REACH 332 - What are your views on the five scopes laid out in the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development? How can we better support women at workplaces and at home?
(SK)
01 Apr 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:45 am, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
Welcome back! ๐
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Megan ๐
[10:00 am, 01/04/2022] +REACH: ๐ข Topic ๐ข
From urging more flexible work arrangements to greater protection for victims of domestic violence, the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development unveiled on Monday (March 28) outlines the Government's plans to improve the lives of women here. A 10-year road map to nudge society further along the road to equality between men and women will see greater support for flexible work arrangements, more help for caregivers and swifter intervention in cases of violence.
๐ฌ What are your views on the five scopes laid out in the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development? How can we better support women at workplaces and at home?
Minister Josephine Teo said "The White Paper sensitises and raises the awareness that women still need our support in many ways. It is very much up to each one of us in our respective roles to try and give the women in our lives the support that they need in order to fulfil their aspirations."
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnvS
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnt8
๐ Area 1: Equal opportunities in the workplace
1. New laws to ensure fair employment practices, plus ensuring those who come forward to report issues have their identities protected and are not retaliated against.
2. New Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements by 2024, to require employers to consider employees' flexiwork requests fairly and properly.
3. Career mentorship, networking opportunities and training programmes for women at work and re-entering the workforce.
4. Encouraging greater utilisation of parental leave.
5. Revised Singapore Exchange Listing Rules and Practice Guidance to the Code of Corporate Governance to support greater board diversity, including gender diversity.
6. Council for Board Diversity will lead efforts to increase women's representation on boards.
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnvo
๐ Area 2: Recognition and support for caregivers
7. Respite care options to be enhanced; Household Services Scheme will be expanded to include basic child- and elder-minding services.
8. Home Caregiving Grant will be increased from $200 a month to up to $400 a month.
9. Greater access to affordable and quality pre-schools; a child and maternal health well-being strategy will be developed.
10. Awareness of caregiver support initiatives will be ramped up, with a push for community-based peer support networks.
11. More support for caregivers of persons with disabilities and children with developmental needs.
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnv4
๐ Area 3: Protection against violence and harm
12. Penalties for three sexual offences have been raised, and the Attorney-General's Chambers will generally object to rehabilitative sentences for adult offenders who commit sexual and hurt offences.
13. Greater protection for victim-survivors of family violence, including a helpline with expanded capacity and multiple modes of reporting, such as a mobile app.
14. More awareness and accessibility of resources for victims of online harms.
15. Strengthened support and awareness of resources on workplace harassment.
16. New national framework to promote safe sport.
17. Promote values of respect and safety through education - from pre-schools to institutes of higher learning.
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnvk
๐ Area 4: Other support measures for women
18. Enhanced support for single parents.
19. Greater support for divorcing or divorced women, including the option of divorce by mutual agreement of the irretrievable breakdown of marriage, as well as better enforcement of maintenance orders.
20. More support for low-income families with children, such as piloting a child-minding service out of usual childcare centre operating hours.
21. Elective egg freezing to be allowed in 2023 for women aged 21 to 35 years, but only legally married couples can use this for procreation.
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wntF
๐ Area 5: Mindset shifts
22. Women's Charter has been updated to better reflect women's equal status to men in marriage.
23. Gender stereotypes about careers will be addressed through education; Character and Citizenship Education curriculum in schools will address equity of familial roles.
24. Develop gender-responsive standards under the Singapore Standardisation Programme.
25. A public garden will be dedicated to honouring and celebrating the pioneering spirit of Singapore women.
๐๐ป https://str.sg/wnvZ
More info on the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development is available on REACH’s website:
https://www.reach.gov.sg/Participate/conversations-on-singapore-womens-development
[10:50 am, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We want to HEAR from you!
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan ๐
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[11:16 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: This is all good news. Maybe consider Paternity leave increase, so the burden doesn't all fall on the Mother. Perhaps like some countries the leave could be shared, so each parent can take equal responsibility and give the other parent a break from infant care.
[11:17 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: Again, we need to move society away from Gender bias that women stay home and look after the kids while the Man pursues his career.
[11:19 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: 2 weeks paternity leave is quite poor and doesn't help with creating a bond between father and child, nor relieving Mother from responsibilities at a very taxing time.
