Singapore's Participation in the Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland, 12 May 2026

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13 May 2026

Singapore's Participation in the Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland, 12 May 2026

Singapore successfully underwent our fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 12 May 2026 at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Minister of State (MOS) in the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam led Singapore's delegation to the UPR, which comprised officials from eight agencies.¹ MOS Rahayu highlighted our commitment and continual efforts to build a more inclusive and resilient society. She presented Singapore's outcomes-based approach towards promoting and protecting human rights, taking into account our unique circumstances as a small and highly diverse island city-State.

The delegation also spoke about the progress made since our last UPR in 2021, including enacting the Workplace Fairness Act 2025, expanding support for vulnerable groups, enhancing access to justice, strengthening online safety, advancing digital inclusion, addressing climate risks, and continuing our efforts to strengthen social cohesion. Singapore has also continued to heavily invest in education, housing, and healthcare to uplift our people.

142 States spoke at Singapore's 4^th UPR, with many commending us on the significant progress we have made in recent years. MOS Rahayu highlighted how our forward-looking policies have allowed us to transform from a fledgling nation into a thriving, cohesive society that ranks among the world's best in key human development indicators. For example, Singapore is placed 13^th on the UN Human Development Index (2025) out of 193 countries; 1^st worldwide for public safety and law and order by the Gallup Global Safety Report (2025); and 1^st in the Asia-Pacific and 8^th globally for gender equality in the 2025 UN Human Development Report's Gender Inequality Index.

We thanked States for commending our first workplace anti-discrimination legislation; our efforts to advance the status of women and to strengthen protection of and support for vulnerable groups such as children and persons with disabilities; our initiatives to maintain racial and religious harmony; and our advancements in sustainable development. States also acknowledged our continued efforts to improve the protection and welfare of migrant workers. Responding to recommendations by several States on the abolition of capital punishment, the delegation explained how Singapore's criminal justice policies are in accordance with international law, grounded in evidence and calibrated to our national context, to protect our people.

Singapore values the UPR as a unique, peer-driven process that spurs countries to keep advancing the protection and promotion of human rights. It is also a useful opportunity to exchange best practices and engage constructively with other States, 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.

The webcast of the full proceedings of Singapore's UPR is available at [UN Web TV website]. The transcript of MOS Rahayu's opening remarks is appended at the Annex.

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[1] The agencies are AGC, MCCY, MDDI, MFA, MHA, MOM, MSE, and MSF.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

13 MAY 2026

Annex

TRANSCRIPT OF OPENING REMARKS BY MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION RAHAYU MAHZAM AT THE REVIEW OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE AT THE 52^ND SESSION OF THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW WORKING GROUP MEETING, 12 MAY 2026

Mr President,

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

A very good afternoon to all of you.

My delegation and I are honoured to address you today for Singapore's fourth UPR.

Singapore marked 60 years of independence last year. As a young and small nation born of diversity, milestones such as this not only gave us time to reflect on how far we have come, but more importantly - where we are going next.

Our efforts in promoting and protecting human rights is an ongoing journey as we build our nation and make lives better for our people.

We therefore regard today's review as an important opportunity to engage constructively with the international community, to listen, and to learn, so that we may better safeguard the dignity of all persons, and build inclusive societies where all have the opportunities to fulfil their potential.

Allow me to begin by sharing Singapore's story and approach to advancing human rights.

Singapore has come a long way since independence in 1965. We were once described as an improbable nation - a small island with an ethnically-diverse society, high unemployment, over-population, a lack of natural resources, and an economy that depended entirely on trade with other countries.

We quickly realised that our survival and success depend heavily on our people. We had to build our future on human talent, a strong economy, and a united society. Given our limited resources and the risk of divisions in our society, we have worked hard to build a country where our people can thrive and achieve their aspirations. This requires order and stability, adherence to the rule of law, and a commitment to keep improving and adapting to new challenges. These realities shape our two-pronged approach to human rights.

