AWARE Media

Legal, societal discrimination leaves LGBT people vulnerable to abuse

By Jolene Tan, Programmes and Communications Senior Manager

I read with dismay that a man extorted large sums from a male teacher by threatening to reveal their sexual relationship to the Ministry of Education and the teacher’s school (“Man pleads guilty to extorting S$197k, gifts from male teacher he had tryst with”, TODAYonline, Jan 12).

These criminal acts were carried out by an unscrupulous individual. But he was enabled by the atmosphere of secrecy that our society has collectively imposed on LGBT people.

While any married person might fear exposure of adultery, the teacher in this case faced further vulnerability because of the legal, societal and institutional discrimination that treats same-sex relationships as invalid and shameful.

Section 377A of the Penal Code stigmatises sexual activity between men, LGBT people are not protected against employment discrimination, and same-sex relationships are routinely censored from media representation.

As long as we demand that these relationships stay furtive, the people in them will remain vulnerable to abuse.

Indeed, the prevalence of sexual blackmail was cited by British parliamentarians in the 1960s as one reason for decriminalising homosexuality.

The experience of the Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) at the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) reveals a similar disturbing issue: Section 377A can discourage some men from reporting sexual violence against them to the police.

They fear that in describing the sexual assault or their interactions with their attackers, they will reveal that they have, themselves, violated Section 377A, and thus be, themselves, subject to police investigation.

Most people face great social and emotional barriers to reporting sexual assault.

For some, Section 377A adds the fear that the authorities will treat them not as the victim of a crime, but as a perpetrator.

The Government’s position that the law will not be proactively enforced does not adequately allay this concern.

Individuals are understandably nervous about whether such a stand will truly override the weight of the written law, which plainly says they have committed a crime.

Moreover, for someone who has faced a potentially traumatic sexual assault, even if he is not subsequently prosecuted, the prospect of police investigations for an alleged crime can be enough to deter reporting.

His attacker is, therefore, never held to account.

The extortion case and SACC’s experiences show some of the great human costs of a supposed moral stance against homosexuality.

As long as our society continues to discriminate against LGBT people, we will aid and abet their abuse.

This letter first appeared in TODAY Voices on 19 January.

AWARE statement on the rights of minors in criminal investigations

We are deeply saddened by the death of Benjamin Lim. We offer our best wishes and condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.

While we cannot ultimately know why this young boy ended his life, the case raises troubling questions about the treatment of minors who come into contact with the criminal justice system. As a group that works with people who have experienced sexual assault, AWARE is concerned about the rights and welfare of any children who may be involved in sexual assault investigations, whether as complainants, suspects or witnesses.

As a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Singapore has an obligation in international law to make the best interests of the child a primary consideration in all state dealings with any child. This includes cases where a child is alleged or accused to have committed a criminal offence – a stressful and difficult experience even for the most confident adult.

AWARE welcomes the announcement by SPF that it will review the procedure for police interviews of young people, and urges SPF to draw from international best practice in this area. The Victoria Police in Australia, for instance, can only interview under-18s if a parent, guardian or other support person is present. Moreover, the SPF should be responsible for ensuring that emotional and psychological support is available to all minors (and their carers) who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

Only recently, the Law Society called for accused persons in general to have early access to counsel. This need applies with even more urgency to vulnerable individuals such as minors.

Finally, we believe it is extremely important that the police take complaints of sexual assault seriously. But any investigation must take place with due regard for the rights of suspects. Victims of sexual assault want to see fairness and accountability in the criminal process. In many cases, the perpetrators is someone previously known to them. If there is a general perception that criminal investigations may be unduly harsh or traumatic, especially for minors, this may deter victims from reporting. It is in everyone’s interest that criminal investigations respect the rights of suspects.

Human Rights Day seminar 2015: Progress and Perspectives for Women’s rights in Singapore and ASEAN

A guest blog post by Camille Neale

On 10 December 2015, in celebration of the annual international human rights day, the Delegation of the European Union to Singapore hosted a seminar on “Progress and Perspectives for Women’s rights in Singapore and ASEAN”. The seminar explored the progress of women’s rights since Singapore’s accession to CEDAW in 1995, with a particular view to the future – what still needs to be done, what are the current challenges and what are the challenges that may emerge down the line. Particular issues that came to the fore included Singapore’s marital immunity for rape, the danger of increasing extremism for women, and the lack of government data in Singapore. Speakers included Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, the former under-secretary general of the UN and Dr. Vivienne Wee and Jolene Tan from AWARE.

