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Year: 2014

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Breaking the silence of violence at the Arts Fest

arts festThe We Can! campaign held its inaugural arts festival on 8 December 2013, a rainy Sunday afternoon that did not deter more than 250 people from attending and squeezing into the rooms and corridors of Aliwal Arts Centre to break the silence of violence.

The We Can! Arts Fest aimed to start a dialogue about the more intangible forms of violence and the importance of bystander intervention.

audienceThere was something for everyone, with diverse and interactive programmes ranging from performance art pieces such as ‘there’s nothing here’, experimental theatre combining dance and performance poetry by a collective of students from Yale-NUS, exploring the issue of psychological violence and bystander intervention; and a spoken word performance.

mirrors

Visitors explored beauty myths and the pressure on women to look attractive with programmes such as ‘Pretty Ugly’, an interactive installation which asked festival attendees to make up models to be “pretty” or “ugly”, and ‘Mirror mirror’, which allowed visitors to write down the negative labels they hear about appearance and body image on a mirror.

Visitors also attended film screenings of the movies ‘Girl Rising’ and ‘Provoked’, discussing the provocative aspects of the films. The Human Library, one of the most popular programmes, allowed attendees the opportunity to have conversations with the women we don’t normally hear, such as foreign domestic workers and survivors of sexual violence.

Responses were very encouraging – 80% of attendees rated the sessions they’’d attended as “very good” and 74% said that the arts fest helped them understand more about violence against women. A fantastic 84% of respondents said that they felt better able to help those around them who may be dealing with violence.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without our volunteers, who were generous with their time and energy; our partner organisations, UN Women, Project X, Room to Read, Beautiful Women, KAPAP, and HOME; and our sponsors, the Delegation of the European Union to Singapore, Word Forward, and Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple.

If you missed the arts fest, you can read more about it in the Straits Times report here. If you joined us, thank you very much for your support. We look forward to seeing you at the next one!

Roundtable: Representation of Women in Indian Politics

femaleleadership

Join us at AWARE on 29 January 2014 to discuss the low representation and participation of women in Indian politics.

Despite the presence of several prominent female politicians, the participation and presence of women in the Indian political system is insignificant. Women’s bid to challenge political monopolies and enter formal political institutions in India have generated much discussion, interest and opposition. Come discuss and understand these debates at our roundtable.

Event Details:
Date: 29 January 2014, Wednesday
Time: 5.30pm
Venue: AWARE Centre, Block 5 Dover Crescent #01-22 S’pore (130005)
Click here to register!

Speaker: Zoya Hassan, professor of political science and the Dean of School of Social Sciences(SSS) at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and a former member of the National Commission for Minorities.

Abstract:

More than six decades after Independence, women have fewer than 10 percent of the seats in parliament. Until the reservation of 33 percent seats for women in local government bodies came into being in 1992, gender bias pervaded all levels of governance in India.

The demand to reserve one-third seats in local and national legislatures marks a turning point in the debate over gender equality. Women’s bid to challenge political monopolies and enter formal political institutions has generated much discussion, interest and opposition.

This roundtable will examine the debate around quotas for women and discuss whether these debates help us understand the political processes and the deeper structural and power dynamics that affect the making of policies and laws in India.

You can register for the event here.

This New Year, resolve to support self-acceptance

By Jolene Tan, Programmes and Communications Senior Manager, AWARE

For many, January is a time for reinvention, and one of the most common aspirations expressed is weight loss.  Many people, especially women, speak about “slimming down” as a high priority – even a duty.

beauty mirrorSome are motivated by health concerns, but others are, unfortunately, driven by an unrealistic and narrow definition of beauty promoted by fashion, advertising and the media. Health can be served through paying attention to nutrition and exercise, regardless of weight. But many seeking weight loss may damage their health, for instance through developing anorexia and bulimia.

These health-damaging practices are on the increase. In 2012 Singapore General Hospital saw 95 teenage patients (13-19) with eating disorders, with a third needing hospitalisation. These harmful eating disorders are often motivated by feelings of insecurity caused by judgmental comments about how women should look, even when this is completely irrelevant to their actions or achievements.

Many teenage girls find it difficult to separate self-worth from external validation of their appearance.  A 2007 survey of teenage girls in Singapore, commissioned by Dove, found that 60% felt bad about themselves because of their looks or weight. 81% admitted to avoiding various activities due to their appearance. A quarter reported dieting before the age of 17 – an alarming finding given that their bodies are still growing and developing at that age.

Representation, validation and respect should be given to people of a wider variety of physiques. In Sweden, a major department store has started using larger mannequins to reflect the reality of many women’s figures and to provide a more accurate representation of their products to consumers. A British department store catalogue has made similar efforts to include an array of models of diverse body shapes and ethnicities, as well as visibly disabled models.

Adults should recognise that denigrating their own bodies as “not good enough” sets an example for the children and teenagers around us.  In particular, parents who are unkind to themselves or others about their weight are unconsciously teaching their children the same habit.

In 2014, we hope that the punishing pursuit of extreme beauty standards will give way to an attitude of self-acceptance, with everyone embracing the idea of being “me sized”.  This can only happen if society treats every individual as worthy of appearing in public space, no matter what their size or shape is.

An edited version of this letter was published in the Straits Times on 7 January 2014.

Roundtable: Singapore Budget

budget

As we have done over the last two years, AWARE is organising a forum on the Annual Singapore Budget. The Government’s public consultation on Budget 2014 runs from 22 November 2013 to 29 January 2014. To contribute to this public consultation, AWARE invites you to a discussion about our concerns on issues that we feel strongly about.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Saturday, 18 January 2014

Time: 2pm-5pm

Venue: AWARE Centre Block 5 Dover Crescent #01-22 S’pore (130005)

Panel of speakers include: Donald Low, Associate Dean (Executive Education and Research) and Senior Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Dr Vivienne Wee, Research and Advocacy Director, AWARE Singapore.

Commentators are Dr Kanwaljit Soin, Founding President, Women’s Initiative for Ageing Successfully (WINGS), and Yeoh Lam Keong, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies.

Abstract

Over the last two years AWARE has made recommendations to the Minister of Finance as part of the public consultations for Budget 2011 and Budget 2012.

This year, building on our past advocacy efforts, AWARE is advocating for a care economy that will focus on:

a. Comprehensive healthcare

b. Adequate support for care giving

c. Reducing income inequality and poverty

d. Increasing support for marginalized groups, such as the elderly, disabled and single, unwed mothers

At this forum, we will be presenting our recommendations for Budget 2014. Please come to express your views so that they may be incorporated into our recommendations.

You can register for the event here.

If you have registered and would like to receive our draft recommendations before the forum on Jan 18, please email Moana Jagasia at moana@aware.org.sg.

Also, do view the recommendations we made in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Employers must play their part

By Jolene Tan

By adopting and enforcing codes of conduct, backed up with formal processes for handling complaints, employers can set the right tone for inclusive working environments.

WSH_nhuThe case of cyber-stalker Colin Mak Yew Loong shows the need for better legal protection against harassment (“Singaporean jailed for stalking US singer online”; last Saturday).

Many sexual harassment cases have a significant negative impact on the victims. The constant threat of harassment can prevent them from carrying out their everyday activities.

Workplace sexual harassment is particularly problematic because the victims find it hard to avoid their harassers, who may be their supervisors.

With their livelihoods and careers at stake, the victims often feel powerless, and both their personal well-being and productivity suffer as a result.

Our 2008 survey of 500 respondents found that more than half had experienced workplace sexual harassment. Females made up 79 per cent of the victims, and 11 per cent had received career threats such as termination of employment or withholding of promotions.

Workplace sexual harassment creates a hostile environment that prevents women from participating in the workforce on an equal footing.

While criminal liability may be appropriate for severe cases, the most effective and equitable solution is usually for employers to take a proactive zero-tolerance stance against sexual harassment.

By adopting and enforcing codes of conduct, backed up with formal processes for handling complaints, employers can set the right tone for inclusive working environments.

Most victims do not seek punitive measures. Their primary aim is to continue working in a harassment-free environment.

Employer-facilitated mediation and enforcement of standards of conduct can achieve this much more efficiently than any court or police process.

However, most employers will not institute anti-harassment policies unless these are mandated under the law. Two-thirds of respondents to our 2008 survey were not aware of any such policies in their workplaces.

Many leading global business centres, including Hong Kong, have laws that specifically address workplace sexual harassment.

We hope the Government, in moving to strengthen anti-harassment laws, will require employers to play their part in ensuring safe and inclusive working environments for all.

Jolene Tan is the Programmes and Communications Senior Manager at AWARE. This letter was first published in The Straits Times Forum on 25 December 2013. Read the published version here. 

