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AWARE EGM grants voting rights to male and non-binary members

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8 years ago

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AWARE, Singapore’s leading women’s rights and gender equality advocacy group has voted to allow male and non-binary members to vote in General Meetings.

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held at the AWARE Centre to amend the AWARE Constitution on last Saturday (26 November), as part of an overall update of the Constitution. Over 60 members voted in in the meeting and resolutions for some amendments were passed. At the EGM, the written statements of numerous members and some volunteers were circulated to all attendees.

The first amendment passed was the membership categories. The changes clarified that, for the purpose of deciding membership rights, ‘women’ includes transgender women and ‘men’ includes transgender men.

AWARE now also made provision for people who do not identify as men or women (non-binary people) to join as Associate Members – they were previously unable to join because members had to specify if they were ‘male’ or ‘female’.

On voting rights’ changes,  Associate Members (men and non-binary people) were given the right to vote in General Meetings at AWARE, subject to a cap so that their votes cannot count for more than 25 percent  of the votes on a resolution. Previously, Male Associate Members had no voting rights. 71.8 percent  of the voting members present voted in favour of this change.

Male Associate Members currently consist seven percent of AWARE’s total membership. General meetings of AWARE have previously discussed and voted on the issue of voting rights for male members in 2006 and 2008.

The changes were intensely debated and strongly contested throughout the consultation process and on the day’s Forum and EGM themselves.

AWARE explained that the amendments relating to membership were proposed following an extended period of consultation and research by a committee appointed by the Board in 2014, in response to queries from members at Annual General Meetings.

The committee carried out focus group discussions, administered an online survey of members and conducted interviews by phone and email. The findings from this consultation exercise were disseminated to all members and discussed at the April 2016 Annual General Meeting, AWARE wrote.

Objectives, Values and Functions of AWARE were updated and clarified to make them clearer and easier to understand.

  • The objective of AWARE is to promote women’s rights and gender equality.
  • The values of AWARE are as follows:
    • Embrace diversity, and promote understanding and acceptance of diversity.
    • Respect the individual and the choices she makes in life, and support her when needed.
    • Recognise the human rights of all, regardless of gender, so that everyone can realise their aspirations.
  • The functions of AWARE are:
    • Raising awareness of all aspects of gender discrimination and women’s rights;
    • Conducting or commissioning research on gender equality and women’s rights;
    • Providing for the relief of women in need or crisis and those disadvantaged by gender-based barriers, including gender-based violence and sexual violence;
    • Advancing education in gender equality and women’s rights;
    • Promoting laws, policies, attitudes, customs and practices in favour of gender equality and women’s rights;
    • Promoting the rights of women by advocacy and participation in relevant national, regional and international processes;
    • Engaging community and policy makers and participating in civil society; and
    • Engaging in any other activity which furthers our objective and values as stated above.

AWARE has also made other technical changes to rationalize membership, meeting and other mechanisms.

There were changes that were proposed but did not have the resolutions for them passed:

  • Change the name of the organisation from ‘Association of Women for Action and Research’ to ‘AWARE’.
  • Associate Members on the Board: Grant Associate Members limited rights to take up non-office-holder roles on the Board. 58percent of the voting members present voted in favor of this change, but AWARE’s Constitution requires a two-thirds majority of the voting members present to effect any changes.

Teh Hooi Ling, AWARE President, said,  “AWARE’s work is multifaceted. We work to improve the lives of marginalised groups and the policies that affect them, as well as to improve policies and practices that affect everyone in society, regardless of gender.”

“Our members have approved of our moves in recent years to engage with more men across all levels of our work. The new rules provide for men to stand up and be counted as key co-owners of the movement for gender equality. We also see this as a move toward building the capacity for men to better promote gender equality.”

‘Yet in a society where only five percent  of full ministers and nine percent  of corporate directors are women, it is vital that AWARE continues to stake out a space for women’s leadership, which centers and amplifies women’s voices. I believe that the outcome of the EGM helps to strike that critical balance – but the effort to be more inclusive to all, especially marginalised groups, must always be ongoing,’ the President said.

AWARE invited interested parties to register to become a member on AWARE’s website. Members receive benefits such as invitations to events, discounted fees for some events, regular updates on its work and a membership card which carries discounts at participating shops and cafes.

