NGO Forum news
Monthly NGO Forum invitations and press releases.
Chiang Mai Gay Pride...Why?
Many parts of the world are more familiar with "gay pride parades" than Thailand. This month's NGO Forum will focus on Chiang Mai's gay pride parade to come on February 21st in order to further our own understanding of the "gay pride parade" and what it means to Thais.
Rress statement: Rights of children
Every 2nd Saturday of January is observed as National ChildrennnâÂs Day in Thailand. To mark this day, Health & Development Networks (HDN), in cooperation with local organizations in Chiang Mai, organized a special monthly NGO Forum on the âÂRights of childrennnâÂ. This Forum took place on Sunday, 25 January 2009, at The Three king monument in the heart of Chiang Mai.
Rights of children
The National Children's Day of Thailand is observed on second Saturday of January every year. All sectors including government and private, organize events to empathize with the rights of children who will grow up to be the nation's future. On this day, many children are fortunate enough to receive gifts and participate in the programmes. However many children don't get this opportunity and live in conditions that continue to put them at risk of discrimination, abuse, violence and inequity.
Improving access to healthcare services in prisons of Thailand
Access to healthcare services in prisons was the key theme of the monthly NGO Forum in November 2008 organized by the Health & Development Networks (HDN) and Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group (TTAG).
The number of people in prisons who are testing positive for HIV is alarmingly rising. Moreover the living conditions in prisons often exacerbates the risk to contract a range of infectious diseases and the quality of healthcare services available for people in prisons is also not optimal.
Access to healthcare services in prisons
The situation of access to healthcare services for people in prisons is grim. With less than two to three healthcare providers for every 200-300 people in prisons, the quality of treatment and care is undoubtedly low and inadequate, says Mr Boonniam Wongjaikam, a coordinator of the Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group (TTAG). As a result the number of people in prisons requiring healthcare services is swelling unabatedly.
Counseling: Empowering People Living with HIV/AIDS
While there is still no cure for HIV/AIDS, it is evident that when People Living with HIV/AIDS (PWHA) have adequate knowledge, understanding and moral support from people and society around them, they can better face related problems and live and function happily in society. Psychological and social support enables PWHA to gain strength to maintain normal lives and interactions on a daily basis.
September 2008 NGO Forum Press Statement
One of the main problems ethnic minorities in Thailand face is that they struggle to access existing health services, making them prone to having a poorer quality of life, according to discussions held at the monthly NGO Forum held in September 2008. One serious heath problem is HIV/AIDS, especially due to the stigma associated with HIV infection. Although since 2005 the government of Thailand has been providing free Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to Thai citizens, the ethnic minorities are not covered under this programme. ARV therapy is provided under three government programmes: National Health Scheme, Social Security and Health Scheme of government staff members. Unfortunately, ethnic minorities who live in Thailand are often not covered by any of these three programmes.
