March 27, 2025—The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS), in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Thailand, UN Women, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), convened a significant meeting to promote Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 at the provincial level. The MSDHS, as a key player, is responsible for coordinating the initiative and ensuring its successful implementation. This initiative focuses on improving gender equality and establishing a robust database system in Thailand.
Held in the MSDHS auditorium, the meeting gathered stakeholders from various sectors, including the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Interior, and civil society organizations. The goal was to foster collaboration in the authentic pursuit of gender equality, aligning with SDG 5's mission to empower women and girls.
"The workshop's objective is to unite stakeholders from diverse sectors—MSDHS, the Ministry of Interior, Government organization and civil society organizations—to collaboratively advance gender equality. We must develop precise and reliable data systems to ensure that initiatives reflect provincial and national realities," remarked by Mr. Anukul Peedkaew, Permanent Secretary, The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
“For Goal 5, the Ministry of Interior has initiated the Women's Role Development Fund project, which serves as a revolving fund for women to create jobs and generate income. This initiative aims to promote and support the development of women's potential and roles, enhancing their quality of life. It also provides women with opportunities to express their roles as leaders in community development.” said Mr. Mana Simma, Legal Officer Senior Advisor, Office of the Permanent Secretary for Interior, the Ministry of Interior.
Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, Country Director UNFPA Thailand and the UNFPA Representative for Malaysia remarked, "This collaboration is a vital catalyst for development, paving the way for an inclusive and equitable society where all individuals can reach their full potential. Our initiative will address provincial needs while promoting sustainable social change on both national and local levels."
“The Provincial SDG Progress Reports (SDG Profiles), developed by UNDP with the Ministry of Interior and funding from the European Union, highlight that there is still room for improvement in collecting and integrating sex-disaggregated and gender-disaggregated data at the provincial level in Thailand. To achieve SDG 5: Gender Equality, we would like to recommend that Thailand develop policies based on data that reflect the diverse needs of different gender groups,” said Irina Goryunova, Deputy UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand, during the workshop on Advancing Gender Equality and Strengthening Data in Thailand. “UNDP is therefore very pleased to collaborate with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Ministry of Interior, UNFPA and UN Women to promote standardized gender data collection at the provincial level.”
“UN Women sees gender equality embedded in SDG5 as a fundamental human right. It is essential for achieving Thailand’s national development priorities, enhancing social justice, and building resilient communities. Gender equality and women’s empowerment should be addressed not only as explicit priorities through the stand-alone SDG5 but also by mainstreaming them across all SDGs. Achieving SDG 5 means transforming systems, addressing root causes and structural barriers, and ensuring that Thailand’s policies are truly responsive to the diverse realities of all women and girls and amplify women’s voices in decision-making at every level.” Said Ms. Maria Holtsberg, Deputy Regional Director for RO Asia & Pacific of UN Women.
The meeting also underscored the need for systematic data integration by proposing methodologies for gathering sex-disaggregated data, identifying data gaps, establishing indicators, and standardizing data collection processes to enable more effective planning and policymaking. Participants shared insights and experiences in advancing SDG 5 locally, emphasizing the creation of collaborative frameworks between government, private sectors, and civil society to achieve comprehensive sustainable development. Enhancing knowledge for monitoring and evaluating gender equality initiatives is recognized as crucial, requiring collective efforts from all sectors.
The pilot provinces selected for this initiative, including Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, and Pattani, were chosen for their engagement in promoting SDGs through the 'Strengthening SDG Localization in Thailand' project by UNDP, with support from the European Union. The readiness of provincial governors to lead gender equality initiatives tailored to local contexts is a testament to the potential impact of this collaboration. We value your community engagement and feedback, as it will be essential in designing effective policies and measures.
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