UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 26) ... The Ministry of Health supported the Free Malaria Treatment Program for all age groups, as well as the Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programmes ...

Para 27) Sierra Leone has increased the number of testing sites for HIV/AIDS Anti-rectroviral Therapy (ART) from 556 in 2011 to 689 in 2012, with the number of pregnant women tested for HIV/AIDS rising from 138,000 in 2011 to 224,000 in 2012. The coverage for prophylaxis is 74%. The 2011 HIV/AIDS Commission Act makes it an offence to deny a person access to employment or to an educational institution on the basis of their HIV status. Alongside this, HIV positive personnel are serving in the security sector and an anti-stigmatization law is also being enforced. Several workplaces have adopted and mainstreamed National HIV/AIDS policy ...

Para 81) ... In addition to FHC, free malaria treatment for all age groups is provided in all government healthcare facilities, including the treatment for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS ...

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 25) ICAAD noted that the HIV/AIDS Commission Act was passed in 2011, making it illegal to deny employment or education based on HIV status.

"""National Report:
Para 5) ... The review of the 1991 Constitution is on-going, with key issues such as ... gender discrimination, taking the lead in the debate.

Para 6) ... There has also been progress in promoting human rights, gender equality, youth development, addressing corruption, law reform, and the ratification of treaties, as well as in handing out a presidential apology to women for harms they suffered and reparations for victims, as recommended by the TRC ...

Para 7) However, the implementation of the TRC recommendations is still ongoing: ... the repeal of sections (27(4)(d) and (e) of the Constitution which are discriminatory against women, the enactment of the 30% quota for women ...

Para 8) There are some recommendations that we have under consideration whist some have not been implemented, such as ... the request that the Government of Sierra ... create a Gender Commission

Para 21) Sierra Leone is a firm believer in advancing gender issues and is still working towards the promulgation of the 30% quota bill; the Agenda Prosperity has the empowerment of women as its 8th Pillar. The concerned Ministry namely, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs (MSWGCA) has since the last review, implemented a National Gender Strategic Plan. A National Steering Committee was set up for the implementation of the National Action Plan on Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820.

Para 48) In the case of the sister resolutions on 1325 ad 1820, the Ministry has transformed the National Taskforce for the development of the SILNAP on 1325 and 1820 into a National Steering Committee for full implementation. The Ministry has concluded a second phase of the Gender and Security Sector Reform Project aimed at building the capacity of stakeholders and rural women for their engagement in security sector apparatus at the local level.

Para 52) The GOSL has taken affirmative action for the improvement of women's participation in public life through the appointment of several women in key leadership positions in the country. Positions taken by women include; (the immediate past) Chief Justice, Solicitor General, Administrator-Registrar General, Commissioner General of National Revenue Authority, Commissioner of Law Reform Commission, Auditor General, Commissioners of National Elections Commission including the former Chief Electoral Commissioner, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Government, Honourable Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Heads of Chanceries, Executive Secretaries, Commissioners of Human Rights Commission, Heads of Agencies and Parastatals, among others. The Government has enshrined in the Agenda for Prosperity the enactment of the legislation on a minimum 30% quota for women at all levels of governance positions.

Para 78) ... As reported by the School Census Report and the 2013 Country Status Report on Education, gender parity has been achieved at the pre-primary level and is almost achieved at the primary school level. Gender parity is increasing rapidly at the junior and senior secondary school levels and enrolment is increasing at a remarkable rate. The ratio of girls to boys at the different levels are as follows:
- Pre-primary GPI: 1.04 (2010); 1.08 (2011)
- Primary GPI: 0.94 (2010); 0.98 (2011)
- Junior Sec. GPI: 0.80 (2010); 0.89 (2011)
- Senior Sec. GPI: 0.59 (2010); 0.73 (2011)

Para 80) The GOSL is cognizant of the fact that education is the key to development and has reflected this view in some key pillars of the Agenda for Prosperity (Accelerating Human Development; Labour and Employment strategy; Social Protection and Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment). In the Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment pillar of the AFP, measures are being put in place to ensure that women's access to education is enhanced, especially the retention of girls in schools and adult literacy. Special programs such as scholarship schemes are available for girls taking up science and technology courses and free tuition is provided for girls up to junior secondary school level and this is intended to contribute to gender parity

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 21) ... The Gender Equality Bill, which provides for a minimum 30% representation of women in Parliament, local councils and ministries, has yet to be enacted ...

