About

Overview

AWARE, or the Association of Women for Action and Research, is Singapore’s leading women’s rights advocacy group.

Since our formation in 1985, we have carried out research into gender inequality and other issues relevant to women, and advocated for changes in laws, policies and mindsets that discriminate against women.

Along with our research and advocacy work, we provide a range of direct services for women, such as a crisis help line, counselling, and a free legal clinic.

An important aspect of AWARE’s work is public education – talks, seminars, workshops and other training programmes which are carried out by the AWARE Training Institute.

AWARE is a not-for-profit organisation. We are funded by donations, grants, and member subscriptions. We are a registered charity with Institute of Public Character status, so all donations to AWARE are tax-deductible.

History & Achievements

In late 1984 a group of women who had taken part in the seminar ‘Women’s Choices, Women’s Lives’ decided they needed to do more than just make or listen to speeches about the situation of women in Singapore. They felt what was needed was a women’s group able to campaign for gender equality in a coherent and consistent way, basing its arguments on research and a thorough understanding of the issues. AWARE was thus formed. We came into being officially on 25 November 1985.

Our work since then has contributed to these changes in laws and policies in Singapore:

2007

• Revisions to the penal code, including issues of marital rape
• United Nations recognition of the areas for Singapore to become more compliant with CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women)

2006

• Development of legal reforms that addressed gaps in Singapore’s legislation on trafficking (in collaboration with NUS Pro Bono Law Society)

2005

• Equalisation of medical benefits for male and female civil servants

2004

• Constitutional amendment to accord same citizenship rights to the children of Singaporean women as the children of Singaporean men
• Government acknowledgement that men and women play equal roles as joint “heads of household”
• Appointment of Braema Mathiaparanam as Nominated Member of Parliament (she was nominated by AWARE)

2003

• Lifting of the quota restricting female intake to the medical faculty at the National University of Singapore

1999

• Policy change to allow women to sponsor their foreign spouses for citizenship or PR status

1996

• Revisions to the Women’s Charter to provide more protection for victims of domestic violence

1994

• Education Ministry decision to offer “Life Skills for Boys and Girls”. Previously girls did home economics and boys did technical studies
• Changes to police handling of rape cases as a result of the AWARE Rape Study Committee’s “Proposal for standardising and enhancing police procedures in rape management”

1989

• Decision of the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) to develop new guidelines to curb sex discrimination in advertisements.

Over the years, AWARE has published more than 20 books and research reports.

These include:

• 2008 – Workplace Sexual Harassment (Research report)
• 2007 – United Nations CEDAW Shadow Report
• 2007 – Small Steps, Giant Leaps (book)
• 2006 – Foreign Bride Report: Beyond Happily Ever After (Research report)
• 2006 – Beyond Borders: Sex with Children (research report)
• 2005 – Beyond Babies: National Duty or Personal Choice? (Research report)
• 2004 – Beyond Youth: Women Growing Older and Poorer (Research report)
• 2002 – Remaking Singapore: Views of Half the Nation (research report)
• 2000 – Rape: Weapon of Terror (Research report)

Executive Committee & Secretariat

The Executive Committee elected at the Extraordinary General Meeting of AWARE on 2nd May 2009:

President Dana Lam		Vice President Chew I-Jin
Honorary Secretary Yap Ching Wi		Asst Honorary Secretary Corinna Lim
Treasurer Tan Joo Hymn		Asst Honorary Treasurer Lim Seow Yuin
Members
Joanna D’Cruz		Nancy Griffiths
Martha Lee		Hafizah Osman
Nicole Tan		Margaret Thomas
Secretariat Centre Manager Selina Gan Manager – Direct Services Kerry Wilcock Manager – Public Education Mardiana Abunaim Direct Services Executive Arati Mali Direct Services Program Executive Grace Phua		Program Executive Priyanka Awasthi Program Executive Rina Marie Sarvananda Accounts Executive Lin Phua Administrative Executive Catherine Chua Helper Rokiah Binte Yunos