[Repost] South Asian Pride Singapore – ‘Our Voice 2026’ featuring Braema Mathi

13 June 2026

Human rights and social justice apply equally to everyone—no matter who they love or how they identify.

In this installment of ‘Our Voice 2026’ from South Asian Pride Singapore, our President, Ms. Braema Mathi, takes a deep dive into the intersections of faith, South Asian culture, and LGBTQ+ allyship.

Reflecting on everything from the nuances of historical traditions to the post-377A landscape in Singapore, she calls out the double standards that still exist in state and social recognition. It is a powerful reminder that the right to a recognized partnership and a supportive community belongs to all of us.

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[Repost] WTC Wrap: 16 May 2026 – “Singapore carried out its 10th execution of 2026 yesterday morning”

17 May 2026

https://www.wethecitizens.net/wtc-wrap-16-may-2026

Singapore carried out its 10th execution of 2026 yesterday morning. It’s a staggering pace of killing.

On Tuesday, during Singapore’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, a total of 41 countries made recommendations related to the death penalty, such as urging for a moratorium on executions and respecting the right to life. In its press statement on the session, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reduced this high number of recommendations (even more than the death penalty recommendations made during the last cycle) to a quick and vague reference to “recommendations by several States on the abolition of capital punishment”.

Singapore’s delegation, led by Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, insisted that our criminal punishment policies are evidence-based and in line with international law—even though international standards make it clear that “[in] countries which have not abolished the death penalty, capital punishment may be imposed only for the most serious crimes, it being understood that their scope should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave consequences”. If you’re interested, I found a 2013 paper that begins with discussion of this “most serious crimes” limitation and makes clear that the mandatory death penalty for drug offences—which is what Singapore has—does not meet this standard.

“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,” Rahayu told the Human Rights Council. I’m glad I’d already gone to bed by this point and didn’t see her say this live, or I might still be crawling on my hands and knees, swearing, trying to locate the eyeballs that rolled out of my head. Hanging 10 people in under five months, taking the position that people can be executed despite being party to ongoing legal proceedings or formal complaints against their previous lawyers, and reviewing policy to reduce notice periods for some prisoners is not “heavy heart” behaviour.

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[Repost] Singapore’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

13 May 2026

https://www.ohchr.org/en/media-advisories/2026/05/singapores-human-rights-record-be-examined-universal-periodic-review

08 May 2026

GENEVA – The human rights record of Singapore will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth time on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, 14:30-18:00 (GMT+2), in a meeting in Geneva that will be webcast live.

Singapore is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming session from 4 to 15 May 2026. The first, second and third UPR reviews of Singapore took place in May 2011, January 2016, and May 2021, respectively.

The UPR Working Group is comprised of the 47 Member States of the Human Rights Council. However, any UN Member or Observer State can participate in a country review.

The documents on which the reviews are based are: 1) national report – information provided by the State under review; 2) information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the special procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; 3) information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and civil society groups.

The three reports serving as the basis for the review of Singapore can be found here.

Location: Assembly Hall (A Building, third floor), Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Date and time: Tuesday, 12 May 2026, 14:30-18:00 (GMT+2)

The UPR is a peer review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN Member States have been reviewed three times. During the fourth UPR cycle, States are again expected to spell out steps they have taken to implement recommendations posed during their previous reviews which they committed to follow up on and highlight recent human rights developments in the country.

The delegation of Singapore will be led by Ms. Rahayu Binte Mahzam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and at the Ministry of Health.

The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of Singapore are Albania, Benin and Indonesia.

The webcast of the session will be at: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1f/k1f4qowgdz

The list of speakers and all available statements to be delivered during the review of Singapore will be posted on the UPR Extranet.

The UPR Working Group is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to Singapore on Friday, 15 May 2026, between 14:30 and 18:00 (GMT+2). The State under review may wish to express its positions on recommendations posed to it during its review.

// ENDS //

For more information and media requests, please contact Pascal Sim, Human Rights Council Spokesperson, at simp@un.org and Matthew Brown, Human Rights Council Public Information Officer, at matthew.brown@un.org.

