Globalization has allowed for disparate groups around the world to join together and fight for social justice. As various countries sign on international human rights conventions, and as social movements increasingly turn to a rights-based approach, there has been a growing interest on the part of both academics and activists to understand the possibilities and limits of a rights-based approach, and to find effective ways to use a rights framework.
Thailand’s experience with frequent military coups, a succession of constitutions, and a weak system of rule of law has created a culture of impunity and infringed on the country’s international obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Thailand is also a signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); although uneven political development of democratic structures has led to environmental degradation, the decline of rural communities and livelihoods, and an increase of social and economic inequality. At the same time, a lively NGO (nongovernmental organization) community continues to push for greater democratization and respect for human rights. This seminar looks at the historical, social, and political context of human rights in Thailand, the present challenges to democratization and authoritarian legacies, and the possibilities for using a human rights framework for social justice in Thailand.
The seminar is very “hands-on,” with participants visiting and sharing with those directly involved in human rights violations, and the government agencies empowered to protecting them. The seminar is also designed to be interactive, with participants playing a role in critiquing the present situation, making recommendations, and laying out certain common strategies for greater realization of human rights in Thailand.
