Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) jointly host ‘the 4th TICA Connect: Five Decades of Thailand and UNFPA partnership: Advancing towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at Vithes Samosorn, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to celebrate the 47 years of the Thailand-UNFPA partnership and south-south cooperation (SSC) in maternal health and population & development and to showcase Thailand’s good practices in social development partner to support other developing countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Virasakdi Futrakul, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave opening remarks marking 47 years of the cooperation between Thailand and UNFPA. “All through the past four decades, Thailand and UNFPA have been working hand in hand in the areas of the country’s urgent needs in maternal health, family planning, HIV/AIDS and population and development policy. Stepping into the fifth decade of cooperation, Thailand and UNFPA aim at ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for the young people and the most vulnerable populations and sharing Thailand’s good practices in promoting maternal health with other developing countries through the South-South Cooperation Framework. This cooperation is to demonstrate Thailand’s firm commitment to achieve and support the neighbouring countries and the global community to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Along the past four decades, Thailand has proved its commitment to maternal health and population and development. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has dropped drastically from 115 maternal deaths per 100,000 livebirths in 1980 to 44 per 100,000 livebirths in 1990 and to 20 per 100,000 livebirths in 2015. The number of the mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) has reduced from an estimated 20-40% in the mid-1990s to 1.9% in 2015 as well as the prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women from 2% to 0.6% during the same time span. In addition, Thailand has shown its unprecedented pledge in ensuring the well-being for all with the universal health coverage (UHC) scheme, accelerating the Sustainable Development Goal 3 in ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Projecting the coming years to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Ms. Marcela Suazo, Country Director for UNFPA Thailand, emphasizes of Thailand’s as the global development partner. ‘Thailand has proved its commitment and calibre in its care for its population including the vulnerable. To support all population group including the young people to enjoy the healthy lives and well-being, UNFPA applauds that Thailand enacted the Act for Prevention and Solution of the Adolescent Pregnancy Problem in 2016. The Act will ensure all adolescents of the access to the sexual and reproductive health and rights. In parallel, Thailand has offered its proven expertise in promoting maternal health with other developing countries through the South-South Cooperation in the past and in the years to come. UNFPA stands firm in joining force with Thailand in this partnership instrument, ensuring that no one here in Thailand and elsewhere is left behind.’
Thailand and UNFPA had its first programme of cooperation in 1972. Over the years, Thailand and UNFPA has worked closely with other stakeholders for development--non-governmental organizations, academia and civil society in advancing the goals of the International Conference of Population Development (ICPD), focusing on improving maternal health, access to the integrated reproductive health services, prevention of HIV/AIDS, enhancing data collection and use for development and response to emerging population issues such as ageing. At present, Thailand and UNFPA aspire to reduce the adolescent pregnancy, to respond to the ageing society and to become the committed partner for development under the South-South Cooperation framework with other nations in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leaving no one behind here and elsewhere.
Further info, please contact Kullwadee Sumalnop, sumalnop@unfpa.org
Remarks by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, by Director-General of TICA and by Country Director of UNFPA Thailand, please visit: http://thailand.unfpa.org/en/events/4th-tica-connect-five-decades-thail…
Watch video showing “Five Decades of Thailand and UNFPA Partnership: Advancing towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)"
Full video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV421gu8Jxw Photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmh2GHis
