BANGKOK – The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) in collaboration with the Institute for Population and Social Research, Chulalongkorn University, Chula Art Project, and the World Bank conducted a workshop that resulted in the white paper “Family Stability on Top, Stop Demographic Crises.”
Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Social Development and Human Security stated that the MSDHS will submit the white paper which contains key solutions to sort out the demographic crises derived from the discussions of executives and representatives from public and private sectors, international organizations, experts, academia, and the media through the World Café conversational session.
Significant and urgent measures to strengthen Thai family institutions regarding five subgroup discussions are
1) Working-age populations – aim at empowering people of working age to stand their ground, take care of their own families, and be ready to be aged gracefully. This should be implemented through measures on skill and potential development (reskill/upskill), creation of job opportunities in communities, promotion of compulsory savings, and support for a healthy work-life balance through providing day-time nursery, child care, and elderly care service or center, offering parental leaves, flexible work arrangements, and promoting equal sharing of domestic and care responsibilities in a family etc.
2) Children and youth – aim to improve the quality and productivity of children and youth guided by the goal “fewer children, overfill quality”. Urgent measures in response to this are strengthening family institutions and educational institutions; taking care of the physical and mental health of children and mothers since pregnancy; establishing an early-childhood care center with support from the community; developing life- and professional skills according to age; and promoting the use of technology and innovation for lifelong learning.
3) The elderly – Focus on turning population ageing into an opportunity by empowering older persons to be active citizens. This could be done by measures on ‘health prevention better than cure’, providing employment opportunities, extending the retirement age, building necessary digital literacy among the older population, and creating an ageing-friendly infrastructure and environment in daily life.
4) Persons with Disabilities – aim to create opportunities for and raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs). Significant and immediate actions must be implemented, such as expanding educational opportunities, increasing employment of PwDs in all sectors; empowering individuals with disabilities; providing them with full, equitable, and fair access to services and benefits; preventing birth defects and disabilities in all age groups; improving rehabilitation; and fostering a universal-design environment that encourages independent living
5) Ecosystem for family stability – aim at creating an appropriate environment for family stability through significant and immediate actions, such as providing family support services and an inclusive and appropriate welfare system; creating a livable community for all; housing for all; promoting the household economy; and replenishing the natural world by encouraging the Green Economy and ceasing to damage the environment.
The minister concluded that the white paper called “Developing Thai Family Security to Strengthen Human Security” prepared by the MSDHS will be presented to the cabinet for approval by April 2567 (2024).
It will further be announced at the 57th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD57) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, USA, from April 29 to May 3, 2567 (2024).
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