- Good afternoon, Stefanie, Chairperson, SHE, distinguished guests, panellists and friends.
- Thank you all for being here today to engage in critical conversations on gender norms and their intersection with technology, particularly generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and online harms.
- We have seen a rise in deepfakes that needs our attention. My colleague, MOS Rahayu had earlier highlighted the violating nature of deepfakes, the undermining of consent and erosion of social norms.
- We have seen a rise in deepfakes that needs our attention. My colleague, MOS Rahayu had earlier highlighted the violating nature of deepfakes, the undermining of consent and erosion of social norms.
- Representatives from UN Women, Netsafe and LinkedIn have offered invaluable insights on safeguarding digital spaces, promoting trust and safety, and navigating the opportunities and risks brought about by rapid technological advancements.
- The breakout discussions I hear have also been very meaningful, allowing participants from Government agencies, tech platforms, corporates, and the social sector to connect and collaborate. Protecting women and girls from harm, while enabling them to thrive, requires a whole-of-society effort.
- Workshops earlier in the afternoon led by representatives from Google, Meta, Tinder, k-ID, and LinkedIn endeavoured to equip participants with practical skills, from understanding online safety tools to job-seeking strategies in a landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
- The workshop led by SHECARES@SCWO also gave an insight into a survivor’s journey, reminding us of the importance of empathy and help-seeking.
Urgency to Address Harmful Norms and Beliefs
- For the past decades, we have witnessed steady progress in Singapore women’s development in various domains including education, employment and health. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Singapore’s accession to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW for short. At CEDAW, where many of our NGOs were likewise present, one of the highlights in our presentation and from the NGOs was about tech talent supply, tech talent demand and how women fare in the tech workforce. I’m glad to say that Singaporean women and girls fare well but there is so much more that we can do together. Specifically, in the online space, because standards and norms are evolving so quickly, it is important that all agencies, both private and public come together to shape discourse and collectively chart how a safe online space should look like.
- There is one key highlight that stands out and that is to build a safer online space and more inclusive environment for our women and girls, it goes beyond just having stronger legal protections. We must also tackle the underlying societal norms and beliefs that have adverse impact on women’s safety and progress – both in the online and offline space.
- Deeply embedded norms influence how women are treated in society, how women are spoken to in the online and offline space, how women’s contributions are valued – or devalued – in everyday life.
- If left unchallenged, harmful attitudes perpetuate harmful behaviours that limit women's freedom, agency and ability to thrive.
- And this in turn impacts their daily lives, one’s sense of security, and the ability to participate fully in the workforce and this ultimately also impacts families.
- Conversely, when women are safe, empowered and thriving, society as a whole benefits. We see stronger families, resilient communities and a more inclusive and healthier society.
- Norm setting starts from the mindsets that we have, and these mindsets are shaped amongst our young. Mindset shifts must start from a young age. Parents are a child’s first role models – how parents speak, how they behave, how they co-parent together – all that impacts children’s mindsets. When children go to school, Singapore’s enhanced Character and Citizenship Education curriculum addresses gender stereotypes and this is a cornerstone of shaping healthy social norms.
- In workplaces, the Singapore Government has been taking active steps to empower both men and women to pursue their full potential and their aspirations. Specific policies have been introduced to help families and also to help parents co-parent:
- For example, introducing flexible workplace arrangements to help families better manage work and caregiving responsibilities;
- Increasing shared parental leave and doubling paternity leave - this enables fathers to play a larger role in caregiving; and
- Introducing workplace fairness legislation that protects individuals from discrimination.
- Importantly, these initiatives underscore a crucial point that women’s development and progress are not and should not be at the expense of men. Male allies and partners are a vital part of our endeavour and we recognise that true progress can only happen when everyone – both women and men – work together to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes, working together for the betterment of all – men and women.
Women Leading the Change
- Finally, I would like to touch on how women can have a real say in decision-making in tech and AI. Singapore recognises this, and that’s why SG Women in Tech nurtures female talent and leadership in the tech industry. The Singapore Institute of Directors’ Board Readiness Programme, designed to prepare senior executives and professionals for board leadership and board directorship, had its first edition in 2023 with women in focus, in collaboration with the Singapore Computer Society Women in Tech Chapter, supported by IMDA. When women have the know-how, the skills and they are in positions to participate and to lead, women are able to then shape the future together with the rest of society.
- And for us, as women, we must also summon the courage to speak out, and lead when opportunities arise – even when doing so may sometimes feel daunting.
A Shared Responsibility and Cause for Hope
- Lastly, I’d like to say that I am grateful for everyone’s participation in today’s discussions and of course to SHE’s leadership to take up organising this platform. Each of us has a role to play. Whether it’s by our words, our behaviours at home, or how we teach our children, or our discourse in society, or when it comes to advocating for safer online environments, supporting someone who’s facing harm, or championing opportunities for women to lead, this is a whole-of-society effort.
A Call to Action
- So let’s collectively create a world where harmful norms are replaced by respect, dignity, and equality—a world where women and men are safe and empowered, both online and offline.
- Thank you very much