The Republic of Singapore has representation from all its different ethnic constituencies in its unicameral, parliamentary government. The President, elected to a 6-year term, is head of state with veto power in some areas. Candidates for the presidency are approved by a constitutional committee appointed by the government. The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet, which holds executive power, while Parliament is the legislative branch of government. Politics have been dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP) since independence in 1965. In 2006 elections the PAP returned to power for its twelfth consecutive term in office with 82 out of 84 seats. The elections were deemed free and fair and voting was mandatory. The Workers' Party of Singapore and the Singapore Democratic Alliance each have 1 seat in Parliament.

Women hold 10 seats. Minority representation in Parliament is guaranteed by requiring slates of candidates to have at least 1 minority representative. Malays constitute some 14% of the population and have the same percentage of elected seats. Indians make up 7% of the population and have 10% of seats in Parliament. 1 Malay and 3 Indian representatives are ministers. The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and in consultation with the Chief Justice. The judiciary is independent in law, but some judicial officials are alleged to have ties to the ruling party leaders.

Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion and culture is prohibited, and all persons have equality before the law. No explicit provision grants equal rights for women and minorities. The penal code mandates caning, in addition to imprisonment, as punishment for some 30 offences, and caning is regularly administered. Exempt from caning are women, the medically unfit, men over age 50 or boys under 16.

The Internal Security Department controls surveillance networks; highly sophisticated monitoring of electronic communications is reported, and government monitoring of Internet use is permitted. Corruption and impunity are not cited as problems.

Reporters Without Borders ranks Singapore 140th of 167 countries in its 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Freedom of speech is limited, and the press is expected to conform, resulting in journalistic self-censorship. Limited progress toward greater openness is claimed, and topics are now reported on that would have been taboo several years ago. Publications are banned if they incite violence, counsel civil disobedience or potentially raise tensions among the various ethnic groups. Strict defamation and press laws moderate what is published, and the threat of defamation actions has been extended to comments made in cyberspace.

A Singaporean student in a foreign country was warned he could suffer legal consequences for remarks he made in his Internet blog. The Media Development Authority censors media and Internet sites. Web site licences regulate access to material on the Internet, and Internet service providers must ensure that content complies with an Internet code of conduct. Access is blocked to web sites thought to undermine public security or national defence. Charges under the Sedition Act have been made for remarks made on the Internet that are deemed racist.

Despite legislation that prohibits trafficking, reports indicate that trafficking occurs.

A permit was refused for a gay and lesbian festival that had taken place in previous years. A concert planned by a gay group to raise money for HIV/AIDS was disallowed. HIV/AIDS-positive persons claim they face employer discrimination if they reveal their status. Government-supported initiatives have been adopted to counter misinformation about HIV/AIDS.

Men serve 24 months of national service beginning at age 18 and undergo reserve training to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers). Men with national service obligations are required to advise the Ministry of Defence if they plan to travel abroad. Boys and men aged 16 to 18 are given annual passports and must apply for an exit permit to leave the country for more than 3 months.

The 2003 Compulsory Education Act has made it a criminal offence for elementary school age children not to attend school. Exemptions are given for home schooling or for attendance at full-time religious schools.

6 years of public or government-recognised private education is compulsory. The Ministry of Education is responsible for the administration of public schools that receive government funding, and it has an advisory and supervisory role in private schools. A Financial Assistance Scheme provides funding for education to low-income families. Eligible students receive a waiver of the fees levied and a partial subsidy on national examination fees. Full or partial fee subsidies apply to low-income students in independent schools.

Some 120 primary and secondary schools in Singapore have exchange programmes that allow students to study overseas. In 2005, the Ministry of Education set up a SGD$4.5 million School Twinning Fund to enable 9,000 primary and secondary school students to participate in exchanges, especially in China, India and ASEAN countries.

Curricular autonomy and the scope of government funding for both private and public schools varies, as do tuition costs and admission policies. English is the primary medium of instruction for mathematics and the natural sciences. Some schools use the mother tongue as well as English and another language under a Special Assistance Plan. The literacy rate is very high at 94.6% of the population over age 15.

Students who refused to sing the national anthem and participate in the flag ceremony were suspended from school and have had to make alternative arrangements to continue their education. They may return if they are prepared to sing the anthem, salute the flag and recite the pledge of allegiance. An opposition leader was fined for a speech that criticised the government for its ban on schoolgirls wearing the tudung, a headscarf worn by some Muslim girls and women

A 3-year programme begins at age 3.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 12. Primary school begins at age 6 and lasts 6 years. The Net Enrolment Rate is 80%.

