In conjunction with International Children's Rights Day 2003, the Think Centre -Singapore Human Rights Working Group came together on 4 October to discuss the issue of children's rights in Singapore.
The Human Rights Working Group advocates the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR] as its cornerstone, and aims to promote greater human rights awareness and discussion in Singapore.
Termed "Children's Rights Forum", it was hosted by Think Centre and proved to be enlightening, fruitful and candid session. We were very privileged to have Mrs Constance Singam, the former President of AWARE to chair the discussion. The four invited speakers, Mrs Tisa Ng (President, AWARE), Mr Ron Dudley (President, DPA), Mr Pravthi Mohan (President, Students With Special Needs Group in NUS) and Miss Braema Mathi (NMP), ably shared and led the discussion.
Mr. Ron Dudley shared that the International Year for Disabled Persons called for full participation and equality. In fact, the International Covention on the the Rights of the Child recognized the equality of all children and that children with disbility should not suffer discrimination. In the USA, students with disability are educated in integrated regular schools. According to him, Singapore needed a more wholistic approach to eduation, to integrate children with disability into the compulsory education scheme, regardless of the cost.
Mrs Tisa Ng then went to highlight how the income divide was played out among school children in schools today. She mentioned that the advantages that children from wealthier homes enjoy are not just in terms of the tangibles (books, resources, nutrition), but also in the form in intangibles, such as emotional, intellectual and academic support.
Miss Braema Mathi provided a different angle to the discussion in her speech which centred on the impact of foreign maids on the lives of children in Singapore. She appreciated the many advantages of employing domestic help, including how interaction between Singaporeans and the foreign helpers can often encourage a more genuine understanding across races and cultures. Yet at the same time the recognition of such advantages should not blind us to other practical problems that could arise. Ill- treatment of and violence towards domestic helpers often lead to trauma and a cyclical propensity for violence among children unfortunate enough to bear witness to such atrocities. She cautioned on a less apparent, but no less fundamental, problem that may arise would be the impact of live-in help on the perception children may have of the role of women in society today.
The final speaker, Mr Prathiv Mohan, gave a moving description of the administrative and practical issues he had tackled as a disabled student, as well as the President of the Students with Special Needs Group in NUS. His account showed how the university has begun to be more proactive in taking more positive steps in providing for the needs of the disabled students; yet at the same time he revealed as well how Singapore has a long way to go in ensuring equal opportunities for education for all, disabled or otherwise. Simple provisions such as reading notes with larger type-fonts, and proper ramps and railings along corridors, would go a long way making a disabled student's academic experience a less strenuous affair.
The discussion was then opened to the floor where the contributors shared in earnestness and candour. One such exhange came from Dr Tan Chong Kee of the Necessary Stage. He brought up the need for a shift in societal attitudes before real change could take place. Policy makers must be willing to adopt an approach that ventures way beyond the concern for economic pragmatism before they could institute changes that truly touched lives. In his opinion, Singaporeans must learn to care for and value people around them before being capable of reaching out to the socially marginalized.
THINK CENTRE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
Think Centre appreciates Singapore's accession to the Convention on the Rights of the child. Singapore needs to include human rights teachings in the educational curriculum. Children with disability must be integrated into the compulsory education scheme. Schools must stop the practice of corporal punishment. The government needs to overcome discriminative practice by recognising as citizens children born of Singapore citizen and foreign parent [regardless of their marital status].
Sources and Relevant Links:
4th October 2003, the Think Centre Organised a Forum on the Rights of Children to celebrate International Children's Right Day [October 1st].
Think Centre Children's Rights: Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities?
Think Centre Do We Respect Our Children's Rights?
Think Centre Children's Rights in The Netherlands
Think Centre Children's Day art installation at School
Think Centre Children Day's Display: Fabric for the Nation
Think Centre Celebrate Children's Day at Speakers' Corner
Think Centre Children's Day Installation art application rejected again
