APTN is proud to work with Thai trans and gender diverse communities in amplifying their advocacy throughout Thailand’s 2025 CEDAW review process.
APTN, TransEqual, Young Pride Club, and the Thai Transgender Alliance for Human Rights (TGA) made a joint CSO submission to the 91st Session of the CEDAW Committee, a key process reviewing Thailand’s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
The submission highlighted concerns regarding the human rights of trans and gender diverse communities in Thailand, including the lack of legal gender recognition across many policies, insufficient legal protection from violence, anti-sex-work legislation, discriminatory education policies, and limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It also presented recommendations urging the State to address these issues and uphold accountability for our rights.
From 16-20 June 2025, one of our partners, Katy Suhongsa from TGA, attended the review session onsite in Geneva, gaining opportunities to engage with CEDAW Committee members and Thai government officials to raise awareness of the human rights concerns faced by trans communities.
“I had the opportunity to deliver a statement during an oral briefing with the CEDAW Committee and government representatives, engage directly with Committee members, and collaborate with Thai civil society movements and international organizations involved in the process. With support from APTN, Women Fund Asia,International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, Sexual Rights Initiatives, and Thai CSOs, my first-time engagement with CEDAW at the UN in Geneva exceeded my expectations.”
“TGA welcomes the recommendations issued by the CEDAW Committee urging Thailand to strengthen protections for trans and gender diverse communities across many aspects of life–especially the recommendation calling on the State to enact a gender recognition law aligned with the Convention. This allows us to move forward with confidence in holding Thailand accountable through UN processes including UPR in 2026, and advancing meaningful progress on legal gender recognition, based on our CSO proposal and in line with a self-affirming model.”
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