BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 5

Thailand represents an important case study within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) – Gender Equality, as the country has made significant progress in developing gender equality policies while continuing to face persistent social and structural challenges. Thailand has strengthened its institutional framework through measures such as the Gender Equality Act (2015) and the adoption of its first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2024–2027), demonstrating a growing commitment to integrating gender perspectives into national policies.

The country has achieved notable improvements in women’s economic participation, with female labour force participation reaching 59.2% and women occupying an increasing number of managerial positions. Thailand has also recently expanded the understanding of gender equality through the implementation of the Marriage Equality Act in January 2025, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage. This development represents a significant step in addressing equality beyond traditional gender frameworks.

At the same time, Thailand continues to experience challenges that affect the full realization of SDG 5. Gender inequality remains influenced by social norms, unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities, limited political representation, and gaps in gender-disaggregated data collection. Furthermore, certain groups, including LGBTQI+ communities and women living in conflict-affected areas, continue to face barriers to equal participation and protection. Thailand therefore represents a valuable case study for examining how legal reforms, economic development, and social transformation interact in the pursuit of gender equality. 

current challenges and recent developments

Several issues remain central to Thailand’s progress towards SDG 5. Women’s participation in political decision-making has increased, yet representation remains limited, with women holding approximately 19.4% of seats in the national parliament and 20.4% of positions in local government deliberative bodies. This highlights the continued gap between women’s participation in society and their presence in formal decision-making structures.

Economic equality also remains a significant challenge. Although women participate actively in the labour market, differences persist in wages, career opportunities, and access to leadership positions. Women continue to carry a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and care work, spending significantly more time on these responsibilities than men, which can limit their professional advancement and economic independence.

Gender-based violence remains another important concern. A proportion of Thai women report experiencing intimate partner violence, while women in vulnerable socio-economic situations and those living in conflict-affected areas, particularly in the southern border provinces, face additional risks. At the same time, although the recognition of same-sex marriage represents a major advancement, LGBTQI+ individuals continue to encounter social stigma and gaps in legal protection, healthcare access, and broader inclusion.

list of references

Mahidol University. (n.d.). Thailand SDG 5: Gender equality. Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Hub. https://sdg.msu.ac.th/asdg.php?c=g5

Bangkok Tribune. (n.d.). Gender equality: Are we there yet? https://bkktribune.com/gender-equality-are-we-there-yet/

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. (n.d.). Promoting gender equality and women empowerment: Sharing Thailand’s experiences in practices. https://image.mfa.go.th/mfa/0/GH2PYnujXi/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3/7._Promoting_Gender_Equality_and_Women_Empowerment_Sharing_Thailand%E2%80%99s_Experiences_in_Practices.pdf

Walailak University. (n.d.). Gender equality and women empowerment. Research Institute for Innovation and Excellence. https://riie.wu.ac.th/?page_id=17240

United Nations Thailand. (2025). Thailand launches its first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. United Nations. https://thailand.un.org/en/308284-thailand-launches-its-first-national-action-plan-women-peace-and-security

United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). Thailand: Human Development Report data. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/THA

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (n.d.). Thailand. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/thailand.html

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). SDG indicators: Thailand country profile. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/tha

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). Thailand. United Nations Human Rights Office. https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/thailand

Sachs, J. D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., & Iablonovski, G. (2025). Thailand: Sustainable Development Report 2025. Sustainable Development Report. https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/thailand/

UN Women. (n.d.). Thailand country data. UN Women Data Hub. https://data.unwomen.org/country/thailand

UN Women. (n.d.). Thailand. UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/thailand

useful links

• Country report/Voluntary National Reviews

  • https://sdg.msu.ac.th/asdg.php?c=g5

  • https://bkktribune.com/gender-equality-are-we-there-yet/

  • https://image.mfa.go.th/mfa/0/GH2PYnujXi/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3/7._Promoting_Gender_Equality_and_Women_Empowerment_Sharing_Thailand%E2%80%99s_Experiences_in_Practices.pdf 

  • https://riie.wu.ac.th/?page_id=17240 

  • https://thailand.un.org/en/308284-thailand-launches-its-first-national-action-plan-women-peace-and-security

• Bibliography and UN pages about this country:

  • UNPD: https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data?utm_source=chatgpt.com#/countries/THA 

  • OECD: https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/thailand.html 

  • UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/tha 

  • UN human rights: https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/thailand 

  • Index: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/thailand/

  • UN WOMEN count: https://data.unwomen.org/country/thailand 

  • UN women: https://asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/thailand