Troubling consequences of seeking consent for abortion

By Jolene Tan

The proposed consent requirements will thus have the greatest effect in cases where there is the danger of family violence.

abortionRecent calls for parental or spousal consent when minors or married women seek abortions overlook some troubling potential consequences (“‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy not ideal” by Dr Yik Keng Yeong and “Why parental consent laws are necessary” by Mr Darius Lee; both published on Thursday).

These requirements would be triggered only when a patient has already decided to seek a termination. Therefore, the main effect of a parental consent requirement is to give parents the power to coerce minors to bring unwanted pregnancies to term and give birth against the children’s wishes.

Dr Yik also proposes a requirement for spousal consent or involvement. Taken in tandem with marital immunity for rape in the Penal Code, which treats marriage as a defence to charges of rape, this would give husbands the legal freedom to force their unwilling wives to have children.

Minors who have a relationship of trust with their family already consult their parents and listen to their views, even without a formal consent requirement. The same is true of women with loving and supportive husbands.

The proposed consent requirements will thus have the greatest effect in cases where there is the danger of family violence.

Introducing a court process will intimidate and distress patients, especially those who already live in fear of abuse. Legal inquiry into abuse allegations would be time-consuming, creating difficulties for patients already facing a 24-week time limit.

Moreover, it is difficult to see how a genuine investigative process could remain confidential and avoid the very disclosure to parents that minors at risk of family violence need to avoid.

Dr Yik believes a consent requirement may address the sexual abuse of minors.

In our experience, many sexual assault victims are reluctant to make reports because they fear they will not be trusted or believed. Denying them access to the medical services they have requested will do nothing to allay these concerns.

Mr Lee suggests that abortion carries the risk of complications, but he ignores the far greater risks attached to bringing a pregnancy to term and childbirth, which have much more significant impact on physical and mental health.

Notably, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital identifies women under the age of 21 and those with unplanned pregnancies as two groups facing especially high risk of post-natal depression.

Jolene Tan is the Programmes and Communications Senior Manager at AWARE. This article was first published in The Straits Times Forum on 30 November 2013. See the published version here.

Pay maintenance on the basis of fairness, not gender

By Jolene Tan

An employment history with substantial gaps due to childcare translates into lower long-term earning power.

divorceI refer to Mr Oo Choon Peng’s letter, “Women’s Charter: Time to review basis for claiming maintenance” (Dec 26).

The Association of Women for Action and Research has long argued that maintenance should be paid on the basis of fairness and need, rather than gender.

The existence of maintenance reflects the fact that marriage often involves a sacrifice of career or economic prospects by one party to take care of the other party’s domestic needs.

Traditionally, women have scaled down participation in the formal workforce to engage in valuable domestic labour, including housework, childcare and other dependant care.

Social and economic norms have shifted since the Women’s Charter was drafted, but domestic labour remains unequally shared.

According to last year’s labour force survey, 43.3 per cent of economically inactive women cited housework, childcare and other caregiving activities as their main reason for not working or looking for a job, compared with 1.8 per cent of men.

This reduced labour participation has financial ramifications that cannot be undone simply by returning to the workforce later, as Mr Oo suggests. An employment history with substantial gaps due to childcare translates into lower long-term earning power.

Economically inactive spouses also miss out on years of Central Provident Fund payments, which is why women have less CPF savings than men do at retirement.

This sacrifice is made to address the couple’s joint needs, but it also boosts the career prospects and earning power of the working spouse. This benefit endures far beyond the divorce.

Consequently, fairness requires that maintenance payments reflect the contributions of unpaid domestic labour. The Women’s Charter requires the court, rightly, to consider the income and earning potential of the spouse seeking maintenance.

AWARE agrees that spouses should not be awarded maintenance if an assessment of all the circumstances, including these factors, renders it inappropriate.

We also support the extension of maintenance payments to situations where it would be equitable for a woman to support her former spouse financially.

Indeed, in 1996, then-Nominated Member of Parliament and former AWARE President Kanwaljit Soin proposed that women should pay maintenance to ex-husbands in suitable cases.

The principle underlying the payment of maintenance is one of fairness. Its core remains sound and relevant even today.

Jolene Tan is the Programmes and Communications Senior Manager at AWARE. This letter was first published in TODAY on 28 December 2013. Read the published version here.