at national and regional levels.
The project uses the following working definition: ‘national mechanisms for gender equality’ include those bodies and institutions within different branches of the State (legislative, executive and judicial branches) as well as independent, accountability and advisory bodies that, together, are recognized as ‘national mechanisms for gender equality’ by all stakeholders. They may include, but not be limited to: the national machinery for the advancement of women within Government (i.e., the more traditional national machinery referred to paragraph 201 of the Beijing Platform for Action, such as a Ministry, Department, or Office) inter-ministerial bodies (e.g. task forces/working groups or similar arrangements) advisory/consultative bodies, with multi-stakeholder participation gender equality ombudspersons parliamentary committees gender equality observatories.

Gender Equality
Challenges
Despite a number of positive changes in the status of women and their increasing contribution to socio-economic development, women and girls in Asia and the Pacific continue to face discrimination and institutionalized, legal and structural barriers to gender equality. In many countries of the region, societal and cultural attitudes and beliefs among both women and men continue to subordinate, disadvantage and endanger women. The region has made impressive economic gains over the past decades. Yet, poverty continues to disproportionately affect women who still comprise the majority of vulnerable workers in the region. Also, violence against women remains pervasive throughout the region, manifesting itself in many forms, including domestic violence, female foeticide, dowry-related killings, “honour” killings, harmful traditional and customary practices, trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls. Maternal mortality continues to be a serious concern, especially in South and South-West Asia, which accounts for one third of the world’s total maternal deaths. Additionally, the increasing number of women becoming infected by HIV from their spouses and intimate partners is alarming. With the ongoing demographic transition towards an ageing society, women will increasingly constitute the majority of older persons.
Our response
ESCAP provides a critical intergovernmental platform for Governments and other stakeholders in the region to discuss and reach agreement on gender policies, programmes and mechanisms to implement the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Millennium Development Goals. The promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment stands at the core of the ESCAP development agenda. Our priorities with regard to gender issues are:
Promoting women’s leadership and role in decision-making.
Strengthening the capacity of national women’s machineries to effectively advocate for women’s rights and interests.
Strengthening regional capacity to combat violence against women.
Promoting gender mainstreaming within ESCAP and among member States.
ESCAP provides technical support to Governments and partners in civil society through capacity-building and training, research and analysis, policy formulation, and advocacy. As part of its coordinating role, ESCAP co-chairs the Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The Working Group, comprising 22 United Nations regional entities, works together to ensure a coherent response on gender issues.

Representatives from 10 countries across the Asia-Pacific region joined a United Nations Regional Forum on 17 and 18 April 2013 to formulate policy to create a supportive environment for women’s entrepreneurship.
Held in China’s capital, the Regional Forum on Creating an Enabling Environment for Women’s Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurship in Asia and the Pacific examined key trends and obstacles, and in particular, culled findings from in-depth research on socio-cultural and policy environments in China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in cooperation with the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF), and in partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, the Regional Forum was attended by government officials, business leaders, academics and civil society organizations.
Asia and the Pacific will remain the fastest growing region globally and an anchor of stability in the world economy. Yet, output per worker could be 7 to 18 percent higher across a range of countries if female entrepreneurs and workers were to work in the same sectors, types of jobs, activities as men, and have the same access to productive resources. Restricting job opportunities for women in Asia and Pacific countries is costing the region an estimated US $89 billion every year.
Entrepreneurship has great potential to empower women to develop economic independence, overcome poverty and contribute to economic growth. However, legislative, institutional, financial and cultural barriers continue to impede women’s full participation in national economies.
“Women in Asia-Pacific often bear the brunt of lingering poverty, and yet possess largely untapped potential as drivers of equitable and sustainable growth. Entrepreneurship provides a uniquely powerful means to harness that potential and advance gender equality through women’s economic empowerment,” said Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, at the opening of the Regional Forum.
A national consultation on women’s entrepreneurship in China concluded on 16 April. The consultation identified strategies and policies for enabling women to play a bigger role in enterprise development and the China’s economy.
