28 times Singapore women broke barriers and made history

Across the decades, women in Singapore have led change in both quiet and groundbreaking ways. Here are some of the moments that defined their progress.

1919 – Breaking barriers in medicine
Lee Choo Neo becomes the first Singaporean woman to register as a doctor.

1929 – Pioneering the legal world
Teo Soon Kim is sworn in as Singapore’s first woman barrister.

1943 – Showing courage under captivity
Elizabeth Choy Su-Mei is arrested and tortured by the Japanese during the Occupation for helping British prisoners-of-war – but she never reveals their names.

1947 – Championing women’s welfare
Che Zahara binte Noor Mohamed establishes the Malay Women’s Welfare Association (MWWA) – Singapore’s first Muslim women’s welfare organisation.

1956 – Mobilising women for change
The PAP Women’s League, led by Chan Choy Siong, marks International Women’s Day with four island-wide rallies that draw more than 2,000 people.

1959 – Defining grace in public service
Puan Noor Aishah becomes Singapore’s first First Lady, remembered for her community service and support of women’s causes.

1966 – Advancing justice on her terms
Jenny Lau Bong Bee is appointed Singapore’s first female district judge.

1974 – Winning gold on the track
Sprinter Chee Swee Lee wins gold at the 7th Asian Games in Tehran – the first Asian Games track-and-field gold for a Singaporean woman.

1979 – Becoming one of Singapore’s first international stars
Anita Sarawak – singer, dancer and actress – is among the first Asian performers to find success in the United States. In the 1970s, she becomes a Singapore Tourism Board singing ambassador, representing and promoting the nation on the world stage.

1985 – Elevating theatre and storytelling
Stella Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill premieres, becoming Singapore’s most performed play at home and abroad.

1992 – Giving voice to the voiceless
Orthopaedic surgeon Kanwaljit Soin becomes the first woman Nominated Member of Parliament. She tables the Family Violence Bill, paving the way for future amendments to the Women’s Charter.

1994 – Leading change at the United Nations
Noeleen Heyzer is appointed executive director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – the first Asian woman to hold the post.

1996 – Representing Singapore on the world stage
Professor Chan Heng Chee becomes Singapore’s first female ambassador to Washington, representing the nation with distinction.

1997 – Breaking the glass ceiling in commerce
Banyan Tree’s Claire Chiang and Dr Gan See Khem of HMI Medical become the first women admitted into the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

2003 – Pushing frontiers in science
Professor Jackie Ying, a nanotechnology pioneer, becomes one of Singapore’s most internationally recognised scientists and the youngest member elected to the German Academy of Sciences.

2004 – Powering influence on the global stage
Ho Ching is the only Singaporean named in Forbes’ inaugural “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” list – and remains on it every year since.

2005 – Making waves and breaking ranks
Swimmer Joscelin Yeo sets a SEA Games record with 40 gold medals.

In the same year, Karen Tan becomes the Singapore Armed Forces’ first female colonel.

2008 – Changing the game in sport
Singapore’s women’s table-tennis team – Li Jia Wei, Feng Tian Wei and Wang Yuegu – wins silver at the Beijing Olympics, the nation’s first Olympic medal in 48 years.

That same year, Yip Pin Xiu brings home Singapore’s first Paralympic gold. Living with muscular dystrophy, she has since won six more and, as a Nominated MP, champions inclusivity and integrity in sport.

2009 – Scaling new heights
The Singapore Women’s Everest Team (Jane Lee, Sim Yi Hui, Esther Tan, Lee Peh Gee, Joanne Soo, Lee Li Hui) reaches the summit of Mount Everest.

2009 – Trailblazing in business and leadership
Jennie Chua becomes the first woman to chair the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce in its 172-year history.

2017 – Leading change in politics and sustainability
Her World’s Woman of the Year 2003, Madam Halimah Yacob becomes Singapore’s first female President. She strengthens the President’s Challenge and launches the Empowering for Life Fund to uplift disadvantaged groups.

That same year, Esther An – Chief Sustainability Officer at City Developments Limited – continues to drive corporate climate action, publishing Singapore’s first sustainability report in 2008 and leading the launch of the nation’s first corporate green bond in 2017.

2018 – Joining women at the top table
Indranee Rajah joins Grace Fu and Josephine Teo as full Ministers, narrowing the gender gap in Singapore’s Cabinet.

2021 – Leading transformation in banking
Helen Wong becomes OCBC’s first female Group CEO, leading the bank to record profits and advancing sustainable, inclusive finance.

2023 – Redefining speed and strength
Shanti Pereira, Her World’s Young Woman Achiever 2024, wins Singapore’s first Asian Games athletics medal since 1974 and qualifies for the Paris Olympics.

2025 – Redefining the future of finance
As CEO of DBS, Tan Su Shan pioneers data-driven digital banking and tops Fortune’s 2025 list of Asia’s Most Powerful Women.