Ambassador met with representative form the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, Belgium
On 18 July 2024, H.E. Mrs. Kanchana Patarachoke, Ambassador of Thailand to Belgium, Ms. Patcharamon Siriwatana, Minister Counsellor, and Mr. Pathompong Singthong, Counsellor/Consul, visited the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, Belgium, and listened to the briefing by Ms. Carine Joly, Advisor International Affairs, Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, on the Institute’s mission to promote gender policies of Belgium, comprising fight against any form of gender based discrimination and narrowing gender pay gap, elimination of gender based violence and femicide, and gender mainstreaming. The Institute is an independent federal public service who oversees gender equality policies of Belgium and the implementation of Belgium’s international obligations such as EU directives, UN and the Council of Europe gender-related conventions. During the Belgian EU Presidency (January - June 2024), the first ever EU law on violence against women and domestic violence was adopted, setting out victim-oriented protection, prosecution and prevention approach.
The Institute for the Equality of Women and Men was founded as an independent federal public service in 2002 in line with the EU obligation for each EU Member State to create an equality body. The Institute’s mission is to safeguard and promote equality between women and men and fight all forms of discrimination.
As for Thailand, the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand oversees and promotes gender equality and women empowerment in Thailand. Gender Equality Fund to promote gender equality is also in place. Just recently, the Thai Parliament in June passed the Marriage Equality Act, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the second in Asia to legalise same sex marriage.