“Entrepreneurial training will be instrumental in empowering individual women and improving economies, not only at the local level but nationally as well,” said Dina Habib Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. “We are pleased to participate with our partners in this forum to help create a supportive, productive environment for women entrepreneurs.”
Dr. Heyzer also launched Asia-Pacific regional preparations for the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. This visionary global agenda covers 12 critical areas of concern, including women’s economic participation.
The Regional Forum and national dialogues were organized as part of the regional programme to promote women’s economic participation and entrepreneurship in Asia and the Pacific, implemented by ESCAP, in partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women.

INTRODUCTION
On 18 December 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It entered into force as an international treaty on 3 September 1981 after the twentieth country had ratified it. By the tenth anniversary of the Convention in 1989, almost one hundred nations have agreed to be bound by its provisions.
The Convention was the culmination of more than thirty years of work by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, a body established in 1946 to monitor the situation of women and to promote women's rights. The Commission's work has been instrumental in bringing to light all the areas in which women are denied equality with men. These efforts for the advancement of women have resulted in several declarations and conventions, of which the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women is the central and most comprehensive document.
Among the international human rights treaties, the Convention takes an important place in bringing the female half of humanity into the focus of human rights concerns. The spirit of the Convention is rooted in the goals of the United Nations: to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity,v and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women. The present document spells out the meaning of equality and how it can be achieved. In so doing, the Convention establishes not only an international bill of rights for women, but also an agenda for action by countries to guarantee the enjoyment of those rights.
In its preamble, the Convention explicitly acknowledges that "extensive discrimination against women continues to exist", and emphasizes that such discrimination "violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity". As defined in article 1, discrimination is understood as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made o.1 the basis of sex...in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field". The Convention gives positive affirmation to the principle of equality by requiring States parties to take "all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men"(article 3).
The agenda for equality is specified in fourteen subsequent articles. In its approach, the Convention covers three dimensions of the situation of women. Civil rights and the legal status of women are dealt with in great detail. In addition, and unlike other human rights treaties, the Convention is also concerned with the dimension of human reproduction as well as with the impact of cultural factors on gender relations.
The legal status of women receives the broadest attention. Concern over the basic rights of political participation has not diminished since the adoption of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women in 1952. Its provisions, therefore, are restated in article 7 of the present document, whereby women are guaranteed the rights to vote, to hold public office and to exercise public functions. This includes equal rights for women to represent their countries at the international level (article 8). The Convention on the Nationality of Married Women - adopted in 1957 - is integrated under article 9 providing for the statehood of women, irrespective of their marital status. The Convention, thereby, draws attention to the fact that often women's legal status has been linked to marriage, making them dependent on their husband's nationality rather than individuals in their own right. Articles 10, 11 and 13, respectively, affirm women's rights to non-discrimination in education, employment and economic and social activities. These demands are given special emphasis with regard to the situation of rural women, whose particular struggles and vital economic contributions, as noted in article 14, warrant more attention in policy planning. Article 15 asserts the full equality of women in civil and business matters, demanding that all instruments directed at restricting women's legal capacity ''shall be deemed null and void". Finally, in article 16, the Convention returns to the issue of marriage and family relations, asserting the equal rights and obligations of women and men with regard to choice of spouse, parenthood, personal rights and command over property.
Aside from civil rights issues, the Convention also devotes major attention to a most vital concern of women, namely their reproductive rights. The preamble sets the tone by stating that "the role of women in procreation should not be a basis for discrimination". The link between discrimination and women's reproductive role is a matter of recurrent concern in the Convention. For example, it advocates, in article 5, ''a proper understanding of maternity as a social function", demanding fully shared responsibility for child-rearing by both sexes. Accordingly, provisions for maternity protection and child-care are proclaimed as essential rights and are incorporated into all areas of the Convention, whether dealing with employment, family law, health core or education. Society's obligation extends to offering social services, especially child-care facilities, that allow individuals to combine family responsibilities with work and participation in public life. Special measures for maternity protection are recommended and "shall not be considered discriminatory". (article 4). "The Convention also affirms women's right to reproductive choice. Notably, it is the only human rights treaty to mention family planning. States parties are obliged to include advice on family planning in the education process (article l O.h) and to develop family codes that guarantee women's rights "to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to hove access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights" (article 16.e).
