Women leading peace and climate resilience in southern Thailand

In Thailand’s southern border provinces, women are leading change at the intersection of conflict, climate and community resilience.

In Yupo Subdistrict, Yala Province, most families rely on rubber tapping and small-scale farming, with women playing a central role in growing chemical-free produce. The community is multicultural, with Buddhist and Muslim families living side-by-side.

But changing weather is disrupting this balance.

“Rain no longer comes steadily,” says Patimoh Bula, 48, Head of UN Women Women’s Empowerment and Learning Centre Yupo. “We face long droughts and then severe floods. This year has been the hardest.”

During prolonged dry periods, families are forced to buy fuel to pump water for their crops, even as rubber prices remain low. When the rains finally come, they often arrive in excess, destroying what remains.

“This is a cycle we cannot escape,” adds Bula.

Despite these challenges, women are at the forefront of community response. Each year, as flood season approaches, communities prepare. Through local networks, early warning information is shared, enabling families to act quickly. Food and essential supplies are gathered and shared across households.

“When floods come, we bring whatever we have,” says Bula. “Fruits, vegetables, fish. We share everything so that no one goes without.”

Mosques and community centres become temporary shelters. Women organize food, water and care for displaced families, ensuring that even those unable to evacuate receive support.

Thailand’s three southern border provinces – Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat – have also experienced long-standing conflict marked by insecurity and violence that continues to affect communities, livelihoods and social cohesion.

Yet beyond the visible destruction lies a deeper, often overlooked crisis. “The biggest challenge is not only what we lose physically,” says Pateemoh Pohitaedaoh, 44, President of We Peace, a member of WE Centre Yupu. “It’s what happens inside people.”

Repeated shocks have taken a toll on mental health. Many community members, particularly older persons, experience stress, grief and depression.

Yet psychosocial support remains limited. “People receive supplies, but not the support they need to rebuild their strength,” Pohitaedaoh notes. “Recovery must begin from within.”

In response, the WE Centre in Yupo serves as a safe space for healing and solidarity, where women gather to share, seek advice and support one another. It is a place where issues such as violence, economic hardship and social pressures are discussed openly.

“We sit together, we talk, we listen,” says Bula. “Even making traditional snacks together helps us heal.”

The centre brings together women, men, youth, religious leaders and village health volunteers. Youth contribute digital skills, while women lead outreach and care efforts. Together, they are strengthening community cohesion and addressing challenges, including reducing youth involvement in drugs.

UN Women emphasizes the urgency of investing in such women-led solutions: “Women-led organizations are already delivering results on the ground. Targeted, consistent support is essential to scale their impact, strengthen resilience and ensure that recovery efforts are inclusive, locally driven and sustainable,” says Christine Arab, Regional Director of UN Women in Asia and the Pacific and UN Women Country Representative in Thailand.

Government leadership is crucial and has been an important contributor to the women’s success to date. “Empowering women at the community level is central to Thailand’s resilience,” says Jatuporn Rojanaparnich, Director-General of the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand. “While Women, Peace and Security can often feel abstract, UN Women WE Centres across the country demonstrate what it looks like in practice, with women leading solutions in their communities.”

With sustained investment and recognition, these women-led initiatives have the potential to turn cycles of crisis into pathways for resilience and a more peaceful, inclusive future for all.

Originally published by UN Women