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| Issue 09 June 2008 |
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SPOTLIGHT ON: Day Off Campaign
The Day Off Campaign is a joint initiative by the National Committee for UNIFEM, HOME and TWC2. Day Off aims to encourage Singapore employers to voluntarily give their domestic workers a regular day off. Currently, only an estimated half of Singapore employers give their helpers regular days off. The campaign was launched with a media briefing in late April. Coverage in the media has been positive, and has included mentions in daily print media, magazines, and on TV, radio and online media. For a sample of the media coverage, please visit http://www.dayoff.sg/press_3.shtml.
UNIFEM Singapore contributed an article to women's magazine - Vanilla on the issue of Day Off and responsible management of domestic workers. To read this article, please click here.
Here's how you can be a part of the Campaign:
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REPORT ON: Basic education and gender equality
 Quality education remains a distant dream for millions of children across the globe. Approximately 93 million children, the majority of them girls, are being denied this fundamental right.
Countries around the world have committed themselves, through the Millennium and Dakar Declarations, to the international goals of universal primary education and the elimination of gender disparities in all levels of education by 2015. Since 2000, the number of children not attending school has been substantially reduced. Enrolment rates are rising rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa, South and Western Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and the gender gap is narrowing. Yet quality basic education remains elusive for millions of children. The latest figures on enrolment from the 2008 Education For All Global Monitoring Report suggest that 72 million children did not attend school in 2005 (57% girls), compared to 96 million in 1999 (59% girls). Yet when attendance figures are factored in, the actual number of children out of school may be as high as 93 million. This reflects children who may be enrolled but are not attending class. For international education goals to be achieved, all children must not only enrol in school but also complete the required years of schooling. Almost 80% of the world’s 'out-of-school' children live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The median rates of children transitioning to secondary school in 2004 were close to 90% in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa (where only 63.2% of children attend). The level of participation in secondary education worldwide is much lower than the level of participation in primary school. The gross enrolment ratio in 2005 was only 60% for developing regions; for sub-Saharan African countries it was 32%. Twenty-nine countries are at risk of not achieving gender parity by 2015. What is basic education? Basic education provides the knowledge, values and skills that form the foundation for lifelong learning. Learning can be either formal or non-formal, and include literacy, numeracy and life skills education. While the core of basic education is primary school, it also extends to the lower years of secondary school in a number of countries. A quality basic education is child-centred and gender-sensitive. It is based on a curriculum that is relevant to the needs and reality of all learners, and relies on professionally trained teachers equipped with appropriate learning materials. School is held in a child-friendly environment – one that is safe, clean and conducive to learning and play. What is gender equality in education? Gender equality in education means more than equal access to school for girls and boys. It combines the right to education (in terms of access and participation) with rights within education (gender-sensitive educational environments, processes and outcomes) and rights through education (relevant education outcomes that connect quality education to a wider process of gender justice in society). Achieving this goal means confronting unequal power relations between boys and girls and men and women in the education system and seeking redress, when necessary, through a human-rights-based approach to educational policy and practice. It means adapting equally to the learning needs and interests of girls and boys, creating a school environment that is friendly to both sexes and representing women as well as men in teaching, administrative and educational leadership positions. Article Source: UNICEF (for more info: http://www.unicef.org/girlseducation/index_access.html)
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ANNOUNCEMENT: UOB Global UNIFEM Singapore Fund closure
UOB Asset Management has informed unit holders that the United Global Singapore UNIFEM Fund will be terminated on 30 September 2008. The fund was launched in 1999 and was a pioneer in the region in socially responsible investing by focusing on companies which show a commitment to the empowerment of women in any part of the world. As well as highlighting women-friendly companies to investors, it also served to raise awareness of UNIFEM and contributed to its programs, through a donation of one-third of management fees to UNIFEM Singapore. We would like to acknowledge UOB Asset Management for pioneering this women-friendly fund and for the support it has given to UNIFEM Singapore all these years. For more information, please visit http://www.unifemsingapore.org.sg/uob
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EVENT REPORT: aidha garden party 2008
aidha is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ‘enriching lives through financial education.’ Inspired by UNIFEM’s National Committee, Singapore, aidha serves women migrant workers. They provide confidence-building, money management, and entrepreneurship training. They also offer the micro-credit services necessary to launch small businesses back home
On 10 May 2008, aidha had its first annual garden party fundraiser and it was a tremendous success! , Over 200 attendees gathered for an evening of cocktails, music and art.
The event featured the launch of aidha’s storybook series and the sale of art donated by Malaysian artist Thienny Lee and by the teachers and students of Colours of Cambodia, an art program serving impoverished children in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Proceeds from the evening’s sales of tickets, storybooks and art will be shared by aidha and its two partner charities, Colours of Cambodia and the National Committee for UNIFEM, Singapore.
aidha beautiful children’s storybooks are still available online – buy yours' here!
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