The third general thrust of the Convention aims at enlarging our understanding of the concept of human rights, as it gives formal recognition to the influence of culture and tradition on restricting women's enjoyment of their fundamental rights. These forces take shape in stereotypes, customs and norms which give rise to the multitude of legal, political and economic constraints on the advancement of women. Noting this interrelationship, the preamble of the Convention stresses "that a change in the traditional role of men as well as the role of women in society and in the family is needed to achieve full equality of men and women". States parties are therefore obliged to work towards the modification of social and cultural patterns of individual conduct in order to eliminate "prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women" (article 5). And Article 1O.c. mandates the revision of textbooks, school programmes and teaching methods with a view to eliminating stereotyped concepts in the field of education. Finally, cultural patterns which define the public realm as a man's world and the domestic sphere as women's domain are strongly targeted in all of the Convention's provisions that affirm the equal responsibilities of both sexes in family life and their equal rights with regard to education and employment. Altogether, the Convention provides a comprehensive framework for challenging the various forces that have created and sustained discrimination based upon sex.
The implementation of the Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Committee's mandate and the administration of the treaty are defined in the Articles 17 to 30 of the Convention. The Committee is composed of 23 experts nominated by their Governments and elected by the States parties as individuals "of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention".
At least every four years, the States parties are expected to submit a national report to the Committee, indicating the measures they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. During its annual session, the Committee members discuss these reports with the Government representatives and explore with them areas for further action by the specific country. The Committee also makes general recommendations to the States parties on matters concerning the elimination of discrimination against women.
The full text of the Convention is set out herein

CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

The States Parties to the present Convention,
Noting that the Charter of the United Nations reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women,
Noting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the principle of the inadmissibility of discrimination and proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind, including distinction based on sex,
Noting that the States Parties to the International Covenants on Human Rights have the obligation to ensure the equal rights of men and women to enjoy all economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,
Considering the international conventions concluded under the auspices of the United Nations and the specialized agencies promoting equality of rights of men and women,
Noting also the resolutions, declarations and recommendations adopted by the United Nations and the specialized agencies promoting equality of rights of men and women,
Concerned, however, that despite these various instruments extensive discrimination against women continues to exist,
Recalling that discrimination against women violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity, is an obstacle to the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries, hampers the growth of the prosperity of society and the family and makes more difficult the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their countries and of humanity,
Concerned that in situations of poverty women have the least access to food, health, education, training and opportunities for employment and other needs,
Convinced that the establishment of the new international economic order based on equity and justice will contribute significantly towards the promotion of equality between men and women,
Emphasizing that the eradication of apartheid, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, colonialism, neo-colonialism, aggression, foreign occupation and domination and interference in the internal affairs of States is essential to the full enjoyment of the rights of men and women,
Affirming that the strengthening of international peace and security, the relaxation of international tension, mutual co-operation among all States irrespective of their social and economic systems, general and complete disarmament, in particular nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control, the affirmation of the principles of justice, equality and mutual benefit in relations among countries and the realization of the right of peoples under alien and colonial domination and foreign occupation to self-determination and independence, as well as respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, will promote social progress and development and as a consequence will contribute to the attainment of full equality between men and women,
Convinced that the full and complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields,
Bearing in mind the great contribution of women to the welfare of the family and to the development of society, so far not fully recognized, the social significance of maternity and the role of both parents in the family and in the upbringing of children, and aware that the role of women in procreation should not be a basis for discrimination but that the upbringing of children requires a sharing of responsibility between men and women and society as a whole,
Aware that a change in the traditional role of men as well as the role of women in society and in the family is needed to achieve full equality between men and women,
Determined to implement the principles set forth in the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and, for that purpose, to adopt the measures required for the elimination of such discrimination in all its forms and manifestations,
Have agreed on the following:
PART I
Article I
For the purposes of the present Convention, the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.
