Stipulations in new charter 'will further empower women'

 She said this was so society could effectively tackle equality in accordance with international conventions and treaties. 

The forum, entitled “Thai Constitution- Crafting 2015: Premises, Pitfalls, Prospects”, was held at Chulalongkorn University yesterday. The aim of the forum was to promote a public discussion and encourage an exchange of views on the country’s ongoing charter-drafting process. The charter drafting process includes key challenges and goals, such as empowering citizens, and establishing a good checks-and-balance system as well as public participation. 

Thawilwadee also pointed out that the new constitution stipulates that a third of all party-list candidates will be women, adding that the representation of women in Thai politics has been very low, at just about 10 per cent at the national level. This is despite the fact that women make up about 51 per cent of the entire population. 

Hence, she said, such measures should be welcomed and the fact that the CDC is serious in tackling this issue is demonstrated by the fact that it is included in the charter. 

A participant, however, asked if it is correct that candidates be selected based on their gender, instead of their qualification or experience. 

Thawilwadee responded by saying that this was true in the past, as everybody had the opportunity to run in elections. However, “access to opportunity” was far from equal, she added, citing that some well-qualified candidates were not even given the right to run in elections unless they had close personal ties with the party leader. 

Therefore, stipulating that a third of the party-list candidates be women, gives them an “access to opportunity” that had been lacking in the past. 

Other new measures to tackle |gender equality include “gender-responsive budgeting” where funds should be allocated to meet women’s needs, such as providing day-care |for toddlers in offices so qualified women do not have to quit in order to look after their children. 

Many leading academics and members of the CDC, including CDC deputy chairman Suchit Bunbongkarn, Jade Tonavanik, Panitan Wattanayagorn and Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, were present at the forum. 

CDC also reiterated that the charter drafting process was supposed to include all members of society, which is why forums have been held in different provinces and regions. The drafters pointed out that the charter wishes to give people a voice. 

The new charter also allows people to propose bills, which will remain as part of the parliamentary agenda even after the government is dissolved, whereas previous bills were automatically dropped as soon as there was a parliamentary dissolution.