More than four hundred PAP activists, Friends of the PAP, guest speakers and MPs gathered on Saturday (20 September) to discuss and brainstorm workable solutions to the challenges facing Singaporean women, at the PAP Women’s Wing Conference 2025.
During the conference, two panel discussions also explored how the government can strengthen support for those looking to start a relationship or family, continuing the conference theme of ‘Reimagining Family’.
“There are concerns that it can be quite costly when it comes to IVF cycles, specifically when you do more than three rounds,” said Simran Toor, Board Member of Fertility Support SG & Immediate Past CEO of SG Her Empowerment, at the second of these events.
“Let’s say you want to have a second child. Maybe we can use our Medisave for more rounds or maybe rounds in private clinics?” continued Ms Toor.
This was in reply to a question from the floor, and emblematic of the open, honest discussions happening at the conference, dealing with real issues faced by Singaporean women.
Participants cited financial pressures of raising children, calling for affordable childcare, subsidies for helpers, transport, and flexible leave. Tackling workplace discrimination against mothers and promoting equal sharing of parenting responsibilities was also top of the discussion.
Over the years, the PAP WW has been a strong advocate for women, shining a spotlight on the challenges they face and pushing for change. From better support for working mothers to stronger networks for caregivers, the refreshed WW will continue to empower women at every stage of life.
“My life experience taught me that a discussion about families is also a discussion about the roles of women, who are the anchors of families.” said Guest-of-Honour, and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung.
“So if we want to reimagine families, we must first recognise the central role of women in families, and how in Singapore, women have made tremendous progress in one generation.”
The Singapore story is often told as a remarkable tale about the progress of a nation. But it is also a story of women’s progress, continued Minister Ong.
Over the last few decades, the PAP government has made great strides in empowering women. Beginning in the 1960s, education became the great social equaliser. It opened up new opportunities for women, who now have a choice to enter the workforce or be a stay-at-home mother. By 2023, Singapore’s female labour force participation rate reached 62.6%, exceeding the OECD average.
However, all this progress does not mean that the work of WW has become simpler, shared PAP Women’s Wing Chairperson, Sim Ann.
“As more opportunities open up for women, we seem to face more trade-offs. A classic example…is the dilemma between the aspirations of self-development and having exciting careers, and the aspirations of building our own families.”
“Policy changes to provide more support, financial or otherwise, that would make the trade-offs easier,” shared Ms Sim.
“We are here to rethink how society, culture, and policy can better support women and families through their journeys,” said Organising Chairperson of the WW conference, Jasmin Lau.
After all, policy changes are only one side of the equation. A change in the mindset of what society expects of women is equally important for the future of women’s development.
As Minister Ong said, “Equal opportunity is not about sameness. It is about fairness. Fairness in recognising that men and women bring different talents, strengths, perspectives and experiences, at work and at home, and these differences are respected, valued and synergised.”
The PAP government is committed to ensuring that our society thrives, and to ensure that women can flourish at every season of their lives.
