Singapore's policy of engaging and working with the public, private and people sectors to empower women to fulfil their multiple roles in society has won the praise of Ministers at the Global Summit of Women 2009 in Santiago, Chile. Our ''Many Helping Hands'' 3P approach to work-life harmony was voted third at the 'Ministerial Best Practices in Business and Government Partnerships Advancing Women'.
The Ministers were given an overview of Singapore's approach to work-life harmony when Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sport, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon delivered a luncheon address on the topic. Mrs Yu-Foo was on an official visit to Chile to attend the Roundtable of Women Government Ministers at the Global Summit.
In her address, Mrs Yu-Foo pointed out that Singapore has employed a comprehensive approach to enable women to harmonise their multiple roles and responsibilities. The approach covered policy and support services, as well as promoting a mindset change in employers, unions, family members, the community and male counterparts. She added that the critical success factor hinged on a concerted and seamless partnership between government, businesses and the voluntary or Non-Government Organisations sector.
Singapore's 3P approach had impressed the Ministers at the Roundtable, from countries including China, Peru, Mexico, Chile and Saudi Arabia, who subsequently voted Singapore third after Peru and Chile. The assessment was based on three critical criteria - impact, innovation and sustainability of the policy.
At the luncheon address, Mrs Yu-Foo also shared Singapore's plans for the 14th APEC Women Leaders Network Meeting and invited Ministers from APEC economies to attend the meeting which will be held in Singapore on the 4th and 5th August 2009.
During her visit, Mrs Yu-Foo also met with Mrs Laura Albornoz, Chile's Minister for Women's Affairs where they discussed the importance of education, training and women's economic participation and contributions. Both Mrs Yu-Foo and Mrs Albornoz agreed on the need for continued exchanges of developments and best practices affecting women in their respective countries.
The Global Summit of Women is an annual event where women leaders from government, business and non-governmental organisations gather to exchange strategies and solutions to accelerate women's economic progress. The theme for this year's Summit is ''Setting New Paradigms for Business and Political Leadership''.
See:
Speech by Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports at Global Summit of Women 2009: Roundtable of Women Government Ministers, Santiago, Chile, 14 May 2009MCYS MEDIA RELEASE NO: 19/2009
DATE OF ISSUE: 17/05/2009