Building Pathways to Gender Equality and Sustainability through the Women’s Empowerment Principles

This Thailand Country Policy Brief entitled “Building Pathways to Gender Equality and Sustainability through the Women’s Empowerment Principles” provides guidance for governments, policymakers and regulators, as well as an analysis of current policies promoting gender equality in the business sector.

Building on from the joint research by UN Women and the International Labour Organization launched in 2021 entitled ‘Ecosystem Landscaping to advance the Accountability to implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles in ASEAN’, this Brief outlines opportunities to improve gender equality in business, particularly with regards to women in leadership and enterprise development in Thailand. It further makes recommendations focusing on three key priority areas in particular:   

• Accountability and reporting on gender- related indicators
• Women’s leadership in publicly listed companies
• Women’s entrepreneurship and women-owned businesses (WOB) and women-led businesses (WLB) through government and private-sector procurement

Guided by this brief, UN Women can work closely with ASEAN bodies to fast-forward the implementation of the WEPs. The Thailand Policy Brief not only benefits the national economy but also strategically contributes to wider ASEAN policy and business communities in improving gender equality and more inclusivity in the workplace, marketplace and community.

UN Women gratefully acknowledges the contribution and participation in key informant interviews and review process of several organization including the Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand and the Office of SMEs Promotion and other public and private organizations. This policy brief is produced in collaboration with Value for Women.