Article 2
States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end, undertake:
(a) To embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation if not yet incorporated therein and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;
(b) To adopt appropriate legislative and other measures, including sanctions where appropriate, prohibiting all discrimination against women;
(c) To establish legal protection of the rights of women on an equal basis with men and to ensure through competent national tribunals and other public institutions the effective protection of women against any act of discrimination;
(d) To refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;
(e) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise;
(f) To take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women;
(g) To repeal all national penal provisions which constitute discrimination against women.
Article 3
States Parties shall take in all fields, in particular in the political, social, economic and cultural fields, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to en sure the full development and advancement of women , for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on a basis of equality with men.
Article 4
1. Adoption by States Parties of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women shall not be considered discrimination as defined in the present Convention, but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards; these measures shall be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunity and treatment have been achieved.
2. Adoption by States Parties of special measures, including those measures contained in the present Convention, aimed at protecting maternity shall not be considered discriminatory.
Article 5
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures:
(a) To modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women;
(b) To ensure that family education includes a proper understanding of maternity as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children, it being understood that the interest of the children is the primordial consideration in all cases.
Article 6
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of traffic in women and exploitation of prostitution of women.
PART II
Article 7
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on equal terms with men, the right:
(a) To vote in all elections and public referenda and to be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
(b) To participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government;
(c) To participate in non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country.
Article 8
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure to women, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination, the opportunity to represent their Governments at the international level and to participate in the work of international organizations.
Article 9
1. States Parties shall grant women equal rights with men to acquire, change or retain their nationality. They shall ensure in particular that neither marriage to an alien nor change of nationality by the husband during marriage shall automatically change the nationality of the wife, render her stateless or force upon her the nationality of the husband.
2. States Parties shall grant women equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their children.
PART III
Article 10
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in order to ensure to them equal rights with men in the field of education and in particular to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women:
(a) The same conditions for career and vocational guidance, for access to studies and for the achievement of diplomas in educational establishments of all categories in rural as well as in urban areas; this equality shall be ensured in pre-school, general, technical, professional and higher technical education, as well as in all types of vocational training;
(b) Access to the same curricula, the same examinations, teaching staff with qualifications of the same standard and school premises and equipment of the same quality;
(c) The elimination of any stereotyped concept of the roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education by encouraging coeducation and other types of education which will help to achieve this aim and, in particular, by the revision of textbooks and school programmes and the adaptation of teaching methods;
(d ) The same opportunities to benefit from scholarships and other study grants;
(e) The same opportunities for access to programmes of continuing education, including adult and functional literacy programmes, particulary those aimed at reducing, at the earliest possible time, any gap in education existing between men and women;
(f) The reduction of female student drop-out rates and the organization of programmes for girls and women who have left school prematurely;
(g) The same Opportunities to participate actively in sports and physical education;
(h) Access to specific educational information to help to ensure the health and well-being of families, including information and advice on family planning.
Article 11
1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of employment in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same rights, in particular:
(a) The right to work as an inalienable right of all human beings;
(b) The right to the same employment opportunities, including the application of the same criteria for selection in matters of employment;
(c) The right to free choice of profession and employment, the right to promotion, job security and all benefits and conditions of service and the right to receive vocational training and retraining, including apprenticeships, advanced vocational training and recurrent training;
(d) The right to equal remuneration, including benefits, and to equal treatment in respect of work of equal value, as well as equality of treatment in the evaluation of the quality of work;
(e) The right to social security, particularly in cases of retirement, unemployment, sickness, invalidity and old age and other incapacity to work, as well as the right to paid leave;
(f) The right to protection of health and to safety in working conditions, including the safeguarding of the function of reproduction.
2. In order to prevent discrimination against women on the grounds of marriage or maternity and to ensure their effective right to work, States Parties shall take appropriate measures:
(a) To prohibit, subject to the imposition of sanctions, dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy or of maternity leave and discrimination in dismissals on the basis of marital status;
(b) To introduce maternity leave with pay or with comparable social benefits without loss of former employment, seniority or social allowances;
(c) To encourage the provision of the necessary supporting social services to enable parents to combine family obligations with work responsibilities and participation in public life, in particular through promoting the establishment and development of a network of child-care facilities;
(d) To provide special protection to women during pregnancy in types of work proved to be harmful to them.
