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Year: 2010

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A Budget with Room for Women?


Take the chance to give the Ministry of Finance (MOF) feedback on the national budget!

AWARE is keen to hold a discussion with members on this topic and would like to invite you to a briefing cum discussion that aims to result in a report which will be sent to MOF.
In this two-hour session AWARE-members will hear what a Gender Sensitive Budget is and also look at the analysis done by a few countries.

This is an important exercise as it reveals priority areas for Singapore as well as how people will be enabled to access an adequate standard of living. It is time to understand how budgets impact women and to also become more engaged on a fundamental document that actually directs how we live and make a living here.

The discussions will be led by two AWARE/CEDAW members – Braema Mathi and Lee Sze Yong. See the programme here.

Why does MOF want our feedback? Because MOF has recently stated that it wants to engage Singaporeans and businesses on issues relating to public spending and get views on what can be included in the next budget. Read more here .

Date: Tuesday 11th of January 2011
Time:7-9pm
Venue: AWARE office, see location map here.
Register: Send an e-mail to aware@aware.org.sg

Men We Love: The Because I Love Her Champions

AWARE is pleased to announce our four Champions for The Because I Love Her Project: US Ambassador to Singapore David I. Adelman, distinguished actor Lim Kay Siu, Former Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong and Reverend Dr Yap Kim Hao.

Chosen because they are upstanding members of the community, and role models for all manner of men, the three individuals are spokesmen for The Because I Love Her Project.

The Because I Love Her Project is an online video campaign where men submit a video of themselves and their favourite female to Facebook. In the video they stand up and speak out about violence against women, saying: “Because I love her, I pledge to never condone violence against women.” Violence against women includes rape, sex trafficking, domestic abuse, emotional abuse and sexual harassment.

AWARE is grateful to all three men for their commitment to end all forms of violence against women, to give a voice to the non-violent majority of men, and for coming forward to champion the campaign.

In an official statement, US Ambassador David I Adelman (above, right) said: “The US embassy here in Singapore is honoured to work with AWARE… violence against women knows no socio-economic boundaries it affects girls and women in every country across the world regardless of religion or race. Economic empowerment is a critical part of combatting violence against women. That’s why today I’m participating in AWARE’s video pledge… and I urge you to do the same. Together we can stop violence against women.”

Rev. Dr Yap Kim Hao is Pastoral Advisor to The Free Community Church. He holds a Master of Divinity and Doctorate in Theology, serves on the Council of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) in Singapore and is committed to the promotion of inter-faith dialogue and understanding. Rev Dr Yap told AWARE he is “very happy” to be a part of The Because I Love Her Project.

In addition to being a former Nominated Member of Parliament, Siew Kum Hong (right) is a practising lawyer and pro tem vice-president of MARUAH (Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism).In his video, which features AWARE bastions Corinna Lim, Poonam Mirchandani, Margaret Thomas, Dana Lam and Hafizah Osman, Kum Hong makes an empassioned pledge, saying: “Because I love my wife, because I love my mother, because I love my sister and because I love all these wonderful women, I pledge never to condone, commit or keep silent about violence against women.”

Watch the videos submitted by David I Adelman, Lim Kay Siu, Rev. Yap and Siew Kum Hong here.

The Silent Threat: Domestic violence



Tania De Rozario contemplates the issues raised in AWARE’s recent Round Table discussion – violence against women in Singapore.

When Associate Professor Chan Wing Cheong announced that only 9.2% of women in Singapore had suffered physical or sexual violence over the course of their lifetimes, participants at AWARE’s third Round Table erupted into disbelief. The Round Table discussion, one in a series where interested parties gather to discuss social and policy issues, was held at the AWARE Centre on November 11th. Myself and, I suspect, many of those present know of enough victims of violence to find that statistic lower than expected.

