'Having that diversity in the team is very useful': PM Lawrence Wong hopes to field more women candidates in next GE

SINGAPORE — There are plans to have more women candidates in the upcoming general election, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, noting his hope to increase the representation of women in Parliament.

"To me, having that diversity in the team is very useful," said PM Wong, urging the public to support the women political candidates when they are fielded.

"Throughout my working life, I have benefited from working with men and women who bring a wider range of perspectives and help contribute to better solutions and better decision-making," he said at the People’s Action Party (PAP) Women’s Wing conference on Aug 31.

PAP women MPs now hold close to one-third of the seats in Parliament. In contrast, all PAP MPs were men in the 1970s and early 1980s.

There is still work to be done to build an inclusive society, said PM Wong, noting that advancing the cause for gender equality in Singapore is not a zero-sum issue. 

"Equality for women does not mean that men get less," he said. "Gains that women make in society do not mean that men will inevitably lose out."

He said that in some countries, there has been more divergence in views between men and women. 

Boys and young men also struggle with challenges like education and mental health, he said. 

"If they feel their concerns are not adequately addressed, men and young boys, then, out of a sense of insecurity, some may see the movement for equality for women as a movement against men," said PM Wong, adding that this must not happen in Singapore.

"The fact is that we are all in this together," he said, adding that men and women have to work and learn together, get married, form families and raise children together. 

This is why he focused on these issues during his first National Day Rally speech earlier in August, mandating four weeks of paternity leave and introducing a new shared parental leave scheme.

The PAP Women’s Wing started in 1989, 35 years after the PAP was established and three years after the youth wing was set up, PAP Women’s Wing chairwoman Sim Ann said at the conference.

"The relatively recent arrival of the Women’s Wing in the PAP family tells us that getting more women involved in political work has never been easy," she said at the event held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Women’s Wing.

She acknowledged the first three women MPs elected in 1984 — Dr Dixie Tan, Yu-Foo Yee Shoon and Dr Aline Wong — who ended a 14-year drought of not having women represented in Parliament. 

Speaking to the media after the celebration, Sim said PM Wong’s commitment to fielding more women in the coming election is a sign of encouragement and affirmation for women’s capabilities and leadership skills.

It is also encouraging to those involved in ground activism, Sim said, adding that there will be more women stepping up.

When asked by the media if there is a target number for women fielded, Sim said that in Singapore, there is no quota for representation and leadership, including political representation.

"It is very important for us to know that we hold these positions because of our merit and our ability," she said.

A numerical target is not key here, Sim said. "I think the fact that PM Wong has shared so openly about his confidence in fielding women speaks volumes about his belief and faith in women’s capabilities."

The PAP Women’s Wing will continue to stay close to the ground, said Sim, to ensure that it can identify issues that are of interest primarily to women but also to men.

Some of these areas include women’s health-related concerns, support for women in all stages of life, including marriage and parenthood, and caregiver concerns.

Sim added: "We would like to advocate for policy changes that make it easier for women to fulfil their fullest potential, and we believe that this makes for a Singapore that is better for women and men."

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