• Former UN Under-Secretary-General was honourable speaker for first Lecture
• Event by Shirin Fozdar Programme celebrated women who dared to make differences
• Women leadership issues for a more inclusive and sustainable future took centrestage

“Teach a woman to fish and she will not just fish, but change the whole fishing industry,” said former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General Dr Noeleen Heyzer, at the inaugural Shirin Fozdar Annual Lecture held at SMU’s Mochtar Riady Auditorium on 2 September 2016.

[Photo: Dr Noeleen Heyzer delivered an inspiring speech at the inaugural Lecture.]

The audience of 250 agreed in unison and cheers, having listened to the rich insights and experiences from the outstanding woman leader who had achieved several record-breaking feats. Seated among them were SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping, SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU Provost Lily Kong, and several distinguished guests and women leaders. The attendees comprised a good mix of men and women, members of the diplomatic community, NGOs, public and private sectors, as well as students and academia.

The participants came from diverse walks of life but shared a common interest. They believed in Shirin Fozdar’s movement. Shirin Fozdar is best remembered as a fearless and outspoken advocate and pioneer of women's rights – she was one of the founders of the Singapore Council of Women in 1952, and a key figure establishing the Muslim Syariah Court and the Women's Charter in 1961. The event organised by the Shirin Fozdar Programme (SFP) at SMU celebrated women such as Shirin Fozdar, who dared to make differences for women and societal progress.

[Photo: The Lecture was well-attended by a diverse audience of 250 participants.]

In line with the theme “At the Frontlines of Change: Women Who Dared”, Dr Heyzer could not have been a more apt speaker for the first Lecture kicking off the new annual series. The epitome of women pioneers just like Shirin Fozdar, Noeleen is an outstanding female forerunner, who has been committed to changing lives around the world, and dares to be different.

In the words of Ms Claire Chiang, Chairperson of the Shirin Fozdar Programme (SFP), Dr Heyzer is an “eminent daughter of Singapore”, who has been advocating rights and transformations for women, peace and security. Dr Heyzer was the first woman to serve as the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the first woman from outside North America to head the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

She has also received numerous awards for leadership, including the Dag Hammarskjold Medal in 2004, for her work on women, peace and security. She was the first international recipient of the Aletta Jacobs Prize from the University of Groningen, Netherlands, and the Woman of Distinction Award (2003) from the UN-NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York, USA. Noeleen is currently also Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Fellow at SMU.

[Photo: Ms Chiang spoke passionately about Shirin Fozdar and the Shirin Fozdar Programme in her opening remarks.]

In her opening remarks, Ms Chiang also described Dr Heyzer as “someone who lights up the path for others”, just like Shirin Fozdar. The inaugural Lecture and SFP seeks to “Ignite the flame within us to light up the path for others” – a motto that has led SFP’s mission. 

Dr Heyzer paid tribute to several tenacious and highly-regarded women pioneers such as Singapore war heroine Elizabeth Choy and African American civil rights activist Rosa Parks, illustrating that countless women have formed a movement and dared to transform lives.

She discussed women leadership issues for a more inclusive and sustainable future, and in the process, shared about her work on gender equality and women empowerment in the UN. She also examined how the countries’ acceptance of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda at the UN General Assembly 2015 can transform our societies to bring about inclusive growth, social justice and environmental stewardship, so that all our future generation can inherit a more sustainable and secure future.

“As we prepare for the future, my hope is that with greater wisdom and more women leadership, humanity will finally have two wings soaring in the 21^st century,” she concluded, echoing Shirin Fozdar’s strong belief and fundamentals of the SFP – it takes both men and women to work in unison for the community and society to reach greater heights.

[Photo (left to right): The question-and-answer session with Dr Heyzer, moderated by Prof Kong.]

At the question-and-answer session following the Lecture, SMU Provost Prof Lily Kong who moderated the session led with the first question about women leadership, “Do you see a time when Singapore might be led by a woman Prime Minister?” In answer, Dr Heyzer remarked candidly with humour and seriousness that “if it’s possible to have a first woman provost, why not a prime minister?”, before elaborating further. She was referring to Prof Kong being the first female provost in Singapore.

[Photo: Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, a former Member of Parliament, posing a question to Dr Heyzer.]

Enthusiastic questions across topics such as paternal leave, Asian values and women issues were posed by local and international guests ranging from women leaders, students, academia to a former Singaporean politician.

In closing, Prof De Meyer thanked Dr Heyzer, Ms Chiang and the audience.

[Photo: Prof De Meyer thanked the audience in his closing remarks for the SFP, adding that he looked forward to greater women empowerment and diversity and inclusion at SMU.]

Dr Heyzer demonstrated in action what the SFP hopes to achieve with the community – advocating women leadership, empowering others to dare to make differences, and taking to the frontlines of change for women’s and society’s progress. Ms Chiang, on the other hand, has been a constant force driving the SFP mission, and her ambition and energy will keep the legacy of Shirin Fozdar alive through the SFP at SMU.

Prof De Meyer also said that the SFP aligns deeply with the University’s strongly-anchored thrust in Diversity and Inclusion – SMU is the first education institution in Singapore to have a full D&I function.

The SFP has made an impact on SMU students, faculty and staff, as well as the wider Singapore and regional community through its active outreach programmes over the years. This year, the SFP has established more firsts:

• Awarding the new Shirin Fozdar Scholarship to two female SMU undergraduate students from ASEAN;
• Conferring the Shirin Fozdar Fellowship to two faculty to support meaningful research that will make a difference to women’s lives and build our wealth of knowledge on women’s issues;
• And setting up the Shirin Fozdar Diversity & Inclusion Award to recognise and celebrate significant and innovative contribution by individuals or groups to the enhancement, support and advancement of diversity and inclusion on campus and in the community.

For more information on the Shirin Fozdar Programme, please visit http://sfp.smu.edu.sg/

[Featured photo: Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Dr Noeleen Heyzer (middle) with (from left to right) SFP Chairperson Ms Claire Chiang, SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping, SMU Provost Prof Lily Kong and SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer, having received a token of appreciation after the inaugural Shirin Fozdar Annual Lecture.]

Please see more event photos below.

[Photo: Participants of the Lecture as well as the SFP and SMU organisers giving a resounding ‘like’ for the event.]

[Photos above and below: SMU and SFP hosted several distinguished guests various walks of life, who left their indelible marks and support for the Programme.]