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Resources

Research and Publications

Convention on the Elimination Of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Widely regarded as the international bill of rights for women, CEDAW is a UN human rights treaty for women. Adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December 1979 and entered into force as an international treaty on 3 September 1981, it defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.  

 Singapore has been a state party to CEDAW upon ratifying it on 5 October 1995. Since then, various legislations and policy reforms have been introduced to address gender discrimination.  

As part of its obligations under CEDAW, Singapore is tasked to promote gender equality, ensure that women’s rights are protected, and to continuously monitor and assess the gender equality landscape within the country, as well as submit periodic reports to the CEDAW Committee and to implement the Committee’s recommendations.  

 To date, Singapore has submitted six and presented five Periodic Reports to the UN CEDAW Committee. 

 

To learn more, download the handbook or look through the full document on CEDAW here.

 

In 2024, Singapore presented its sixth periodic report at the 88th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland.  

Ms Sun Xueling, then Minister of State (MOS) for Social and Family Development and Home Affairs, highlighted in her opening statement the progress made by Singapore women. This included Singapore’s ranking among the top 10 countries for gender equality in the world in the latest UN Human Development Report’s Gender Inequality Index (GII), and the increase in representation of women in leadership. Singapore’s efforts to strengthen the protection of women against violence, enhance support for caregivers and vulnerable women, and encourage mindset shifts on gender roles and stereotypes were also discussed.  

Singapore takes on a whole-of-society approach in advancing women’s development and human rights, and significant strides have been made to build a fairer and more equal society, where women and girls live freely, safely, and have the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential. In 2020, the Government held a year-long nationwide Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development in 2020 amidst the pandemic, which culminated in the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development published in 2022.  

The Government has taken a forward-leaning approach to support women. The employment rate of females aged 25 to 64 increased from 73.2% in 2020 to 78.0% in 2025. Furthermore, there are also other support measures for seniors who need more help such as the Silver Support Scheme, of which two thirds of the recipients are women.  

Fostering equal partnerships between men and women is key to further women’s progress and achieve a fairer and more inclusive Singapore, and this starts in the family, continues in schools, workplaces, and in the community. As MOS Sun said, “Singapore hopes to achieve a fair and inclusive world where all women and men stand in equal partnership. We remain committed to work together across the whole of society, across all domains to change minds, change norms, and change lives to progress women’s development in Singapore.”

Singapore Delegation presenting Singapore's Sixth Periodic Report at the 88th Session of the UN CEDAW
Singapore Delegation presenting Singapore’s Sixth Periodic Report at the 88th Session of the UN CEDAW

 

Read Singapore’s sixth periodic report here.

 

 

To see Singapore’s past CEDAW Reports

First   |   Second  |   Third  |   Fourth  |   Fifth  

 

 

 

Women's Charter

Enacted in 1961, the Women’s Charter enshrined the protection of women in Singapore and defined the institution of family by legislating monogamy for civil marriages. It also spells out the provisions relating to

  • Solemnisation of marriages
  • Registration and dissolution of civil marriages
  • Rights and duties of married persons
  • Maintenance of wives and children
  • Protection of family and
  • Penalties for offences against women and girls.

 

The Women’s Charter (Family Violence and Other Matters) (Amendment) Act 2023  

The Women’s Charter section on family violence was amended in 2023 and operationalised in 2025.  

The amendments aim to:

  • Provide stronger legal protection for victim-survivors of domestic violence; 
  • Strengthen the Government’s ability to intervene in cases; and 
  • Empower the Courts to make additional rehabilitative orders.  

 
For More Info 

 

The Women’s Charter (Amendment) Act 2022 

The Women’s Charter was amended in 2022 to strengthen focus on care for the family and welfare of children of divorce and post-divorce proceedings, in accordance with therapeutic justice principles.  

The amendments aim to:  

  • Enhance the marriage process and strengthen safeguards to protect the institution of marriage; 
  • Strengthen therapeutic justice and ensure those affected by divorce are supported; and 
  • Ensure the Women’s Charter remains up to date. 

 
For More Info 


The Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill 2019

The Women’s Charter was amended in November 2019 to impose tougher penalties on human traffickers.

The amendments aim to:

  • Enhance protection for victims of trafficking and prostitution through enhancing penalties
  • Target the irresponsible lease of premises to prevent them from being used for vice activities and
  • strengthen law enforcement against vice syndicates that organise and facilitate prostitution, especially those operating through online means

For More Info


The Women’s Charter (Amendment) Bill 2016

The Women’s Charter (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament in February 2016. The Charter was reviewed to reflect the changing family trends in Singapore.

Key amendments to the Women’s Charter (Registration of Marriage) Rules and the Women’s Charter are outlined here. In summary, the amendments to the Women’s Charter are expected to:

  • help support younger couples in their transition into married life and parenthood
  • better protect the interest of children affected by their parents’ divorce
  • allow incapacitated husbands and ex-husbands to apply for spousal maintenance where there is a clear need
  • void marriages of convenience
  • better support vulnerable persons in family violence and crisis situations and
  • strengthen law enforcement against online vice.

For More Info


The Penal Code

The Penal Code consolidates the general principles of Singapore’s law relating to criminal offences, which include (but are not exhaustive of):

  • Assault
  • Criminal intimidation
  • Mischief
  • Grievous hurt
  • Theft
  • Extortion
  • Sex crimes and
  • Cheating


Penal Code (Amendment) 2019

In May 2019, Parliament passed the Criminal Law Reform Act and the provisions came into effect on 1 Jan 2020.Key amendments to enhance the protection of women include:

  • The repeal of marital immunity for rape
  • Enhancement of punishments for offenders who commit intimate partner violence and
  • New offences to criminalise various technology-related sexual offences.

For More Info


Protection from Harassment Act (POHA)

POHA was enacted in November 2014 to protect all persons from harassment, stalking, cyber-bullying, and other anti-social and undesirable behaviours. Under POHA, it is an offence to, through words or behaviours:

  • Intentionally cause harassment, alarm, or distress
  • Intentionally cause fear or provocation of violence
  • Unlawfully stalk a person or
  • Carry out doxxing


POHA Amendment (2019)

POHA was amended in 2019 to strengthen the range of self-help measures, civil remedies and criminal sanctions to better protect women from harassment and related anti-social behaviour, such as cyber bullying, stalking and sexual harassment.

For More Info


Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) & Act (OSRAA)

OSRAA was introduced in 2025 to provide timely, effective, and accessible relief for victims of online harms. With the upcoming Online Safety Commission (OSC) (by 1H 2026), victims can make a report to the OSC to quickly stop online harm. Under new statutory torts, victims may also seek civil remedies to hold perpetrators to account. 13 online harms are covered under OSRAA, including:

  • Online harassment, including sexual harassment
  • Online stalking
  • Doxxing
  • Image-based abuse
  • Image-based child abuse


For More Info