To learn more about the Universal Periodic Review:
www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main

Sign up for the UN Human Rights Council newsletter “Room 20 Bulletin”:
https://mailchi.mp/a3a538479938/hrc-mailshot-to-ohchr-global

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Research on Consumerism, Climate Change, and Human Rights

22 April 2026

We are pleased to share a paper written by a MARUAH contributing writer S. Porter recently in conjunction with the forum on the Obligation to Act, Climate Change and Human Rights organized by SG Climate Change Rally and MARUAH.

We encourage all MARUAH friends and visitors to take a few minutes to read more about how the culture of consumerism is a major engine of the climate crisis and is deeply intertwined with human rights.

Please click here to access the paper.

Thank you.

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[Post-Event] ‘Obligation to Act – Climate Change and Human Rights’ on 17 April 7.30pm, an event by SG Climate Rally and Maruah

19 April 2026

SG Climate Change Rally and MARUAH organised an engaging and productive forum on the Obligation to Act, Climate Change and Human Rights on 17 April 2026 at The Arts And Civil Space.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our panel discussion on climate change and human rights.

This session was co-organised by MARUAH and SG Climate Rally. We are both grateful for the opportunity to bring together diverse voices on an issue that affects communities in Singapore and beyond.

A special thank you to our moderator, Yong Feng, for guiding the conversation so thoughtfully. We are also deeply appreciative of our panelists, Betty Lau-Khoo Kingsley, Debby Giam and Clara Feng, for their rich and candid contributions. These included mapping out the interconnections between climate and human rights, emphasising empowerment, multi-stakeholder approaches, and the importance of preventive action. The lively discussion brought out both the complexity of the issues and the urgency of the work ahead for everyone.

It was also a helpful reminder that many of us encounter these challenges in parts. Conversations like this allow us to see the bigger picture better.

To all participants, thank you for your thoughtful questions and engagement. We hope this is just the start of continued dialogue and collective action towards a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future.

We look forward to meeting everyone at our future events.

Thank you once again for being part of this important conversation.

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MARUAH letter to Singapore Ministry of Manpower – ‘A Letter of Recommendation from MARUAH’

15 April 2026

Dr Tan See Leng,

Minister for Manpower

Singapore

By email

11 April 2026

Dear Minister,

We refer to the recent statement by the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (H.O.M.E.) on the planned increase in foreign worker levies under Budget 2026.

Migrant workers play a vital role in Singapore’s economy and society. They contribute significantly to key sectors – construction, marine, hospitality, food and beverage and within the home as domestic workers and caregivers.

At MARUAH, as a human rights organisation, we remain concerned in ensuring that the rights of these foreign women and men are fulfilled as they provide essential services for the well-being of people in Singapore and also strengthen the growth of our economy.

Hence, MARUAH supports the call made by H.O.M.E for more strategic use of foreign worker levies collected, estimated to be $7 billion for the year 2026. We endorse the calls made for a portion of the levies to be directed towards:

●      medical subsidies for foreign workers many of whom are exposed to occupational hazards;

●      social security for migrant workers who can retrieve this sum upon returning to their countries of origin, giving them a much-needed safety net; and

●      payments for training costs for migrant workers, saving them from incurring repayment debts made with employment agencies.

It is MARUAH’s argument that it is time for Singapore over its decades of being dependent on migrant workers, to also pitch itself as a global leader in sustainability. By aligning our policies with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 10, 16, and 17, Singapore can position itself not only as a country of destination with appropriate laws, but also as a visionary partner in the global market of shared responsibility and global citizenry.

We do recognise that the levy is an important tool in managing Singapore’s labour market and the ongoing efforts to calibrate this framework. Nonetheless, the inflow of foreign labour still rises with employers continuing to make these levy payments.

As such it is time for Singapore to move further on ensuring that portions of the levies collected are also used to improve and increase benefits for the migrant labour force at their individual level.

We reiterate that Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment”. Part of ensuring ‘just and favourable conditions” prevail must mean investing in social security and making healthcare affordable and accessible for all migrant workers.

The time has come for our country to do better by migrant workers and so embrace being part of an aligned member in the international community that values the dignity and well-being of migrant workers.

Thank you, Minister.

With best wishes,

Braema Mathi

President, MARUAH

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[Event] ‘Obligation to Act – Climate Change and Human Rights’ on 17 April 7.30pm, an event by SG Climate Rally and Maruah

20 March 2026

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MARUAH letter to The Straits Times Forum: Safer transport options part of migrant workers’ right to favourable work conditions (published 10 March 2026)

10 March 2026

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-safer-transport-options-part-of-migrant-workers-right-to-favourable-work-conditions

We refer to the story “Ferrying workers in caged lorry decks to be banned from Jan 1, 2027” (March 5).