The figure came from the United Nations’ International Violence Against Women Survey in 2009. Singapore is 1 of 12 countries to have taken part in the study. All-female interviewers spoke to 2006 women aged 18 to 69 in face-to-face interviews. The survey’s 190 questions made reference to 7 types of physical violence and 5 types of sexual violence. This is the first comprehensive attempt to establish the extent and patterns of violence against women in Singapore.

Why were the figures lower than what we expected? Possibly because many incidents go unmentioned as victims try to hide or cover up the abuse. For example, only 23% of the women who admitted to experiencing abuse filed official reports.

Violence against women is a tricky subject to survey. Amnesty International states that globally, it goes widely unreported due to factors that range from fear of retribution, concern for children and no access to redress. Coincidentally, all these points were brought up during the dialogue that followed. It became clear that both culture and public policy impacts greatly on women’s willingness to report acts of violence. As mentioned by Executive Director Corinna Lim, a stark peak in reports in Singapore the year the changes in the Women’s Charter was made to provide protection against domestic violence is a clear example of this. That was the year where there was a lot of publicity of the unacceptability of domestic violence and the protections available against domestic violence.

But in a culture where family matters are generally seen as private, and where rape within marriage is not recognised as a crime it is far from surprising that women are reluctant to come forward.

It is alarming is that the ratio of partner-victimisation (i.e. women who are abused by their partners) is much higher that non-partner-victimisation. These women are being hurt by the men who are supposed to love them.

The above issues were discussed at the round table, alongside many additional questions that need answering: Why does the court not release gender statistics of people filing for personal protection orders? Why are incidences of violence against women logged only by public hospitals and not private? Why is the phrase “family violence” never used when the issue is addressed in the media? Poignantly enough, these are questions that cannot be answered by survey respondents, but rather need to be addressed by policy makers, government bodies and institutions that set a precedent for what constitutes acceptable behaviour within our culture.

If there is anything important this survey brings to light, it is the fact that we need to understand why women aren’t reporting their experiences of violence, and urgently de-code and counter a culture that feeds and perpetuates this silence.

AWARE’s latest online video campaign, The Because I Love Her Project hopes to fight the silence – by involving men in the fight against violence against women.

If you are a man for whom violence is unthinkable and unacceptable, team up with a woman you love and pledge never to condone it. Visit The Because I Love Her Project for more.

Financial Awareness & Confidence Training: Investing

Learn the basics of investing and financial planning in an open and interactive environment.

• Understanding Risk/ Return/ Time horizon of investments
• Key Investment Risks
• Overview of Major Investment Types: Equities, Bonds & Property
• Market Timing vs. Value Investing
• Questions to Ask When Assessing New Investment Opportunities
• Basics of Diversification
• Basics of Building an investment plan

The initial talk is followed by three workshops (“Money Clubs”) in which participants gain practical knowledge about how to set financial goals and build a financial plan to meet them. Classroom discussions are supplemented with take-home exercises which make use of online resources and research to build practical knowledge.

This course is aimed at women who would like to make better returns on their savings or who have been unable to save and want better tools to make financial plans for the future. We aim to demystify investing without understating the risks and complexity of investment choices.

Many people lack the confidence or motivation to get their finances in order. This course aims to get participants comfortable with financial literacy and confident about pursuing the investments best suited for their lifestyles and retirement plans.

Participants will leave the course with a better understanding of the different investment types and which ones make most sense for them given their risk aversion, their interest in being an active or passive investor as well as present market conditions.

FACT 3 – Growing My Money (Investment)

All classes and workshops take place Wednesdays from 7-9pm.

Classroom Session: 17 October 2012

Workshop Dates:

Money Club A 24 October 2012
Working out your retirement plan, setting your investment  goals & strategies. Learn how to read the financial news and understand key market indicators.

Money Club B 31 October 2012
What you should know about property investments.

Money Club C 7 November 2012
Understanding share and company performance. Dollar cost averaging. Technical analysis versus fundamental analysis. Week in review.

