Gender equality in Thailand is still lacking

In the run-up to International Women's Day on March 8, the Bangkok Post wrote in a recent editorial about the continuing serious lack of gender equality in Thailand.

Gender equality still falls short

As the world prepares to commemorate International Women's Day on Friday, March 8, the recent tragedy involving the disappearance and murder of 27-year-old Chonlada “Noon” Muthuwong has shone a stark light on the ongoing violence against women in Thailand.

Her husband, Sirichai Rakthong, 33, was seen on CCTV camera repeatedly kicking her into the street and hitting her head with a brick before pulling her back into his car. He set her body on fire in a rough field near Prachin Buri. Their child, one year old, was with them from the time she was beaten until the body was set on fire.

The tragedy of “Noon” is not an isolated incident. It symbolizes the pervasive domestic violence women face across the country.

Domestic violence is deeply rooted in patriarchal Thai society. Studies show that one in six women in relationships have experienced various forms of violence, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The tragic case of “Noon” serves as a stark reminder of the dangers women face in their own homes, where they should feel safest.

Moreover, sexual harassment and rape are still commonplace. Accurate statistics are difficult to obtain due to fear of social stigma and painful legal proceedings. But the 2017 figures from the Royal Thai Police Command and Control Operation Center certainly demonstrate this.

According to police figures, reported crimes of sexual violence are almost four times higher than murder and robbery. In one year there were more than 15.000 suspects of sex crimes. That was more than 40 cases per day. But only 287 offenders, or less than 2%, were arrested.

Information from the Ministry of Health, which controls 51 state hospitals, shows that in 2021, 8.577 women who were attacked sought medical attention. Most of these patients told doctors that they were attacked at home.

In 2022, the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women received reports of 6.745 cases of violence against women and girls. Most victims were minors aged 10-15 years. Of these cases, 444 were rapes. Worrying numbers show that the number of rapes of underage girls is increasing, while school authorities often protect the perpetrators rather than the victims. Despite efforts to address these violations, these women continue to suffer in silence at the hands of the prevailing patriarchal civilization and the sexual double standards perpetuated by the education system, culture, Thai Buddhism and the media.

Although Thailand has a higher share of women in CEO roles at the top of the corporate ladder compared to the global average, they represent only a small number of women. The reality is that women are overwhelmingly underrepresented in key decision-making bodies such as government, parliament, the judiciary, and administration, both nationally and locally. According to UN Women, women make up only 23,9% of senior civil servants, although women outnumber men in the bureaucracy. Meanwhile, women make up just 16,2% of parliament, far below the global average of 24.9%, and just 10% in the Senate. In the 76 provinces there are only 2 female governors, and in the Provincial Administrative Organizations 8% are women and 6% in the sub-district organizations.

This lack of representation perpetuates gender inequality, hindering progress toward true equality. Cultural expectations of women as caregivers, wives and mothers hinder their progress, with women spending three times more time on unpaid care and domestic duties than men.

The government's top-down policies and environmentally destructive development projects further exacerbate women's hardships. Tree plantations, mining, dams and the demarcation of national parks and special economic zones deprive women of land security, resulting in poverty, family disruption and displacement.

Ethnic discrimination exacerbates the struggles of women from marginalized communities, such as ethnic minorities and migrant workers. While women from the mountain tribes of the North suffer from poverty and lack of land due to draconian forest laws, their sisters in the Deep South face incessant state violence due to national security policies.

Deep social stigma against women with unwanted pregnancies contributes to a lack of policy and support for counseling, foster care, and adoption. As a result, almost 1000 women die every year from the consequences of incomplete abortion by underground and illegal services.

The government's plans to provide universal welfare support to children aged 0-6 and increase monthly allowances for the elderly and disabled are commendable but insufficient.

As we commemorate International Women's Day, we must address the root causes of gender-based violence and discrimination. Eliminating sexual prejudice and challenging deeply entrenched cultural norms is crucial to a society that values ​​and empowers women.

Bangkok Post – Gender equality still falls short