LocationsBreaking Barriers: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Representation in Parliament and Across Sectors in ASEAN and Thailand at the 2025 International Women’s Day Film Talk
March 11, 2025
Bangkok, 7 March 2025 – In celebration of International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Sanya Dharmasakti Institute for Democracy at Thammasat University, the SF Corporation Public Company Limited, and the Mirror Thailand come together to celebrate the progress of women’s leadership in political and professional spheres at the 2025 International Women’s Day Film Talk: Breaking Barriers, Redefining Norms, held at SF World Cinema, Centralworld.
The Film Talk features a screening of the documentary RBG, which follows the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a former associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The film chronicles her journey from a law student facing gender discrimination to a lawyer advocating for women’s rights and equality, ultimately becoming the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Building on the film’s narrative, the event provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to reflect on and debate the gender biases deeply rooted in societal norms, cultures, and beliefs that continue to hinder women’s career advancement and leadership. The WFD and UNDP also propose practical approaches and solutions for advancing women’s leadership in politics, including stronger anti-harassment policies, equitable campaign financing, independent grievance mechanisms, gender equality training, and accessible childcare. These measures require a collective effort from lawmakers, political parties, civil society, and voters and are crucial to leveling the playing field for women.
Visaradee Techateerawat, Chairperson of the Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus
Visaradee Techateerawat, Chairperson of the Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus said “This year marks another significant step for the Thai Parliament and the Thai Women Parliamentarians Caucus in continuously advancing gender equality and women's political participation. We aim to create spaces that support and amplify women's voices, making them stronger and more influential in every sphere of society.”
Katchada Prommachan, Country Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)
Katchada Prommachan, Country Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), stressed that all genders play a crucial role in promoting gender equality. "Collaborative efforts by all genders can promote and drive increased women's participation and leadership at all levels."
Suvannee Chinchiewchan, Chief Operating Officer of SF Corporation Public Company Limited
Suvannee Chinchiewchan, Chief Operating Officer of SF Corporation Public Company Limited, emphasized the significance of this collaboration. “SF Cinema is truly proud to be part of redefining norms on International Women’s Day through the International Women’s Day Film Talk 2025. Today, the film industry is becoming more inclusive, promoting equal opportunities for all genders—whether actors, screenwriters, crew members, or directors—who all play vital roles both in front of and behind the camera. At the same time, many films serve as powerful voices, emphasizing the importance of women's participation and gender equality in society.”
Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand
Niamh Collier-Smith, UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand, said, “In commemoration of International Women’s Day, I congratulate Thailand and all women for every milestone achieved in the long-standing fight for the rights of all women and girls, which has led to increased women’s participation and leadership in key roles across the country. However, despite this progress, climate change, the digital divide, and deep-rooted inequalities continue to exacerbate gender inequality. UNDP, the Thai Parliament, and our partners are therefore working to strengthen women’s leadership, particularly in political spheres, ensuring that women are represented and have a voice in the creation of laws and policies that leave no one behind.”
Dr. Theerarat Samretwanich, Deputy Minister of Interior
Dr. Theerarat Samretwanich, Deputy Minister of Interior, emphasized the importance of women's representation in various areas, especially in politics, through her keynote speech on ‘The Power of Women's Representation in Driving Change’ "The role of women in this era of change is not only about generating income but also about fostering economic security, reducing inequality, and building a more equitable society."
In addition, the International Women’s Day Film Talk features a roundtable discussion on “For All Women and Girls: Breaking Barriers, Redefining Norms,” bringing together panelists representing diverse genders and sectors, including Dr. Pratoom Wongsawasdi, Member of the Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus; Prof. Dr. Chalidaporn Songsamphan from Thammasat University’s Faculty of Political Science; Soupy Rathanamongkolmas, Vice President for South Asia at Universal Pictures; Nachale Boonyapisomparn, Chairperson of the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights; Sataporn Pongpipatwatana, Head of Communications at the Thailand Institute of Justice; and Aran Nongpon, a podcaster. The discussion revisits gender biases that limit women’s leadership opportunities and highlights the importance of women’s representation in key roles. Beyond increasing numbers, representation ensures diverse perspectives are included in addressing interconnected challenges, such as environmental, economic, and social issues, ultimately leading to inclusive policies that consider the different impacts on all genders and intersecting identities.
Despite the increasing presence of female leadership in Thailand, gender biases continue to hinder women’s participation in crucial decision-making roles. The IPU’s 2025 Global Data on National Parliaments reveals that only 27.2% of parliamentarians worldwide are women. In ASEAN countries, this number drops to 23%, with women occupying only 19.40% of seats in Thailand’s House of Representatives, ranking 127th out of 168 countries globally. At the sub-national level, women hold only 13.9% of Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) positions and 17.11% of PAO Chairperson roles.
These figures reflect deeply rooted gender biases within society. According to the UNDP’s 2023 Gender Social Norms Index, which covers 85% of the global population, nearly 9 out of 10 men and women hold fundamental biases against women. In the realm of politics, 49% of the global population believes that men make better political leaders than women. Additionally, women are often judged more harshly than their male counterparts.
To address these challenges, UNDP, the Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus, the Embassy of Canada, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), and the Sanya Dharmasakti Institute for Democracy are actively working to enhance women’s representation and advance women’s leadership in politics. This includes promoting women’s roles in parliamentary committees and raising awareness within the Thai Parliament about fostering an inclusive working environment for all genders. These efforts aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, which envisions a society free from discrimination against women in all its forms and guarantees women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities in leadership at all levels of political, economic, and public decision-making.
Learn more about Gender Social Norm Index, click here.
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For further information:
Thai Women Parliamentarian Caucus
02242 5900 ext. 5244
Chompunut Chalieobun, Regional Programme Manager, WFD
Kantima Singhanu, Head of Academic Department, SDID TU
Karnklon Raktham, Head of Communications, UNDP Thailand
Varinda Vijchulata, Social & PR Manager, SF Corporation Public Company Limited
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