March 8 every year is International Women’s Day (IWD)! This year we continue to celebrate women and girls around the world that lead fights for injustice. The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” This theme aligns with one of our ongoing projects, Social Empowerment For Gender Equality, in which we aim to promote gender equality for all genders in Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Awareness Parade on IWD 2022
On International Women’s Day this year, we hosted an awareness parade on ending violence against women and children with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The parade walked from Chiangkhong Teak Garden Riverfront Hotel to Khong Khao Market. Stickers with hotline numbers for reporting cases of violence against women and children were handed out during the parade to the public and business owners. In addition, Hmong women participate in the parade with their Hmong traditional attires to claim their rights.
Photo: Center For Girls Foundation
A Message From CFG’s Founder
“Gender equality is a topic that concerns everyone. Our work aims to influence new perspectives on this topic to lead a pathway of equality for all gender. We strive to create an equal society by implementing a new feminist idea that men and women are companions in building equality together.” – Nunnaree Luangmoi
Photo: Center For Girls Foundation
Impacts You Can Make on IWD 2022
- Share unpaid care and domestic work in the household
- Call out sexism and harassment
- Reject the binary
- Demand an equal work culture
- Exercise your political rights
- Shop responsibly
- Amplify feminist books, movies, and more
- Teach girls their worth
- Challenge what it means to “be a man”
- Commit to a cause
- Challenge beauty standards
- Respect the choices of others
- Donate to or fundraise for female-focused charities and NGOs
What We’ve Done to Promote Gender Equality
Since the Social Empowerment For Gender Equality project started, we hosted training and workshops on gender equality, gender roles, and gender fluidity for women leaders and local governments in the Chiang Khong district. Center For Girls (CFG) also hosted workshops for vocational skills such as soap-making, dishwasher making, and photography for marketing. We hosted workshops on savings for Hmong and Lahu ethnic women to empower them to become financially independent. The aims of all the workshops are to empower women, educate women, and promote gender equality within the communities.
Our Plan For Women in Chiang Khong
One of the objectives of the Social Empowerment For Gender Equality project is to establish Mae Ying Chiang Khong Council. We are thrilled to announce that the council will be formed and in action in 2022. The Mae Ying Chiang Khong Council will work to improve women’s quality of life in Chiang Khong, Thailand. One of its main duty is to protect and help women from all forms of violence. CFG is excited to help form this council and to see the sustainable change this council will make.
– Wanwarin Yensuk
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Not able to donate today? Look for opportunities in your community to work against gender-based violence and human trafficking, as these are universal issues.