Family & gender — Topics

10 Jan 2022

Administration of Muslim Law (Amendment) Bill

The Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs presented a bill to amend the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 and make a related amendment to the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures for Solemnisation and Registration of Marriages) Act 2020.
The bill was read for the first time in Parliament and scheduled for a second reading at the next available sitting.
The amendments aim to update the Administration of Muslim Law Act and align it with temporary measures for marriage solemnization and registration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill was formally presented and will be printed for legislative review.

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3 Nov 2021

Breakdown on Calls Reporting Cases of Violence through 24-hour National Anti-Violence Helpline by Demographics

The 24-hour National Anti-Violence Helpline received 6,300 calls from January to end-September 2021, with 70% being reports of alleged violence and 30% general enquiries.
Almost all calls involved violence in a family setting, while calls relating to non-family intimate partner violence constituted less than 1%.
The helpline does not record callers’ demographic details such as age or gender to focus on expeditiously attending to reports and providing referrals.

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3 Nov 2021

Limits to Maximum Number of Migrant Domestic Worker per Household Given Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Entry of New Migrant Workers

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim queried whether the Ministry of Manpower would consider setting a cap on the number of migrant domestic workers per household and specifying the types of domestic work they can be deployed for, given entry restrictions due to COVID-19.
Tan See Leng responded that entry approvals for migrant domestic workers are prioritized based on urgent caregiving needs, such as households with sick elderly, young children, or family members with special needs.
The Ministry does not impose a fixed limit on the number of migrant domestic workers per household, as families may have unique circumstances requiring multiple workers, such as caring for young children or bed-bound family members.

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3 Nov 2021

Number of Days of Closure of and Dismissal Times at Primary Schools outside of Norms

MOE reports that aside from 12 weeks of school holidays, primary schools close an additional 12 days annually for events such as PSLE marking and parent-teacher conferences.
Schools may dismiss students earlier on the eve of events like National Day and Children’s Day, which occur four times a year.
Student care centres remain open on these non-standard closure and early dismissal days to support parents with caregiving needs.
The Ministry emphasizes minimizing curriculum loss and parental inconvenience when scheduling such closures or early dismissals.
The figures provided reflect MOE’s overall approach but do not give yearly median data over the past decade as requested.

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3 Nov 2021

Travel Arrangements for Those Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Procedures Overseas But Whose Travel Have Been Restricted due to COVID-19

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether the Ministry of Health provides assistance and specific travel arrangements for those undergoing assisted reproductive technology procedures overseas but restricted by COVID-19 travel measures.
The Ministry of Health established a process for appeals to import stored gametes or embryos for treatment in Singapore, with MOH reviewing such requests expeditiously.
Fully vaccinated couples may use Vaccinated Travel Lanes to travel overseas for assisted reproduction treatment, while others face quarantine requirements or can apply to MOH for gametes/embryos import to continue treatment locally.

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3 Nov 2021

Role of Migrant Domestic Workers in Singapore's Caregiving Landscape

Migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are integral to Singapore's caregiving system, offering flexible and personalised support for families with ageing parents and young children, despite societal shifts like an ageing population, shrinking household sizes, and more dual-income households.
Challenges have emerged, such as escalating salary demands, disputes including false allegations of abuse, and frequent transfer requests, exacerbated by reduced MDW supply during COVID-19, leading to higher costs and helplessness for some employers.
Suggestions were made to improve the system, including a higher levy for high-income non-local households, enhancing employment agency accountability, capping MDW-initiated transfers, and expanding support channels for employers.
The government has taken steps like allowing vaccinated MDWs entry, diversifying source countries, and improving employment history transparency, while dispute resolution services and training grants aim to foster better employer-MDW relationships and care quality.

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2 Nov 2021

Number of Divorce Cases Filed since End of Circuit Breaker Period

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked for the number of divorce cases filed in the 15 months since the end of the circuit breaker period.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that the number of divorces filed since the end of the circuit breaker has remained relatively stable, averaging 542 cases per month.
He clarified that parties were able to file for divorce during the circuit breaker period.

