Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Singapore submitted its Fifth Periodic Report in October 2015. It covers the initiatives Singapore introduced from 2009 to 2015, to facilitate the progress of women.

Preparing the Report

During the drafting stage of the report, MSF and the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations jointly consulted women’s groups in April 2015. Another consultation session with women parliamentarians was held in May 2015. These consultation sessions sought feedback from the participants on this Report and Singapore’s implementation of CEDAW. Their feedback was incorporated into the Report, and also relayed to the Inter-Ministry Committee on CEDAW and other agencies for review. Following the submission of the report, more consultation sessions were held in July 2017 to get further feedback from women's groups and women parliamentarians.

Oral Presentation to UN CEDAW Committee

Singapore presented ourFifth Periodic Reportat the 68th Session of the UN CEDAW Committee on25 October 2017. Prior to the session, Singapore had responded to the Committee’s issues and questions in writing to facilitate the dialogue in July 2017.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and Ministry of Education (MOE), Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, led the Singapore delegation, comprising officials from:

• MSF


• Ministry of Manpower


• Ministry of Home Affairs


• Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC)


• Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and


• Geneva Mission.

Singapore's Presentation

In his opening statement, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal explained Singapore’s practical and outcomes-based approach to the realization of human rights, bearing in mind our unique national circumstances and aspirations. He highlighted some developments since the last review session in 2011, e.g. the introduction of new laws like the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act and the Protection from Harassment Act, and the enhancement of several laws like the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and the Women’s Charter. He also elaborated on Singapore’s efforts under two thrusts (a) to continue eliminating barriers for women at the workplace, within the community and at home and (b) to strengthen efforts to empower vulnerable groups of women.

Response/Concluding Observations

The CEDAW Committee commended the Singapore delegation on our “large and multi-sectoral delegation” and appreciated the open and constructive dialogue that took place between the CEDAW Committee and the delegation. The Committee also noted with appreciation the initiatives taken by Singapore to promote gender equality and protect the rights of women.

In particular, the Committee welcomed the progress Singapore achieved since the consideration of our Fourth Periodic Report in 2011, including legislative measures (e.g. Protection from Harassment Act, Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, Administration of Justice Protection Act, revised Women's Charter, revised Employment Act), accession to international instruments (e.g. UN TIP Protocol, and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), as well as initiatives taken to promote gender equality and protect the rights of women (e.g. introduction of two weeks of paid paternity leave, establishment of Diversity Action Committee to address issue of underrepresentation of women on corporate boards, extension of childcare and elderly care facilities to support those with caregiving responsibilities, and the introduction of religious edicts to secure the financial welfare of Muslim women and their dependents by providing more options in inheritance matters).

In terms of areas for improvement, the CEDAW Committee recommended that Singapore improve our legislation to specifically incorporate in our Constitution or other appropriate legislation a definition and prohibition of all forms of discrimination against women criminalise domestic violence and marital rape prohibit and eliminate corporal punishment of children and girls ensure full compliance of Prevention of Human Trafficking Act with the Palermo protocol allow applicability of Employment Act to domestic workers repeal law where work permit holders are deported on grounds of pregnancy or diagnosis of HIV ensure children born in Singapore to automatically acquire Singaporean citizenship and include women in key positions and professions of the Registry of Muslim Marriages.

The Committee also recommended that Singapore:

• Withdraw our remaining reservations to articles 2 (on policy measures), 11 (on equal rights in employment) and 16 (on marriage and family life)


• Adopt a concrete action plan, with the active participation of civil society, to implement Committee’s recommendations and the Convention


• Improve the collection of data (including on gender-based violence against women, older women and stateless persons), disaggregated by sex, age, ethnicity and nationality


• Apply gender mainstreaming consistently in the development and implementation of all laws, policies and programmes


• Establish an independent national human rights institution


• Strengthen measures to enable women to expand their role beyond caregiving, build equal partnerships or promote sharing of familial responsibilities, and combat discriminatory stereotypes including eliminating concept of “head of household”


• Take measures to eliminate traditional stereotypes and structural barriers, for girls to choose non-traditional fields of study and career paths (e.g. engineering, electronics and information technology) and work in traditionally male-dominated fields of employment to combat horizontal occupational segregation, in both the public and private sectors


• Sensitise all relevant officials on concept of temporary special measures and apply it in areas where women continue to be underrepresented or disadvantaged


• Provide mandatory and recurrent capacity-building training (including early identification and referral of victims of trafficking as well as gender-sensitive investigation methods) for the judiciary, lawyers and law enforcement officers, legislators and other relevant officers


• Strengthen support and ensure protection for vulnerable groups of women, including victims of trafficking, victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, women migrant workers, foreign wives, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women, and unmarried women from intimate partner violence


• Adopt laws and policies aimed at promotion of women’s full and equal participation in decision making in all areas of political and public life, increase availability of training and capacity building programmes for these women


• Modify current school curricula to include age appropriate education on sexual and reproductive health


• Reduce gender wage gap


• Strengthen measures to promote work life harmony and equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men


• Undertake independent, participatory and periodic impact assessment of the extraterritorial effects of its financial and corporate tax policies on women’s rights and substantive equality


• Ensure that policies and measures targeting older women take into account their specific needs


