Singapore does not have a formal definition of disability, but has been making changes in regards to the visibility of people with disability and also with increasing accessibility of all areas of the country. Early in the country's history, human rights issues for people with disabilities took second place to the need to secure independence and building the economy. Singapore signed on to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2013 and coordinates the Enabling Masterplan with both government and non governmental organisations.
History
A discourse of charity generally permeated in Singapore since the post World War 2 period. Support for disabled people was left to the community, who set up various voluntary organisations. The end of the war saw the British implement the welfare state based on the Beveridge Report, which had repercussions in Singapore. As part of this focus on welfare, a Social Welfare Department (SWD) was set up in 1946. SWD was meant to provide permanent assistance only for those with a permanent disability or because of old age. However, the SWD was not as comprehensive as the British system. The SWD also did not provide provisions for special education and in fact, seemed to have the idea that children with special needs would "hinder the typical child's education." The 1960s and 1970s, with Singapore's emphasis on economic growth, saw a new priority on rehabilitating disabled people so as to enable them to join and return to the work force. It was only in 1981, when the first world congress of Disabled People's International was held in Singapore that began a new discourse based on the social model of disability. Disabled activists from around the world, including Vic Finkelstein, Ed Roberts (activist) and Bengt Lindqvist, elected a Singaporean, Ron Chandran Dudley as the first founder chairperson. This was to lead to a growth in disability activism from the 1980s onwards.
In 1983, the Ministry of Social Affairs held a workshop on people with disabilities and came up with a formal policy about how to advocate for people with disabilities. The workshop came up with the first nationally endorsed definition of disability that recognized their needs in society. The Advisory Council on the Disabled was formed in April 1988 and was first chaired by Tony Tan. The council emphasized the importance of integrating disabled people as equal citizens.
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong included disabled people on the Remaking Singapore campaign in 2002. Also in 2002, the government created a voluntary, affordable form of health insurance called ElderShield. The insurance helps pay for expenses in the care of severely disabled people.
In 2013, Singapore signed onto the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Demographics
For individuals over 50, around 13.3% are considered disabled; between ages 18 and 49, around 3.4% are disabled and 2.1% of children under 18 are disabled in Singapore. Of those who have a disability, around half are considered physical or sensory disabilities. One in 68 children in Singapore has been diagnosed with autism. The number of children diagnosed with autism has increased in Singapore over time. Around 5 to 6 percent of children born in Singapore have developmental problems of various types.
Only 0.55% of the Singapore workforce has a disability of some kind.
Causes
Around half of people with physical disabilities acquired them through congenital or hereditary means.
Cultural attitudes towards disability
In Singapore, there has been an emphasis on rehabilitating those with disabilities. People who were unable to work have often been seen through a utilitarian lens, since they were deemed as unable to contribute economically to the country.
In addition, the prevention of disabilities was seen as important. In 1970, Singapore passed the Voluntary Sterilisation Act (VSA) which allowed any spouse, parent or legal guardian of a person with recurring or permanent mental or physical disabilities to consent to sterilization on their behalf. This gave caregivers of people with disabilities "inordinate power to make decisions on their behalf." During the 1980s and 90s, many disabled people were kept at home or put into institutions.