MARUAH, a human rights organisation, welcomes Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling’s announcement that lorries fitted with cages will be banned from ferrying workers starting Jan 1, 2027. This move acknowledges longstanding concerns, from over 20 years by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and unions, on the safety and dignity of migrant workers. Eliminating caged lorries is a step in the right direction, though long overdue.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) shared in 2025 that there were 215 injured migrant workers between 2015 and 2019, and 161 between 2020 and 2024, with fatalities averaging one per year over a decade. These numbers are those of our guest workers.

Surely, we must ensure their safety through higher standards to reduce, if not eliminate, risks of harm or death. This aligns with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 155, which mandates that national policy must minimise causes of hazards in “all places where workers need to go by reason of their work and which are under the direct or indirect control of the employer” (Article 3c). Transporting workers in lorries is contradictory to principles of safety and minimising hazards.

To further strengthen safety, we urge a review of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) regarding definitions of “deck” and “passenger vehicles”. Current definitions allow “effects” – including tools – to be carried alongside workers in lorries, which has brought about caged lorries and for workers, cramped and unsafe transport conditions.

We suggest that MOT work with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Manpower, and the National Trades Union Congress to keep track of injured workers holding work permits or S Passes.

We urge the Government to consider implementing the RTA’s provision for an “omnibus” as dedicated passenger transport. This is already in place at Farrer Park on migrant workers’ days off. This does offer a viable case study.

A multi-stakeholder work group involving relevant ministries, employers’ associations, unions, NGOs and migrant worker bodies should be set up to further examine omnibus possibilities, timely reporting for work, safety, cost-bearers and subsidies.

Safer transport options are part of our migrant workers’ right to just and favourable conditions of work. We look forward to more timely collective steps in the right direction.

Braema Mathi
President, MARUAH

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Outcomes from MARUAH’s “Post Singapore Budget 2026 Dialogue: Is it Good Enough?”

21 February 2026

On 15 February 2026, MARUAH organized a discussion to examine Budget 2026 through a human rights lens, focusing on adequate living standards, intergenerational equity, social protection, community partnerships, the impact of AI on employment and social sectors and futurescaping National Budgets.

The dialogue was in three parts: identifying of key provisions, critiquing the Budget and Singapore model’s mechanics and generating specific recommendations for consideration, for parliamentarians, policy holders and public. It captures key points made in the process by panelists and audience. It also shares the key questions which we hope can be addressed.

Please click on this link to review the outcomes, covering the many views and key concerns that were shared by those present at the discussion. Outcomes from MARUAH’s “Post Singapore Budget 2026 Dialogue: Is it Good Enough?”

We have also shared this document with Members of Parliament as part of their preparation for the Committee of Supply debates that begin on 24th February.

We hope you will find these useful and look forward to meeting you at our future events.

Thank you.

MARUAH

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[Repost] Joint Local Statement on the death penalty case of Ramdhan bin Lajis in Singapore

9 January 2026

8 January 2026

The Delegation of the European Union issues the following statement, together with the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and the diplomatic missions of Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in Singapore.

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom call on the Singapore authorities to halt the executions of Mr Ramdhan bin Lajis and any other persons who might have been served execution notices, and to commute their sentences to non-capital sentences.

We are saddened by the resumption of executions, which follows at least seventeen executions in 2025, the highest annual number in Singapore for more than twenty years.

In keeping with our consistent strong and principled stance against the death penalty, we oppose the use of capital punishment in all cases and in all circumstances. 

The death penalty is incompatible with the inalienable right to life and the absolute prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. Moreover, imposing the death penalty for drug offences is incompatible with international law, as these offences do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes”.

The available evidence does not support the use of capital punishment as a deterrent to crime and makes irreversible any possible miscarriages of justice. Furthermore, rehabilitation as an objective of modern criminal law is rendered impossible by the application of capital punishment.

Therefore, we will continue to work for the abolition of the death penalty in the few remaining countries that still apply it.

Joint Local Statement preceding the execution of Ramdhan bin Lajis in Singapore on 9 January 2026.pdf

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