Singapore legislation
Clause 5
Clause 5
Amendment of section 50
Section 50 of the Women’s Charter is amended by inserting, immediately after subsection (3), the following subsections:“(3A) A court before which any proceedings under Part X are being heard shall, where the proceedings involve such classes of persons (being persons who have children to the marriage) as may be prescribed by the Minister, do either or both of the following:
order the parties to attend mediation conducted by such person as the court may appoint;
order the parties or their children or both, at any stage in the proceedings, to attend counselling provided by such person as the Minister may approve or as the court may direct.(3B) Notwithstanding subsection (3A), the court may, in any case where it considers that it may not be in the interests of the parties or their children to attend mediation or counselling, as the case may be, dispense with an order requiring such mediation or counselling.(3C) Where the court has made an order under subsection (3A), the parties concerned shall comply with it.(3D) Where a person fails to comply with any direction or advice given by the court under subsection (2) in any proceedings under Part X or any order made by a court under subsection (3A), the court may make such further orders as it thinks fit.(3E) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3D), the further orders that may be made by a court under that subsection shall include the following orders:
an order that proceedings shall be stayed until the parties have attended such mediation or counselling as may be specified in any advice or direction made by the court under subsection (2) or an order made by the court under subsection (3A); and
such order as to costs as the court thinks appropriate against the party who fails to comply with any advice or direction made by the court under subsection (2) or an order made by the court under subsection (3A).”.