[11:20 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/new-dads-working-in-singapore-based-swedish-firms-cheer-campaign-to-double-paternity-leave
[11:22 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: Also, can Single Mothers / Fathers buy HDB? I think this would be a good step forward if not currently. Criteria for HDB shouldn't just be marriage, but also if a parent. I don't know the rules on this, so it might already be possible.
[11:24 am, 01/04/2022] +Ken Loh: For single parents… can share name with your kid. If they are old enough to take up loan.
For younger ones not so sure
[11:25 am, 01/04/2022] +BL: OK, was thinking it would be for Single Parents trying to make a long term home to bring up their kids, rather than when the kids are already adults.
[11:30 am, 01/04/2022] +Ken Loh: Recent years is better but forgot where to find… this issue has been raise in parliament as well. For single parents (father/mother) parental leave
[1:13 pm, 01/04/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
1. Gender equality begins at home.
Mutual Respect is the key to Gender Equality.
2. If one able to treat his own wife, mother, sisters, relatives, female friends with mutual respect - one will have practice gender equality - and will do the same at workplace or in the public.
3. At all my previous workplace, gender equality is practise and is the expected norm. Staff focus on the job, projects and issues - and not bias against gender. Hence gender inequality don't arise in the workplace.
4. Rules and regulations will be necessary if abuses do occur at workplaces, at home or at the public.
[2:01 pm, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
About 950,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive their quarterly GSTV-U-Save and GSTV - S&CC rebates in April 2022. These payouts are of the enhanced permanent GSTV scheme and Household Support Package announced at Budget 2022, and will provide continuing help to defray GST and other living expenses of lower to middle-income Singaporean households.
Megan ☺️
[2:01 pm, 01/04/2022] +ziechon: My earlier workplace never leh. Moving office everyone do their own + general packing, but the ladies tekan the men only to carry table chair and cupboards ๐๐คฃ
[2:02 pm, 01/04/2022] +Smiely face: MAJULAH!
[3:40 pm, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear contributors,
We want to HEAR MORE from you!
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan ๐
[3:45 pm, 01/04/2022] +BL: Interestingly point 2 has Gender Bias built in. The message states if 'one' but of course 'one' only applies to a man in the context of the sentence.
[3:46 pm, 01/04/2022] +BL: https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-sensitive-communication/first-steps-towards-more-inclusive-language/terms-you-need-know
[4:03 pm, 01/04/2022] +BL: And point 4 is true and the reason that legislation is being brought in, because of abuses in the workplace.
[4:15 pm, 01/04/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
Mutual respect among beings - humans, animals, unseen - is the key to harmonious family, society, countries and the world.
There will be less conflict, infighting, tension, war ...
And is the key to racial harmony, religious harmony, gender equality and a harmonious society.
[4:15 pm, 01/04/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
As there will be mutual trust.
[4:18 pm, 01/04/2022] ☸️ Danny ๅฟ:
And mutual respect start from the Heart ❤️ - ๅๅฟ。
[5:27 pm, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear contributors,
We want to HEAR MORE from you!
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan ๐
[6:45 pm, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan
[6:47 pm, 01/04/2022] +Kevin: Good night Megan
[6:56 pm, 01/04/2022] +Smiley face: 1 April, 2022
To: Our Distinguished Ministers And All Our Honorable Members
"Protecting The Weaks From The Strongs"
Women's Rights (็ทๅทฆๅฅณๅณ):
Where are the problems?
To all male species, starts by self reflecting how smart and capable you are versus the next smarter one which happens to be a female? No April's fool, this is real!
Sense & Sensibility -
Lineage, legacy and succession are three traditional traits and formative beliefs of many Asian families. The surname of a family matters most to these traditional thinkers behavior which at times loggerheads and illogical, can be discreet, to discriminate and non believers of meritocracy? Are female frequent underdogs or are they frequently seen playing second fiddle? In reality not always "the best person for the job" works, for there are many other unknown/personal reasons that gender discrimination and selection at play!
It is not easy to change or to reprogram families, social mindsets and long haul believes that males can do "bigger thing" than females? How about a combination or part of inequalities to the extreme of race, of gender and of disability? What's the psychological damages to women and the lost opportunities?
How long will a community/society/world takes to accept gender equality and be equitable that is female and male on level playing field, 10 years or one generation to change?