Secondary education begins at age 12 and lasts 5 years.

20,725 Singaporean students are studying abroad, mainly in Australia (11,200), the USA (3,955), the UK (3,905), Malaysia (486) and Canada (348).

The National Council of Social Services and some NGOs provide a job-training programme for persons with disabilities. 20 special education schools enrol over 4,000 students, and legislation requiring access for the disabled will make 1 out of every 8 schools accessible to disabled students. 6 child care centres have received government funds that will permit 60 children with special needs to attend pre-school education. Special provisions in education allow university graduation for the visually impaired, deaf or physically disabled students. A tax deduction is provided for families who care for a sibling, spouse or child with a disability.

The law does not provide for the granting of refugee status or asylum to persons in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. The UNHCR reports that Singapore is conscious of the attraction the country may pose to would-be economic migrants from poorer countries, and the government has put in place a series of measures to curb illegal migration, including stiff punishment for anyone providing support to a foreigner who is staying illegally in the country. This environment makes it very difficult to engage the government or civil society on refugee issues.

14% of the population are Malays, who are legally recognised as the indigenous people of the country. The government must support their interests in many areas, including education and language interests. Steps are being taken to improve educational achievement among Malay students, who have lower educational and socioeconomic levels than the Chinese majority or the Indian or Eurasian communities.

The elimination of specific references to ethnicity, age or gender in job advertisements has been adopted, and job requirements now request specific skills. Ratios are in place for publicly subsidised housing to help provide an ethnic mix that reflects society at large and to stop the development of ethnic ghettos.

All public institutions of higher education and political research have limited autonomy. Academics speak and publish widely on social and political issues but are aware that comments outside the classroom or articles in academic publications that criticise political leaders or that address sensitive social and economic policies may bring sanctions. Comments that might disturb ethnic or religious harmony or that can be interpreted as partisan political views are prohibited. Academic publications rarely deviate from accepted policy.

Women constitute 44.9% of the labour force and are well represented in professions. However, they are under-represented in leadership positions and over-represented in low-wage jobs. Depending on the area of work, average salaries for women range from 62% to 100% of average salaries paid to men. The wage gap has narrowed in recent years, and the wage differential is less in professional positions than in other areas. Differences in educational levels and work experience have an impact on salary levels. Women account for 55% of civil service employees and work under the same rules as men.

The inequality that did not permit female citizens to transmit citizenship to children born abroad while male citizens had this right has been corrected. The Women's Charter allows women to own property, conduct trade and receive divorce settlements. Muslim women have most of the rights of the Women's Charter. Muslim marriages are under the Muslim Law Act, and the Shari'a court has responsibility for decisions in such matters. Muslim men may practise polygyny, but requests to marry additional spouses may be refused. Existing wives are consulted, and the financial capacity for support by the husband is reviewed.

Domestic violence and sexual or physical harassment are forbidden in law, but violence occurs. Court orders against family violence have increased, and the law is being enforced. Sexual harassment is not reported as a problem. A Human Rights Watch report notes abuse of foreign domestic workers.

The Employment Act prohibits the employment of children under age 12. Children aged 12 to 16 may work under specific conditions that are rigorously enforced. Children under 14 cannot work in the industrial sector except in a family business employing only members of the same family. Notification must be given to the commissioner of labour by the employer if a child aged 14 to 16 is employed, and medical certification of the child's fitness for employment is required. Children cannot work at night. Children aged 14 to 16 can work a maximum of 7 hours a day, including the time spent in school.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, except uniformed personnel and government employees. Restrictions may also be imposed on grounds of security, public order or morality. Restrictions apply on how trade unions elect their officers and on who can be employed by unions. The Trades Union Act also limits the activities for which union funds can be used, and they cannot be used for political objectives. The Societies Act limits the right of association, as do labour and education laws.

Some 68 unions represent workers, and almost all are affiliated with the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), which is reported to have close links with the ruling People's Action Party. NTUC policy prohibits union members who support opposition parties from holding union office.

Collective bargaining is permitted in the industrial sector, and collective agreements are certified by a tripartite Industrial Arbitration Court before being enacted. The court can refuse certification of a collective contract on the ground of public interest. The tripartite National Wages Council issues annual guidelines on pay that serve as indicators for bargaining agreements. Strikes are allowed, and essential service workers, except those supplying water, gas and electricity, can strike following a 14-day notice.

Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited, and the law is enforced. No minimum wage is established. Wages are reported as reasonably high. The standard legal work week is 44 hours.