• Establish national asylum and refugee legislation and procedures, in line with international standards


• Abolish exceptions for marriage under 18 years of age


• Intensify efforts to discourage and prohibit polygamy


• Ensure that women and men have equal rights to divorce


• Guarantee equal rights of women in all inheritance matters, and provide for equal choice of adjudication between religious and civil law regimes


• Ensure timely dissemination of present concluding observations and Parliament to take necessary steps to enable their full implementation and


• Ratify Optional Protocol to the Convention, as well as treaties and international instruments to which Singapore is not yet a Party to

For more information

• Singapore's Fifth CEDAW Periodic Report


• UN CEDAW Committee’s Issues and Questions to Singapore for the 68th Session


• Singapore’s responses to the UN CEDAW Committee’s Issues and Questions for the 68th Session


• Introductory Statement by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, MSF and MOE at the 68th CEDAW Session , 25 October 2017


• Concluding Observations from the UN CEDAW Committee, 68th Session


• Summary Record of the 68th CEDAW Session

Singapore submitted its Fourth Periodic Report in March 2009. It covers the key legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures introduced in Singapore during the time frame of 2004 to 2008.

Preparing the Report

During the drafting stage of the report, consultation sessions were organised jointly with the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) to get input from the various women’s groups. MCYS (now known as MSF) also held consultation sessions with the Ministry’s Government Parliamentary Committee members and women parliamentarians.

The Committee noted with appreciation initiatives such as the National Family Violence Networking System, the Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, and the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood Package (2008). It also noted Singapore’s ratification of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2007) and welcomed the partial withdrawal of our reservations against Articles 2 and 16 of CEDAW and urged Singapore to withdraw the remaining reservations.

For more information

• Singapore's Fourth CEDAW Periodic Report (PDF)


• UN CEDAW Committee’s Issues and Questions to Singapore for the 49th Session (PDF)


• Singapore’s responses to the UN CEDAW Committee’s Issues and Questions for the 49th Session (PDF)


• Introductory Statement by Mdm Halimah Yacob, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, at the 49th CEDAW Session , 22 July 2011 (PDF)


• Concluding Observations from the UN CEDAW Committee, 49th Session (PDF)


• Summary Record of the 49th CEDAW Session (A)


• Summary Record of the 49th CEDAW Session (B)


• UN’s Press Release on Singapore’s Oral Presentation of its Fourth Periodic Report, 22 July 2011 (49th CEDAW Session)


• Singapore's Interim CEDAW Report Following the Examination of the Fourth Periodic Report by the UN CEDAW Committee (49th CEDAW Session) ·

Singapore submitted its Third Periodic Report in November 2004. The Third Periodic Report provides updates on Singapore’s progress with respect to CEDAW and significant advances made in women’s issues and rights from 2000-2004.

Preparing the report

A closed-door session jointly organized by then Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS, now known as MSF) and the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) was held on 20 October 2004. Similar to the Fourth Periodic Report, the purpose of the session was to consult and update the local women’s groups on the contents of the Third Period Report prior to the submission.

Oral Presentation to the UN CEDAW Committee

On 1 August 2007, Singapore came before the UN CEDAW Committee to present Singapore’s Third Report at the 39th Session.

The delegation was led by Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, then Minister of State for MCYS.

In its concluding observations, the UN CEDAW Committee welcomed Singapore’s efforts in:

• establishing the Women's Desk (re-designated to Office for Women's Development from 1 July 2011)


• setting up the Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) on CEDAW


• allowing Singapore Citizen women to pass on their citizenship to foreign-born children


• tacking domestic violence


• removing the quota for female medical students


• increasing the number of women in Parliament


• strengthening the protection of female foreign domestic workers


• supporting the employment and financial security of older women

For more information

• Singapore's Third CEDAW Periodic Report


• Singapore's responses to the UN CEDAW Committee's Issues and Questions for the 39th Session


• Concluding Comments from the UN CEDAW Committee, 39th Session


• Summary Record (A) of the 39th CEDAW Session


• Summary Record (B) of the 39th CEDAW Session


• UN's Press Release on Singapore's Oral Presentation of its Third Periodic Report, 1 August 2007 (39th CEDAW Session

The Initial Report lists the measures adopted by Singapore in Parliament, Court and other administrative areas to comply with CEDAW. Subsequently, the Second Periodic Report provides updates on women’s participation in key sectors as well as new developments and initiatives that promote human rights for women in Singapore.

Oral Presentation to the UN CEDAW Committee

On 9 July 2001, Singapore presented both the Initial Report and the Second Periodic Report to the 25th Session of UN CEDAW. It was the first time Singapore appeared before a human rights committee.

The delegation was led by then Senior Parliamentary Secretary of MCYS (now known as MSF), Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon.

Singapore was commended for its large, high-level delegation and the “comprehensive and highly professional” replies that the delegation gave to the Committee.

For more information

• Singapore's Initial CEDAW Periodic Report


• Singapore's Second CEDAW Periodic Report


• Concluding Comments from the UN CEDAW Committee, 25th Session


• Summary Record (A) of the 25th CEDAW Session


• Summary Record (B) of the 25th CEDAW Session


• Summary Record (C) of the 25th CEDAW Session