Does the existing social support infrastructures motivate females to free hands from child care to seniors care and transit smoothly to the workplace? Better to start now than later to mend the social gap between female and male whether is leadership roles, job opportunities or pay packages?Recalling one famous Professor from the Tel Aviv University said, "compensation, job security and job satisfaction/recognition are 'adjuvants' of a harmonious work environment...". Are women generally paid lesser than men for the same job/role/responsibilities? One sure winner is "the best person for the job (talent) " that matters!
Next tougher task will be to closeup the social inequalities between 'having alot' and 'have not'?
Afterwords:
Review of the Penal Code:
"no will is stronger than the power of the rotan... If you think you are a bully of any sorts...?"
- - anonymous
What is suffering, what is painful and what's constitute a draconian act?
Imposing longer prison term may be counter productive to society, burden to taxpayers having to foot the maintenances, prison spaces and expansion too? It is not a deterrent to many potential/clever and calculative offenders of all sorts. Simply to put it into perspective, prison and criminal justice are cost centers to public money!
One frightened thing is caning and the extreme is capital punishment. The former punishment will be the check and balance for criminals to rethink before committing crimes from petty offences to major ones!
Introducing two standards of cane, Rotan and Cane. The differences between the first is thicker in diameter and tougher. The cane can be seen as a LIGHTER punishment as it will be half the specifications of the FULL Rotan. For serious offences, Rotan will be imposed on criminals while petty offences will receive the cane as a lighter sentencing to such offences.
For caning (exemption for female offenders) may be seen as primitive and no human rights. Should harms like sexual, abusing (physical, photo or filming of human of all ages in private or public and co-workers/seniors/spouses) and violence (gang fights /bullies) be forgiven and no caning (assuming offenders are of mentally sound)?
If you ask any hard-core gangsters or people on the streets about prison, fines or caning, they will almost tell you that caning is the thing they shiver/fear most! Fact, many syndicate crime groups are able to pay for legal fees, fines and "taking care" fees to families!
What if these unfortunate crimes happened to yourself, your family members or your love ones? How will the mental wellbeing of a victim like an underage person or a woman after these abuses and violences? Are there more legal protections and importantly PREVENTIONS than CURES approach to these mess?
High Tech Crimes -
Can we impose caning for cyber crimes, phone/physical scamers and white collar crimes too? These days many white collar criminals getaway with prison term and a hefty fine that's all! Perhaps there are needs to enact a global assets injunction to include spouse or immediate past spouse and children, non travelling for 5 years after release from prison (for foreigners deport and ban for life) and struck off from holding senior or significance positions from private to public offices (include all nationalities and PRs).
As such the judiciary and AGC together in consult to review and to recommend stiffer penalties from petty ones to major crimes, that is to perhaps increase the number of strokes of the rotan or cane, reducing the imprisonment period and increase monetary fines. Caning, it will be the "mother of all pains" for potential criminals to rethink before they commit crimes at their own pleasures!
For prison term, for example, a 10 years prison could be rewrite to 8 years but the number of strokes of the rotan/cane will be twice from existing penal code. Repeat offenders will be handled the maximum strokes.
Capital punishment must remain a status quo (for all sanity and benefit to communities)! For the offenders whom are awaiting for their "D Day", be known the waiting period to be shortened to TWENTY FOUR months or less excluding time consumed from filing of appeal to all avenues.
In terms of monetary fines, all offences to be doubled for the benefit of societies and tax payers. Will it further reduce crime rates of all colors and spectrum?
In short, how to deter potential offenders from committing crimes? Stricter laws couple with public education on proper behaviors and conducts will apprehend many social problems. The world has changed over the last 50 years, these new reset societies will face even bigger changes and persistent challenges from personal and private to public domains! There is an urgent needs to rewrite some of the penal codes to redefine its original principles and a new perspective as we go forward into the half way mark that is 2050! What we seek is a safe, peaceful and stable Singapore that is a certainty towards our beginning's believes that one important undeniable posture - MAJULAH SINGAPURA! A vibrant, safest and a sleepless city state!
Tributes To Our Honorable CJ Yong Pung How:
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/yong-pung-how-struck-fear-criminals-and-their-lawyers-who-appealed-their-sentences-him
https://goodyfeed.com/yong-pung-how/
Special:
https://youtu.be/hUaZARaxXTg
- - END - -
[6:59 pm, 01/04/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan ๐
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