Press Release

EU-UN work together for sustainable development and promotion of human rights in Thailand

01 March 2023

EU-UN 2023 Signing MoU — Photo: © UN Thailand/2023

BANGKOK (March 1, 2023) – The European Union (EU) announces financial support to the UN of over EUR 3.5 million to assist with closing the financing gap for the localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Thailand, supporting the promotion and protection of human rights as well as providing protection for Myanmar displaced people along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

H.E. Mr David Daly, Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand said: “The EU is a longstanding partner of Thailand on the promotion and cooperation on issues of mutual interest including sustainable development, human rights, and displaced people. Together with the UN family, our aim is to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the country. With only seven years left until the 2030 deadline, it is crucial for all stakeholders to come together to speed up the implementation to succeed in reaching the targets of each SDG worldwide.”

Commending the opportunities the new collaboration will provide, Ms Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator to Thailand said: “The new EU-UN partnership will lay the foundations for even more effective cooperation to achieve the SDGs as we deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in Thailand. There is immense opportunity, through the new projects, to benefit millions, promote more concrete actions that improve refugee protection, honour human rights commitments, increase local ownership of the SDGs along with openness and transparency in achieved results, and ensure that no one is left behind.”

In line with the principle to ‘leave no one behind’, the three new multi-year EU-UN projects will contribute to Outcome Three of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), a roadmap that outlines the work of the UN and is closely aligned to Thailand’s 20-Year National Strategy and the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP). The EU-UN partnership becomes even more pertinent as Thailand is recovering from the deep impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring the joint efforts to promote sustainability, human rights and resilience, along with efforts to preserve environmental gains.

In particular, the EU will support the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) co-funded project ‘Strengthening SDGs Localisation in Thailand, 2022-2024’ with nearly EUR 1 million contribution for 18 months. Working with 15 target provinces, the aim is to improve SDG policy dialogue and promote gender-responsiveness with a focus on increasing data availability, raising awareness and building capacity on localising SDGs.

The EUR 1.5 million contributions from the EU to the co-funded project with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on ‘Support on Child Protection and Durable Solutions to Refugees in Nine Camps along the Thai-Myanmar Border, 2023-2025,’ will improve the protection and rights of refugee children, and advocate for legal reforms for refugees to gain access to livelihood and education opportunities outside the camps.

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) for South-East Asia will receive EUR 1 million funding from the EU to ‘Strengthen the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Thailand, 2023-2024' project, which will advance human rights in Thailand by supporting national efforts to strengthen laws, policies and practices in line with the international human rights norms and standards. Significant steps include promoting engagement with international human rights mechanisms of human rights defenders and civil society organisations, along with improving responsiveness to human rights concerns.

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