Madam President of Barnard College,
Director of the Woodrow Wilson Center,
Distinguished Panelists, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honour to be at Barnard College. I feel privileged to be amongst distinguished speakers at this event tonight, which has been co-organized by the Woodrow Wilson Centre, an organization whose leading work on women and other issues I support. Allow me to offer my apologies for not being able to stay until the end of the session as I have to attend another important event tonight.
It is nice to be here amongst fellow leaders. But it is always a special occasion for me to be amongst young students, as it is you who will dictate the future roles of women in the development of our society.
So let me speak to you from the heart.
For me, improving the welfare of women, promoting and protecting their rights, is not only natural but it is the right thing to do. Every woman is someone’s mother or daughter, sister or companion. They deserve respect, support and opportunity, like anyone else.
Women also make up more than half of the population in many countries, including Thailand. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that policy makers ensure equal opportunities for both men and women. This will allow for the entire population to drive economic growth and development.
My views on this issue as well as my policies have developed from my own personal experiences. I grew up in a family that owned small cinema business in northern part of Thailand. Since I was a young girl, my father always encouraged me to help out my mother, collecting tickets and parking fees. Now this may seem fun now but in those days it was not fun! This has not only allowed me to learn about being an entrepreneur but more importantly, I was given the opportunities pursue my own path in both business and politics.
However, throughout my career, I must admit that there were times that I was being judged or treated differently simply because of my gender. To succeed, I have had to work harder than others in order my work to be accepted. I found that, during times like these, women normally draw on our unique strength to meet these challenges. Do you agree with this? Indeed, I have had to rely on this strength both during my time at private companies, and now, as Prime Minister in promoting democracy and reconciliation in Thailand.
This experience has not only taught me the importance of opportunity but also that we need to work hard to achieve our goals. With this in mind, my policies are aimed at ensuring that women are given the opportunities and support to live productive and fulfilling lives.
This begins with ensuring good health, through the Universal Health Coverage for women, pregnant women and mothers during the early stages of the child life cycle. Better access to health care and medicine will be provided for pregnant women. We recognize the importance of healthy and happy mothers to the successful development of the child so we want to be as supportive as possible.
I have also stressed the importance of access to education where girls can develop their potential further and where better understanding of gender issues could be promoted. In Thailand, more women than men graduate from college, so this is a good sign. Education not only increases opportunities but also helps reduce chances of violence against women.
For woman empowerment, I have also launched the Women Development Fund to provide women with greater access to funding, giving them the chance to generate income through their own businesses. Apart from financial aid, this fund is managed in a democratic manner where people are elected from local areas, allowing them to be leaders in developing their own community. More importantly, this initiative offers consultations and advice to woman suffering from abuse and domestic violence.
I also support the work of the United Nations and related organizations to help advance the rights and welfare of women in the global community, including the “Every Woman, Every Child Project” of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Let me conclude by saying that I sincerely believe that when given the opportunity, women have the strength to make a big difference. On average, we may not be as physically strong as men, but we have many other qualities, such as better willingness to listen and seek compromise. Don’t you agree? In the end, our society will benefit as qualities of men and women complement one another.
May I wish all of you much success, and happiness, in your academic and professional careers.
Thank you.