Picharat, a Thai parliamentary representative, highlights the role of women on the world parliamentary stage. Thailand proposes three actions to elevate women as peacebuilders: meaningful participation in decision-making, concrete protection, and restoration that reflects real needs.
A reporter reported that on 15 April (local time) in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey, Ms. Picharat Laohaphongchana, a party-list MP from the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), represented the Thai parliament to join the Women Parliamentarians meeting at the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly or the World Parliament meeting. She delivered a statement urging the global community to change their perspective on women in conflict zones and proposed three approaches to elevate women as peacebuilders. She highlighted Thailand’s progress in advancing the first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP WPS) 2024-2027, launched in 2025, focusing on strengthening women’s roles in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and protecting women’s rights to promote gender equality and social security in Thailand.
In her speech, Ms. Picharat said that in every conflict, women are often seen only as victims, whereas in reality, they sustain families and help communities recover. Therefore, if the world seeks lasting peace, we must move beyond viewing women merely as beneficiaries and recognize them as genuine “peacebuilders.” To make this concept concrete, Thailand has proposed three practical approaches:
1. Participation in decision-making Women must have real space as “decision-makers,” not just symbolic roles, in negotiation forums, parliaments, and institutional recovery processes, because participation is the key to sustainable peace.
2. Concrete protection Policies protecting women must be seriously enforced both offline and online, as without safety, healing and recovery cannot begin.
3. Restoration and targeted budgeting Post-conflict recovery must reflect actual needs in public health, education, and economic opportunities, with clear budget allocations to support these goals.
Additionally, Ms. Picharat declared Thailand’s commitment on the global stage by noting that in 2025, Thailand launched the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security to ensure women’s involvement from prevention to long-term recovery. She also called on parliaments worldwide to focus on policies with real implementation, so national plans can generate truly tangible positive impacts.