Singapore is pragmatic, focused on outcomes in approach to human rights protection: Rahayu

Each country has to approach the protection of human rights in ways that take into account its own national context and social realities, said Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam on May 12.

There is no single approach to doing so, and Singapore seeks to do it in a pragmatic way that focuses on outcomes, she said during a routine review of Singapore’s human rights record by the United Nations.

“We judge progress by lives improved, and our outcomes have been encouraging,” said Ms Rahayu, while acknowledging there is “always more to do”. She was addressing representatives from different states gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, for Singapore’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

She cited improvements in outcomes such as a life expectancy that has increased from about 64 years during independence in 1965 to 84 years currently; primary and secondary schools reaching near-universal cohorts; as well as recognition as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, ranking third in Transparency International’s 2025 index.

The UPR looks at the human rights records of all 193 UN member states every five years. Its assessment is based on reports submitted by the country under review, its civil society organisations, as well as the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Singapore’s 20-page report submitted to the UN in February covered a range of topics, including the country’s efforts to protect workers from discrimination and to provide families with strong support in raising children.

“Across the world, we have seen how global pressures – including geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and the impact of technology – can strain social unity,” said Ms Rahayu, who is also Minister of State for Digital Development and Information. She led a delegation comprising officials from eight agencies.

“Therefore, even as we create space for diverse views and opinions to be expressed in Singapore, we emphasise the importance of forging a shared national identity and strengthening social empathy.”

During the review process, other member states can pose questions or make recommendations.

Among the 142 states that spoke, several – including New Zealand, Lithuania and Portugal, among others – called on Singapore to impose an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to abolishing it. Singapore executed 17 individuals in 2025, the highest tally since 2003.

“The use of capital punishment in our criminal justice system is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we do so with a heavy heart,” said Ms Rahayu in her closing remarks.

In determining the appropriate punishments, the perspective of the victims of the crime and wider societal consequences must also be taken into consideration, she said. “Lives can be saved and futures preserved through effective deterrence.”

She noted that countries have varying perspectives on capital punishment, and there is no international consensus for or against capital punishment.

She said: “International law does not prohibit the imposition of capital punishment when it is imposed with due process and judicial safeguards. Notwithstanding our differences in opinion, capital punishment is fundamentally a criminal justice issue.”

She reiterated that Singapore’s decision to retain capital punishment is a sovereign one.

“Given the prevailing view in Singapore, my government will continue to fulfil our responsibility to protect the fundamental right of our citizens to live in safety and security,” said Ms Rahayu.

Over the 3½-hour session, Ms Rahayu and her delegation also outlined how Singapore has made progress since its last review in 2021, including enacting the Workplace Fairness Act and expanding support for vulnerable groups such as children and persons with disabilities.

She also laid out Singapore’s approach to policymaking, saying: “We continually engage our people to understand gaps and how we can do better.

“It is my government’s strong belief that meaningful participation and dialogue are essential to shaping policies that uphold the rights and aspirations of all members of society.”

Singapore is committed to combating discrimination while also managing social differences and differing views with care and sensitivity, she noted.

This is reflected in how Singapore moved to repeal a colonial-era law in 2022. Parliament voted to repeal Section 377A, a law criminalising consensual sex between men, while also approving constitutional amendments that clarified its role in defining and regulating marriage, said Ms Rahayu.

This followed years of careful public consultation and national debate, she said. “This has helped us to largely avoid the culture wars phenomenon, which can polarise societies and worsen discrimination in practice.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on May 13 that many states had commended Singapore’s workplace anti-discrimination legislation and efforts in advancing the status of women, among other initiatives.

An outcome report of the review will be released on May 15 with recommendations that Singapore may choose to accept.

In 2021, Singapore supported 210 out of the 324 recommendations received. It supported 125 of the 236 recommendations received in 2016.

MFA said Singapore values the UPR as a process that encourages countries to keep advancing the protection and promotion of human rights. It also presents an opportunity for countries to exchange best practices and engage constructively, even where approaches may differ.

“Singapore will study the recommendations carefully, and for those relevant to our national context, consider how they can be advanced in a manner that leads to better outcomes for our people,” added the ministry.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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