In the keynote speech, Dr. Heyzer cited a lack of commitment as the biggest barrier to advancing a women’s rights agenda today. She asserted that the goal now is to create a world fit for women, one that values their experiences and their voices. To achieve sustainable development we must address women’s rights.

The first panel looked at Singapore’s progress since ratifying CEDAW. The speakers were Ms. Malathi Das, President of Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), Ms. Jolene Tan, Programmes and Communications Senior Manager of AWARE, and Dr. Anamah Tan, Lawyer at Ann Tan & Associates. Ms. Das started off by tracing the positive gains in women’s rights in Singapore, namely the increasing movement towards the removal of the reservations – a good sign for advocacy organisations. SCWO’s “wishlist” of issues to be addressed for women’s rights include the gender wage gap, women in leadership and a need for more participation by women’s groups in dialogue with women. Ms. Tan’s presentation underlined particular issues in Singapore, and the areas yet to see progress. A major problem is the harmful way that women’s roles are construed in public policy. Patriarchal traditionalist views of women’s reproduction continues to dominate in Singapore; domestic care labour continues to be seen as women’s work, and the capitalist system relies on women’s designation as carers. Dr. Tan spoke to the difference between progress and sustainable progress – if progress is not sustainable then there will be a regress.

The second panel dealt with emerging challenges to women’s rights in the ASEAN region. Speaking on the panel were Ms. Laura Hwang, Singapore’s government representative for women’s rights on the ASEAN commission for the promotion of women and children’s rights, Ms. Braema Mathi, President of MARUAH, and Ms. Halijah Mohamad, Attorney in practice and managing director of Halijah Mohamad & Co. Issues raised on this panel included the threat of climate change, which impacts will be borne disproportionately by women, increasing radicalisation, and violence against women using technology. Ms. Halijah emphasised in particular the issue of certain interpretations of religious law as a major challenge to women’s rights.

The last panel dealt with perspectives of women’s rights from Europe and Asia. On the panel was Dr. Vivienne Wee, a founding member of AWARE and the current director of research and advocacy, H.E. Berit Basse, Ambassador of Denmark to Singapore, and Ms. Thelma Kay, the former senior advisor to the Ministry of Community development, Youth and Sports. H.E. Basse spoke about some of the measures taken in Denmark to improve women’s lives, though she noted that Denmark too continues to face the problem of a highly segregated gender market. Dr. Wee talked about the emergence of the ‘Asian Values’ concept and its impact on the women’s rights movement. Ms. Kay suggested that we need to replace patriarchal ideology with socio-cultural norms grounded in social justice in order to be a more egalitarian society. All speakers brought up the issue of unconscious biases as a major issue to tackle.

The seminar concluded with remarks from H.E. Chan Heng Chee who responded to questions raised during the seminar, in particular on the issue of unconscious bias.

As Dr. Heyzer stressed in her opening address, there has been progress, but that progress is still not enough. The frameworks to promote women’s rights are there, but there is not enough action. There was also agreement on the need for male champions to push a women’s rights agenda. Although progress in women’s rights has largely been achieved by women, it is still men for the most part who hold positions of power and influence. Men need to accept responsibility in promoting change as well.

About the author: Camille Neale is currently an intern at AWARE.

Non-profit social campaign Breast-Feeding Friends changing social stigma

A guest blog post by Alison Kuah

Breast-Feeding Friends (BFF) is a non-profit social campaign initiated by four students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) who wish to promote an inclusive breastfeeding-friendly culture in Singapore, especially in public places.

“[Oviyum] chanced upon an article about breastfeeding which really struck a chord with us and made us realise how little we knew about it. This prompted us to research deeper on how it’s received in Singapore,” said Alyssa Teo, one of the team members.

BFF is not the first of its kind and is reminiscent of the “Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme” in the United Kingdom, and the #SayYesToBreastfeeding campaign by UNICEF Hong Kong. It works towards preventing the exclusion of breastfeeding mothers from social spaces in Singapore.

