8/2/2019 International Women Day Statement 2012 Press Release

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International Women Day Statement 2012, Chiang Mai

We are women and we will make our own decisions!

Women celebrating International Womens Day in Chiang Mai have had enough of being told what

to do, being rejected from political processes and decisions, being excluded from access toresources. Today, we are joining together to let you all know that we can and we will make own

decisions.

We are women who live and work in Thailand. We are women who contribute to the development

of our families, our communities, to Thailand and the region. We are women who believe in equality

and justice.

Women should have equal access to resources. The Womens Fund under the Ministry of Social

Development and Human Security should be for women who need it in Thailand. We would not

exclude women from access to resources because of their nationality or lack of nationality. We

would include our ethnic sisters, we would include our migrant sisters. We all contribute to

Thailands wealth and well being. We believe that women can only move forward if we are

together.

We want more of our sisters in government guiding the national policies. Women make up 52% of

the population and yet we only make up 15.6% of the MPs in parliament. There are currently 78

women and 432 men in the Thai parliament. The rest of ASEAN countries fare no better. Where we

ask are women in the peace process in Burma? Research shows that in order to be heard and to be

able to influence policy, women must make up at least 30%. We will work for greater

representation. From education to employment, girls and women must no longer be restricted and

limited.

We want to be freed from the restrictions on our careers and to be freed from the restrictions on

our bodies. For too long our bodies have been the doma in of mens control, whether through law,

medicine, or social constructs. We claim the right to make decisions about our own bodies, whether

we have children or not, how we dress, the health care we get, we want autonomy in our sexual

relationships, including when sex is work, and we want to be free of male violence and to live in

safety.

By Organizations and Communities working on Women Rights in Chiang Mai

You are invited to participate and document news of the Interntional Women Day 2012 in Chiang Mai on 8th

March. Today there will be campaign marching from Navarat bridge at 6 pm. to Thapae gate and then you will

find more activities there.

For more information please contact.

English Language: Jackie Pollock Tel.086-0904118Thai Language: Kanchana Di-ut Tel. 085-865 1979

Burmese Language: Julia 085-584 3247