Children's rights

“Thailand is becoming the fastest ageing society in Southeast Asia. Thailand is becoming an ageing society as fast as Japan did 25 years ago, but when Japan became an ageing society at that time, they earned five times more per capita than in Thailand,” Thomas Davin, former UNICEF Representative in Thailand who completed his term at the end of…, Child Support Grant, This cash transfer scheme was something that UNICEF has been pushing forward to the government for years, and the policy was finally approved in 2015.  “The Child Support Grant is based on the idea that children in poor families live more difficult lives, so the Thai government decided to subsidize families with children. Initially starting from…, Adolescent Pregnancy, Another success for Thailand was decreasing the number of adolescent pregnancies. “Five years ago, when I arrived in Thailand, the problem of adolescent pregnancy was of great concern. Every year, hundreds of thousands of teenagers give birth and often have to leave the education system and face various difficulties in life. Going back to school…, Children without parental care and skipped-generation families, The latest UNICEF survey with the National Statistical Office shows that 1 in 4 children aged 0-17 years in Thailand grow up without parental care. This is because their parents have to migrate for work, leaving them under their grandparent’s care. This is most common in the northeast. However, while children are developing, they need their parent…, Education Reform, Thomas said that five years ago, he found that the Thai government was very determined to reform the education system after the decrease in scores on the Programme for International Student Assessment. “This is a sign that alerts us that we have to re-design the curriculum. The curriculum must be different, and it should provide children with…, Mental Health Problems, Technology has brought new knowledge and ways of learning to children, but it has also brought on new challenges. “Young people today are going through different times, being the hope of their country… they should feel our support, they should feel safe and trusted, we should be ready to help them in their future paths.” “Youth today live in a…, Violence against children in the family and community, The 2019 survey of the situation of children and women in Thailand found that more than half of the children surveyed had been subjected to violent punishment both physically and mentally. This violence will have negative effects on children in the long term.  “But these children who have been subjected to violence have fallen out of the service…, Looking towards the future: How can we improve the quality of life for children in Thailand?, Thomas thinks that it has to start with making the development of children and youth a national priority. This must be done systematically and continuously. We must also ensure that our policies are effectively implemented and accessible to every child, especially for the most vulnerable and those who lack opportunities. “Everything that has been…

As the COVID-19 pandemic raged and waves of social change swelled, UNICEF was there — working nonstop to save, protect and improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in Thailand and around the world. Despite unprecedented challenges, this year was also one in which great strides were made for children’s rights. Take a look back at…, Responding to COVID-19, The pandemic has unleashed an unprecedented crisis, exposing and exacerbating existing inequalities and injustices. During this year of many lost lives and livelihoods, supporting those in need was more important than ever. UNICEF delivered critical supplies to help protect children and families in schools, early childhood development centres,…, Continuing our mission for a better life for every child, The pandemic caused major disruption but did not spell defeat for our progress for children’s rights. We evolved to meet these new challenges – by going online during lockdown and growing volunteer power. We launched The Sound of Happiness podcast and album with Thailand’s Department of Mental Health and JOOX Thailand to normalize mental health…

In 2019, UNICEF celebrated 30 years since the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This milestone provided a platform to hail the enormous progress made by Thailand in improving children’s lives over the last decades, as well as to highlight the challenges that remain. In this context, the country hosted the…

This report comprises of online learning as well as scholarship and student loan resources for learners in preschool to university levels to help children and young people to learn and thrive during the time of Covid-19 and beyond. 40 online learning resources were selected from websites, applications, and YouTube with contents in Thai and English…

Suthat Namgasa is relieved to discover he still has one packet of instant noodles in his relief bag. He will eat tonight, but he has no idea how he will find the money to pay the next instalment on his taxi. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 51-year-old taxi driver has stopped working. He was simply wasting his time and fuel driving his taxi…

Thailand has a progressive and generous education policy that mandates 15 years of free education for all children, whether they are Thai nationals, undocumented migrants or stateless children. The enrolment of migrant and stateless children in Thai public schools has increased markedly since the landmark 1999 Education for All Policy and 2005…

BANGKOK, 11 December 2019 – More than 40 celebrities in Thailand are joining UNICEF in its second “Blue Carpet Show for UNICEF’ – a variety television show that aims to raise awareness on challenges facing children in Thailand and across the world, and to mobilize public support for children in need.    The show, which will go live on the coming…

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an important agreement by countries who have promised to protect children’s rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child explains who children are, all their rights, and the responsibilities of governments. All the rights are connected, they are all equally important and they cannot…

It has been 30 years since the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) first come into place. The CRC is an international agreement adopted in 1989 and, with 196 signatory parties, it is the world's most widely ratified international human rights agreement. World leaders came together to make this historic agreement making a promise to every…, The Convention, A  child is every individual below the age of 18 (unless in countries where the law applicable to the child differs) and are entitled to every right stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Thailand acceded to on the 12th February 1992. This means the government is obliged to take action to ensure that every child in the…, Child Rights We Should All Know, The Convention on the Rights of the Child comprises four main pillars - the right to survival, the right to protection, the right to development and the right to participation. These rights are based on the non-discrimination principle and all actions must be in line with the best interest of children. Let’s have a look into the details of each…, Because we value…the voice of the child, Not every child can enjoy their rights. When this happens, what can we do? In Thailand, there are still too many children being left behind as a result of the right deprivation. Over 11% of children under five are stunted. About 15% of children aged 3-5 do not have access to early childhood development. At least 14% of children in high school are…

These 4 kids have something they want to say to everyone listening, Nutt - a child who created the 'Klongtoey Society' for a better future of the community Mint - a child who fights to change students' lives Dee - a child who takes a stand on the global environment crisis "Support children, let their voices be heard as they are standing up to make a difference"  , A little voice to be heard by all, After all…it’s a little big world for children We were all children once, and sometimes we cannot help but look back longingly to the times of our childhood. When we see children today, what do we ponder? If we look at the children with our inner childhood’s hearts, we will see that every child is a member of the society who is entitled to every…, Share Your Voice, & Show your Support, Join us and show your support for child participation by sharing your views on these stories. Your comments will become part of a new flag of empowerment, our symbol of support for the right to participation, for every child. ภาพโปรไฟล์ของเพจ แม่จ๋าๆ พามาตาไปเที่ยวหน่อย @matamatalyn Follow the many adventures of Mata and her mother.  Learn about…

This report presents a Child Multidimensional Poverty Index (Child MPI) for Thailand. The Child MPI was developed to capture key aspects of deprivation for children aged 0-17 years. Understanding multidimensional child poverty will allow policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to make the most effective investments in order to build human…

Bangkok, 21 June 2019 – Led by Thomas Davin (3 rd from left), UNICEF Representative for Thailand and Dawn Gosling (4 th from left), Chief of Private Sector Fundraising and Partnerships, UNICEF Thailand today launches “UNICEF NextGen Thailand”, a new initiative bringing together networks of Thailand’s young generation who commit their resources,…