The campaign aims to advocate for mothers who choose to breastfeed in public, and takes concrete steps towards creating a supportive and conducive environment for breastfeeding mothers in Singapore.

Their initiative stems from research and focus group interviews with breastfeeding mothers that revealed that breastfeeding in Singapore is very much stigmatised. Mothers cited being asked to leave restaurants and family lounges, or members of the public’s refusal to leave breastfeeding rooms, as evidence of their exclusion from social spaces.

“Some mothers have even had restaurant managers tell them breastfeeding in public is illegal, which is not true,” Teo said. “I think a lot of backlash comes from the misconception that breastfeeding mums are too lazy to pump their breast milk, and that laziness results in an inconvenience to the public. People don’t realise that babies need to be fed five to eight times a day and that some mothers have difficulty pumping milk.”

Jolene Tan, a mother herself and AWARE’s Programmes and Communications Senior Manager, found these perceptions deeply troubling. “Why should pumping be taken as a default or a norm?” she asked. “It is one arrangement which works for some, but it shouldn’t be a standard against which all are judged. Mothers should not be obliged to incur the expense of pumping, whether in time, effort or money – especially when they are already dealing with the considerable challenges of care for a newborn. That is a far cry from being lazy.”

Countries such as the UK, Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan have laws protecting a mother’s right to breastfeed in public, and the Singapore Police Force has stated that: “It is not an offence to breastfeed in public if the woman is decently clad and she does not expose her breast more than is necessary to breastfeed her child.”

Yet besides overt discriminatory actions against breastfeeding mothers that exclude them from public spaces, much of the public’s perception about breastfeeding is less than supportive.

“A couple of months ago the story about a breastfeeding mother asked to leave a cab was picked up and circulated widely on Facebook,” Teo said. “The backlash and misogynistic comments about breastfeeding mothers showed the need for more education and awareness.”

With ongoing education via social media, BFF is taking great strides towards changing the perception and stigma around breastfeeding in public and early efforts have already produced results. Over 40 establishments have pledged their commitment to make their premises more breastfeeding friendly and this number is steadily increasing. Cafes and restaurants such as Standing Sushi Bar, Fika and Bar Bar Black Sheep have agreed to show their support for breastfeeding mothers in a variety of ways, from the simple gesture of offering breastfeeding mothers a glass of water and a seat with back support, to building a private nursing room.

“Seeing establishments actively adopt the culture and lifestyle that we want to promote is one of the most rewarding parts,” Teo said. “Most recently, we heard from a breastfeeding mother that the staff at Tolido’s Expresso Nook had already proactively begun to present themselves as a BFF, even though our portal had not even been officially launched at that time. That was rewarding beyond words.”

Additionally, BFF Finder, a website for breastfeeding mothers, has just been launched for mothers to easily locate places where they can nurse on the go.

Besides being featured on the BFF Finder, establishments that have pledged to welcome and protect breastfeeding mothers at their premises are provided with a toolkit with suggestions on how to be breastfeeding friendly.

Suggestions include:

Briefing staff (who are often the ones telling mothers to stop breastfeeding or cover up) about the establishment’s welcoming stance
Provide discreet or private feeding areas for breastfeeding mothers
Customise menu to include lactation-friendly items
Include baby friendly features

Future actions for BFF include further developing the BFF community to create an inclusive public environment for breastfeeding mothers through a public pledge programme, as well as a roundtable discussion co-organised by AWARE on public breastfeeding in the coming months.

However, changing public perception will require much more involvement from those who already pay lip service to the creation of an inclusive social environment for breastfeeding mothers. A reason for negative public sentiment towards breastfeeding mothers is the lack of visibility of breastfeeding in Singapore, such that when breastfeeding is visible, the image is jarring for members of the public. Personally, I feel that these negative perceptions exist not only because breasts are portrayed as a sexualised image, but also because of the seeming overlap between bare breasts and public indecency.

While initiatives like World Breastfeeding Week are an important reminder to advocate for less stigma and more acceptance, it places the sole burden on breastfeeding mothers. I feel that more people who believe that breastfeeding mothers have a right to feed their children any way they see fit wherever they see fit, could do much more to call out those who attack, degrade and shame the right of mothers to breastfeed.

Thank you for an amazing 2015!

2015 has been amazing for AWARE! Thanks to your generous support, our programmes and initiatives have met with great success.