Para 54) TCC noted that a disproportionately low number of women stood as candidates in the 2012 elections, as one of the principal shortfalls of the electoral process. The participation of women candidates was impeded by high registration fees, intimidation, societal attitudes, and a history of electoral violence ...

Para 49) The GOSL has made several efforts through the MSWGCA in raising awareness on gender equality issues across the country. As set out in the Agenda for Prosperity, particularly Pillar 8, the GOSL has identified flagship projects to undertake. These include the development and passage of a minimum 30% quota for women in governance at all levels; the establishment of the Women's Commission and the development of a comprehensive policy on gender equality and women's empowerment. The Ministry has begun initiating actions on these flagship projects and intends to accomplish them before the end of 2014. It has also appointed a gender focal point in each ministry and governmental agency, ensuring that the appointee is a permanent member of staff at a senior level. Gender mainstreaming is a new plan of action and is also a criterion for any evaluation by the Minister of MSWGCA."

National Report:
Para 16) The Inter-Ministry Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) monitors the implementation of Singapore’s CEDAW obligations. The CEDAW Committee considered Singapore’s fifth periodic report (CEDAW/C/SGP/5) in 2017. In 2020, Singapore launched the Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development, a national conversation series to gather feedback from thousands of Singaporeans on issues concerning women at home, at work, in schools, and in the community. The Conversations will culminate in a White Paper to be submitted to Parliament in 2021, with recommendations and a roadmap to further advance women’s protection, interests, and development in Singapore. Para 17) Increasing participation. Singapore actively supports women’s participation in politics and in public service. In 2017, Singapore’s first female President, Halimah Yacob, took office. In 2020, 28 out of 95 Members of Parliament (29%) were women, greater than the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s world average of 24.5%. Currently, we have nine women out of 37 political office-holders. Women also make up 53% of the Public Service (as of 2019). The Council for Board Diversity, formed in January 2019, promotes greater representation of women on boards of listed companies, statutory boards, and non-profit organisations.
Para 18) Support for women in the society and family. Many women continue to shoulder many household and caregiving responsibilities. We have continued to enhance measures to promote sharing of domestic and family responsibilities, such as flexible work arrangements (FWAs). From 2018 to 2020, we committed more than S$200 million (US$152 million) in financial grants and developed practical guides to support employers in implementing and sustaining FWAs. Since 2017, fathers have enjoyed two weeks of paid paternity leave and can share up to four weeks of their spouses’ maternity leave. Under the national movement, “Dads for Life”, we have rolled out initiatives, such as “Dads@School”, to promote active fathering. Since 2017, single mothers also enjoy the same infant care and childcare subsidies and maternity leave as married mothers.
Para 19) Islamic law is applied for certain religious and personal matters pertaining to Muslims in Singapore. The application of Islamic law in Singapore takes into account evolving societal contexts and norms. For instance, in May 2019, the fatwa (religious ruling) on joint tenancy was revised to recognise joint tenancy contracts as religiously valid, without the need for additional documents to effect the right of survivorship. This protects Muslim widows, in particular, from financial distress and uncertainty.
Para 122) … Taking stock of our progress against international measures, Singapore ranks: … (f) 12th for gender equality in the 2019 UN Gender Inequality Index.

UN Compilation:
Para 21) The Independent Expert on older persons noted that although the Constitution guaranteed equality for all persons, it did not explicitly recognize equality on the basis of sex.
Para 75) The Independent Expert on older persons noted the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men within the family and in society at large. She stated that such stereotypes were not only a root cause of violence against women in the private and public spheres, but also placed women in a disadvantaged position, including in the labour market.
Para 82) [CEDAW] remained concerned that women continued to be underrepresented in ministerial posts, the judiciary, the police and the diplomatic service, in particular at decision-making levels.
Para 83) The ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations noted that in 2017 the median gross monthly salary of women employed in the same occupational category as men was systematically lower than that of men, except for clerical support workers, among whom it was slightly higher.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 107) MARUAH stated that women in Singapore were still under-represented politically and in the workforce, and recommended that the Government actively push for gender parity.
Para 108) JS4 stated that Singapore did not have any policies that prohibited gender-based discrimination at the workplace.
Para 109) JS6 stated that women were paid less than men for similar work performed, and that sectors where women were concentrated were often lowly-paid. Gender discrimination and the gender wage gap affected women’s retirement savings.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 1) AI noted that Singapore was yet to ratify the ICCPR and its OPs ... as recommended in the previous UPR.