Where: AWARE Centre
Time: 7pm-9pm

Price:
Single: $300
Pair: $500

AWARE members who log in at the website and purchase will receive a discount. That is just $200 for the workshop or $300 for a pair.

Register here to reserve your spot.

AWARE’s Annual Regular Membership is just $40. Click here to become a member.

Please send us an e-mail to publiceducation@aware.org.sg if you have any questions.

Other FACT modules:
Money & Me (Personal Financial Management)
Protecting Myself and My Family (Insurance)
Go to Women and Money or call 6779-7137 for more information.

Boosting Self-esteem Workshop

Learning to Love the Person You See in the Mirror.
For Joy, Motivation and Fulfillment.

Do you struggle with making decisions? Are you dissatisfied with your self-image, your life, and your achievements?  What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. The way we think and feel about ourselves affects every aspect of our life.  From the way we operate at work, to our love and sex life, to how we act as a parent, to how we treat our colleagues, friends and family.  Our self-image determines how far we are likely to reach in our life journey.

At AWARE, we believe in empowering women to achieve their goals and realise their dreams. Self-esteem plays a huge role in realising these goals.

When you feel good about yourself, you are motivated and likely to succeed.  However, when your esteem is low, you are more critical and sceptical of yourself and your achievements.

Why you should attend this workshop:

This workshop aims to introduce you to the concepts of self-esteem and teach you skills that will boost your self-esteem. You will learn to

  • Generate Positive Self Talk
  • Invoke Gratitude
  • Employ Motivation
  • Promote Positivity in Life

About the TRAINER:

Maria Kassova is the founder and Managing Director of RoseSky Pte Ltd.  In 2009, she conducted workshops on building self-esteem at Aidha (www.aidha.org), a non-profit organisation for domestic workers dedicated to ‘enriching lives through financial education’.  Following her experience there, Maria decided to use her energy and skills to help others nurture their self-esteem and live empowered and fulfilled lives.

A certified Business Coach by the Institute of Business Coaches, UK and a master practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Maria also holds an MBA and a BA in International Economic Relations. She has over 10 years of experience working for MNCs like BBC Worldwide and Discovery Communications International.

Date:17 February 2012

Venue:
AWARE Centre (Block 5 Dover Crescent #01-22)

Time: 7pm to 9pm

Price:
Single: $50             Pair: $80

AWARE members who log in at the website and purchase will receive a 40% discount.  That is just $30 for the workshop or $48 for a pair.

To sign up, click HERE.

For more information, email publiceducation@aware.org.sg or call 6779-7137.

Men Are Essential To The Solution

Executive Director Corinna Lim encourages men to get involved with The Because I Love Her Project, AWARE’s online video campaign where good guys speak up about violence against women.

To not condone violence against women includes not being quiet in the face of a culture which makes jokes about rape, date rape, drunken rampages and dominating through fear and intimidation. It means not remaining silent when other men brag of their abuses. It means stepping in to help the women in their lives who need their support. It means stepping up and being an every day hero just by saying, “That’s not funny. That is NOT cool.”

Men have a huge impact on the behaviour of other men through being role models, through peer pressure and through stating clearly what is and what is not well regarded behaviour. Men get cues about acceptable behaviour from other men – from how they behave, what they assert… even what jokes they make. Men ultimately define masculinity for other men – they choose whether to play the a role of protector or supporter. They can also choose to never play the role of abuser.

Visit The Because I Love Her Facebook page for more information.

The Because I Love Her Project


In The Because I Love Her Project, guys make their personal video pledge to “never condone violence against women”. In the videos they include their favourite female – their mother, wife, sister, niece, girlfriend, best friend, colleague, daughter, grandmother, teacher…. whoever it is that moves them to rid the world of abuse.

The Facts:

One in 10 women in Singapore has been a victim of violence (International Violence Against Women Survey, 2010). Read that figure again. Think of ten Singaporean women you know. The figures say it’s very likely that at least one of them has experienced violence in some way.