3. Protective legislation relating to matters covered in this article shall be reviewed periodically in the light of scientific and technological knowledge and shall be revised, repealed or extended as necessary.
Article 12
1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph I of this article, States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period, granting free services where necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
Article 13
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in other areas of economic and social life in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, the same rights, in particular:
(a) The right to family benefits;
(b) The right to bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit;
(c) The right to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life.
Article 14
1. States Parties shall take into account the particular problems faced by rural women and the significant roles which rural women play in the economic survival of their families, including their work in the non-monetized sectors of the economy, and shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the application of the provisions of the present Convention to women in rural areas.
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, that they participate in and benefit from rural development and, in particular, shall ensure to such women the right:
(a) To participate in the elaboration and implementation of development planning at all levels;
(b) To have access to adequate health care facilities, including information, counselling and services in family planning;
(c) To benefit directly from social security programmes;
(d) To obtain all types of training and education, formal and non-formal, including that relating to functional literacy, as well as, inter alia, the benefit of all community and extension services, in order to increase their technical proficiency;
(e) To organize self-help groups and co-operatives in order to obtain equal access to economic opportunities through employment or self employment;
(f) To participate in all community activities;
(g) To have access to agricultural credit and loans, marketing facilities, appropriate technology and equal treatment in land and agrarian reform as well as in land resettlement schemes;
(h) To enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communications.
PART IV
Article 15
1. States Parties shall accord to women equality with men before the law.
2. States Parties shall accord to women, in civil matters, a legal capacity identical to that of men and the same opportunities to exercise that capacity. In particular, they shall give women equal rights to conclude contracts and to administer property and shall treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and tribunals.
3. States Parties agree that all contracts and all other private instruments of any kind with a legal effect which is directed at restricting the legal capacity of women shall be deemed null and void.
4. States Parties shall accord to men and women the same rights with regard to the law relating to the movement of persons and the freedom to choose their residence and domicile.
Article 16
1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and in particular shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women:
(a) The same right to enter into marriage;
(b) The same right freely to choose a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their free and full consent;
(c) The same rights and responsibilities during marriage and at its dissolution;
(d) The same rights and responsibilities as parents, irrespective of their marital status, in matters relating to their children; in all cases the interests of the children shall be paramount;
(e) The same rights to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights;
(f) The same rights and responsibilities with regard to guardianship, wardship, trusteeship and adoption of children, or similar institutions where these concepts exist in national legislation; in all cases the interests of the children shall be paramount;
(g) The same personal rights as husband and wife, including the right to choose a family name, a profession and an occupation;
(h) The same rights for both spouses in respect of the ownership, acquisition, management, administration, enjoyment and disposition of property, whether free of charge or for a valuable consideration.
2. The betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage and to make the registration of marriages in an official registry compulsory.
PART V
Article 17
1. For the purpose of considering the progress made in the implementation of the present Convention, there shall be established a Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) consisting, at the time of entry into force of the Convention, of eighteen and, after ratification of or accession to the Convention by the thirty-fifth State Party, of twenty-three experts of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention. The experts shall be elected by States Parties from among their nationals and shall serve in their personal capacity, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution and to the representation of the different forms of civilization as well as the principal legal systems.
2. The members of the Committee shall be elected by secret ballot from a list of persons nominated by States Parties. Each State Party may nominate one person from among its own nationals.
3. The initial election shall be held six months after the date of the entry into force of the present Convention. At least three months before the date of each election the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall address a letter to the States Parties inviting them to submit their nominations within two months. The Secretary-General shall prepare a list in alphabetical order of all persons thus nominated, indicating the States Parties which have nominated them, and shall submit it to the States Parties.
4. Elections of the members of the Committee shall be held at a meeting of States Parties convened by the Secretary-General at United Nations Headquarters. At that meeting, for which two thirds of the States Parties shall constitute a quorum, the persons elected to the Committee shall be those nominees who obtain the largest number of votes and an absolute majority of the votes of the representatives of States Parties present and voting.
