ABSTRACT
The Singapore state is also an overtly patriarchal state. The authoritarian nature of Singapore therefore enables the swift implementation of national policies that are patriarchal in nature. The main concern of the People’s Action Party (PAP) government is to ensure the smooth implementation of policies that are believed to benefit the nation as a whole, and the confirmation of patriarchy in Singapore is seen to be so beneficial. Women’s issues and demands are considered within this patriarchal framework. Since the 1960s, indicators on areas such as education, employment and health show that Singapore women have gained tremendously on these fronts. The status of women in Singapore took a promising turn in the late 1950s and early 1960s during the fight for independence. Singaporean women may now sponsor their foreign husbands whereas previously foreign husbands had to qualify for Permanent Resident (PR) status on their own ground.
