Gender Equality

Bangkok’s street food vendors survive on razor-thin margins even in good times. A war they had no part in is pushing many of them into debt.
For generations, a divorced Hmong woman lost not just her marriage but her place in her clan. A women’s network has been reviving an ancient ritual to give it back.
Thailand made headlines this year as the first Southeast Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage. Now intersex and non-binary advocates are pushing for the next frontier: legal recognition for people who challenge the very notion of binary gender.
The absence of LGBTQ senators in the newly elected body contrasts sharply with recent legislative victories, including the passage of a marriage equality bill.
In Thailand, abortion is legal but often out of reach for migrant women. A discreet network of volunteers is using word-of-mouth to guide them to safe and affordable care.
Three years after the legalisation of abortion, pro-choice activists are urging parliament to speed up the nationwide expansion of access to services, emphasising the slow progress and persistent challenges.
Thailand's lawmakers have passed equal marriage draft bills in the first reading, igniting hope among LGBTQ+ individuals and their supporters for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
Thai labour law remains silent on the issue of menstrual leave, contrasting sharply with the growing societal openness towards discussing issues like period pains and the accessibility of sanitary products.
Thailand has more than 69,000 doctors, nearly half are in Bangkok. Still, there is no public hospital providing free abortion services under universal healthcare. Advocates are calling for medical staff to adhere to the law.
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