Here are some of the highlights of the year:

1. Our beloved AWARE Centre now has a new look!

The Centre closed for renovations in May, and in August we opened our doors to a brand new space, with a dedicated wing for our support services, and a new events space for the AWARE community. Drop by to take a look!

2. Promoting equality and women’s representation in GE2015

We injected gender equality advocacy into election season in September! We engaged political parties with a statement on promoting inclusion and diversity, highlighted the lack of women’s representation both on electoral slates and in the Cabinet, and called out numerous sexist statements about candidates, which collectively earned this year’s Alamak! Award.

3. Placing gender equality on the policy map

AWARE continues to keep up with the rapid pace of policy development. This year we participated in public consultations on proposed reforms to the Women’s Charter as well as the national Budget, ensuring that support for caregiving, protection from violence and gender equality remain firmly in the public and policy-maker eye. In December, we welcomed Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin to the AWARE Centre to discuss our plans and our work.

4. Men standing up against violence against women

Violence against women matters to everyone. #WhiteRibbonSG united men and boys from all walks of life, including Minister K Shanmugam and Adrian Pang, on the importance of ending it. November’s campaign week brought thought-provoking videos, widely circulated think pieces and Ride Against Violence – where 25 Harley bikers, 5 Chrysler jeepers and boys from Beyond Social Services took the anti-violence message to the streets.

5. A critical service for women in crisis

Despite a dip during Centre renovation, AWARE’s Helpline received more than 2,500 calls and conducted over 680 counselling sessions as of November, with all services receiving ratings of above 90% from clients. In 2015, we held two divorce support groups that helped women support one another through difficult times. More will be introduced next year!

6. Expanded the Sexual Assault Care Centre’s services and reach

The Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC), still Singapore’s only specialist service for people who have faced sexual assault, is reaching out to more who need help. As of November 2015, the SACC has supported more than 240 people who have faced sexual assault. With a new WhatsApp service and a welcoming new website, SACC is lending a helping hand and sharing information on sexual assault with more people than ever before.

7. Women’s Action: honouring the women’s movement

Where was the women’s movement in the SG50 story? November saw the launch of Women’s Action, a richly immersive website telling the story of the struggle for gender equality in Singapore – its landmark achievements, its champions, and the deep impact of its work on ordinary people. Original videos and photo essays, carefully curated archival images and meticulously researched exposés will be released in phases until April 2016.

8. Mainstreaming anti-harassment norms and practices in workplaces

AWARE was delighted to work closely with the Ministry of Manpower in developing a Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment. Building on last year’s anti-harassment law, it sends a robust signal to employers that preventing and responding to workplace harassment is their responsibility. Catalyse Consulting, AWARE’s new corporate training arm, has begun training employers on implementing this Advisory, as well as on other issues such as unconscious bias and diversity & inclusion.

9. Working towards justice and equality in Muslim families

In late February, Gender Equality is our Culture (GEC), a collaborative initiative with Solidaritas Perempuan to promote gender equality in Muslim communities, co-organised a regional conference, drawing participants from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to share and develop strategies for achieving justice and equality in Muslim families in diverse contexts.

10. The Big Birthday Ball – our biggest fundraiser to date

We celebrated our 30th anniversary with our biggest and boldest birthday party ever! On 7 November, 500 friends and supporters gathered to raise $357,000 for AWARE’s work, including $117,000 for #asinglelove, our new collaboration to stand up for single parents. Building on our in-depth interviews with 50 single mothers and 25 children, the campaign will empower single parents and promote policies and attitudes that are inclusive to them.

We will continue to strive to advocate for a more equal society as well as better support for women in crisis in the coming year, and we hope that you will join us as well.

Thank you so much for your support once again. See you next year!

AWARE welcomes new anti-harassment Advisory; Catalyse Consulting offers employers guidance and training

AWARE strongly applauds the newly issued Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment (the Advisory) from MOM, NTUC and SNEF, as well as the consultative approach of the Tripartite Workgroup in developing it.

“Workplace harassment is against the law,” said Corinna Lim, Executive Director of AWARE. “This Advisory confirms that employers must play a proactive role in preventing and addressing it.”

AWARE has long highlighted the prevalence and seriousness of workplace sexual harassment in Singapore. In 2015 to date, AWARE’s Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) has received 62 complaints about workplace sexual harassment. The figure in 2014 was 61.

