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Want to solve Singapore’s fertility problem? Start by rethinking caregiving at work

Many workplaces still treat such responsibilities as the exception rather than the norm

    • We must ask whether our system makes having children a viable choice, says the writer.
    • We must ask whether our system makes having children a viable choice, says the writer. PHOTO: BT FILE
    Published Sat, May 2, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    [SINGAPORE] Singapore’s falling birth rate is often framed as a question of incentives, costs or personal choice. But for many Singaporeans, the issue is that caregiving does not fit into their working lives.

    Here, caregiving has long been treated as a private matter. It’s something that happens outside of work, often carried quietly by women, whether for young children or ageing parents.

    That model is increasingly out of step with reality.