8 per day. That’s how many Personal Protection Order applications are made by women seeking legal protection from abuse or physical threats. And for every protection order taken out, there are scores more victims who suffer in silence.

Although the majority of those committing violence against women are men, we know that most men are opposed to such abuse. The voices and protests of this non-violent majority of men need to be heard.

Take the pledge now, get it on camera and send it in to the Because I Love Her fanpage at http://on.fb.me/becauseiloveher. At the end of the video, tell viewers to visit the Facebook page, to encourage everyone to make the pledge.

The Because I Love Her Project is AWARE’s contribution to the White Ribbon Campaign – a worldwide campaign by men working to end violence against women. Founded in Canada in 1991, it has since spread to over 50 countries around the world. The Because I Love Her Project was launched on November 25th, the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women.

The Because I Love Her Project has been extended due to popular demand, entries will now be accepted until 14th February 2011.

Executive Director Corinna Lim’s statement calling all men to be a part of the solution to violence against women .

Instructions on how to post your video.

Saturday 27 November: Celebrate TODAY!

Celebrate! AWARE’s 25th Birthday Party is a day-long party that starts at noon and goes ’til 8pm. That’s a good eight hours of flea market mania, food galore and fun for the whole family. If the prospect of 40 stalls (almost a quarter dedicated to other non-profit organisations) selling apparel, handicrafts books and snacks isn’t enough to lure you down on a Saturday, Tania De Rozario has three more reasons to get in on the action!

Excuse to Celebrate #1: “Music is my life.”

Sit back and enjoy or stand up and dance to our stellar line-up of talented home-grown acts.The programme includes well-loved alt rockers, Lunarin and rising folksy singer and guitarist Inch Chua. Also appearing are samba percussion group Barracuda Batucada, classical Indian dancer Aarthi Sankar, electro-funk band Like A Band and acapella group MICapella.

Lunarin, a three-person outfit that has been playing together for over 15 years and whose recording discography includes Universal Music and Aging Records, is known for rocking the stage with its unconventional riffs and lyrical melodies. Look forward to a set comprising heavy guitar riffs, evocative lyrics structures and a beat entirely their own.

Inch, whose growing popularity is very much rooted in the immense amount of power she can pack into that tiny frame, describes her music as a “schizophrenic potpourri of introspective acoustic tunes and chirpy electronica”. Formerly known as the frontwoman of alternative rock band Allura, she is set to wow audiences with her unmistakable vocals.

Excuse to Celebrate # 2: “I thrive on intellectual exchange.”

What are you passionate about? An idea that you think might change the world? Some new technology? The work of a charity you are involved with? At Ignite: The Unconference participants get a shot at swaying some hearts and minds, and also get to decide what gets said and what gets heard. This unstructured, participative format is modeled after BarCamp which has enjoyed success around the globe.

It’s called an Unconference because, well, we can’t exactly tell you what you are going to hear. Only you can decide. How it works is simple. Participants who would like to speak put up their proposed topics on a board, and everyone votes for what they want to hear. The most popular topics are scheduled for 30-minute talks and the least popular are invited to present a 5 minute lightning sessions. And at the end of the day, prizes are awarded for the best talks.

If you just want to listen, that’s OK too. The format is informal – enter and leave the presentation rooms at will – vote with your feet.

Excuse to Celebrate #3: “Creative expression is what makes us human.”

Honouring AWARE’s past, present and future of women, our Interactive Art Installation is a series of three “talking walls” set to be completed by you, our guests

On the very shell of AWARE centre, we will create a large-scale paper mural featuring images of key moments in AWARE’s history. Visitors are invited to add their thoughts on the gender gap: then and now.

Through the second wall, stand to win a $100 shopping voucher by telling us what you think AWARE’s greatest achievement to date is and why. And last but not least, the kiddies get a shot at picking up box of crayons and drawing us a picture of their favourite woman. Each work of art will serve as a brick to create a hanging mural at fun fair.