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2 Nov 2021

Number of Divorce Cases where Shared Care and Control is Awarded

Louis Ng asked whether shared care and control in divorce cases is increasing and if the Ministry has reviewed studies on its benefits for children.
Over the past five years, the number of civil divorce cases with shared care and control rose from 161 in 2016 to 256 in 2020, increasing from 5.6% to 9.5% of civil divorces.
Overseas studies show no consensus on the benefits of shared care, with outcomes depending on parental cooperation, conflict levels, safety concerns, and the child's age.
Local research found that cooperative co-parenting—characterized by frequent communication and joint decisions—is linked to better child outcomes, regardless of whether care is sole or shared.
The Ministry will continue to support and encourage cooperative co-parenting to serve children's best interests, as no conclusive findings support the superiority of shared care arrangements.

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2 Nov 2021

Ensuring Dynamism as Singapore Faces Record Low Birth Rates and Rapidly Ageing Population

The Government views low birth rates and an ageing population as key challenges, with the total fertility rate hitting a historic low of 1.10 in 2020 and life expectancy rising, which could lead to a shrinking and ageing workforce.
To address this, the Government is prioritising marriage and parenthood through comprehensive support measures like parental leave, childcare, housing, cash grants, and a one-off Baby Support Grant, while strengthening a whole-of-society ecosystem for families.
Efforts are also focused on enabling seniors to remain active and productive through workplace adjustments, raising retirement and re-employment ages by 2030, and increasing CPF contributions for senior workers.
The Government is adapting the economy by broadening global linkages, promoting growth in new areas like sustainability and the Digital Economy, and refreshing Industry Transformation Maps to create good jobs and upskill workers.
Where local manpower is insufficient, the Government will complement the workforce with global talent and foreign manpower, while ensuring fair hiring and skills transfer to Singaporeans.

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1 Nov 2021

Employment Status of Foreign Spouses of Singaporeans and Support Available for Lower-income Households

The Minister for Manpower explained that foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens on Long-Term Visit Passes (LTVP/LTVP+) can work via a Letter of Consent (LOC) or a Pre-Approved LOC (PLOC), with about 13,500 working as of June 2021.
These work passes do not require employers to meet foreign worker quotas, levies, or qualifying salaries, and employment support is available through agencies like Workforce Singapore, NTUC-e2i, and SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centres.
Lower-income households facing financial difficulties can approach Social Service Offices for support, which may include referrals to other government agencies and community partners for employment assistance.

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1 Nov 2021

Application for Purchase or Rental of HDB Flat by Applicants Having Shared Custody of Children

HDB requires divorced parents with shared custody to agree before listing children in flat applications, and each child can only be listed in one application.
From 2016 to 2021, HDB received 20 appeals for purchase without ex-spousal consent, approving 13, and seven for rental without consent from 2018 to 2021.
HDB does not track overall applications by divorced parents but reviews cases individually for flexibility based on circumstances like financial hardship.

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1 Nov 2021

Domestic Violence Cases Linked to COVID-19-related Mental Health Issues and Protocols for Reports by Healthcare Frontliners

Wan Rizal inquired about statistics linking domestic violence to COVID-19-related mental health issues and protocols for frontline mental health workers to report early warning signs.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development lacks specific data on such cases, as affected individuals may not disclose mental health concerns, but notes that 14% of those involved in personal protection orders had prior mental health diagnoses.
Existing guidelines and protocols are in place for frontline professionals to refer individuals with suspected mental health issues for assessment and treatment, though mental health conditions alone do not necessarily cause family violence.

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1 Nov 2021

Number of Parental Alienation Cases Reported in Past Three Years

Mariam Jaafar asked the Ministry for Social and Family Development for the number of parental alienation cases reported in the past three years.
Masagos Zulkifli explained that there is no specific definition or classification of parental alienation, so Social Service Agencies do not collect such data.
The Ministry is therefore unable to provide the requested number of cases for the past three years.

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1 Nov 2021

Proposal to Require Divorce Rulings for Shared Care and Control to Identify which Party is Allowed to List Child as "Essential Occupier" in Application to Buy Subsidised HDB Flat

Louis Ng Kok Kwang proposed that divorce rulings with shared care and control should specify which parent may list the child as an essential occupier for subsidised HDB flat applications, as this affects eligibility.
The Ministry for Social and Family Development rejected the proposal, stating that court orders should focus on the child’s best interests and encourage co-parenting without micromanaging details like essential occupier status.
The Ministry emphasised that shared care and control cases should ideally be resolved cooperatively outside court, promoting harmonious co-parenting for the child’s future.
However, the Ministry acknowledged that HDB can provide flexibility on a case-by-case basis, waiving the need for ex-spouse consent if parents cannot agree, to ensure the child’s housing stability.

