The Singapore Council of Women and the Women's Movement An Account of Shirin Fozdar and the Women's Movement in Singapore

To redress the situation, this article focuses on the activities of the Singapore Council of Women (SCW) and the women's movement in Singapore. It tells how from the year of its inception (1952) to the passing of the Women's Charter in 1961, the SCW became the first women's organization which boldly sought to change existing laws affecting women through legislation. The group's single-minded thrust against the practice of polygamy gained its widespread publicity and for the first time in Singapore's history, excited and engaged the loyalty and energy of a broad spectrum of women towards achieving a common goal. The SCW was strikingly successful. Within five years, the Muslim Ordinance was passed which included many of the demands which were first brought to public attention by the SCW. Within eight years, in 1961,

Originally published as : Chew, Phyllis Ghim Lian (1994). The Singapore Council of Women and the Women's Movement. Journal of South East Asian Studies 25(1): 112-140,