Over 3 million Thai people join UNIFEM Say NO to Violence Against Women Campaign,
HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador, hands over names to the UN.

Date: 22 November 2008

Bangkok – More than three million Thai people from across the country and walks of life joined UNIFEM Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign – the highest number of supporters from a single country for this global advocacy effort.

Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who accepted UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassadorship and signed on to the Say NO to campaign on 5 September 2008, has played an instrumental role in rallying Thais to the cause. More than three million Thai people – school children, students, farmers, men and women in the grassroots – have since joined HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha in saying NO to violence against women. Names have been collected via www.novaw.or.th and through postcards and signature books distributed nationwide with the help Thai government agencies and the private sector.

At a ceremony today attended by 1,500 Thai government officials and dignitaries, HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha hands over 3,123,679 signatures to UNIFEM Regional Programme Director Jean D’Cunha. UNIFEM will give these signatures along with those from the rest of the world to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  

UNIFEM Executive Director Ines Alberdi said: “I would like to thank Your Royal Highness and the Thai people for making this strong first step that strengthens the United Nations’ multi-year campaign. With such magnitude of support, we can move forth to act with conviction.”   

The momentum started by public awareness advocacy surrounding UNIFEM Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign in Thailand will be sustained.  A network of agencies and entities that helped mobilise signatures has committed to accelerating actions to end violence against women, under the leadership of the Goodwill Ambassador.  

The UNIFEM Say NO to Violence Against Women ceremony was followed immediately by a national conference on finding innovative solutions, one year after the promulgation of the law on domestic violence in Thailand.  

Along with handover of signature, UNIFEM launches its anti-violence programme in Thailand. Working with Thai schools, the programme aims to work with youth to end violence against women.  

“The public awareness and support for the campaign in Thailand help make UNIFEM’s overall advocacy a resounding success. We are grateful to HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, our Goodwill Ambassador. This three-million-strong constituency provides us with the springboard for more substantive work to end violence against women,” said UNIFEM Regional Programme Director Jean D’Cunha. [Of some four million names from East and Southeast Asia, 3,123,679 are from Thailand; 911,685 from Vietnam; 205,000 from China and nearly 30,000 from East Timor, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia.]

Media Inquiries:
Supapohn Kanwerayotin
Communications Officer
UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, Bangkok
Supapohn.kanwerayotin[at]unifem.org

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