Thai civil society to take centre stage at Diplomatic Dialogue
On 16 March 2016, a UPR Inclusive Diplomatic Dialogue between Thai local groups and diplomats on the human rights situation in Thailand will take place in Bangkok, organised by UPR Info Asia, the Thai CSOs Coalition for the UPR and the Embassy of Switzerland, with support from the EU Delegation in Thailand.
Two months ahead of Thailand’s 2nd UPR, the inclusive diplomatic dialogue will be hosted to ensure local voices can be heard and to guarantee the UPR Recommendations formulated by Recommending States to the Royal Thai Government reflect local communities’ needs. As of today, the UPR is the only Political Process which effectively brings solutions from local groups to the Government, with UN Member States acting as the main Bridge.
The objective of the inclusive dialogue is to give the opportunity to local human defenders to present on the human rights situation in Thailand. Civil society representatives will provide diplomats with the necessary evidence-based information and SMART recommendations they would need leading up to Thailand’s 2nd UPR Cycle, in order to improve the human rights situation on the ground.
The inclusive diplomatic dialogue will focus on Specific and Actionable UPR recommendations for all human rights issues with representatives from all sectors: Economic, Social & Cultural Rights; Human Rights Defenders in the Deep South; Land Rights Defenders; Civil and Political Rights; Women’s Rights; Rights of the Child, and Marginalized Communities (such as the LGBTI community, Indigenous Peoples, urban poor, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, migrant workers, victims of human trafficking, women living with HIV, persons with disabilities and the elderly.