ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH COMMUNITY, POLICY, AND COLLECTIVE ACTION
In the landscape of civil society leadership in Singapore, few figures have demonstrated as consistent and thoughtful a commitment to justice and social progress as Ms Corinna Lim. A lawyer by training and a long-standing advocate for gender equality, Ms Corinna Lim has spent decades working at the intersection of law, policy, and social reform. Best known for her leadership role at AWARE, Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group, she has helped shape public conversation and policy on issues ranging from domestic violence protection to workplace equality. Her work reflects a quiet but persistent form of diplomacy, one rooted not in negotiation between states, but in dialogue within society.
In a thoughtful exchange with IN Diplomacy, Ms Corinna Lim spoke about the deeper meaning behind the theme “Give to Gain,” a phrase she uses not simply as a slogan but as a reflection of her personal and professional journey. The conversation explored the evolving role of civil society in strengthening the rule of law, the importance of community solidarity, and the ways in which advocacy can reshape legal frameworks. Throughout the discussion, Ms Corinna Lim emphasized that social progress is rarely dramatic. Rather, it emerges gradually through collaboration, persistence, and the willingness of individuals to support one another.
Ms Corinna Lim’s path into advocacy did not begin with activism, but with the law. In the early 1990s, she began her career as a lawyer in a large commercial law firm. By conventional standards, it was a successful start, stable, prestigious, and filled with opportunity. Yet she recalls feeling increasingly uneasy. Much of the work, she observed, involved representing powerful institutions against individuals who were already vulnerable. Seeking a different sense of purpose, she began volunteering at AWARE’s legal clinic. That experience proved transformative.
Through the clinic, Ms Corinna Lim encountered women confronting profound personal challenges: domestic violence, abandonment, and severe financial hardship. Many arrived with limited legal knowledge and few support systems. The experience reshaped her understanding of the law’s social role. “In giving my time and skills,” she reflected, “I gained something far more valuable—a sense of purpose, community, and a cause that has sustained me for decades.” What began as volunteer work evolved into a lifelong commitment to advocacy and policy reform.
Over the years, Ms Corinna Lim has witnessed firsthand how collective action can translate into meaningful legal change. One early example came during her involvement in campaigns to strengthen protections for victims of family violence. At the time, the legal framework in Singapore offered limited protection unless severe physical injury could be proven. Working alongside advocates, including former parliamentarian Dr Kanwaljit Soin, Ms Corinna Lim contributed to efforts to reform the law. Their advocacy helped lead to significant amendments to the Women’s Charter in 1995, strengthening protection orders for women facing domestic abuse. For Ms Corinna Lim, the experience demonstrated the power of sustained civic engagement. “That moment taught me,” she explained, “that when people stand together and persist, structural change becomes possible.”
Despite progress, Ms Corinna Lim acknowledges that gender equality remains an ongoing challenge. Women in Singapore continue to navigate unequal caregiving burdens, workplace discrimination, gender-based violence, and new threats emerging from digital spaces, including online misogyny and technology-facilitated abuse. Addressing these issues, she believes, requires expanding the conversation beyond women alone.
In recent years, Ms Corinna Lim has become involved with Fellowship of Men, an initiative focused on engaging boys and men as partners in building healthier relationships and preventing family violence. The initiative reflects a broader shift in gender equality advocacy: the recognition that sustainable progress depends on collective responsibility. “Gender equality cannot be carried by women alone,” she noted during the interview. Encouraging men to participate as allies, caregivers, and advocates is essential to creating lasting cultural change.
What gives Ms Corinna Lim optimism, she says, is the widening circle of individuals and institutions willing to participate in that effort. She sees encouraging signs in corporate leaders promoting inclusive workplaces, communities challenging outdated social norms, and younger generations embracing more equitable ideas about family and responsibility. Social transformation, she cautions, is rarely linear. Yet small acts of commitment accumulate over time.
Reflecting on her decades of work, Ms Corinna Lim returns to the philosophy that has guided her journey. Giving—whether through time, expertise, empathy, or solidarity—creates the conditions for collective advancement. When individuals choose to support one another, isolation gives way to possibility. In that sense, “Give to Gain” captures more than a personal belief. It expresses a broader truth about social change: that progress often begins not with grand gestures, but with the simple decision to stand beside someone else and make the path forward a little more possible.
