Navigating SRHR Challenges: Insight from the LEVEL UP- SRHR for women and LGBITQ+ forcibly displaced persons in Thailand Workshop
Julia Taft Project
On 28 March, 2024, stakeholders from the government, civil society and UN agencies convened for the LEVEL UP — SRHR for women and LGBTIQ+ forcibly displaced persons in Thailand Workshop. Co-hosted by APA and Equal AF and funded by the Julia Taft grant, the workshop provided a platform for robust discussions on the current landscape of programs and policies that addresses the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of Thailand’s forcibly displaced communities. Participants dived into current challenges and opportunities to level up the SRHR of refugees. The workshop was preceded by the Community Consultation: Sexual and Reproductive health of women and LGBTQ+ of Refugees and Asylum Seekers that brought together civil society representatives, health service providers and donors and served as a valuable platform for exchanging experiences, knowledge, and strategies across various sectors on 2 November 2023.
It is estimated that 90,00 refugees are currently residing in camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, alongside approximately 5,000 urban refugees and asylum seekers (URAS) in Bangkok. To exacerbate situations, there is a growing number of forcibly displaced persons seeking refuge in Thailand, driven by a myriad of factors including civil wars and various forms of persecution. According to Phil Robertson, Asia Deputy Director at Human Rights Watch, the ongoing strife in neighboring Myanmar compounded by recent government mandate for mandatory military conscription is projected to contribute to the surge of refugees flowing into the Thai border. This impending surge underscores the urgent need for comprehensive support systems ensuring legal status, housing, employment, healthcare and other essentials for forcibly displaced persons. Despite its reputation as a refugee host nation, Thailand has chosen not to sign the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, resulting in a lack of official recognition for refugee status. Consequently, forcibly displaced individuals are often treated as undocumented persons, subjecting them to the risk of deportation and human rights abuse. Many find themselves confined to immigration detention centers (IDCs) indefinitely, that is plagued with poor living conditions and overcrowding with reports of gender identity-based harassment.
In light of these circumstances, the workshop fostered conversations that strengthened understandings on global commitments to protect the SRHR of refugees. Alexa Johns, Executive Director at APA emphasized the importance of national-level follow-up and commitments made at intergovernmental fora such as the Global Refugee Forum, International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD PoA), Agenda 2030, and the 7th Asia Pacific Population Conference (7APPC). These platforms offer crucial entry points of intervention to hold governments accountable and encourage them to fulfill their pledges to address SRHR concerns effectively. The ICPD PoA holds significant relevance for forcibly displaced persons as it sheds light on the intersecting forms of discrimination experienced by displaced women and gender-diverse individuals and underscores the crucial notion that social services should be extended irrespective of one’s legal status. Ryan Figueriedo, Executive Director at Equal AF highlighted his observation at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum that recognized refugees as experts and ensured their meaningful participation as opposed to perceiving them as passive subject matters.
Stakeholders underscored strategies of safeguarding SRHR in humanitarian settings through catering to the unique needs of various groups under the principle of Accountability to Affected communities (AAP) that encourages the harnessing of community capacities and knowledge while fostering self-reliance and self-care. For instance, UNFPA’s Regional HIV advisor Tim Sladden highlighted his organization’s dignity kits customized for women and girls with disabilities in the Pacific during their response to cyclones, tsunamis and other natural disasters. Tim emphasized the pivotal role of civil society in community empowerment, citing the Tangerine clinic’s commendable support for the SRHR of trans people in Thailand.
Mic Chawaratt, Programme Manager at the International Detention Coalition pinpointed the root causes of migrants and refugee challenges in Thailand to the systematic gaps in policies and legislation. The absence of a comprehensive refugee framework coupled with misconceptions among policymakers often result in inadequate migration programs. However, amidst these challenges, Thailand, as the first developing country in the region grappling with an aging society, could benefit from recognizing migrant workers as a vital human capital. Moreover, the evolving political landscape in Thailand offers a promising entry point for discussing emerging human rights issues, including the plight of Uighurs, and forcibly displaced migrants. Despite this progress, leadership and political will to improve migration policies remain lacking and civil society need to adapt to these shifting dynamics while advocating for comprehensive solutions.
As the outcome of the workshop, stakeholder discussed the content of the Call to Action that will be submitted to the Government through the Prime Minister’s Office, which has committed to implement Thailand’s pledge at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 and continues to honour its various commitments to the ICDP Programme of Action and Agenda 2030. Drawing inspiration from past successes, leveraging international pressure, and creating working groups were suggested strategies to hold the government accountable and effect systematic change. Participants highlighted the importance of developing a comprehensive immigration and refugee framework that includes long-term visas and the right to change employers freely as well as ensuring immigration and refugee policies were inclusive of women and people of diverse gender.
