Debated in Parliament on 3 Mar 2014.
Ms Faizah Jamal asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the protocol for pregnant women prisoners who give birth whilst serving their prison terms; (b) what is the state of Singapore's compliance with Rule 24 of the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders; (c) what prison facilities and post-partum support do these women and babies have access to; (d) what is the frequency of their access to each other whilst the mothers and babies are in prison; (e) what is the length of time that the newborn babies are allowed to remain within the prison facility and what are the procedures for these babies when they leave the prison facility; and (f) what is the number of women who have given birth while serving prison terms in the last five years.
The treatment protocol for pregnant inmates, before and after delivery, is in line with practices of our public healthcare institutions. Pregnant inmates are seen regularly by the Prison Medical Officer and specialists from the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH). When the inmates are about to give birth, they are sent to KKH for the delivery.
The Member has referred to Rule 24 of the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners. The UN allows countries to apply these Rules suitably, according to their own context. Women prisoners are not restrained during childbirth. At other times when they are at KKH, restraints are applied as for other prisoners outside the confines of a secure prison setting. However, Prisons will provide appropriate waivers from these practices if required for the health and safety of the mother or baby.
A prison is not a conducive environment for raising a child. Prison staff will discuss alternative care arrangements for the baby with the mother. Arrangements are made with the inmate's family or, if this is not possible, Prisons will work with MSF to make childcare arrangements for the baby in the community.
In cases where the care arrangements need some time to materialise, the baby will be allowed to remain in prison and stay together with the mother. Inmate mothers and babies are issued basic necessities, such as clothing,
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feeding bottles and diapers. Inmate mothers and their babies are allowed daily out-of-cell activities.
Over the last five years, from 2009 to 2013, 47 women were expecting a child before the commencement of their sentences and gave birth while serving their prison terms. This works out to an average of 10 inmates a year.
Under the Prisons regulations, a child may be allowed to remain in prison with the mother until the age of three. In practice, however, the duration that a baby remains in prisons is much shorter. The average duration over the last five years was three months.
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