CDC Chairman: New charter to cover women’s rights

BANGKOK, 21 November 2014 (NNT) – Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) Bowornsak Uwanno has accepted suggestions from women’s rights networks regarding the new constitution, affirming their voices will be heeded.

Representatives of women’s networks and related organizations from across the country have come together for a special seminar hosted by the Office of Women’s Affairs and Family Development under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The event was aimed to allow women to have their say on the drafting of the new charter, with a focus on gender equality and women’s roles in politics.

The suggestions compiled from the seminar have been presented to Mr Bowornsak. According to the CDC Chairman, the law concerning equality between men and women was first included in the Constitution back in 1974 while the law against sexual discrimination came along in 1997. He thus assured that the upcoming charter will also uphold the rights of women.

Mr Bowornsak noted that the women’s input this time is interesting as it suggests that women’s quota in Parliament or any political bodies be increased to 30 percent at minimum. Such a change would bring the rights of Thai women up to par with their international counterparts and could be introduced at the local level first.

Nonetheless, the CDC Chairman stressed the need for Thai men to change their attitude towards women and develop more respect for them. He pointed out that the promotion of women’s rights should not be undertaken by women alone as men should also be able to come out and speak up for them.

-- NNT 2014-11-22

That's interesting . C

I didn't know Thai women wanted to have rights? Or is it just a small % trying to make a change for the ones who don't care.

while the law against sexual discrimination came along in 1997

Except somebody forgot to tell immigration for those of us with Thai wives as opposed to foreign women with Thai husbands.

Surely having a quota is discrimination in itself for qualifications for the job should be the only deciding factor.

Wonder if woman's rights will go as far as discrimination against woman by religious groups ?

"Women's rights" groups actually want women's preferences and special privileges not granted non-women. This is the radical feminist agenda hiding behind "equality," which is assuredly NOT what they want. Thailand needs strong gender/race/... -neutral human rights laws combined with strict, fair enforcement. If it can achieve this, women will have the equality they say they want without relegating men to second class citizens, the true goal that man-hating fem radicals have been angrily pursuing for 50 years.

Thais are "covering" but they won't do anything. They are just "covering" the issue.

quotas are bullsh*t, all they do is put one gender in front of the other by claiming they are too stupid to get there by themselves. The best person for the job whether male or female should always get the nod. The only reason for quotas is that they know they are simply not good enough to get there themselves so they need to "cheat" instead, quotas are a form of discrimination, they are also a way to get somewhere without have to do the hard yards like everyone else although in Thailand it doesnt seem to matter, if you have money/family name you can do as you please and get what ever you want. What they need is a test to show that all people trying for these positions actually have the ability to do them and are simply not there due to under the table payments to the "right" people

oh no...