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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Citizenship and Nationality
- English...
6. Any notice to be given by the Minister to any person under Article 133(1) may be sent to that person at his last known address or, in the case of a person under the age of 18 years (not being a married woman) to his parent or guardian at the last known address of the parent or guardian; and if an address at which the notice may be sent to any person under this paragraph is not known and cannot after reasonable inquiry be ascertained, the notice may be given by publication in the Gazette.
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15. (1) For the purposes of Part X, references to a person’s father or to his parent or to one of his parents shall, in relation to a person who is illegitimate, be construed as references to his mother.
… (Third Schedule)
Education
- English(1) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 12, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen of Singapore on the grounds only of religion, race, descent or place of birth —
(a) in the administration of any educational institution maintained by a public authority, and, in particular, the admission of pupils or students or the payment of fees; or
(b) In providing out of the funds of a public authority financial aid for the maintenance or education of pupils or students in any educational institution (whether or not maintained by a public authority and whether within or outside Singapore).
… (Art. 16)
Employment Rights and Protection
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(2) Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens of Singapore on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.
… (Art. 12)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.
(2) Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens of Singapore on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.
(3) This Article does not invalidate or prohibit —
(a) any provision regulating personal law; or
(b) any provision or practice restricting office or employment connected with the affairs of any religion, or of an institution managed by a group professing any religion, to persons professing that religion. (Art. 12)
Indigenous Peoples
- EnglishSubject to the provisions of this Constitution, all persons of whatever race in the same grade of the service of the Government shall, subject to the terms and conditions of their employment, be treated impartially. (Art. 154)
Indigenous Peoples
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(2) The Government shall exercise its functions in such manner as to recognise the special position of the Malays, who are the indigenous people of Singapore, and accordingly it shall be the responsibility of the Government to protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote their political, educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests and the Malay language. (Art. 152)
Indigenous Peoples
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“person belonging to the Malay community” means any person, whether of the Malay race or otherwise, who considers himself to be a member of the Malay community and who is generally accepted as a member of the Malay community by that community;
… (Art. 39A)
Limitations and/or Derogations
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(5)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), no provision of any ordinance promulgated under this Article, and no provision of any Act which is passed while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force and which declares that the law appears to Parliament to be required by reason of the emergency, shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency with any provision of this Constitution.
(b) Paragraph (a) shall not validate any provision inconsistent with —
(iii) the provisions of this Constitution relating to religion, citizenship or language.
… (Art. 150)
Marriage and Family Life
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(1) The Legislature may, by law, define, regulate, protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote the institution of marriage.
(2) Subject to any written law, the Government and any public authority may, in the exercise of their executive authority, protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote the institution of marriage.
(3) Nothing in Part 42 invalidates a law enacted before, on or after the date of commencement of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 3) Act 2022 by reason that the law —
(a) defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman; or
(b) is based on such a definition of marriage.
(4) Nothing in Part 4 invalidates an exercise of executive authority before, on or after the date of commencement of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No. 3) Act 2022 by reason that the exercise is based on a definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. (Art. 156)
Minorities
- English(1) The Legislature may, in order to ensure the representation in Parliament of Members from the Malay, Indian and other minority communities, by law make provision for —
(a) any constituency to be declared by the President, having regard to the number of electors in that constituency, as a group representation constituency to enable any election in that constituency to be held on a basis of a group of not less than 3 but not more than 6 candidates; and
(b) the qualifications, in addition to those in Article 44, of persons who may be eligible for any election in group representation constituencies, including the requirements referred to in clause (2).
(2) Any law made under clause (1) shall provide for —
(a) the President to designate every group representation constituency —
(i) as a constituency where at least one of the candidates in every group shall be a person belonging to the Malay community; or
(ii) as a constituency where at least one of the candidates in every group shall be a person belonging to the Indian or other minority communities;
(b) the establishment of —
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(ii) a committee to determine whether a person desiring to be a candidate belongs to the Indian or other minority communities, for the purpose of any election in group representation constituencies;
(c) all the candidates in every group to be either members of the same political party standing for election for that political party or independent candidates standing as a group;
(d) the minimum and maximum number of Members to be returned by all group representation constituencies at a general election; and
(e) the number of group representation constituencies to be designated under paragraph (a)(i).
(3) No provision of any law made pursuant to this Article shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency with Article 12 or be considered to be a differentiating measure under Article 78.
(4) In this Article —
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“person belonging to the Indian or other minority communities” means any person of Indian origin who considers himself to be a member of the Indian community and who is generally accepted as a member of the Indian community by that community, or any person who belongs to any minority community other than the Malay or Indian community. (Art. 39A)