WOMEN in their 20s now earn 98 per cent of what their male counterparts do.

And there are more women graduates here than male. Women now also own or co-own 87 per cent of Housing Board flats.

Minister of State for Community Development Youth and Sports Yu-Foo Yee Shoon revealed these figures on Tuesday to show how women here have taken big strides to narrow the gender inequality.

She added that giving women more opportunities on the ground rather than implementing laws is an easier way to address women?s equality issues.

Mrs Yu-Foo was responding to a United Nations committee's view that Singapore should define gender discrimination in its laws and review those that are discriminatory to women.

At a meeting earlier this year, the UN committee discussed the extent to which countries have met their obligations under an international women's treaty called the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw).

Singapore acceded to the treaty in October 1995.