Event [Thailand] – 2020 International Women’s Day: CEDAW Progress Report Card by WHRDs

28 February 2020

Within the framework of the 2020 International Women’s Day, Protection International is honored to invite you to the Launch of the CEDAW Progress Report Card: Women Human Rights Defenders.

The event will take place on the 4th of March 2020, from 10.00-12.30 at FCCT Penthouse, Maneeya Center 518/5 Ploenchit Road (connected to the BTS Skytrain Chitlom station) in Bangkok. The launch is supported by The Embassy of Canada in Bangkok under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) and Foundation For a Just Society.

Agenda

10.00-10.30 Registration and registration for translation devices

10.30-10.40 Welcome Remarks by H.E. Satu Suikkari-Kleven Ambassador of the Republic of Finland to Thailand (TBC)

10.40-11.00 Pranom Somwong, Protection International, providing background on the CEDAW report card and recommendations from WHRDs and their Quilts (#ArtForResistance)

11.00-12.00 Rating of the Thai government’s compliance with the 2017 Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by community-based Women Human Rights Defenders:
- Chusri Olarnkit, Southern Peasant Federation of Thailand (SPFT)
- Representative of Khon Rak Ban Koed (The anti-gold mining Group), Loei Province
- Alisar Bindusa Law Long Beach Youth Society

11.00-12.00 Panelists’ responses on CEDAW Progress Report Card: WHRDs reporting on Thailand’s compliance with the 2017 concluding Observations of the Committee on the Convention to eliminate all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW):
- H.E. Sarah Taylor, Ambassador-designate of Canada to Thailand.
- Cynthia Veliko, Regional Representative, the UNOHCHR Regional Office for South-East Asia
- Angkhana Neelapaijit, Former National Human Rights Commissioner and recipient of the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Awards
- Moderated by Pranom Somwong

12.00-12.30 Question and answer

Simultaneous translation will be provided throughout the event

For more information please contact:
psomwong [at] protectioninternational.org

Tel +66 9 6913 3983

Launch of CEDAW Progress Report Card: WHRDs reporting on Thailand’s compliance with the 2017 Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

The Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) provides important protection tools for women and girls in international human rights law. According to CEDAW, recognizing and guaranteeing equal treatment between women and men is not enough. Rather, its state signatories must take appropriate action towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and to support substantive gender equality.

Thailand’s compliance with the Convention was last assessed in 2017. On that occasion, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the “CEDAW Committee”) issued significant recommendations to Thai authorities, which are legally binding.

In the same year, Protection International facilitated the participation of community-based Women Human rights defenders (WHRDs) in the Thai women’s delegation before the CEDAW Committee. Almost three years later, it is timely for WHRDs to reflect and create a progress report on Thailand’s compliance with the recommendations made, as the next review is fast approaching. The report card rates progress in key areas of concern identified by the WHRDs from the CEDAW Committee’s 2017 Concluding Observations for Thailand.

With support from The Embassy of Canada in Bangkok under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) Protection International will launch the CEDAW Progress Report Card: WHRDs reporting on Thailand’s compliance with the 2017 Concluding Observations of the CEADW Committee.

The goal of this report card, which is part of a larger body of creative work intended to engage and enhance communication with Thai authorities, is to raise awareness about the situation of women and WHRDs in terms of government policy and treatment towards women. The report card will also contribute to drawing public opinion’s attention to CEDAW and Thailand, which has yet to comply with the CEDAW’s Recommendation on Dissemination.