Dr Tan See Leng on whether Singapore intends to ratify the ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention

Although Singapore has not ratified the C111, its policies and measures are aligned with the spirit of the Convention, the Manpower Minister said.

Addressing whether the Singapore government intends to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, also known as C111, Minister for Manpower Dr. Tan See Leng has affirmed that although Singapore has not ratified C111, its policies and measures are already aligned with the spirit of the Convention.

As explained by Minister Tan, Singapore agrees with the intent of the C111, which requires ratifying member states to “pursue a national policy designed to promote, by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice, equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation, with a view to eliminating any discrimination in respect thereof". 

Minister Tan further reiterated Singapore's national policy position – that all forms of workplace discrimination are not tolerated.

"Jobseekers and employees are to be treated fairly and based on merit as set out in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP)."

As part of this, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) conducts education and outreach to employers to help employers take ownership of fairness in their work environment. At the same time, the Government will be enacting the Workplace Fairness Legislation, Minister Tan highlighted.

Of the ten ILO Fundamental Conventions, Singapore has already ratified seven, and Minister Tan noted that the government will continue to take its tripartite approach to enhance workplace fairness framework in Singapore, and keep the issue of ratification of C111 in review.

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