Government Aware of the Importance of Investment in Women’s Development

(05/02/2012)

The Government is proceeding with its plan to set up a national women’s development fund in line with its urgent policy in the 2012 fiscal year. The fund came after the Government had sounded out the opinions of various relevant organizations and committees. It is scheduled to hold public forums to listen to public opinion on the fund in all regions of the country between February 11 and 17. According to the plan, each province will be provided with an allocation of 100 million baht to set up the fund. Information gained from the public forums will be used as guidelines for budget allocation in time for the celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012. The fund will offer greater opportunities for women to develop their potential and occupations, promote their leadership, and ease problems. Campaigns will also be launched to create better understanding about women in all dimensions. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra stated that the Government realizes the significance of investing in the education of girls in order to improve their living conditions and increase their income, so they can help support their family. The statement was part of her remarks made recently in the plenary discussion under the theme “Women as the Way Forward” at Congress Hall, Congress Center, in Davos, Switzerland. The Prime Minister expressed her feeling that she is lucky to be born and brought up in Thai society, which respects equality between men and women. She has hence been given an opportunity to study, to assume the position of CEO in a private company, and to be elected the first female Prime Minister of Thailand. Although she was an example of some women in Thailand, the Prime Minister expressed her concern over many women residing in almost every region of the world who are now facing sexual inequality. Compared with men, women on average are less educated, have little opportunity to access monetary sources, earn less income, and encounter obstacles to possessing property and assets. Moreover, women are often victims of sexual harassment and abuse. She pointed out that, in order to create power for women and end sexual inequality, society must seek out the root cause of the problem, which lies deep in the culture and social values. Failure to address this problem is partly caused by an ignorance of the deeper causes of the problem. In the life and social security policy under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, the Government will promote equal opportunities for women to take part in the country’s development by protecting women’s rights and improving laws that protect women from domestic violence and maximize their potential. It will establish a foundation for improving the role of Thai women in the modern world, as well.