Known Centers based in Singapore
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Year Established: 1985
Short Historical Background
Inspired by the 1984 seminar “Women’s Choices, Women’s Lives” where a panel of women spoke to an audience of about fifty people, a few good women got together and started AWARE. Thanks to the solid, consistent pursuit of AWARE’s vision for gender equality and to the unswerving dedication of its members and volunteers, the organization has grown to become a significant contributor to Singaporean society and is recognized from grassroots up to government levels.
Objectives
AWARE seeks to identify areas for improvement in gender equality, encourage positive change, and support women in realizing their highest potential. It believes that gains made by women are not gains made at the expense of men. Rather, they are gains that benefit families and society as a whole.
Programs
Over the years AWARE has focused on Research & Advocacy aimed at identifying and researching areas for improvement in gender equality. The AWARE office also features a comprehensive library of resources dealing with women's issues that is open to members and researchers by appointment.
Through Public Education, AWARE aims to support women to reach their highest potential. AWARE’s public education addresses issues such as body image, gender stereotypes, and violence against women. Current programs include Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Financial Intelligence Training, as well as ongoing lectures at educational institutions.
AWARE offers Direct Services to Singaporean women in need, which include the Helpline, Befrienders Program, Legal Clinic, and Counseling Services.
Activities
1) Research & Advocacy
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – studies awareness, opinions and attitudes of sexual harassment in the Singapore workplace
• Body Image - looks at health issues arising from obsessions of the body and the struggles young women have with self-esteem, self-confidence and well-being
• Consumer Watch - looks into enabling women to make informed purchasing decisions
• Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) – continues research on women in Singapore for the United Nations and educates Singaporeans on its research
• GEMS (Gender Equality Men of Singapore) – discusses the experience of being a man, by men Research & Advocacy
• Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) – continues research on women in Singapore for the United Nations and educates Singaporeans on its research
• Foreign Wives – studying the areas of support needed for the growing numbers of foreign-born women married to Singaporean men
• Trafficking – studying the areas of protection needed for victims of trafficking in Singapore
• Singles – studying the needs and concerns of single women in Singapore
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – studies awareness, opinions and attitudes of sexual harassment in the Singapore workplace
• Body Image - looks at health issues arising from obsessions of the body and the struggles young women have with self-esteem, self-confidence and well-being
2) Public Education
• Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) - workshops aimed at providing young women with comprehensive information about their sexual health
• Self-Defense Workshops – short classes to educate women on how to protect themselves from an attack
• Lecture Series – one-hour talks to educate students on current issues affecting women
• Body Image Campaign – programs coordinated with local students to promote healthy lifestyles and positive image
• The Think Box, by AWARE - public forum to discuss topics in society, work and life
• AWARE on Facebook – a group on the popular networking website where members can write issues
3) Direct Services
• Helpline – attends to callers in need of counseling and provides referral services
• Legal Clinic – provides women with free legal information and advice at a monthly clinic
• Befrienders – provides on-site support to women in need by accompanying them to police stations, family courts, hospitals, and other help centers
• Counsellors – assists women by providing individualized and group counseling, self-development workshops, and group therapy
• Sexual Assault Befrienders Service – a range of specialised services to support victims and survivors of sexual assault.
Publications
Recent publications of AWARE:
Other Information
Results of AWARE’s valuable work over the past two decades are the following:
• Submission of our third CEDAW Shadow Report to the United Nations, highlighting areas of gender inequality in Singapore
• Launch of the Sexual Assault Befrienders Service, the first support service for survivors of sexual assault in Singapore
Our research and feedback contributed to the deletion of Section 157(d) of the Evidence Act, an archaic law that makes it possible to discredit an alleged sexual assault victim through her sexual history
• 2007 revisions to the penal code, including issues of marital rape
• 2007 United Nations recognition of how Singapore can become more compliant with the Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women
• 2006 development of legal reforms that addressed gaps in Singapore's legislation on trafficking (in collaboration with NUS Pro Bono Law Society)
• 2005 equalization of benefits in the current medical scheme in the Civil Service for male and female officers
• 2004 constitutional amendment to accord the same citizenship rights to the children of Singaporean women as for Singaporean men
• 2004 government acknowledgement that men and women play equal roles as joint “heads of household”
• 2004 nomination of Braema Mathiaparanam as Nominated Member of Parliament (appointed)
• 2003 policy change lifting the quota restricting female intake in the Medical Faculty at NUS
• 1999 policy to allow women to sponsor their foreign spouses for citizenship or PR status
• 1996 revisions to the Women’s Charter to provide more protection for victims of domestic violence
• 1994 MOE decision to offer “Life Skills for Boys and Girls” instead of the previous arrangement which required girls to take home economics and boys to take technical studies
• 1994 change to the way police handle rape cases as a result of the Rape Study Committee’s “Proposal for standardizing and enhancing police procedures in rape management”
• 1989 decision of the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) to develop new guidelines to curb discrimination in advertisements.
Address
AWARE Centre
Block 5 Dover Crescent 01-22
Singapore 130005
ph (65) 6779-7137
fax (65) 6777-0318
Helpline 1800-774-5935 (Mon-Fri, 3-9:30pm)
e-mail: aware[a]aware.org.sg
Year Established: 1999
Short Historical Background
Think Centre is an independent non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Singapore. First registered as a business (RCB) on 16 Jul 1999 and today as a society (under ROS) on 20 Oct 2001.
Objectives
The Centre aims to critically examine issues related to political development, democracy, rule of law, human rights and civil society in Singapore. It aims more specifically
1) To facilitate communication within the civil society platform that will include individuals, non-governmental organizations and others with similar objectives
2) To cultivate awareness, appreciation and understanding of civil, socio-economic and political perspectives, realities and alternatives
3) To foster a sense of duty to participate in the nation's political process and civil society.
Programs
Activities
Think Centre's activities include research, publication, organizing of events and networking. It has undertaken the following activities:
1) Politics 21
- From Student Politics to Real Politics: Youth, Politics & Civil Society
- Active Citizenship & Politics in Singapore: Exploring Political Expression & Action
- Non-Partisanship: Politics without Punishment
- Human Rights: Every Singaporean Matters
2) Forums
- Political Society in Singapore (Gomez vs JBJ Debate)
- Human Rights vs Human Security
- Citizenship Education: You Have the Right!
3) Speakers' Corner opening launch - Speakers' Fest
- International Human Rights Day (IHRD) 2000
- First Anniversary
Publications
Other Information
ThinkCentre.org - internet portal of Think Centre
Address
Think Centre
P.O.Box 327, Jurong Point Post office
Singapore 916411
ph (65) 9479 1906
fax (65)6425 0709
e-mail: thinkcentre[a]hotmail.com