“Usually, people facing workplace sexual harassment aren’t looking to punish the harasser,” said Corinna Lim. “They just want to see employers put a stop to it. If they have no confidence in the employer, they may suffer in silence, or just leave. But if an employer has proper policies and processes, it makes a real difference.”

Most major business centres – including Hong Kong, London and New York – make employers responsible for addressing harassment at the workplace.

The Advisory advises employers to develop a harassment prevention policy, to provide staff with information and training on workplace harassment, and to implement appropriate reporting and response procedures.

Catalyse Consulting – AWARE’s corporate training arm – has updated its anti-harassment curriculum to help employers understand and implement these recommendations effectively. This builds on AWARE’s long-standing experience with anti-harassment training, which AWARE began offering in 2010.

“Introducing anti-harassment measures for the first time can seem challenging to employers,” said Rachel Yeoh, Executive at Catalyse Consulting. “But we draw on our experience to make the transition a smooth one. The results are a more inclusive workplace – and more engaged employees.”

About Catalyse Consulting
Catalyse Consulting is the corporate training division of AWARE, which aims to inspire diverse and inclusive workplaces for people to maximise their full potential. Our international team offers Diversity & Inclusion training and consulting for public and private organisations in the region.

About the Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC)
SACC is Singapore’s first and only specialist service supporting people who face sexual assault. It has seen more than 200 clients in 2015 so far compared to the 234 cases of sexual assault received in 2014.

SACC features a drop-in centre with an on-site social worker who can assist clients immediately (open Mon-Fri, 10am to 7pm), a helpline (6779 0282, Mon-Fri, 10am to midnight), WhatsApp chat (9781 4101, Mon-Fri, 10am to 7pm) and email support (sacc@aware.org.sg).

SACC’s services include free legal information from an experienced lawyer, therapeutic counselling by specialists, and Befriender services – where a trained befriender accompanies clients to the police station, hospital or court, providing support through processes which can often be difficult and intimidating

These safe, free and confidential services have supported hundreds of clients through their recovery after sexual assault.

10 reasons to end marital immunity for rape

According to the Penal Code, “She’s my wife” can be a complete legal defence to charges of rape (s375). TheAlliance of Like-Minded CSOs in Singapore (ALMOS), who collaborated in the submission of a shadow report to the UN for Singapore’s Universal Periodic Review, is calling for this to change. Here are ten reasons to support us.

Everyone deserves protection from violence. Rape is violence. Spousal violence is unacceptable. No ifs, no buts, no excuses, no justifications.

Horrifyingly, marital immunity applies to the Penal Code offence of sexual penetration of a minor under 16 (s376A). The immunity applies to minors aged 13 and above. We are not a humane society if our law makes special provision to excuse the rape of children.

Rape within marriage is a reality, both globally and in Singapore. AWARE’s helpline and the Sexual Assault Care Centre encounter several such cases a year – and we believe many more go unreported precisely because the law says it’s not really rape.

Protection from violence shouldn’t depend on prior paperwork. The law recognises rape within marriage only if proceedings for divorce, separation or a personal protection order began before the attack. (More on the law.)

Consent matters. The government told the UN that this paperwork “clearly signal[s]that [a wife’s]consent to conjugal relations has been withdrawn”. Surely it should be good enough to say “no”, “stop”, “not tonight”, “I don’t feel like it”…? How can we promote a culture of consent and mutual respect if our law codifies this kind of disrespect?

Marriage mustn’t nullify women’s fundamental rights. It’s 2015 – five decades since the Women’s Charter declared that spouses “shall have equal rights in the running of the matrimonial household.” The Penal Code should follow suit. The idea that marriage takes away the right to say “no” is out of step with societal values, which cherish equality and autonomy.

We should encourage reporting. In Singapore, as all over the world, most rapes gounreported. Marital immunity for rape contributes to a hostile societal atmosphere which suggests that rape won’t be taken seriously – deterring reporting.

Lesser charges aren’t good enough. A rapist who attacks his wife may be convicted of voluntarily causing hurt (s321) or wrongful restraint (s241), as in the landmark case of PP v N (1999). But these carry much lighter penalties than rape or sexual penetration of a minor. We should call rape what it is.

