Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay
It was an emotional moment for all of us on International Women’s Day 2008 when Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay, Regional Development Officer heading our Disabled Peoples’ International Asia/Pacific (DPI A/P) team, graciously accepted her award and trophy presented "by Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej - as an outstanding person from an NGO working to promote the human rights of Women with Disabilities" within Thailand and throughout the Asia/Pacific region.
As a person with physical disability Ms. Saowalak understands clearly the specific issues related to women with disabilities, working tirelessly towards the goal of equal rights, equal opportunity and particularly to ensure their full participation in mainstream activities, in policy and decision making, from local community to national and regional levels.
Left to right : Ms. Saowalak (RDO DPI A/P),
Ms. Kerry (ABV),
Mr Sawang (Asst to RDO DPI A/P),
Ms. Mai (Long term volunteer DPI A/P)
Our DPI A/P team - four females and one male in wheelchairs, others with hearing and speech impairment, with physical disability, together with non-disabled supporters including the writer, a proud ABV Volunteer Advisor nine weeks into her three month posting with DPI A/P - spent much of the day networking with many of the close to 600 participating at this Thai International Women’s Day event held on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the Royal Thai Navy Club Conference Center Bangkok.
Receiving awards on the day were inspiring Thai women and men working in support of violence against women, reproductive health and HIV-AIDS prevention, environment protection, sexuality issues within schools and campus, together with soap opera actors and media personalities from local TV programs, “The Forgotten Woman” and “Daily Danger”, focusing on women’s rights.
Ms. Supattaporn Tanatikom
This day of celebration of women across the globe provided an opportunity for us not only to network with those present at the Bangkok event but also to ensure ‘our voice’ was heard throughout Thailand, as the day’s activities were televised by all major Thai TV channels which included interviews with Ms Saowalak, and with our long term volunteer team member Ms Supattaporn Tanatikom (Mai). As one of the most severely disabled women in Thailand, paralyzed from the neck down, Mai further ensured ‘our voice’ was heard by participating in a panel discussion on violence against women.
For each member of the DPI A/P team International Women’s Day 2008 will long remain in our memories. Why? Because not only did women with disabilities fully participate for the first time in Thai International Women’s Day celebrations but also, in presenting this award to Khun Saowalak, society has acknowledged not only her many great achievements but also the continuing commitment to fight for the rights of women with disabilities throughout the region by our Disabled Peoples’ International Asia/Pacific team and support volunteers.
