AWARE and

Civil Society

AWARE and

Civil Society

The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) is a Non-Governmental Organisation registered in 1985.

It is the first and only advocacy group working at securing women's rights & gender parity in Singapore.

It is feminist.

What’s AWARE?What’s AWARE?

AWARE works at securing women's rights in a patriarchal system.

What’s AWARE?What’s AWARE?

AWARE – bringing women’s perspectives to national issues.

AWARE facilitates women's learning, growing and sharing; supports women's full participation in society; contributes to societal transformation

into a gender sensitive, just and democratic model and to sustainable development.

2 pronged approach

The community component seems independent of advocacy but in many cases, the former plays a hand or helps the latter.

What does AWARE do?What does AWARE do?

Advocacy Community work

Outreach programmes – talks, seminars, special events to raise awareness (Women @ Work)

Advocacy and work on CEDAW, domestic violence bill, gender in constitution

What does AWARE do?What does AWARE do?

Advocacy and Research

Research to support advocacy and to further awareness of women’s issues

Community Programmes

Welfare services – Helpline, Legal clinics, Counselling, Shirin Fozdar Trust etc.

Our work at AWAREOur work at AWARE

‘Writing Women back into History’ Research

Work on the archival materials of AWARE

AWARE Helpline 10th Anniversary

Attendance at talks, seminars and meetings

Singapore Council of Women Formed

1953 SCW proposed Monogamous Marriage Bill

1956 PAP Women’s League was formed, led by Chan Choy Siong

1958 Shari’ah Court formed

1959 PAP campaigned on “One Man, One Wife”, with the support of SCW

1961 Women’s Charter Bill passed for non-Muslim

1962 Civil Service adopted policy of equal work equal pay

1971 SCW deregistered

1952

Women’s Movement in Singapore: History & Perspectives

The United Nations declared on International Women’s Decade with the theme, “Equality, Development and Peace”

NCW formed, and claimed to be “the voice of Singapore women”

1980 The Singapore Council of Women Organisation (SCWO) formed as an umbrella body for women’s groups

1983 Population Policies mooted

1984 SDU set up

1985 AWARE formed

1975

Women’s Movement in Singapore: History & Perspectives

AWARE Helpline

10th Anniversary

vs

Non-tax exemption issues, Lack of manpower - reliance on volunteers for everything

Very small full time staff

Confrontation

How has AWARE done?How has AWARE done?

Treads the fine line between

Consensus

Limitations

Starting to be accepted, accepted as women’s voice

How has AWARE done?How has AWARE done?

Successes

Domestic violence bill - not pushed through but included in women' charter

Braema Mathi as an AWARE nominated NMP

Seen and recognised as a credible NGO

AWARE and Civil SocietyAWARE and Civil Society

State Community

Market

(Civil Society)

Civil Society as the intersection

What role do you see AWARE playing in Singapore Civil Society?

AWARE and Civil SocietyAWARE and Civil Society

Where in Civil Society would an organisation like AWARE stand?

Women’s OrganisationsWomen’s Organisations

Is Singapore ready for an organisation like AWARE?

Do women’s organisations have a place in Civil Society?

CommunityStateMarket

Civil Society

Civil Society as a broad area

State Community

Market

(Civil Society)

AWARE’s paradigm

State

CommunityMarket

(Civil Society)

Our view of AWARE’s paradigm

Is AWARE a modern version of the SCW?

AWARE and the SCWAWARE and the SCW

Has the women’s movement changed appreciably since the high in the 1960s? Should there have been a

change?  

DebateDebate

DebateDebate

This house believes that the

equality that AWARE is pushing for

is possible and desirable.

AWAREAWARE

Role in Civil Society

Successes and Limitations

Interaction within and without Civil Society

Thank You

For participating in our discussion. You are now

Thank You

For participating in our discussion. You are now