Background :

In the midst of global development, it is necessary to consider the various conditions and processes which shape different peoples’ lives. The effects of economic, political, and social development upon people, especially women, are significant. Women constitute more than half of the world’s population and must be taken into account.

The importance that the field of social sciences places on the study of women, and exchanges and discussions on their issues, must be encouraged and supported so that this field can keep pace with other studies. Educational institutions are responsible for acquiring knowledge and expertise in women’s studies and disseminating them to the wider community in an effort towards gender equality and protection of women’s human rights. This process requires a systematic and thorough analysis of the roles and social status of women at all levels.

Women’s Studies has received increasing attention in the past few decades since the United Nations designated 1975 as International Women’s Year, with the objective of promoting equality between men and women and encouraging women’s participation in the development and maintenance of world peace. Subsequently, the United Nations declared the years of 1975-1985 as the Women’s Decade. During this time, there was more attention paid to women’s economic, political, and social roles and capabilities. As a result, member states were requested to set up national machineries for the advancement of women. Thailand responded to this in its Fifth National Economic and Social Development Plan, which took place from 1982-1986. It was at this time that the Thai government designated women as a special target group.

In 1986, members of the Faculty of Social Sciences started up an unofficial Women’s Studies Program at Chiangmai University (CMU). Their efforts started to bear fruit in August of 1993, when the Women’s Studies Center (WSC) was officially established and recognized as a new department under the Faculty of Social Sciences. It is the first Women’s Studies Center in the country. Through its work, the WSC has attempted to address three specific issues from feminist perspectives: law, human rights, and development. The main aspects of the center are its Information Center, the Women’s Studies Masters Program, and the Feminist Research Training/Paralegal Training for Rural Women in Northern Thailand. The center also coordinates and organizes workshops, trainings, conferences, and lectures for local, national, and international audiences, runs a Women on Film Project, and has a weekly radio program entitled “Not the Hind Legs of the Elephant.

Objectives:

  • To promote women’s perspectives
  • To encourage studies and research relating to women and women’s issues
  • To collect information to establish a source of data and knowledge about women
  • To create and engage in academic exchanges regarding women’s issues
  • To network with other organizations in working towards the development of women
  • To encourage capacity building between women at various levels

Strategies:

  • To develop a Women’s Studies Graduate Program curriculum
  • To pursue studies and research into women’s problems
  • To collect information and undertake documentary work relating to women, especially northern Thai women
  • To disseminate information and research findings through various means (i.e. trainings, mass media, exhibitions, and other forum)
  • To create opportunities for exchanges between academics and other organizations (i.e. workshops, symposia, and lectures)
  • To develop programs to empower grassroots women and support women’s groups

Women’s Studies M.A. Program:

Thailand’s Eighth National Education Development plan (1997-2001) approved the establishment of a Women’s Studies graduate program at Chiang Mai University. In 2000, the Women’s Studies Center launched the first Women’s Studies M.A. program in Thailand. It seeks to address the needs of NGO workers, government officials, students, and academics who wish to expand their knowledge of women’s issues. It also serves as a site for the cultivation of Thai Women’s Studies knowledge, as students and teaching associates are expected to relate their life experiences and the evolving Thai women’s movement, to feminist theory and praxis worldwide.

Chair :  Pikul Ittihirunwong

Feminist Research Training:

The Center’s Feminist Research Training Project has targeted approximately twenty people (mainly academics and NGO workers) for each training session since 1989. The goal of the project is to utilize research as a tool for social change and women’s empowerment. Research takes place after the training and the results are presented and published for public use.

Paralegal Training:

In conjunction with the Feminist Research Training Project, the WSC also provides Paralegal Training for rural women in northern Thailand. The objectives of this project are:

  • To introduce feminist legal perspectives to rural women leaders
  • To emphasize the significance of constitutional protection of  women’s human rights
  • To establish/strengthen networks among rural women’s groups
  • To introduce policy intervention strategies to rural women’s groups 
  • To form a base for strong the women’s human rights movement at the grassroots level
  • To bridge the gap between academic institutions and grassroots women’s movements
  • To advocate for women’s human rights in political/legal areas
  • To influence policies on women’s human rights protection

International Collaboration : 

  • Exchange Programs with Wheaton College, State University of New York at Buffalo, and the University of Philippines
  • Links with the Norwegian Association of Women Jurists
  • Academic Links with the University of Utrecht in Amsterdam
  • Fulbright Scholars from the University of Washington, the University of North Carolina, and Wesleyan University

Information Center : 

The Information Center, the largest of its kind in Thailand, houses volumes of English and Thai books relating to women’s issues policy documents, theses, and newsletters from various women’s organizations worldwide. It has 13,000 books, journals and reports, and collections of slides, video tapes, and audio tapes. Over the years, the WSC has also produced its own publications in both Thai and English. The Information Center is open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:30-16:30 (closed on public holidays).

Publications :

To disseminate knowledge engendered by women’s studies research and training programmes, the WSC has produced publications in both the Thai and English languages. The publications listed below have been disseminated to partner organizations of the WSC. They are also available for interested individuals at listed prices. To purchase, please contact wsc@cmu.ac.th,         or visit our website at http://wsc.soc.cmu.ac.th/index.html

List of  WSC’s English Publications:

  1. Daily Newspaper Clipping on Women and HIV/AIDS:1994
  2. Daily Newspaper Clipping on Women and HIV/AIDS:1995-1996
  3. Daily Newspaper Clipping on Women and HIV/AIDS:1997-1998
  4. Domestic Violence Against Women : Focusing on Masculinity and male Perpetrators
  5. Families and the Economic Aspects of HIV/AIDS
  6. Impact of the Deforestation and Reforestation Program on Household Survival Strategies and Women’s Work : The Case of the Karen and Lisu in a Village in Northern Thailand
  7. Impact of Development on Human Activity System in a Northern Thai Village
  8. Men into Women
  9. Proceedings of the Area of Affinity Workshop on Women, Family and AIDS Prevention
  10. Proceedings of Women’s Studies Research Training held on February 12-15 1998 at the Youth Research Institute in Hanoi
  11. The Road to the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women
  12. Women’s Studies Newsletters
  13. Some Pertinent Legal and Social Issues on Women in Thailand
  14. Women, Gender Relations, and Development in Thai Society
  15. Thai Women and Buddhism
  16. Sex, Dating, and Marriage in Thailand
  17. Domestic Violence in Thailand
  18. Women on the Thai environmental movement
  19. Beyond Gender

Activities :

  2000 : The WSC began an Exchange Program with the University of Bath (United Kingdom)

  2000-2001 : “Women’s Human Rights : Training of Training of Trainers” in Laos

  2001 : “Leadership Training for Young Women Activists” in China

Facilities:

The Women’s Studies Center building is located on the Chiangmai University campus. The Building was designed by Mrs. Tidapen Taweesri, Mr.Apirat Taweesri and their associates at the Civil Works Section, Provicial Office in Chiangmai. It was built with funds donated by the Norway TV Campaign’89 : Third World Women, through the coordination of  the Norwegian Association of Women Jurists (NAWJ), and was dedicated by the Norwegian Ambassador in 1992. At the opening ceremony, various trees were donated and planted, symbolizing the Center’s concern for the environment. Other facilities include a research library, study areas, offices, meeting rooms, and a large media room for conferences. The Paralegal Training Project activities take place in an adjacent building, which was constructed with funds from the Frauen Anstiftung e.v. (Germany) and additional support from the Norway TV Campaign’89 : Third World Women (again with the help of NAWJ). 

 

Committee :  Virada  Somswasdi

                    :  Shalardchai  Ramitanondh

                    :  Benchavan Tongsiri  

                    :  Veerawoot  Vaddhanayon

                    :  Kwancheewan Buadaeng

                    :  Pasit  panitchkul

                    :  Wannapa Leerasiri

                    :  Aranya Siripol