5. The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of four years. However, the terms of nine of the members elected at the first election shall expire at the end of two years; immediately after the first election the names of these nine members shall be chosen by lot by the Chairman of the Committee.
6. The election of the five additional members of the Committee shall be held in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this article, following the thirty-fifth ratification or accession. The terms of two of the additional members elected on this occasion shall expire at the end of two years, the names of these two members having been chosen by lot by the Chairman of the Committee.
7. For the filling of casual vacancies, the State Party whose expert has ceased to function as a member of the Committee shall appoint another expert from among its nationals, subject to the approval of the Committee.
8. The members of the Committee shall, with the approval of the General Assembly, receive emoluments from United Nations resources on such terms and conditions as the Assembly may decide, having regard to the importance of the Committee's responsibilities.
9. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall provide the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of the functions of the Committee under the present Convention.
Article 18
1. States Parties undertake to submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for consideration by the Committee, a report on the legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures which they have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention and on the progress made in this respect:
(a) Within one year after the entry into force for the State concerned;
(b) Thereafter at least every four years and further whenever the Committee so requests.
2. Reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the present Convention.
Article 19
1. The Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
2. The Committee shall elect its officers for a term of two years.
Article 20
1. The Committee shall normally meet for a period of not more than two weeks annually in order to consider the reports submitted in accordance with article 18 of the present Convention.
2. The meetings of the Committee shall normally be held at United Nations Headquarters or at any other convenient place as determined by the Committee. (amendment, status of ratification)
Article 21
1. The Committee shall, through the Economic and Social Council, report annually to the General Assembly of the United Nations on its activities and may make suggestions and general recommendations based on the examination of reports and information received from the States Parties. Such suggestions and general recommendations shall be included in the report of the Committee together with comments, if any, from States Parties.
2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit the reports of the Committee to the Commission on the Status of Women for its information.
Article 22
The specialized agencies shall be entitled to be represented at the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the present Convention as fall within the scope of their activities. The Committee may invite the specialized agencies to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities.
PART VI
Article 23
Nothing in the present Convention shall affect any provisions that are more conducive to the achievement of equality between men and women which may be contained:
(a) In the legislation of a State Party; or
(b) In any other international convention, treaty or agreement in force for that State.
Article 24
States Parties undertake to adopt all necessary measures at the national level aimed at achieving the full realization of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
Article 25
1. The present Convention shall be open for signature by all States.
2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is designated as the depositary of the present Convention.
3. The present Convention is subject to ratification. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
4. The present Convention shall be open to accession by all States. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 26
1. A request for the revision of the present Convention may be made at any time by any State Party by means of a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. The General Assembly of the United Nations shall decide upon the steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such a request.
Article 27
1. The present Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.
2. For each State ratifying the present Convention or acceding to it after the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession, the Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession.
Article 28
1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall receive and circulate to all States the text of reservations made by States at the time of ratification or accession.
2. A reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the present Convention shall not be permitted.
3. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time by notification to this effect addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall then inform all States thereof. Such notification shall take effect on the date on which it is received.
Article 29
1. Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the present Convention which is not settled by negotiation shall, at the request of one of them, be submitted to arbitration. If within six months from the date of the request for arbitration the parties are unable to agree on the organization of the arbitration, any one of those parties may refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice by request in conformity with the Statute of the Court.
2. Each State Party may at the time of signature or ratification of the present Convention or accession thereto declare that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph I of this article. The other States Parties shall not be bound by that paragraph with respect to any State Party which has made such a reservation.
3. Any State Party which has made a reservation in accordance with paragraph 2 of this article may at any time withdraw that reservation by notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 30
The present Convention, the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Gender dimension to inequality in Singapore
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By Vivienne Wee And Sarah Hill
Eradicating poverty remains at the core of the United Nations (UN) development agenda. Indeed, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed by the UN each year on Oct 17. In Singapore, however, poverty often appears to be a peripheral issue.
