Small Steps, Giant Leaps: A History Of Aware And The Women's Movement In Singapore

Singapore's Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) was founded in 1985. The papers in Part 1 of this study of AWARE look at the place of women's activism in feminism, at women's activism in Colonial Singapore, at Singapore's post-1950s moves towards gender equity and give summary vignettes on the achievements of many women who initiated changes which benefit Singapore women. In Part 2, the papers discuss: the aims and birth of AWARE; some of the work it has done such as the Helpline, legal clinic, reforms in relation to AIDS, rape and family violence, and facilities for training and employment; the roles played by and ideas of AWARE's ten presidents; and the first and tenth presidents look at the future in the last paper. Archival and contemporary photographs, biographical summaries and quotations add sidelights to this broad exploration of an often-ignored dimension of Singapore's history and society. It should be noted that discussion of some of the disagreements between AWARE members, e.g. on international feminism, political protests, and population policies, are not avoided.