Although the United Nations Human Development Report ranked Singapore 11th out of 162 countries for gender equality last year, the country’s government wants to do more. In September, it announced a wide-ranging review of women’s issues to tackle gender inequality and ensure mindsets change.
Suggestions came in thick and fast, ranging from enshrining gender equality in the constitution to fixing the gender pay gap. Some pushed for gender neutral language, others recommended requiring women to do military service like men.
Cabinet minister K Shanmugam, who announced the initiative, says a string of voyeurism cases got him thinking about how the problem could be fixed beyond stiffening penalties, saying “every boy and girl must grow up imbibing the value of gender equality”.
Do you think this approach will work? What would be on your wish list? Tell us on our Facebook page.
The Lunar team
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Taiwanese designer Angus Chiang has released a school uniform collection that is entirely gender-neutral, and it’s gaining interest. Photo: Handout
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