Singapore has not attempted to establish a national poverty line. Nevertheless, there is clear evidence of relative poverty, as manifested in a glaring wealth divide and an unequal remuneration system. Singapore’s Gini coefficient, a recognised method of measuring income inequality, has risen from 0.4 in the 1980s to 0.473 in 2011, and to 0.478 last year, indicating increasing income inequality. In fact, according to this measure, Singapore ranks as the second most unequal economy among the world’s advanced countries.
There is also a strong gender dimension to economic inequality in Singapore. Statistics from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) show that women earn less than men, even when they have the same working hours and qualifications as their male counterparts.
In 2011, MOM estimated that in blue-collar industries in particular, men earn approximately 30 per cent more than their female colleagues. Furthermore, this gender wage gap widens with age.
Unequal incomes deprive women of financial stability, access to essentials such as adequate health care, and the opportunity to accumulate adequate Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings. Women have approximately 40 per cent less savings in their CPF accounts compared with men. This explains why 64 per cent of women, compared with 38 per cent of men, rely on their immediate families to assist with medical expenses, according to a National University of Singapore-Singapore Health Services 2010 study on health- care financing.
Women are also under-represented in the workplace. Last year, labour force participation for the 25-64 age group was 70.9 per cent for women and 92.5 per cent for men, indicating a huge disparity in economic participation and income-earning capacity across all socio-economic classes. According to a 2012 study by the NUS Business School and BoardAgender, more than 60 per cent of Singapore Exchange-listed firms do not have a woman on their boards, and only 7.3 per cent of the current 5,000 board positions available are held by women,
Additionally, women’s financial well-being is directly affected by the unequal burden of domestic responsibilities. Globally and in Singapore, a disproportionate responsibility for caregiving for children, the elderly or disabled family members falls on women, often as unpaid labour.
Pushed into shouldering this demanding role, women are often hampered by inflexible workplace conditions and lack of access to affordable caregiving alternatives. Without a regular income, women sacrifice financial autonomy, adequate funds for health care, a decent standard of living and opportunities for self-development.
This has consequences for global business too. Dr Klaus Schwab, executive chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF), notes: “Empowering and educating girls and women and leveraging their talent and leadership fully in the global economy, politics and society are fundamental elements of succeeding and prospering in an ever more competitive world.”
The WEF’s 2012 Global Gender Gap Report ranks Singapore as 55th out of 153 states (or 26th among 45 high-income countries). The Philippines, despite being less developed than Singapore, ranks eighth on the list.
Countries succeed in reducing the gender gap through policies that enable both parents to cope with work and family. The result is shared participation in caregiving, and a more fulfilling home life for all. It also produces a more equitable distribution of domestic labour, higher female employment participation rates and a more robust, productive and equitable economy.
If Singapore truly intends to create a fair and inclusive society where everyone benefits from national progress, it must address the issue of inequality and its disproportionate impact on women.

Despite decades of progress in education, women in Singapore are frequently stereotyped by the mass media as being highly dependent on men – inferior even. As much as this is unfortunate, Commonwealth Correspondent Aristle Tay, 18, wonders whether strict gender equality is even desirable?
The old shibboleth that “women are of a less superior sex” resonates even among today’s highly empowered and knowledgeable generation.
This is hardly bewildering. After all, age-old epithets and pre-conceived notions have made it clear that the role of women should be confined to breeding, the nurturing of the resultant offspring, and other domestic concerns.
In contrast, males are often perceived as the superior sex due to their greater aggressive tendencies and stronger build, enabling them to conquer obstacles in life that some consider futile to females.
Examples of the ‘superior’ man include Azman Abdullah, gold medalist of the World Games Bodybuilding Championships, and Chua Ling Fung Simon, two-time gold medalist at the Asian Games for bodybuilding.
As we venture further into the new millennium, radical changes in the education system and government policy in Singapore have helped women to gain a tactical advantage over their male counterparts. But taking a look at this question from a different perspective, should we even seek to achieve gender equality?
Given that there are basic differences in male and female physique and psyche, we should recognise that the genders are uniquely different and consider them as complementary rather than competitive. I feel that this would be a more ideal goal.
