NTUC’S Response to Insight Commentary: “A more supportive environment vital for procreation”
04 October 2005
Forum Page Editor
The Straits Times
1. I refer to the commentary “Right now, even the poor seem to be having fewer babies” (Straits Times, 30 September), by Miss Laurel Teo.
2. I am perturbed by your description of women with fewer babies as “recalcitrant”, despite the government’s “darnedest” efforts to get them “to make more productive use of their wombs”.
3. The intention may not have been to belittle our women, but the unfortunate choice of words gave the impression that our women are to be blamed if they do not produce enough babies regardless of the circumstances. It also gave the impression that giving birth, a most noble function that women perform is akin to the process in a factory producing goods.
4. I think we need to adopt a more balanced and fair view in discussing such matters. The issues and challenges are complex and require all parties such as families, employers, the government and society to provide a more supportive environment for women to have more children.
5. The government’s package of measures from financial incentives to the five- day week will help to some extent in encouraging women to have more babies. However, these measures alone are not sufficient, if our values towards sharing of responsibilities and in bringing up children have not changed. Women continue to carry the heavier load at home despite the fact that dual income families are increasing today. Working is no longer a luxury for most women. In today’s uncertain labour market, having two wage earners help to ensure greater financial stability for the family.
6. Labelling women as recalcitrant for not having more babies is neither fair nor helpful. What it does is merely to increase their load without specifying what should be the responsibilities of the men in helping women to have more babies. What will be more positive is a wider discussion on how responsibilities can be shared and, of equal importance, how to get employers to be more supportive of workers with families, such as through flexible work schemes.
7. As I have argued before, it is also important to develop a more integrated and holistic social support structure for working women which should cover a range of services such as better, more accessible and affordable childcare and student care services. Eldercare support is another big area that must be examined if we want women to have more children.
8. Having children is a long-term commitment, which requires the support of both spouses in a marriage. And the most daunting part of this commitment usually starts after a child is born. This is unlike a factory where after the goods are produced, they are packed and shipped off to be sold and money collected for the sale. Let us all do our part to provide a more supportive environment, so that it is indeed possible for women to have more babies without overstressing themselves.
Halimah Yacob (Mdm)
Assistant Secretary General, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) &
Secretary, NTUC Women’s Committee
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