AWARE

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AWARE and Civil Society
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Whats AWARE?
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.
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Whats AWARE?
AWARE works at securing women's rights in a
patriarchal system.
AWARE bringing womens 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.
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What does AWARE do?
2 pronged approach
Advocacy
Community work
The community component seems independent of
advocacy but in many cases, the former plays a
hand or helps the latter.
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What does AWARE do?
Advocacy and Research
Advocacy and work on CEDAW, domestic violence
bill, gender in constitution
Research to support advocacy and to further
awareness of womens issues
Community Programmes
Welfare services Helpline, Legal clinics,
Counselling, Shirin Fozdar Trust etc.
Outreach programmes talks, seminars, special
events to raise awareness (Women _at_ Work)
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Our work at AWARE
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Womens Movement in Singapore History
Perspectives
Singapore Council of Women Formed
1952
SCW proposed Monogamous Marriage Bill
1953
1956
PAP Womens League was formed, led by Chan Choy
Siong
Shariah Court formed
1958
PAP campaigned on One Man, One Wife, with the
support of SCW
1959
1961
Womens Charter Bill passed for non-Muslim
Civil Service adopted policy of equal work equal
pay
1962
1971
SCW deregistered
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Womens Movement in Singapore History
Perspectives
The United Nations declared on International
Womens Decade with the theme, Equality,
Development and Peace NCW formed, and claimed
to be the voice of Singapore women
1975
The Singapore Council of Women Organisation
(SCWO) formed as an umbrella body for womens
groups
1980
Population Policies mooted
1983
SDU set up
1984
AWARE formed
1985
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AWARE Helpline
10th Anniversary
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How has AWARE done?
Treads the fine line between
Confrontation
Consensus
Limitations
Non-tax exemption issues, Lack of manpower -
reliance on volunteers for everything Very small
full time staff
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How has AWARE done?
Successes
Starting to be accepted, accepted as womens voice
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
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AWARE and Civil Society
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(Civil Society)
State
Community
Market
Civil Society as the intersection
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AWARE and Civil Society
What role do you see AWARE playing in Singapore
Civil Society?
Where in Civil Society would an organisation like
AWARE stand?
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Womens Organisations
Do womens organisations have a place in Civil
Society?
Is Singapore ready for an organisation like AWARE?
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Civil Society
Community
State
Market
Civil Society as a broad area
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(Civil Society)
State
Community
Market
AWAREs paradigm
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(Civil Society)
State
Market
Community
Our view of AWAREs paradigm
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AWARE and the SCW
Is AWARE a modern version of the SCW?
Has the womens movement changed appreciably
since the high in the 1960s? Should there have
been a change?  
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Debate
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Debate
This house believes that the equality that AWARE
is pushing for is possible and desirable.
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AWARE
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Thank You For participating in our discussion.
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