What is the story behind the enactment of the Women's Charter?

Singapore Ordinance 18/1961

The Women's Charter was passed into law as Ordinance 18 of 1961 by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Singapore. The process of enactment began in March 1960. The State of Singapore preceded Singapore joining the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, and its becoming the fully independent Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965 as it remains today.

General Elections 1959

The enactment of the Women's Charter was closely connected with the heady days of the political awakening of Singaporeans and their initial steps in the development of their own country. Singapore was a colony under the administration of the Government of Great Britain. Elections to only a proportion of the seats in the legislature were held in 1955 in the transitional process towards local self-government. The Labour Front offered the first experience of self-government when the first local chief minister, David Marshall, was installed in office. General Elections to fill a fully elected legislature were held in 1959. The People's Action Party, preparing to take part in these elections, promised in its election campaign to “stand for equality … of opportunity for education and employment for all Singapore citizens”.

PAP Five-year Plan

The People's Action Party announced a “Five-year plan” and identified, among other goals, its plan for the “emancipation of women” this way: “Women who form nearly half of our population have an important role to play in our national construction. In the first instance … a monogamous marriage law will be passed. … Furthermore … we shall carry out an extensive education campaign on family limitation and the rights of women. … We shall foster the principle, if necessary by legislation, that there shall be equality of women with men in all spheres and we shall encourage them to come forward to play a leading role in politics, administration, business and industry, education and in other spheres.”

PAP's vision of marriage law

Elaborating on the marriage law, the People's Action Party announced that “One of the aims of the PAP Government will be to introduce the necessary legislation to make monogamous marriages compulsory for all except Muslims whose religious beliefs permit polygamy.”