Women's Hall of Famer and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bridget Tan dies aged 73

SINGAPORE - The founder of migrant worker rights group Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home), Mrs Bridget Tan, died on Monday (April 18).

She was 73.

In a Facebook post on Monday evening, Home said Mrs Tan had suffered a stroke in February 2014. She was recuperating and working with non-profit groups in Batam.

Home called Mrs Tan a pioneer in the field and added: "Bridget was an untiring advocate and champion of the rights of migrant workers. She played a key role in establishing Home's current activities, which include our shelter for abused domestic workers, skills training programmes, and our legal and employment advice services for all migrant workers."

"Bridget was a true friend and ally of the migrants; she always provided a listening ear and extended a helping hand to many in need," it added.

The group said it would provide details of her wake once they have been confirmed.

Mrs Tan used her retirement funds to set up Home in 2004.

Home has since provided help to more than 50,000 migrant workers and victims of human trafficking.

Mrs Tan was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 by the PeaceWomen Across the Globe organisation. 

In 2011, she received the Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award from then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The award is given to those who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking.

For her advocacy and activism, Mrs Tan was inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

In a Facebook post on Monday, social worker Jolovan Wham, 42, called Mrs Tan one of the “giants in civil society and the migrant worker space”.

He told The Straits Times that he first met Mrs Tan around 2002.

“I learnt a lot from working with her, and she gave me a lot of independence to do what I wanted.

“She could be difficult to work with but she was also inspiring. I’d never met anyone who believed so deeply, and acted so strongly on her convictions.”

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin also expressed his condolences.

In a Facebook post, he said he had worked with Mrs Tan on migrant worker matters when he was in the Ministry of Manpower.

“She cared passionately for our migrant workers and championed their concerns and actively looked out for their well-being. She was a tireless campaigner for them and I am grateful for her work, her love and dedication.”

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permissions required for reproduction.