SINGAPORE (CU)_ Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said that while the involvement of women in economic activities reflects the evolution of gender relations in Singapore, more needs to be done to encourage gender equality. Ms Fu spoke about women’s empowerment at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI)’s International Women’s Day 2021 Conference on Sunday.
The major event was organized at the Jurong Town Hall Road Trade Association Center and was broadcasted live online. During her speech, Ms Fu said, “The increasing participation of women in economic activities and the growing number of women holding leadership positions in family businesses reflect the evolution of gender relations in our society. In the past, family businesses were typically inherited by men. We have seen positive changes on this front, with more balanced gender ratios in senior management in family businesses. However, there continues to be room for improvement when it comes to gender equality.”
Ms Fu also stressed the importance of motivating Singaporeans to speak about gender equality. She said, “We need to ensure that diverse groups – including men, youth and seniors – have the opportunity to hear and appreciate one another’s views, to deepen understanding on how we can foster greater gender equality. It is important to involve men so that they are exposed to different perspectives and can better understand the challenges faced by their mothers, wives and daughters, and help to bring about positive change.”
A panel discussion named “Women Leadership in Driving Sustainable Family Businesses” took place during the conference, with the participation of parents and daughters running family businesses together, exploring the keys to victory and the part of women in creating businesses with lasting legacies and heritage. They addressed the value of fostering diversity within their organizations as well as recruiting practices that are focused on gender equality. The members also addressed the effect of COVID-19 on their companies and how the pandemic has forced them to restructure in order to ensure a long-term future. The conference was held prior to the International Women’s Day on March 8.
In his welcome speech, SCCCI president Roland Ng claimed that the International Women’s Day should not be regarded as a one-day event, but rather as a long-term movement. He said, “Let us use our fullest potential and work together to promote the development of more successful career women, to build a more cohesive, inclusive, cooperative, harmonious and stable society. Let us work hand in hand to embark on the new path of sustainability as we strive towards achieving economic prosperity of our nation.”