Removing marital immunity means allowing due process. As with rape outside marriage – or other offences with no marital immunity – due process would apply. To secure a conviction, the prosecution must prove its case in a court of law.

Singapore ought to keep pace with the rest of the world. Our marital rape law is out of step with many other countries, including other Asian countries such as the Philippines and Hong Kong. We have been repeatedly questioned about this at the United Nations. It is time to join the international community in recognising the human rights of women to live free of sexual violence.

For more information about sexual assault and AWARE’s specialist services for those who have faced sexual assault (including within marriage), visit the new Sexual Assault Care Centre website.

You can also find out more from No To Rape, a 2009 volunteer-led campaign against marital immunity for rape.

This article was first published on The Online Citizen on 16 December 2015.

Media statement by ALMOS on the Universal Periodic Review

About ALMOS

The Alliance of Like-Minded CSOs in Singapore (ALMOS) is a group of civil society organisations (CSOs) that have collaborated to submit a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to the United Nations in 2015, to highlight human rights issues in Singapore.

ALMOS is represented by AWARE, Function 8, HOME, Project X, Sayoni, Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign, The Online Citizen, Think Centre, We Believe in Second Chances and WWF Singapore, who have synergised efforts to increase international and local awareness of civil and political rights of Singaporeans through a combination of lobbying and public engagement activities.

ALMOS’s advocacy will involve a lobbying effort surrounding the UPR mechanism, and a public education initiative in Singapore to draw attention to its overarching belief: That human rights matter to everyone, because it eradicates discrimination and fosters inclusiveness within our society.

MEDIA STATEMENT BY ALMOS ON THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW

As Singapore prepares to engage other United Nations member states on its human rights record at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2016, it is clear that much more needs to be done by the government to properly address human rights issues, including to engage Singaporeans on the meaning of human rights in an inclusive society.

As such, in conjunction with World Human Rights Day on 10 December, the Alliance of Like-Minded CSOs in Singapore (ALMOS) has published its UPR submission to the United Nations and launched a public engagement campaign, starting with its Facebook page.

To date, ALMOS has engaged foreign embassies in Singapore to provide them with more informed perspectives on Singapore’s human rights situation at the United Nations. ALMOS has also met with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advocate its primary positions and to highlight the major shortcomings in the government’s approach towards human rights. ALMOS acknowledges that the Singapore government is committed to the peer review process outlined to the UPR and is just as interested to play its role in engaging the government on these issues.

The UPR submission sets out ALMOS’ key recommendations to improve Singapore’s performance in human rights. Areas for improvement include: Systemic and long-standing issues in Singapore’s legal and justice framework; the government’s discriminatory policies on matters concerning families and minority groups; a near-exploitative work environment that impacts citizens and non-citizens alike; restrictive laws surrounding civic and political participation; and the practice of addressing our social and environmental security only on a needs basis. Underpinning all these issues are the lack of open access to information and the suppression of media interested in reporting on human rights violations.

The government has adopted a few measures as recommended at the United Nations, and there is reason to believe that some recent changes to Singapore’s legal framework, such as laws on the death penalty, indicates that the State is responding positively to UPR recommendations. However, it has not shown a commitment towards safeguarding human rights in Singapore in all aspects of life. Such rights seem to be doled out only in a discretionary and non-accountable way.

ALMOS is particularly concerned by the government’s overly-broad citation of “national security” in response to questions on the human rights impact of its practices. Citizens are not given a clear indication of the parameters of these security concerns; nor are they provided with convincing evidence that what the state practices is in proportion to the supposed security risks. The government has also not justified clearly to citizens or allowed open debate on why it cannot reveal simple statistics like the numbers detained under the Internal Security Act and the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, or why individuals so detained are not rightfully accorded an open trial at any time for their alleged offence. It has also failed to explain how national security necessitates the turning away of refugees who have been persecuted in their home countries.

ALMOS believes that human rights should be a matter of intimate concern to each and every Singaporean. The government urgently needs a dedicated focus on human rights, rather than its current piece-meal approach, to make Singapore a more inclusive and harmonious society where progress and liberties go hand in hand.

WOMEN'S HELPLINE

1800 777 5555

SEXUAL ASSAULT CARE CENTRE

6779 0282

General enquiries

6779 7137

MENU

Author: AWARE Media