More awareness needed about the “leadership grab” in AWARE
April 13th, 2009 | 
Author: Written by Ng E-Jay
13 April 2009
A storm of controversy erupted over the weekend concerning the supposed “leadership grab” in the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), with netizens raising concerns about the hijacking of the women’s rights organization by anti-gay lobbyists, as well as a few voices questioning why senior members of AWARE were apparently unaware and caught completely off-guard by the alleged coup.
According to a Straits Times article published on 10 April 2009 entitled “Unknowns knock out veterans at Aware polls”, over 100 people attended the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 28 March, the majority of whom had only joined the organization in recent months. This came as a shock to existing members who had been used to turnouts of only 30 to 40 in previous years. Former president Tan Joo Hymn told the Straits Times that she had never seen such a large turnout at the AGM during her 10 year stint with AWARE, and writer Dana Lam related that she found it strange that there were so many unfamiliar faces.
In the end, 9 out of 12 executive committee spots went to the newcomers. According to the Straits Times article, almost every position was challenged by new faces, who won by wide majorities. The post of President is still open as the newly elected Claire Nazar subsequently resigned from the top post barely a week into her tenure.
Read rest of article here
Posted in Review
One Response to “More awareness needed about the “leadership grab” in AWARE”
Loading ...
Alex Tan Allan Ooi AWARE Chee Soon Juan Chiam See Tong Claire Lee David Widjaja DBS Dr Allan Ooi Dr Silviu Ionescu Foyce Le Xuan George Yeo GIC highnote5 highnotes5 Hong Lim Park Jack Lin Xinli Jack Neo Jack Neo affair Jack Neo press conference Jack Neo scandal Josie Lau Josie Lau Meng Lee Lee Kuan Yew Lehman brothers Lighthouse Evangelism Malaysia MAS minibonds Miss Singapore World NTU stabbing Pastor Rony Tan Ris Low Romanian diplomat in hit-and-run Rony Tan S-League Sex silviu ionescu Singapore Tan Kin Lian Thio Su Mien Tiger Woods affair Tong Kok Wai Top 8 Wendy Chong
WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.
Organization is made up of people, therefore people is important. The integrity of the people is important. The people who are entrusted by AWARE to carry out all their services should be those whom the public could look up to and dignify with.
Personally, I would like to welcome the new members, encourage them to do some housekeeping and build a better AWARE.
Whoever takes over or take charge, we only wish that this organization is really helping the women. Not just to deliver some big polished noble topics on surface while down at personal level, are doing things to bully women.
Taking 2 of the most advocated topics for hypothetical purpose, to elaborate why integrity of the people is so crucial.
(1) HIV & STD PRECAUTIONS
Does the personal lives and behavior of the trainer, member or representative of an organization that propagate on precautions of sexual transmitted diseases a crucial factor? In order not to contradict the organization curriculum, does organization select and ensure that all their representatives are free from personal behaviors that contradict the organization’s mission?
If a trainer, member or representative from such organization in her personal lives, is indulging in casual sex and casual relationships, can she goes to schools or any public-held talks & seminars to advise people on prevention of HIV & STD? Can she says that man & woman is free to indulge in casual sex so long as a simple protection like a condoms is used?
Can she claim that using condoms is safer than being faithful? How would the teenagers react if they found out that their sex education trainer depends on the use condoms to prevent HIV & STD than to protect oneself based on basic human moral & ethic?
(2) SEXUAL HARASSMENT & WOMEN’S WELL-BEING:
Sexual harassment in a wider sense can includes harassment from female to female. A female with knowledge that a male person she is seeing is married or attached, yet knowingly intrude into the relationship with sexual offers, is a form of sexual harassment to the female victim.
To harass is to disturb or interfere with someone’s comfort and peace of mind. And to cause anxiety, apprehension, & worry to person who is innocent and did no harm to the harassment-giver. Causing the victim to suffer emotional threats and devastation.
If someone from an organization that advocates on sexual harassment suffered by woman yet in her personal lives is involved in causing indirect sexual harassment to other female, then it is big question on the credibility of the organization.