Women’s Charter
(Chapter 353, Section 180(1))
Women’s Charter (Protection of Women and Girls) Rules
R 2
REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[1st July 1974]
Citation
1.  These Rules may be cited as the Women’s Charter (Protection of Women and Girls) Rules.
Definitions
2.  In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —
“Board” means the Board of Visitors appointed by the Minister under section 178 of the Act;
“Chairman” means the Chairman of the Board and “Deputy Chairman” means the Deputy Chairman of the Board;
“Medical Officer” means a Medical Officer appointed under rule 63;
“Dental Officer” means a Dental Officer appointed under rule 65;
“superintendent” means a person appointed to be in charge of a place of safety.
PART I
BOARD OF VISITORS
Composition of Board
3.—(1)  Any Board of Visitors appointed by the Minister under section 178 of the Act shall consist of 12 members of whom at least 5 shall be women and at least one shall be a nominee of the Director.
(2)  The Minister may at any time revoke the appointment of any member of the Board.
Tenure of office
4.  Members of the Board shall hold office for a period of not more than two years from the date of their respective appointments and shall be eligible for reappointment on completion of that period unless such member resigns during his period of office or unless his appointment is revoked by the Minister under rule 3(2).
Duty of Board
5.—(1)  Members of the Board shall satisfy themselves that the health, maintenance, recreation, discipline, training and education of the girls in places of safety are satisfactory and that an efficient standard is maintained throughout each place of safety but shall not be concerned with the general administrative matters of the places of safety.
(2)  They shall send their comments and recommendations regarding the places of safety to the Director.
Visits to places of safety
6.  Not less than two members of the Board shall visit each place of safety in respect of which they are appointed at least once a month.
Chairman of Board
7.  There shall be a Chairman who shall be elected by the Board from amongst its members. The Chairman shall ordinarily preside at all meetings of the Board.
Deputy Chairman of Board
8.  A Deputy Chairman shall be elected by the Board from amongst its members, and any member so elected may, in the absence of the Chairman, preside at meetings of the Board and when so doing shall exercise all the powers and functions of the Chairman.
Secretary of Board
9.  There shall be a Secretary of the Board who shall be appointed by the Director and shall also be the Treasurer of the Board.
Cessation of appointment
10.  A person appointed as a member of the Board shall cease to hold such appointment —
(a)on his death, resignation or absence from Singapore for more than 3 months without the prior permission of the Minister; or
(b)if the Minister revokes the appointment.
Vacancies in Board
11.—(1)  A vacancy occurring in the Board shall be filled by a fresh appointment made by the Minister, and the person appointed to fill such vacancy shall hold office for so long as the member in whose place he is appointed would have held office.
(2)  The Board shall not be incapable of acting by reason only of there being any vacancy in the membership of the Board.
Quorum
12.  The quorum at all meetings of the Board shall be 5 members present, in addition to the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman, and no business shall be transacted or discussed unless a quorum is present.
Resolutions
13.  Resolutions at any meeting of the Board shall be passed by a majority of votes and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman, or the Deputy Chairman, presiding at the meeting, shall have a second or casting vote.
Meetings
14.—(1)  Meetings of the Board shall be called by the Chairman or the Secretary of the Board as and when necessary but in any case at intervals not exceeding 3 months and a meeting shall be called upon the requisition in writing of not less than 3 members of the Board.
(2)  At least 7 days’ notice in writing shall be given of meetings of the Board and the notice convening the meeting shall include the agenda for such meeting.
(3)  The Secretary shall keep the minutes of every meeting and a copy of the minutes shall be sent to all members of the Board as soon as possible after each meeting.
(4)  The minutes shall be confirmed at the next following meeting of the Board and when confirmed shall be signed by the Chairman, or the Deputy Chairman, presiding at that meeting.