White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development: Sim Ann on closing digital safety gap for women and girls

The digital safety gap must be closed so that women and girls can feel as safe and confident online as they do in real life, said Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (Apr 5), she highlighted the work of SG Together Sunlight Alliance for Action (AfA) to tackle online harms targeted at women and girls. Since its launch in July 2021, the AfA has done a survey to understand the incidence and impact of online harms in Singapore, as well as engaged more than 240 parents and youths to raise awareness about online harms and impart tips to navigate the digital space safely. It has also launched a website about online risks and safety tools. The Government responded to its calls by introducing the Codes of Practice for Internet platforms. The AfA will roll out more initiatives in the coming months to help individuals recognise online harms and build a more holistic system of support for victims. These include a workshop to equip youths to support peers who may be experiencing online harms, a pilot to provide counselling intervention to victims, and partnerships for public education initiatives to raise awareness and promote digital safety. She believes Singapore now has a "roadmap" which is constantly being expanded and refined to build a safer digital future for all.