Speech
HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand at the Press Conference for the Launch of Network of Men Leaders
By Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, HRH Princess of Thailand
Date: 24 November 2009
Occasion: Launch of Network of Men Leaders on the Occasion of the Official UN Observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 24 November 2009
Your Excellency Mr. Ban-Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Your Excellency Mr. Knut Storberget, Minister of Justice and Police of Norway,
Ms. Ghida Anani,
Distinguished Members of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On this auspicious day of the 10th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, I have a pleasure to be invited to speak at the launch of the “Network of Men Leaders.” Engaging men and boys to commit themselves to ending such violence is crucial and long overdue. As such, I sincerely congratulate the Secretary-General for his personal commitment to reinvigorate his UNiTE campaign towards this new and exciting direction.
Violence against women is a violation of their human rights and dignity, both in public and private life. It is a global phenomenon that must be urgently addressed through our collective efforts. While there may be no one-size-fits-all solutions, I strongly believe that prevention can be as effective as the cure, if not better. So it is encouraging when men leaders have resolved to confront gender-based violence head on, particularly through fostering the culture of tolerance and respect for women. I believe that involving men leaders is the right direction to go.
On the symbolic level, this new network will send out a strong signal that violence against women will not be tolerated. For the dynamic aspect of the global campaign, this is a welcome addition to our on-going effort. For one thing, this network will provide us with a means to reach out to a wider target group. But perhaps more importantly, the focus on men and boys will re-shape the basic architecture of the campaign into a more inclusive and therefore, a more balanced one.
As UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador, I would like to share some of my experience in implementing the “Say No to Violence against Women” campaign in Thailand last year. For starters, we set up the campaign’s website to rally for the support of the Thai public through their signatures. This was further popularized by various public relations means such as TV interviews and commercials, radio spots, billboards, and the use of “whistle” as a symbol. We also staged events such as “bicycle caravan” and “Role Model Contest” to raise awareness about the cause.
From my own experience working for the campaign, I have witnessed change in attitude and the impact of this change on the campaign dynamic. One prime example is the project we undertook in close collaboration with UNIFEM on the prevention of violence against women among school children. The idea is to engage school children to rethink about the norms and values that condone the practice of violence against women. Boys and girls were given free reign to tailor their own activities which helped create the environment of openness and empathy in school. Through this type of youth-initiated activities and review of school curriculum, young students are sensitized towards the change in their ideas, perceptions, values, and behaviors that generate gender-based violence. No doubt, such inculcation will come a long way towards strengthening the immune system of our next generation.
So as we launch the new phase of the UNiTE campaign, let this be the new environment where men and women leaders work side by side to replace the mindset of masculinity with one of gender sensitivity. Thailand stands ready to cooperate with the United Nations on this important initiative.
Thank you very much.