First, we recognise that there is no one single approach to the realisation of human rights. Each country has to approach it in ways that take into account its own national context and social realities.

Across the world, we have seen how global pressures - including geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and the impact of technology - can strain social unity. 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.

Second, we seek to protect human rights in a pragmatic, outcomes-focused manner. We judge progress by lives improved, and our outcomes have been encouraging.

- Life expectancy has increased from about 64 years at independence to 84 years today, reflecting strong progress in our promotion of the right to health;

- Access to education has improved substantially, with our primary and secondary schools reaching near-universal cohorts, and with strong learning outcomes;

- Singapore continues to be recognised as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, ranking 3^rd in Transparency International's 2025 index - a reflection of our strong public governance.

At the same time, we know that there is always more to do.

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.

For example, in 2022, we embarked on an 18-month nationwide consultation to review and refresh our social compact. Over 200,000 Singaporeans joined this conversation and shared their views on the future they wish to build together. Singaporeans expressed a clear desire to be empowered to pursue diverse aspirations and their own definitions of success; to have the assurance of being cared for and protected at every stage of life; and to share collective responsibility for building a more inclusive and cohesive society. These continue to guide our efforts to advance and protect human rights.

Mr President,

We review the feedback from our citizens and civil society organisations seriously. Since our last UPR, we have taken concrete steps to enhance protections against discrimination, expand access to justice, and strengthen safeguards for communities at risk.

In line with our ongoing effort to ensure that human rights are protected in our laws, policies and practices, Singapore signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography last year. We also lifted our reservation to Article 25(e) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities after strengthening our domestic non-discrimination guidelines.

In 2025, our Parliament passed Singapore's first workplace anti-discrimination law, helping to ensure that no worker is unfairly disadvantaged due to who they are. We included new legal protections for platform workers, covering their unique retirement adequacy and work-related injury needs - areas where regulations are still evolving globally.

Since our last UPR, we have continued to strengthen support for communities that need more protection. We expanded subsidies for workplace modifications that help women, persons with disabilities, and older persons remain in the workforce, fostering more inclusive employment practices. We also established the Public Defender's Office to improve access to criminal defence aid and strengthen the right to a fair trial.

In 2022, our Parliament voted to repeal a colonial-era law criminalising consensual sex between men. At the same time, constitutional amendments clarified Parliament's role in defining and regulating marriage. These followed years of careful public consultation and national debate. This approach reflects our continued commitment to combating discrimination, while also being committed to managing social differences and differing views with care and sensitivity. This has helped us to largely avoid the culture wars phenomenon, which can polarise societies and worsen discrimination in practice.

We continue to invest heavily in education, housing and healthcare. We have strengthened social safety nets so that no one is left behind. We expanded lifelong learning and digital skills training, so that our people can adapt to a fast-changing world with confidence. We have built more neighbourhood-based care systems for an ageing population. And we are taking concrete steps to address climate risks.

These are long-term investments in our people's dignity, resilience, and opportunity.

Mr President,

In our experience, social harmony among diverse groups does not happen on its own. It must be nurtured - patiently, deliberately, and together.

One example: Singapore's public housing system, which houses over 80 percent of our population, is designed to ensure that families of different ethnic backgrounds live side-by-side. It is not left to chance. It is built into policy and reinforced daily through lived experience. Such everyday interactions build understanding and empathy, and ultimately create a more cohesive society.

We remain committed to strengthening inclusion, mutual respect and equal belonging for all members of our society.

Even as we celebrate the progress we have made, we recognise that we must continue to advance equality and inclusion, reinforce protections, and provide more opportunities for at-risk groups in our society. We must also ensure that pressing challenges - like digital inclusion, an ageing population, and climate change - are addressed. We are a constant work-in-progress. We will have to be bold and creative to meet new challenges and fulfil the aspirations of our people.

This UPR process reminds us that human rights advancement is a shared endeavour - strengthened not by uniformity, but by mutual learning, and sincere engagement. We look forward to today's dialogue. We thank all States for taking the time to participate in our review.

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