The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security organized the International Women's Day on March 7, 2008 at the Royal Navy Conference Center, Bangkok, Thailand. H.E. Somchai Wongsawasdi, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, presided over the ceremony and gave awards to the outstanding women.
This year, there were 15 awards given to the women who have been working to promote the rights of women. One of the awards, literally translated as an outstanding person from non-governmental organization working to promote the rights of women, was given to Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay, Regional Development Officer, Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific (DPI-AP). She is the first woman with a disability to receive this award in Thailand.
Ms. Saowalak Thongkuay has been mainstreaming herself in the movement of women's activities in general for several years in order to include the issues of women with disabilities to their agenda. Just recently, the National Human Rights Commission caught a sight of her indefatigable efforts and decided to propose her to receive the aforementioned award. However, for her, this is only the start. A lot of work on women with disabilities awaits.