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1 Nov 2021

Proposal for Blanket Waiver on Need for Ex-spousal Consent to List Children as Occupiers in HDB Flat Applications

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Ministry for National Development to consider a blanket waiver for requiring ex-spousal consent when listing children as occupiers in HDB flat applications, especially if the ex-spouse has already acquired a private property or an HDB flat after divorce.
Desmond Lee explained that divorced parents with shared care must agree on listing the child to ensure fairness, as a child can only be listed in one application, and HDB cannot unilaterally decide which parent should list them.
Lee emphasized that HDB does not support a blanket waiver because ex-spouses may still wish to list the child in future applications, necessitating case-by-case reviews.
For cases where agreement cannot be reached due to acrimonious divorces, HDB offers to discuss options and exercise flexibility to provide housing solutions for both parties and their children.

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1 Nov 2021

Appeals to be Eligible for HDB’s Proximity Housing Grant when Resale Flat Changes Hands between Members of Same Family

The Minister for National Development reported that from September 2018 to September 2021, there were only two appeals filed by parents who were ineligible for the Proximity Housing Grant after buying a resale flat from their child who moved nearby.
The Proximity Housing Grant was introduced to encourage families to live with or near each other for mutual support, and eligible buyers can receive it once regardless of previous property ownership.
Parents who buy their child’s flat are generally not eligible for any housing grants, including the PHG, as this often results in them acquiring a larger flat, contrary to the policy’s aim of supporting seniors to right-size.
HDB considers extending the PHG to such parents on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors like whether the parents are right-sizing to a more suitable flat for retirement.

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1 Nov 2021

Recalibrating Existing Population Strategies Given COVID-19's Negative Impact on Singapore's Population Numbers

The COVID-19 pandemic caused temporary dips in Singapore's population numbers in 2020-2021, with declines in citizens, permanent residents, and non-residents due to travel restrictions and reduced foreign employment, though long-term effects remain uncertain.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to core population strategies, such as supporting marriage and parenthood with measures like the Baby Support Grant and promoting flexible work arrangements, while accelerating efforts to strengthen the local workforce amid economic disruptions.
While no immediate recalibration of population strategies was announced, the government will continue monitoring the pandemic's impact and review initiatives to ensure they remain relevant to evolving needs.

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1 Nov 2021

Support for Children whose Parents or Caregivers are Embroiled in Drug-related Offences

A whole-of-society approach provides social, financial, and educational support for children affected by parental drug-related offences, with agencies like MSF, Family Service Centres, and community partners coordinating care.
At arrest, law enforcement checks for children’s immediate needs, ensures caregiver arrangements, and refers cases with protection concerns to Child Protective Services or Family Service Centres for follow-up.
Schools offer a supportive environment with counselling, after-school care, and engagement programmes to help students facing family stressors, while prisons collaborate with community groups on mentoring, tuition, and family bonding initiatives.
Support programmes track children’s mental health, physical needs, and academic outcomes through referrals, counselling, and coordinated interventions across agencies.

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1 Nov 2021

Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill

The Women's Charter (Amendment) Bill was presented to amend the Women's Charter and make related changes to other Acts.
The bill seeks to repeal the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures for Solemnisation and Registration of Marriages) Act 2020.
The Minister of State for Social and Family Development introduced the bill for its first reading and scheduled its second reading for January 2022.

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1 Nov 2021

Personal Explanation by Member

Raeesah Khan admitted she did not accompany a sexual assault survivor to the police station as she claimed in an August 3 parliamentary speech, and she retracted the anecdote, apologizing to the survivor, the House, the police, and others.
Khan explained she shared the story without consent and fabricated details to avoid revealing her own membership in a women's support group, where she is also a survivor of sexual assault.
The Leader of the House, Indranee Rajah, questioned Khan about inconsistencies in her statements across multiple parliamentary sessions, confirming the falsehoods.
Rajah raised a point of order, stating Khan lied three times and failed to substantiate allegations, which unjustly cast doubt on the police and harmed survivors' credibility.
The Speaker referred the matter to the Committee of Privileges, with Rajah and Minister K Shanmugam recusing themselves due to involvement.

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