All in all, a celebration not just of AWARE but of your voice and creativity as well!

The Birth of AWARE: Part One

Lena Lim at the launch of AWARE

What were the events that led to the founding of AWARE, 25 years ago? Lenore Lyons details The Birth of AWARE in the first of this two-part excerpt from Small Steps, Giant Leaps: A History of AWARE and the Women’s Movement in Singapore.

The Association of Women for Action and Research is Singapore’s most active and vibrant feminist organisation. It was formed in 1985 with the goal of promoting equal opportunities for all women in Singapore. Since then it has worked with dedication and tenacity to address many instances of inequality between men and women. It has helped to raise the profile of gender issues in Singapore and brought about significant changes in women’s status.

Why did Singapore need a Women’s Rights organisation?

“We must further amend our policies and try to reshape our demographic configuration so that our better–educated women will have more children to be adequately represented in the next generation. ..Equal employment opportunities, yes, but we shouldn’t get our women into jobs where they cannot, at the same time, be mothers….You just can’t be doing a full-time heavy job like that of a doctor, engineer and run a home and bring up children”. (Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in The Straits Times, 1983.)

In August 1983, in his National Day Rally speech, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew referred to Singapore’s falling fertility rate. Quoting from the 1980 census, Lee said that while less-educated women were producing the average of three children, those with secondary or tertiary education had only 1.65 children. He feared that a decline in birth rate amongst the well-educated would result in the “thinning of the gene-pool” and national economic disaster. Lee referred to this as a “lop-sided procreation pattern”, and the issue was dubbed the “Great Marriage Debate” by the local press.

Prior to Lee’s speech, the government had been emphasizing population control. The Singapore Family Planning and Population Board encouraged young couples to “Stop at Two” and space out their children. Women with two or more children were urged to seek sterilizations to keep their families small. By 1980 the total fertility rate had dropped to 1.82 from 4.62 in 1965. This rapid decline in birth rate was due not only to the government’s anti-natalist policies but also to increasing educational levels, widespread female employment, rising affluence and improvements in housing conditions. An accompanying trend of reduced birth rate was that women with higher education were having a smaller number of children than women with lower education levels.

To increase the birth rate, the government ran a series of mass educational campaigns using slogans such as: ”Are you giving men the wrong idea?” , “Life will be lonely without a family. Don’t leave it too late”, Why not reality? You could wait a lifetime for a dream”. In January 1984 the Social Development Unit was set up within the Ministry of Finance to matchmake male and female university graduates in the public service. Two years later the scheme was extended to graduates employed in the private sector. Two schemes for non-university graduates, the Social Promotion Section and the Social Development Section were also introduced to “O”-levels (secondary school) and “A” levels (college) certificate holders.

In addition to its matchmaking activities, the government introduced financial and social incentives to encourage graduate women to marry and procreate. First, in 1984 the Ministry of Education announced a new priority scheme for registration of Primary One Children called “the Graduate Mothers Priority Scheme”. In the past, priority was given to the children of parents who were sterilized after the first or second child. Under the new scheme, children of university-educated women who had three or more children were to receive priority. In 1984, the government also announced that that it would give S$ 10,000 to less-educated, low-income mothers below the age of 30 years if they were sterilised after their first or second child.

Lee’s comments sparked fierce debate in the forum pages of many newspapers and were a source of constant discussion in the boardrooms and dining rooms of the nation. Young women and men felt enormous pressure to marry early and have more children.

Click here for The Birth of AWARE: Part Two

Reproduced from Small Steps, Giant Leaps: A History of AWARE and the Women’s Movement in Singapore edited by Mandakini Arora, Chapter VI by Lenore Lyons. Published in Singapore 2007. Copies of the book will be on sale for $15 at Celebrate! AWARE’s 25th Birthday Party