23 July 2009

More people know more about their human rights in Thailand thanks to a major collaborative effort between the UN country team and the Royal Thai Government, under a UNDP-supported project.

As part of celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the project resulted in the publishing of a Thailand-focused human rights book, the launch of the Human Rights Caravan, and numerous rights workshops held across the country.

To address this successfully, UNDP acting as a coordinator of UN agencies took the lead in partnership with Government Ministries.

Unlike conventional development work with the government where ministries tend to work in silos, this project has brought key ministries to work together. Participating ministries include the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This underpins that human rights issues are a common thread that runs through the domains of these ministries and reflects the extent of the commitment the Royal Thai Government is making in tackling this issue.

Youth from Ban Kanchanapisek VocationalTraining Centre for Boys watch a video on the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the bus.

Launched by the Prime Minister, Mr. Abhisit Vejajjiva, the Caravan rolled across four provinces, bringing information, spreading knowledge and hosting rights forums for wider audience. Schools, women’s prisons, boys’ correctional facilities, nursing home were among the important stops for the Caravan.

While sensitizing the populations to the concept of human rights was an important objective of the Caravan, it has provided opportunities for senior officials to directly listen to the voices of people they serve. Involvement of senior officials in the project has begun to produce immediate impact on policies as the Ministry of Education adopted the concept to raise awareness among students and teachers in the classroom.

The publication “Dignity and Justice for All of Us: Our Voices Are Heard in Thailand” is another advocacy tool that brings voices of people to the policy arena. It comprises of the stories of 30 Thai people corresponding to the 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These stories are followed by commentary from prominent Thai and foreign figures, including the Thai Minister of Justice, describing the significance of each article. Local Thai people were chosen as subjects because they highlight that the struggle for human rights in this country continues everyday and is something that requires ongoing Government consideration.

The close working relationship on this issue that the UNCT established with the Government provides a stepping stone for greater participatory role for the UNCT as Thailand undergoes the Universal Periodic Review on its human rights record by the Human Rights Council in 2011.

Caravans, back in the day, traveled great distances beyond frontiers bringing never-before-seen items to different parts of the world, transmitting cultures and technologies. It was fruits of growth they were carrying. Some 2000 years later, the Human Rights Caravan continues to bring to Thai people a fruit of growth they deserve. The Caravan, led by the Government and the UNCT, continues to build a conduit for human rights.

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For more information please contact UNDP Thailand Communications Officer Adam Sims - 0228 82671, email: adam.sims@undp.org