Remarks of Resident Coordinator Thailand during the virtual conference on Civic Engagement 4.0: Dignity, Justice and Sustainability Co-Designing Resilient Global Communities

It’s a pleasure to be able to address you today, recognizing the longstanding role of Chulalongkorn University as a key civic space in Thai society, furthered by the civic engagement 4.0 initiative that brings us here together.

Certainly, I want to discuss strategies for civic engagement and how we can do better and be more inclusive, in both policy and practice.

But first, I think there is an important acknowledgement. Civil society in a very real sense is us, our friends and family, colleagues and neighbours. And now, many members of society are experiencing deeply felt hardship because of the COVID public health risk as well as the major socioeconomic disruption.

This confers a responsibility to work together to build resilience, and it also informs the most effective responses to the evolving and interconnected challenges we face.

Civic engagement could not be a more timely topic. The UN mandate to “build back better” from this pandemic reflects this move towards more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies. And as the UN Secretary-General says, a better world “requires us to meet people where they are and to keep them front and centre of our thoughts and actions”.

Such engagement is the glue that holds society together and is a source of strength during difficult times.

UN Framework and SDGs

The UN and international community have frameworks in place to guide our collective efforts, in the form of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, among other vital international compacts.

In Thailand, the UN brings international expertise, and most importantly this shared network of partnerships, to support progress towards the SDGs in alignment with national development goals, focusing in particular on the green and sustainable economy, leave no one behind, and the development of human capital, by strengthening institutions and partnerships, and in particular, empowering people and civil society.

Youth engagement

The key themes of today’s discussion, “dignity, justice and sustainability”, reflect both our aspirations in these partnerships, as well as the challenges.

We know that civic spaces protecting freedom of expression are shrinking, in part justified by COVID-related restrictions. In Thailand, the ongoing protest movement signals the need for more, not less, public participation and engagement in governance and formal institutions.

For our part, the UN needs to do a better job with community outreach, particularly meeting young people where they are, listening and acting upon their concerns and contributions to build effective cross-sectional partnerships, including investing in the power of local knowledge.

In the recent survey launched on the 75th anniversary of the UN, less than 20% of respondents in Thailand reported that they were aware about the SDGs. Leading priorities for the next five years were labour and skill development, as well as reducing social inequalities.

Listening and valuing these voices is crucial to meaningful civic engagement. In a recent discussion, one young woman made a stark point to me that we all need to hear – she said she is afraid that she will die young because of climate change. We simply cannot ignore concerns such as this, in crafting inclusive and effective policies today.

The UN SDG Youth Panel has clearly told us their priorities, including about the consequences of the pandemic on education and widening inequalities, as well as their focus on technology, including calling for universal internet access to bridge the digital divide.

Importantly, they also urge the government to focus on root issues involving democratic rights to enable civil society empowerment through a human rights approach.

Chulalongkorn partnership

Chulalongkorn University has a well-established standing as a forum for civic activities and wellspring of expertise, including the SDG Academy that is under development to support lifelong learning, not just students, but also faculty, staff, alumni and members of local communities. The UN is drawing on global resources to support the University’s commitment.

That is why I would like to propose an annual dialogue between civil society and the UN to strengthen this strategic relationship. This could provide a co-created and shared platform, while also sending a strong signal conveying the importance of civic engagement in sustainable development.

I look forward to our future discussions and the follow-through actions and partnerships that are so essential to meet the multiple challenges facing us today.

Thank you.