Students are encouraged to explore a variety of education and career pathways based on their strengths and interests, and not be limited by gender stereotypes, said the report.
Through Character and Citizenship Education curriculum, they “gain an understanding of the equity of familial roles regardless of gender, and that parental roles and familial responsibilities can be shared and mutually agreed upon amongst family members”.
In the workplace, managers and colleagues can support and help facilitate the re-entry of mothers back to the workforce as well as provide equal support for fathers who need to take leave to care for their children, the report said.
The take-up rate of paternity leave has increased from 47 per cent in 2016 to 53 per cent in 2021. Government-paid paternity leave was increased from two weeks to four weeks in 2024, with the additional two weeks provided on a voluntary basis.
“While there has been a positive mindset shift towards workplaces being more supportive of fathers’ involvement in child-raising, as seen by the increase in the take-up rate for paternity leave, more remains to be done,” said the report.
OTHER FINDINGS
The report also found that progress had been made in areas such as women’s health and protection from violence.
Healthcare services have been improved for different groups of women in areas such as maternal and child health, and senior care services, it said.
These include easy access to quality maternal care services and resources for parenthood, as well as national initiatives such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG to support all Singaporeans and residents, including women, in taking care of their health.
A new Online Criminal Harms Act passed in July last year has enabled the government to direct online service providers – including social media platforms and messaging apps – to prevent accounts and content perpetrating crimes from interacting with or reaching Singapore users.
Amendments to the Women’s Charter in 2023 have also empowered victims to better protect themselves and strengthened the government’s ability to intervene in family violence cases.
Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling said: “It is encouraging to see that our women have continued to make progress at home, at work and in society since the White Paper was published two years ago.
“This was only made possible through the collective efforts of the community, corporates, schools and government.
“All of us can and continue to do more so that men and women can partner each other as equals and both can pursue their aspirations freely and fully. We need to shift mindsets on gender roles and address challenges that women face to advance towards a fairer and more inclusive society.”