It might seem rather far fetched to claim that women could be liberated, given the current situation in Singapore, where the mass media in Singapore seem intent on shackling females in their traditional role by repeatedly portraying women as in charge of the welfare and maintenance of a family.
This can be seen in local family dramas like the “Little Nonya” and “Living with Lydia”, which create an impression that females are only capable of the upbringing of children and household chores. This in turn portrays females as weak and hopeless and results in the view that they are of the weaker gender.
Women are usually stereotyped in the mass media as creatures that are highly dependent on men, needing perpetual support and attention. Women are seen as “lost” without a highly capable man by their side. This is also seen in international drama series such as “Desperate Housewives” shown on local television.
“Desperate Housewives” paints a picture that males are an indispensable factor in providing security for females who would otherwise be unable to survive. Women are also often typecast as mere bodies used to serve men, only to be discarded afterward.
Both recent advertisements by beer company Guinness, featuring scantily-clad women, and US drama series “90210”, depicting women eager to intrude into the topic of sex, serves to prove this point. Clearly, the mass media often succeeds in making the public believe that women are highly dependent on men.
In Singapore, the survival of traditional practices and values has continued to shackle females. Despite being a post-modern society, the majority of us still worship the values of loyalty and filial piety. These values that we practise create a perception that females are supposed to be in charge of taking care of the well-being of all the family members, and that they should be responsible for all the household chores.
This has resulted in the handcuffing and the devaluing of women and created the image that females are of the weaker gender and that they cannot accomplish anything in great in magnitude next to their male counterparts. In turn, males are often seen as a more competent and adept due to their stronger build.
It has led society to question whether females are of any use to the country, given that they are physically weaker than males. All of this sums up a view that females are of the less superior sex and that females could not deserving of any equality in our Singaporean society.
In the past, most women were illiterate and uneducated, and they could only look forward to a gloomy future in the kitchen, if not tending to their children. However, with the increasingly affluence of today’s families in Singapore, women and girls can now enjoy the luxury of education, once denied to them, at a young age.
We now have a large number of highly educated women capable of competing with their male counterparts in the workforce, enabling them to earn their own living. With this newly acquired financial stability, today’s women are no longer dependent on men, who were once the sole breadwinner of the family. Females are now able to earn their keep and survive on their own.
With that, woman now have a large voice in decision-making in families, companies and society, as they are no longer dependent on anybody. This has resulted in the perception that females can be as highly capable and successful as their male counterparts, gaining them the right to have equal status with males.
Government policies introduced in Singapore have now paved the way for women to have equal opportunities, as can be seen by the increase in the number of women in traditionally male-dominated jobs – science research, architecture and fire-fighting.
An example of a successful female in Singapore is Lim Hwee Hua, the first full female cabinet minister. However important cabinet positions, such as Prime Minister, are still dominated by males (Of late: MM Lee Kuan Yew, SM Goh Chok Tong and PM Lee Hsien Loong). This creates the image that females are still not capable enough to take on challenging roles in society and that they are of the weaker sex.
As Roseanne Barr phrased it, “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.” With that, females like Dana Lam and Trina Liang have taken a stand against gender equality, chairing pro-female organizations like AWARE and UNIFEM Singapore. These organizations have gradually permeated into every corner of Singaporean life and have already started playing a consistent role in the empowerment of females in Singapore.
This has resulted in a significant increase in Singaporean females that are willing to take up the challenge to fight for their rights in society. However, women are still doubtful about whether they should pursue their rights in Singapore.
In conclusion, is it really realistic to challenge systemic gender inequality in Singapore?
Shouldn’t it be more realistic that we understand each sex’s differences and respect the two genders as uniquely different? I feel that we should consider them as complementary rather than competitive. Both genders should work hand in hand, covering up each other’s flaws and boosting each other’s strengths. This will in turn create an extraordinary team that is able to achieve maximum efficiency and adaptability which is highly valued in our society.
Examples are Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, and US President Barrack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Both couples show that by combining the strengths of both genders in tandem, more desirable results for society can be achieved. This is worth pursuing over gender equality.
As Henry Kissinger once stated, “Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There’s just too much fraternising with the enemy.”