• With the beginning of Singapore’s self-governance in 1959, one of the priorities was to conceptualise how to achieve equal rights for men and women through legislation. Two years later, the Women’s Charter was passed and formally legislated.
• The Women’s Charter institutionalises monogamous marriages, sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 years old, allows women to keep their personal assets after marriage, stipulates that bigamy is liable for a jail term and fine, and that adultery can be used as grounds for divorce. It also provides for protection against family violence and imposes criminal penalties for offences against women and girls.
• In 2016, the Women’s Charter was revised to uphold the legislative intent of equal rights for men and women to continuously improve social policies and support families. An increasing number of men have taken on the role of househusbands, which has challenged the traditional family model of the male breadwinner and the housewife. A major change in this constitutional amendment is to allow the husband or exhusband to apply for alimony from his spouse if he is physically disabled or seriously ill before the legal marriage formally ends, has no stable income, and is unable to work.

It is commonly understood that the Women’s Charter was legislated to protect women, but the passing of the Women’s Charter (Amendment) Bill at its third reading in Parliament this afternoon extends the protection to men facing difficulties. (Lianhe Zaobao, 29/2/2016)