A time for watershed: 25.25.25.

2.May. 2-5pm, AWARE is 25 years old this year. (same as me :)

AWARE was inspired and originated from the 1984 seminar “Women's Choices, Women's Lives”.
http://helpsaveaware.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-has-aware-done-for-women-in.html?showComment=1241194920000#c7084926040870041389

Numerology is one of my favourite reads of all time.
Numerlogist often said that when things occurs 3 times, something BIG will happen.

Symbolism

• Represent the Universal Word of God, according to Abellio.

• According to saint Augustin, the number 25 represents the Law.

• Represent the multiplication of creatures which overlap on the double world of the spirit and the matter, according to R. Allendy: "it is the life graduating on all plans and evolving by the opposite polarity game".

http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu25.php

What will happen to AWARE tomorrow at EGM?

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Understanding your rights as a women (in singapore)

1. Women's Charter

An Act to provide for monogamous marriages and for the solemnization and registration of such marriages; to amend and consolidate the law relating to divorce, the rights and duties of married persons, the protection of family, the maintenance of wives and children and the punishment of offences against women and girls; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.

[15th September 1961, Revised 1997]

Dr. Kawanjit Soin (NMP, Ex-Aware President and founder member, and TKGS alumni) pushed for amendments in Women's Charter in 1997)

Relevant links: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/gems/eeo/law/singapore/wc97.htm
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51529.htm
Singapore Statues:
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/non_version/cgi-bin/cgi_retrieve.pl?actno=REVED-353&doctitle=WOMEN%92S%20CHARTER%0A&date=latest&method=part


A Summary:
The Women's Charter is an Act which provides the legal basis for equal rights and responsibilities between husbands and wives in the management of children and the home.

Section 46 states the duties and rights of a husband and wife in the management of the home and children as follows:

a. They are mutually bound to co-operate with each other in safeguarding the interests of the union and in caring and providing for the children.
b. They have equal rights in the running of the matrimonial household.
c. They have the right separately to engage in any trade or profession or in social activities.
d. The wife has the right to use her own surname and name separately.

Section 51 ensures the legal capacity of married women in respect of ownership and as a contractual party:

a. in acquiring, holding and disposing of, any property;
b. in being liable in respect of any tort, contract, debt or obligation;
c. in suing and being sued in her own name either in tort or in contract or otherwise and in being entitled to all remedies and redress for all purposes; and,
d. in being subject to the law relating to bankruptcy and to the enforcement of judgements and orders.

Section 52 guarantees that a married woman can own property and dispose of it or hold it for her separate use in equity. Property belonging to her at the time of her marriage as well as property acquired separately during the marriage also belongs to her.

Section 54 stipulates that the money and property derived from any housekeeping allowance of a matrimonial home shall, in the absence of any agreement between the spouses to the contrary, be treated as belonging to the husband and the wife in equal shares.

Section 69 makes it obligatory for a husband to maintain his wife and children during marriage. Any married woman whose husband neglects or refuses to provide for her reasonable maintenance may apply to a District Court or a Magistrate’s Court and that Court may order the husband to pay a monthly allowance or a lump sum for her maintenance.

Section 112 to 116 provides a divorced woman with rights to an equitable share of the matrimonial assets as well as to maintenance from her former husband for herself and their children under her custody.

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2. Extracted from CEDEW (Convention On the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) report 2007

This report was submitted by AWARE to UN and MCYS.
Full downloadable report here>>

Archaic notions of marital obligations

16.123 The marital rape exemption is at worst an archaic vestige of bygone times when women were deemed mere chattels, as part of her husband’s property (with the resulting implication that the forced sexual intercourse was really little more than a man making use of his own property)71, and at best, a feeble attempt by the law to uphold and promote consortium in a marriage.

16.124 Unfortunately, the marital rape exemption is not tenable in the 21st Century when women have, through education and the mass media, become more aware of their rights and liberties. A woman’s dignity and integrity is not to be circumvented, nor in the least compromised, by the marital rape exemption.

16.125 Society has also come to terms with the notion that a marriage is a partnership between the husband and the wife. Section 46 of the Women’s Charter states:
“Upon the solemnization of marriage, the husband and the wife shall be mutually bound to co-operate with each other in safeguarding the interests of the union and in caring and providing for the children.
The husband and the wife shall have the right separately to engage in any trade or profession or in social activities.
The wife shall have the right to use her own surname and name separately.
The husband and the wife shall have equal rights in the running of the matrimonial household. ”
16.126 There is no reason why the husband should be given free rein to assert his “right” for marital intercourse and the wife has no corresponding liberty to decline.

EGM - Support AWARE to be for all women: Respect for Diversity, Dignity, and Choice. Make a difference tmr!

Do you believe in AWARE's 25 years of work, and fight for equal gender opportunities and empowerment for all women in Spore? If you care enough,
PROTECT AWARE and civil society to be secular.
STAND UP for AWARE to be for all women - respect for choice and diversity, regardless of religion, race, and ethnicity.
Make a DIFFERENCE at EGM tomorrow!

SAVE AWARE: Check out www.we-are-aware.sg for info kit, or buzz me on my mobile.
Be there early as large crowds are expected.
-Shan, AWARE member and volunteer since 2006.

