Access to Justice for Muslim Women in the Southernmost Provinces of Thailand
Date:
The National Seminar on Proposed Practical Guidelines on the Protection and Promotion of Access to Justice for Malay Muslim Women in the Southernmost Provinces of Thailand was held in Bangkok on 21st April 2015.
The seminar examined problems and barriers that prevent access to justice of Muslim women in the Thai Southern-border provinces - Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Satun.
Since 1946, the Thai law has specified that the Islamic laws can be applied when both parties are Muslim. In such cases, the Muslim law comes in place of the relevant provisions of the Thai civil and Commercial Code. This establishes a system whereby Datoh Justices join the Court of First Instance and provide the Court with an interpretation of Islamic principles and their application to an interpretation of relevant Islamic principles, rather than circumstances at hand. Islamic law principles, as a result, apply on matters such as marriage, divorce, determinations of personal status and inheritance.
The seminar was jointly organized by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, the Sheikhul Islam Office, the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace, Payap University, Foundation For Women, Justice for Peace Foundation, the Faculty of Political Science, Prince Songkla University, Pattani Campus and UN Women Thailand with support from the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada and the Embassy of Canada to Thailand.
For more information contact:
Dr. Ratchada Jayagupta
National Programme Officer
Tel: +66 2 288 2474
Email: ratchada.jayagupta@unwomen.org
