WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SINGAPORE

Abstract

The world today faces a myriad of problems such as environmental degradation, the increased occurrence of natural hazards and one of our greatest challenges – climate change. These are largely attributed to anthropogenic causes: unchecked economic growth and development, unrestrained material consumption and unregulated exploitation of natural resources. Additionally, these problems exacerbate existing issues such as poverty, gender and income inequality. The impacts of these problems are universal; they will be felt by everyone across the globe, not just today but in the generations to come. It is thus imperative to move towards more sustainable patterns of growth and development. While there are many aspects to sustainability, this dissertation research focuses on the issues of gender equality in relation to sustainability from the perspective of a developed economy: Singapore. Interviews with female sustainability practitioners in Singapore as well as a review of the country’s sustainability and gender equality strategies were conducted. While these provided valuable insights into the issues surrounding women and sustainability in Singapore, they also highlighted several gaps that need to be addressed. A list of recommendations proposed based on the findings of the interviews and the review have the potential to move the combined sustainability and gender equality agendas forward.