Latest news with #youthvoice
Independent Singapore
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
RDU chief Ravi Philemon calls new Cabinet ‘disappointing' as more women, youth should be given seats at the table
SINGAPORE: After Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong announced his new Cabinet on Wednesday evening (May 21), Ravi Philemon, the secretary-general of the opposition party Red Dot United (RDU), expressed disappointment. 'Women's voices are muted. Young people's voices are not heard. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's first Cabinet announcement was a moment that should have signalled meaningful change. Instead, it reinforced the status quo,' Mr Philemon wrote in a social media post. While the announcement revealed some reshuffling and a couple of new faces from the May 3 polls were appointed to lead ministries, the members of the Cabinet have remained the same since PM Wong took office a year ago. For Mr Philemon, this appeared to be a missed opportunity for PM Wong to address 'real gaps in leadership' that had been present prior to the election, and he expressed that preserving the status quo would have 'real consequences—for working families, for women, for young people, and for the vulnerable.' The RDU chief noted that only three of the 15 full ministers are women, despite women having been nearly a third of the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) candidates in the GE. Mr Philemon wrote that this could mean that policies that affect women, such as childcare options, work-from-home rights, legal protections at the workplace, and recognition for unpaid caregiving, would be deprioritised. 'The global research is conclusive. Governments with at least 50% women ministers score 17 points higher on the Women, Business and the Law Index, which measures legal equality in economic opportunity. Countries with more women in leadership are more likely to pass laws that remove inequality, strengthen protections for families, and invest in the long-term well-being of society. These aren't cosmetic gains—they are structural,' he wrote. Mr Philemon also noted that the average age of the new Cabinet is 55.1, adding concerns that younger Singaporeans today are 'living through a very different Singapore' in terms of job security, housing costs, climate change, mental health, and other issues. 'The issues that affect young people most are dealt with in a piecemeal way—because their voices are not present in the Cabinet room. Things must change. Let's not forget—Singapore is one of the few countries where 18-year-olds are expected to serve, to train, to carry a rifle for national defence, but cannot vote.' The RDU chief also raised the issue of what he characterised as 'bloated government and wasted resources' and again questioned why Singapore would need multiple Mayors, Senior Ministers, Ministers of State, and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries. 'For me, politics should always be about people, so Cabinets must reflect the people. That means more women at the table. More youth helping to shape the national agenda, and a leaner, more focused government that puts its weight—and its budget—behind solving real problems, not maintaining political comfort. 'RDU and I will remain committed to that fight. The fight to ensure Singaporeans are treated as first-class citizens in their own country, the only home we have,' he wrote. /TISG Read also: M Wong's New Cabinet: Masagos loses Muslim Affairs portfolio, first-term MP Jeffrey Siow and David Neo take Transport and MCCY roles
CBS News
11-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Saturday Light Brigade Studio provides experience and life lessons for students
Students like Northgate High School senior, Olivia Rajakovic, find a natural passion for radio and even more so, in journalism inside the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and the Saturday Light Brigade studio. "I was like, oh my gosh, I just get to keep learning about people and keep interviewing people, and I completely fell in love with it. SLB made it so easy and so attainable to do," said Rajakovic. Now, graduating soon, she's going to Boston University to major in journalism. She said, "I wish I knew about it a few years ago when it started." This non-profit, SLB Radio Productions Inc., opens its doors to her and hundreds of 6th through 12th-grade students each year. They come to this studio after school and learn to interview, produce radio shows, and develop media skills. Larry Berger founded the non-profit with his passion for radio. "It doesn't matter what you look like or how your hair is, or what you happen to be wearing," said Berger. It's a medium that's connecting everyone in our community. Berger said, "If it's audio, podcasting, radio, youth voice, there's a place here." "Through SLB Radio Productions, students interview people in our community, like the elderly and holocaust survivors; develop communication skills, and produce hour-long radio shows that build bridges for students," SLB Director of Programs, Deanna Baringer, said. "We get students from all different school districts, neighborhoods, and towns." This non-profit's mission is to amplify youth voices. "So students are creating work that they're passionate about," Baringer said. It might not mean a career in journalism for every participant, but it develops skills that are necessary to use in a professional setting and as adults in the community. "Above all, becoming good, engaged, understanding people who know who they are and feel confident," said Berger. "Giving kids that outlet is so important. I think there's a lot of, within school hours, having there's a lot of cut your communication, don't talk to your classmates," said Rajakovic, "I'm happy that there's someone to listen now." It's a non-profit putting power in the hands of younger generations that's building life-long skills for all involved. SLB Radio Productions, Inc. provides free programming after school Monday through Thursday, 3-6, and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. You can listen to the 24-7 stream of Youth Voice and Saturday Light Brigade and find more details here.