 

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Civil Society

Thailand withdraws reservation on refugee children’s rights, welcomed by UN Human Rights Office

Thailand’s withdrawal of its reservation on Article 22 of the CRC is hailed by the UN, marking a key step in enhancing protections for refugee and asylum-seeking children.

Published

2 days ago

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6 September 2024

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The UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia (OHCHR) has praised Thailand for its decision to withdraw its reservation on Article 22 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a move expected to improve the protection of refugee and asylum-seeking children in the country.

Cynthia Veliko, the OHCHR Representative for South-East Asia, hailed the decision, calling it “a significant, positive step” toward aligning Thailand’s laws with international standards. “This move helps protect the rights of all children on the move, no matter their nationality or origin,” Veliko said.

The Thai Cabinet’s decision to withdraw the reservation took effect on 30 August 2024. Article 22 of the CRC ensures that refugee and asylum-seeking children receive protection, humanitarian assistance, and equal access to services provided to national children, in line with international human rights laws to which Thailand is a party.

This withdrawal is also expected to strengthen the implementation of Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism (NSM), introduced on 22 September 2023.

The NSM grants the status of “protected person” to individuals who cannot return to their home countries due to the fear of persecution. However, despite these legal advancements, children without legal status in Thailand remain at risk of being detained in immigration facilities.

The UN has raised concerns over the continued detention of children despite the Thai government’s 2019 Memorandum of Understanding on Alternatives to the Detention of Children (MOU-ATD). The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has reaffirmed that every child has a fundamental right to liberty and should not be detained based on their migration status.

Veliko urged Thailand to focus on ending child immigration detention and adopting human rights-based alternatives.

“Children on the move are children first and foremost,” Veliko stressed, adding that detention due to migration status is never in the best interests of children.

The UN Human Rights Office expressed its readiness to assist the Thai government in developing alternatives to detention, ensuring that all children receive the protection and care they need.

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Civil Society

FORUM-ASIA condemns Myanmar junta’s forced conscription expansion, urges international action

FORUM-ASIA condemns Myanmar’s military junta for expanding forced conscription, calling it a desperate bid to maintain power. The policy, affecting men aged 35 to 60, adds to a long list of human rights violations, including forced labor and the use of civilians as human shields.

Published

4 days ago

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4 September 2024

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The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has condemned the Myanmar military junta’s recent decision to expand the age limit of its forced conscription policy, calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar.

The move is seen as a desperate attempt by the junta to maintain control in the face of a growing pro-democracy resistance movement.

On 25 August 2024, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced the introduction of a new “security system with public participation.”

This system would require men aged 35 to 60 to serve as guards, potentially placing them on the frontlines of conflict. The announcement follows the formation of the Central Supervisory Committee for People’s Security and Anti-Terrorism on 16 August, tasked with organizing military training and overseeing “people’s security and anti-terrorism” groups at various administrative levels.

The junta’s plan builds upon the forced conscription policy it implemented on 10 February 2024, invoking the 2010 People’s Military Service Law.

The law mandates men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve two years in the military, with professionals like doctors and engineers potentially serving up to five years. Those who evade service or assist others in doing so face up to five years in prison. As part of this policy, the junta planned to conscript 5,000 individuals monthly from April 2024.

Civilians as Human Shields and Forced Labor

FORUM-ASIA has condemned the junta’s forced conscription policies, highlighting the military’s history of using civilians as human shields and forcing them into hard labor.

The International Labour Organization’s Commission of Inquiry found in October 2023 that the military continues to impose forced labor amidst the ongoing armed conflict, a practice that has escalated since the 2021 coup attempt.

Local news and human rights groups have reported that the junta is also abducting and arresting citizens to use as human shields, further contributing to the human rights violations in Myanmar. Many youths, rather than being conscripted into fighting for a regime they oppose, have fled their homes to join the resistance.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern over the junta’s detention and recruitment of Myanmar youth. Meanwhile, Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, noted the junta’s increasing use of powerful weapons against civilians as troop losses and recruitment challenges mount.

Call for Action

FORUM-ASIA is calling on the Myanmar military junta to immediately halt its forced conscription, abductions, forced labor, and the use of civilians as human shields.

“FORUM-ASIA urges the international community, including the UN and ASEAN, to thoroughly investigate the Myanmar military junta’s long list of human rights violations. The junta should be held accountable for all its crimes through sanctions and other punitive measures,” said Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA.

“The international community must urgently isolate the junta and support the people of Myanmar in their struggle for justice and freedom,” Bacalso added.

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