Advancing Gender Equality in Local Governance
Capacity Building on Local Governance for Gender Equality
Ms. Rattanawalee Mungmeedee, Hanns Seidel Foundation Thailand Representative, along with Asst. Prof. Dr. Dararat Khampeng from the School of Political and Social Sciences, University of Phayao, and the workshop participants.
The School of Political and Social Sciences, University of Phayao
The workshop addressed a pressing need in Thailand's local governance landscape. While the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2560 (2017) mandates gender equality promotion and the Gender Equality Act B.E. 2558 (2015) prohibits unjust discrimination, significant implementation gaps remain at the local level. Many local administrative organisations (LAOs) still struggle with limited understanding of gender and sexual diversity, as well as insufficient capacity to design and evaluate gender-responsive programmes.
“Local administrative organisations are the political institutions most closely connected to the people,” explained Asst. Prof. Dr. Dararat Khampeng from the School of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Phayao, who served as the project coordinator. “It is essential that local governance systematically integrates gender mainstreaming across all stages of the policy cycle — from planning to implementation and monitoring.”
This capacity building initiative also directly supports Thailand's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. By strengthening local governance capacity, the workshop contributes to creating more inclusive and equitable development outcomes at the grassroots level.
Day 1 Highlights:
The centerpiece of the first day was Asst. Prof. Dr. Dararat Khampeng's keynote session "Seeing Gender, Shaping Local Governance: Making Gender Visible in Local Decision-Making," which provided participants with essential conceptual frameworks for understanding gender dynamics in governance structures.
Following the keynote, participants worked in small group sessions facilitated by expert academics including Dr. Atittaya Duangampai, Dr. Krittiya Anuwong, and Ms. Kanyaporn Kanin, focusing on “From Problem to Pattern: Understanding Gender Equality Challenges in Local Contexts.”
The day included an important discussion on "Budgeting with a Gender Lens," led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Arunee Santitivanit from Ubon Ratchathani University's Faculty of Political Science, which demonstrated how financial planning can be reimagined through a gender-responsive approach.
Day 2: From Theory to Action
The second day emphasised practical application with Dr. Rakkiet Inthaptan's knowledge session "From Idea to Impact: Crafting Projects for Real Results," followed by intensive Project Lab workshops where participants developed concrete gender equality initiatives tailored to their local contexts.
The programme culminated in "7-Minute Pitch for Change" presentations, where participants showcased their newly developed project proposals, demonstrating their ability to translate learning into actionable plans for transforming local governance through gender equality initiatives.
This collaboration between the School of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Phayao and Hanns Seidel Foundation Thailand represents a model for international cooperation in advancing gender equality through education and capacity building. By combining local academic expertise with international development experience, the partnership creates sustainable pathways for ongoing learning and implementation.
A heartfelt thank you to all participants from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Phayao; Pong Saen Thong Subdistrict Women’s Community; Khelang Nakhon Police Station, Lampang Province; Ton Thong Chai Subdistrict Municipality; Ban Sadet Subdistrict Administrative Organisation; Ban Ni Community and Ban Wiang Community in Wiang Subdistrict, Chiang Kham District, Phayao Province; Pong Subdistrict Municipality; the Network for Building and Developing Communities (Sang Baan Pang Muang), Phayao Province; Phayao Provincial Administrative Organisation; Nong Lom Subdistrict Municipality; Mae Na Nuea Hospital; Phayao Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office; Ngim Subdistrict Municipality; Mae Ying Phayao Network; and Ban Tam Subdistrict Municipality Office, Phayao Province.
It is thus important for the Hanns Seidel Foundation Thailand to continue its collaboration and support in creating opportunities for all members of Thai society to participate fully in the democratic processes that shape their daily lives.
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