>>Read more about the CEDEW report 2007 that AWARE submitted to UN.



Interview with Ex-AWARE's President, Ms Dana Lam (1999 - 2000, 2000-2001)
Dana Lam, 57 is a past president of the Association
of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) and a member of The Working Committee 2 (TWC2), currently registered as Transient Workers Count Too. She's also a mother of 2.

What should a women's organisation like Aware stand for?

One of my friends ask me about what's the real story behind Aware...some of my thoughts and reflections.

I firmly believe that one need not have to be an organisation like Aware to make a difference to women.
But, really, this big saga made me probe deeper and think about Aware too ....about what is Aware really about, and what should a woman's organisation stand for, and why the tussle (between the conservatives, moderates and liberals) often poses many questions and is becoming a very complex issue.

Well, the real issue is that NGOs (and AWARE) are always secular. But Aware is now being hijacked by these Christian fundamentalists who have a religious agenda. While they are properly elected, its method has sown distrust among the members and the public. (more so, with the emergence of the secret "feminist mentor"..ha) From their recent behaviour, they have also shown much disrespect to the old guards, and failed to communicate or clarify their stand to us (members)…and not keen to have open dialogue. This lack of transparent is disturbing to many. Besides, none of the new Exco has shown interest in the organisation, otherwise why didn’t they participate in any of Aware’s activities or volunteer before.

Check out this quote by the self-proclaimed, "feminist mentor":
“Please ask your like-minded friends to join Aware so that you can give the vote to those who wish to be an agent of change for the Lord.. Unfortunately, I cannot surface but shall be assisting in the background. I attach the Aware membership application form for your use. The Aware application form has a section as to who (if any) told you about Aware. You can just leave it blank.” - SuMien, one of the leaked emails.

In my opinion, if these Christian fundamentalists were to start their own organization, it would be labelled a Christian organization and therefore seen as biased and less popular. As mentioned in the media, it seems like Aware has become a convenient organisation for them to further their cause -- and particularly, Aware has built up a strong reputation over the past 24 years, as well-established organisation internationally (e.g. UNIFEM).

Whichever, the new team it is, I hope they can address and protect the interests of all women, and not focus their energy on politicking. It really saddens me that the whole discussion -- and the mainstream media is focusing on the “homosexuality” (pro-gay) issue... which leads to the divide between Christian Right and the Gay Lobby.

To me, Aware stands for inclusiveness and secular - allows for diversity of views, and protects the interests of Singaporean women. I have really learnt a lot from this organisation, the volunteers and people that I have worked with - are very dedicated females and respestable leaders who cares so strongly for something that they will stand up for injustices and speak up!

As a Singaporean woman, I’m deeply worried for the future of Aware, and how this new Exco can continue advocate for changes for all women in Singapore, regardless of religion, age, and race.

Since 1985, Aware has been advocating for equal gender opportunities for women....and improved the progress of women through: public education, leadership/financial intelligence workshops, direct services, Befriender, helpline to distress women; Research on CEDEW, White Ribbon Campaign (campaign for elimination of violence against women), workplace harassment, work-life balance, body-image, and lobbied for institutional changes – children of overseas Singaporean women to be successfully granted citizenship since 1999. Hence, the homosexuality debate should not be the focus, and both sides should not use this platform to fight for their own interests...

To most of us, this is a fight for civil society to be secular.

This saga certainly opens up a v.lively debate among the civil society and the online community. Some interesting blogs you can check out:
http://singaporedaily.net/2009/04/25/daily-sg-25-apr-2009-aware-weekend-special/
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/04/we-cannot-have-people-acting-like-moral-vigilantes-says-awares-old-guards/
http://blog.alicecheong.com/?p=415

Dear friends, do give me a buzz if you have any thoughts/strong concerns, or wish to speak up about this. Thanks!

Just wanted to do my little part as a member of aware over the last 3yrs and, hopefully, to dispel some myths ...

Love to hear from other SIngaporean women, what they hope for in Aware in advocating for equal gender opportunities for women.

Sleepless Shan

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the eogm is happening next Sat, 2 May.

Support Aware (and civil society) to be secular !

Save Aware: Why An Extraordinary General Meeting

1. Values of the New Exco are not the Foundational Values of AWARE (updated)
Given the religious convictions of the new Exco and their Advisor & "Feminist-Mentor", AWARE will now stand for a particular vision of Christian morality that is fundamentally opposed to AWARE's foundational principles of gender equality for all women regardless of ethnicity, culture, religion and sexuality. Strong evidence of religious ideology that goes against AWARE’s values, such as full equality in the home between wife and husband, the right of a woman to choose to have an abortion, and tolerance of homosexuality.

2. Lack of Experience
8 of the 9 new members have been in AWARE for less than 5 months; none of them has served in AWARE committees nor participated in AWARE initiatives as volunteers.

3. Unjustified Termination and Disregard of Experienced Volunteers
The new Exco has terminated all the current heads of the AWARE sub-committees, including the summary dismissal of Braema Mathi, Chairperson of AWARE's CEDAW Committee (CEDAW stands for Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women). Ms Mathi is Singapore's leading NGO expert on CEDAW. Constance Singam and Claire Nazar have resigned from the new Exco on the grounds that their advice and direction have been totally disregarded by members of the new Exco.