National Committee for UNIFEM, Singapore :: United Nations Development Fund for Women

The United Nations Development Fund for Women was established in 1976 and is headquartered in New York.

The organisation supports programmes that provide women and children with access to education, healthcare, economic independence and abuse-free living.

It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality.

Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas:

Reducing feminized poverty

Ending violence against women

Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls

Achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war

The National Committee for UNIFEM Singapore ("UNIFEM") is organising a Writing Contest ("Contest") open to participation by students in Singapore. Considering UNIFEM's aims and mission, students are invited to write on the topic, "Another Land, Another Life".

The topic is concerned with the impact of migration on the lives of people with hopes and aspirations of achieving a better life for themselves and their families. It draws on how immigrant populations have built nations such as Singapore, Australia & USA.

It is hoped that this research and writing process will help students appreciate the benefits of being a part of cosmopolitan Singapore, identify with migrant workers from all walks of life and acknowledge that their aspirations are similar to those of the founding fathers of Singapore.

Schools are invited to contribute a maximum of 6 compositions per school, either in the form of an Essay (expository) or a piece of Creative Writing (story, poem, narrative) with a maximum of 1,000 words. Winning entries will be published in leading newspapers and/or publications as well as on the UNIFEM website and newsletter.

FAQ

1) How to submit entries and entry forms?

Entry submission is only accepted through email to writingcontest@unifem.org.sg. Entry forms must be sent in by post to UNIFEM by the school before the contest deadline to the following address: National Committee for UNIFEM Singapore, 2 Nassim Road, Singapore 258370. The envelope must be marked "UNIFEM Writing Contest".

2) Supposing a winner is unable to attend the internship for whatever reason, does he/she only forfeit the prize or forfeit being the winner as well?

He or she will forfeit the prize only. The internship will be given to the second prize winner in the category. But the entry will be short-listed for publication.

3) Is the person in internship required to give updates?

We request the students who go for internship to Canberra to write a blog about their experiences.

News

A Press Cocktail will be held at UNIFEM Singapore office on September 3, 2009. Jasmeet Walia, member of the NC UNIFEM Executive Committee and Project Head for the Writing Contest will brief the media about the UNIFEM Writing Contest.

Singapore Writers' Festival has agreed to hold a reading session for the prize winners. Winning entries have the opportunity to go to the festival to read their articles.

Prizes

2 winners in the Essay category
2 winners in the Creative Writing category

All winners will be given opportunities to learn about the UNIFEM mission and values through various activities. CIP hours will be awarded to the winners in respect of their participation in such activities.

Prize

Under each category, each winner will receive:

2-week internship with National Committee of UNIFEM, Australia (based in Canberra) from 7-18 December 2009.

The internships will provide the winners with invaluable insights into the work that UNIFEM carries out. Winners will be exposed to a range of regional issues that will enhance their learning both at school and after they leave school. The winners will have an opportunity to be involved in research, events, fund raising and interaction with students in local schools in Australia. Being exposed to a different range of issues in the region will help the winners comprehend the complexity of problems and how society, governments, culture, organizations and individuals play a role.

Further activities include the following:

Half a day at the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) (with women who came to Singapore to work as domestic workers)
Half-day dragon-boating orientation programme provided by The All-Adventure People, which shall include a mixed team of students and women migrant workers.
An opportunity to address the UNIFEM Youth Team - read their winning entries and engage in discussion with the members
As part of UNIFEM's ongoing School Talks, possibly be invited to present their respective learning and experiences in their schools
Free membership to the UNIFEM Singapore Youth Team where they will be given the opportunity to be a part of the Youth Leaders

Prizes are non-convertible to cash and non-transferable.

UNIFEM will bear reasonable costs of travel and stay in connection with the internships in Canberra, Australia, which shall include air travel to Canberra, accommodation (home stays/hostel), insurance and reasonable living expenses. UNIFEM will extend its good offices to help with organizing visas and other travel arrangements.

Winners will need to ensure that they are available during the period of 30 November-4 December for the group activities.

Winners will further need to ensure that they are (i) available during the period of 7-18 December 2009, and (ii) possess valid travel documents (including but not limited to appropriate visa and passport) at the time of travel, failing which, their prizes will be offered to the next winning entrant.

For the avoidance of doubt, UNIFEM will not be responsible in any way whatsoever should a winner be unable to claim their prize for any reason whatsoever.