About Us
The Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) was established in 1980 as the National Coordinating body of women's organisations in Singapore. SCWO has more than 60 member organisations, representing over 600,000 women, and it serves to unite them to work toward the ideals of 'Equal Space, Equal Voice and Equal Worth' for women in Singapore.
Equal Space: Women should feel safe wherever they are, free to live their lives as they choose without any danger of discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, and violence.
Equal Voice: Women should be equally represented in political, corporate, and community leadership. Policymaking will benefit from the perspectives they bring to the discussions and decisions.
Equal Worth: Women should be fully recognised and valued for their contributions to society, family, and the workplace, where there should be no gender wage gap for work of equal value.
SCWO is represented on various government and inter-ministry committees, as well as regional and international bodies, where it contributes views in the areas of family, women, and gender equality.
Organisation in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2014.
Organisation in Consultative Relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) since 2016.
Our Aims and Objectives
We believe women and men have equal roles to play in the home, at the workplace, in the community, and in leadership.
In the last 40 years, the status of women in Singapore has advanced tremendously. But there is still a gender gap.
Women continue to shoulder the bulk of caregiving work. We face discrimination, harassment, and unequal pay and opportunities at the workplace. And violence in all its forms continues to be the daily reality for far too many women.
Together with our member organisations, we aim to reduce and ultimately eliminate these inequalities.
Our vision, and our mission, is: Equal Space. Equal Voice. Equal Worth.
In 1978, a group of Women Leaders, led by Ms Caroline Lam of the Business & Professional Women’s Association, mooted the idea of an Umbrella Body to unite the many small women’s organisations.
On 15th November 1978, a meeting of the Pro Tem committee took place, and several names were considered, including “Singapore Women’s Federation” and the Bureau of Women’s Affairs.
On the 30th April 1979, at a meeting called by Mrs S.C. Tang, Executive Director of the Singapore Council of Social Service, the floor nominated a pro tem committee, comprising Mrs Julie Tan (Chairperson), Mrs Caroline Lam (Chairperson), Mrs Anamah Tan, Mrs Seow Peck Leng, Mrs Maureen Tan, Mrs Mary Ho and Mrs Tan Bee Choo’s Representative. The committee drew up the Constitution and sent it to twenty-four women’s organisations and the Registrar of Societies in October 1979.
The name that the Registrar finally approved was "Singapore Council of Women's Organisations".
The Constitution spells out the role SCWO will play as the national coordinating body for women’s organisations in Singapore. SCWO’s mission is to actively INFORM, ADVOCATE and EDUCATE and work towards advancing women’s status and being the voice for women in Singapore.
On 6th February 1980, the First Executive Board was elected, headed by Ms Julie Tan as the first President of SCWO.
On 1st March 1980, Senior Minister of State for Education and Acting Minister for Social Affairs Dr Ahmad Mattar officiated at the inauguration of SCWO.
Publications, studies, workshops and forums have formed an important part of the SCWO’s activities from the very beginning and continue today.
Learn more about the progress of women in Singapore and the women who made it happen:
