Khun Porametee Wimolsiri, Secretary General of the National Economic and Social Development Board;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, it’s my pleasure to be with all of you at today’s consultative meeting on the “20 Year Population Policy for Thailand” as proposed by the National Economic and Social Development Board.
The policy makes it clear that population dynamics, issues and implications – a key aspect of UNFPA’s mandate - are high on the Government’s agenda at an especially crucial time for Thailand.
We have known of Thailand’s demographic challenges for a while now. Family structures are changing. Population growth is slowing. The workforce is declining. People are living longer.
In other words, we’re beginning to see a growing proportion of older people and fewer younger people. In the coming decades, Thailand’s demographic landscape will resemble that of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and several countries in Europe.
This scenario poses many challenges, of course. But it also offers many opportunities. How well Thailand maximizes these opportunities and minimizes the challenges depends on how well we plan in the present for the not too distant future.
The choices made today will help shape the country you will have 30 or 40 years from now.
For UNFPA and as guided by the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action, a sound population policy planning process is underpinned by our vision of a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe, and every young person’s potential – indeed every person’s potential -- is fulfilled. All of this within the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, with its central pledge of ‘leaving no one behind’.
It is, of course, a challenge for the Government to formulate and apply public policies to support people across different age groups, and all the more so when population dynamics shift rapidly.
Consider just a few of the current realities.
Thai universities now routinely yield more female than male graduates, but men still dominate the economic and political landscape, and raising children is still considered a woman’s “duty”.
But as more and more women enter the workforce at ever-higher levels, Thai society at large will be challenged to enable women to balance life and career in a way that maximizes their full potential. Men should be encouraged to participate much more in the care of their children and families in general.
The public and private sectors must jointly work on making it possible to create the optimal conditions for women – and men - to achieve this.
Children also need to be taught from an early age that it’s important for men and boys to participate in care-giving. Education focused on gender equality is crucial.
So is education that imparts crucial lessons about life, love and responsible choices. Comprehensive sexuality education at a young age is key if Thailand is to effectively address the crisis of teenage pregnancy. Thailand’s recently enacted law aimed at tackling teenage pregnancy recognizes the need for this, an encouraging step in the right direction.
Comprehensive sexuality education must also be matched with greater access to sexual and reproductive health services for young persons, to empower them with the ability to live not only with responsibility but also the dignity they deserve.
This, in turn, links to providing girls and young women the support they need to avoid marrying and bearing children too early. And if girls do end up having children they need to be supported to stay in school, to ensure a brighter future for themselves and their children.
Regarding the number of children being born in Thailand, we see a clear downward trend, as fertility declines due to a number of factors. But lower fertility is not necessarily something negative.
If we strategize carefully, we can benefit from the opportunities this shifting landscape presents. Thailand has the opportunity to invest in a new society, where all citizens across the age spectrum are able to benefit from social and economic planning and policies. Thailand can also build stronger education systems for younger persons to better long-term care and sustainable pension schemes for older persons, and from strengthened investments in sound reproductive health on one hand to healthy ageing on the other.
As I mentioned, just as lower fertility is not necessarily something negative, neither is an ageing population. We must recognize that the elderly are an asset, not a burden, to the country. Already, often under very difficult circumstances, older persons are making a significant contribution to the care and nurturing of families, and particularly of those who need it the most – children who are separated from their parents.
We must find ways to recognize and capitalize on these assets, providing the older generation with the resources they need to continue to be productive. We should strengthen the role and contribution of older people to society, both at home and in the workplace – while minimizing the hardship and stress involved.
All of these investments, these choices, these strategies formulated and implemented now and in the years ahead may make the difference between creating long-lasting prosperity and well-being for Thailand -- or being stuck in a middle-income country trap with lingering socio-economic disparity.
The 2030 Agenda places great priority on overcoming inequalities and exclusions – building fairer, freer and more caring societies that include everyone, regardless of differences. But this cannot depend on individuals and families alone. It needs the commitment of the state, backed by sufficient resources, to support individuals in all their diversity – particularly the poorest and most vulnerable – to provide a good quality of life across the spectrum, beginning at birth itself, for all.
In Thailand, people in general are healthier and wealthier than previous generations – but many are still left out, not able to fully exercise their right to a good quality of life.
As Thailand undergoes its significant – even dramatic - demographic transitions, it will be challenged to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of its diverse population, from young to old.
But we at UNFPA – and the wider UN system -- are confident that with political will, genuine dialogue and respectful collaboration between government and civil society, the challenges of today can be turned on their head and transformed into opportunities for a far better tomorrow.
As long as we remember that behind the numbers it’s always about real people and their lives and stories, we can truly ensure that everyone counts.
We look forward to working with all of you now, and in the future.
Thank you.
