1. AWARE and Civil Society AWARE and Civil Society

2. 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?

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

4. 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? AdvocacyCommunity work

5. 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? 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.

6. Our work at AWARE ‘Writing Women back into History’ Research Work on the archival materials of AWARE AWARE Helpline 10 th Anniversary Attendance at talks, seminars and meetings

7. 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

8. 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

9. AWARE Helpline 10 th Anniversary

10. vs Non-tax exemption issues, Lack of manpower - reliance on volunteers for everything Very small full time staff Confrontation How has AWARE done? Treads the fine line between Consensus Limitations

11. Starting to be accepted, accepted as women’s voice 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

12. AWARE and Civil Society

13. State Community Market (Civil Society) Civil Society as the intersection

14. What role do you see AWARE playing in Singapore Civil Society? AWARE and Civil Society Where in Civil Society would an organisation like AWARE stand?

15. Women’s Organisations Is Singapore ready for an organisation like AWARE? Do women’s organisations have a place in Civil Society?

16. CommunityStateMarket Civil Society Civil Society as a broad area

17. State Community Market (Civil Society) AWARE’s paradigm

18. State Community Market (Civil Society) Our view of AWARE’s paradigm

19. Is AWARE a modern version of the SCW? AWARE and the SCW Has the women’s movement changed appreciably since the high in the 1960s? Should there have been a change?

20. Debate

21. This house believes that the equality that AWARE is pushing for is possible and desirable.

22. AWARE Role in Civil Society Successes and LimitationsInteraction within and without Civil Society

23. Thank You For participating in our discussion. You are now Thank You For participating in our discussion. You are now