Bangkok, Thailand — The Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA), in collaboration with the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) – Thailand for Women’s Rights, and the Gender and Development Studies (GDS), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, successfully convened a regional research seminar entitled “Charting Progress: Gender, Human Rights, Peace and Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia (SEA)”, held on 20–21 January 2026 in Bangkok.
“At a time when our region is facing multiple crises, from conflict and inequality to democratic and development challenges, this seminar affirms that rigorous and regionally grounded research is not optional; it is essential,” said Dr. Vachararutai Boontinand, Executive Director of SHAPE-SEA. “When we bring together scholars, practitioners, and policy actors across Southeast Asia, we ensure that knowledge is co-created and does not remain on paper, but informs policies and actions that advance gender equality, human rights, and sustainable peace.”
In 2025, ASEAN reaffirmed its commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing+30) by aligning it with regional priorities through existing ASEAN instruments on gender equality, women’s empowerment, human rights, peace and security, and sustainable development. This renewed alignment placed emphasis on women’s leadership, gender-responsive governance, protection from gender-based violence, women’s economic justice, and women’s roles in peacebuilding and conflict prevention. The ASEAN Member States’ participation in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, held in Bangkok in November 2024, underscored both notable progress and continuing gaps in implementation. While Beijing+30 marked a significant milestone in 2025, its relevance extends beyond commemoration. For ASEAN and its Member States, the framework signals an ongoing commitment, with effective implementation remaining critical to achieving tangible and sustained outcomes.
As part of SHAPE-SEA’s commitment to address knowledge gaps by producing evidence-based knowledge and synthesizing existing knowledge, the thematic study on Gender, Human Rights, Peace, and Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia was launched in early 2025 in collaboration with Gender and Development Studies at AIT. Twenty expert academics and researchers from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia came together for a workshop to identify key research priorities and developed a collaborative research framework. During this session, the representative of Thailand to the ACWC also shared perspectives on key gender issues in the region.
“Advancing women’s rights and gender equality in Southeast Asia requires more than commitments—it requires evidence, collaboration, and sustained dialogue across sectors,” said H.E. Dr. Ratchada Jayagupta, Representative of Thailand to the ACWC for Women’s Rights. “This regional seminar provides an important space to translate research into concrete policy pathways that respond to the realities of women and communities across our region.”
On 20–21 January, the regional research seminar addressed pressing regional challenges including human trafficking, climate and environmental issues, technology-driven gender-based violence, and the vulnerability of women and girls, alongside the pursuit of inclusive peace processes and foreign policies. These issues continue to pose complex challenges across Southeast Asia for affected communities, academia, and government and non-governmental stakeholders, including policymakers. The discussions emphasized evidence-based, cross-country, and interdisciplinary research as a foundation for collective progress in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, while strengthening regional dialogue on gender, human rights, peace, and sustainable development. The ACWC welcomed the potential for the research recommendations to inform and be applied in key priority areas of its work and mandate.
–
Indo Thai News brings you the latest stories from Thailand and Asia—covering Travel, Lifestyle, Entertainment, and more.
Want your business, brand, or event to be featured? Submit Your Press Release to Indo Thai News and share your story with our growing community.