Singapore

Singapore 

At a glance

• The Singaporean Constitution guarantees disabled people’s equality before the law. 

• Singapore has both signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). 

Key stats

• 3.4 per cent of people aged 18-49 are disabled in Singapore. This rises to 13.3 per cent for over-50s (SG Enable). 

• According to the government of Singapore, 32.7 per cent of disabled people are in employment. They categorise 3.6 per cent as unemployed, and 63.9 per cent as “outside the labour force.” (Ministry of Manpower, 2024) 

The law

• Disability legislation – There is no single anti-discrimination law concerning disability in Singapore. Article 12 of Singapore’s Constitution guarantees the equal protection of everyone before the law. 

• Definition of disability – There is no official definition of disability in Singapore. Definitions in use within Singapore include: 
  • The Enabling Masterplan – This sets out Singapore’s plan to become a more inclusive society for disabled people by 2030. It defines “person with a disability” as “those with substantially reduced prospects of securing, retaining places and advancing in education and training institutions, employment and recreation, due to physical, intellectual, and sensory impairments, as well as developmental needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder.” 
  • UN CRPD – Singapore has signed and ratified the CRPD. This defines people with disabilities as “those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various attitudinal and environmental barriers, hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.” 

Language

• Official languages – There are four official languages in Singapore – Chinese, Tamil, English and Malay. Organisations operating in Singapore should work with local disability organisations to identify the appropriate terminology to use in the language in which they communicate. 

• Persons with disability – In English, the government of Singapore usually says “persons with disability” when talking about individuals who have disabilities. This is the language of the CRPD. 

• Accommodations – The Enabling Masterplan 2030 talks about “accommodations” when referring to changes to remove barriers for disabled people. 

• Person-first language – The government of Singapore tends to use person-first language when talking about disability – for example, “person with autism” rather than “autistic person.” 

• Style guide – The National Council of Social Service has created an ‘Inclusive Language Guide’ to talking about disability in an inclusive way in Singapore. 

Employment

• Guidelines – Singapore does not have anti-discrimination legislation relating to employment. Instead, it pursues a ‘promotion and education approach’ with non-binding recommendations for employers on inclusive employment. These are outlined by The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practice (TAFEP). 

• Adjustments / accommodations – There is no explicit legal requirement to provide adjustments or accommodations to remove barriers for disabled employees. TAFEP does not mention accommodations. SG Enable has a guide for employers on ‘Job Accommodation and Workplace Accessibility.’ 

• Asking for information – TAFEP guidelines recommend employers don’t ask and discriminatory questions. This could include asking questions about disability during recruitment. 

• Quotas – Singapore does not have a quota system for hiring or retaining disabled employees. 

• Data – Employers are not required to collect or monitor disability-related data. 

• Incentives – A number of incentives are available to support employers to hire and retain disabled employees. These include: 
  • Open Door Programme – This programme introduced grants to offset the cost of training existing, non-disabled staff to know how to hire and retain disabled people. It also helps cover the costs of accommodations and changes to the workplace to support disabled employees. 
  • Enabling Employment Credit – A programme that offsets the wages of disabled employees. 
  • Place-and-Train Programme – This provides contributions towards the wages of disabled employees for up to one year, to help business hire and train disabled people. 
  • Social Philanthropy Framework – This highlights good practice in inclusive employment and provides support for employers to begin the process of assimilating the framework. 
  • The 2024 Report by the Enabling Masterplan 2030 Taskforce on Promoting Inclusive Employment has more information. 

Customers

• Singapore does not have specific anti-discrimination protecting disabled customers from discrimination. The constitutional right to equality may outlaw some discriminatory practices relating to disabled customers. 

Built environment

• Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority updated its Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment in 2019 to expand the requirements for accessibility. It applies to residential buildings, shophouses, offices, and shopping/multipurpose complexes. 

Digital accessibility

• Singapore does not have any legislation that requires public or private organisations to meet a standard of digital accessibility. The Singaporean government has created the ‘Digital Service Standards,’ which support government agencies to be accessible to disabled people. 

Country-specific disability organisations

• SG Enable – Provides support for disabled people and their caregivers, including finding employment and accessing social services. SG Enable also has resources for employers in Singapore. 
• Workforce Singapore – A government services to support all Singaporeans to find meaningful and productive employment. It has specific support for employers to hire people with disabilities. 
• Disabled People’s Association (DPA) – A non-profit organisation that seeks to represent the interests of all disabled people in Singapore. They consult with disabled people and advocate for their interests with government, service providers, and other elements of society. In 2015, the DPA wrote a report on Singapore and the UN CRPD.