Thailand, Indonesia and Canada co-chaired the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS), highlighting commitment and contribution on the implementation of the WPS Agenda in Asia-Pacific region, linking together with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and intensifying partnerships with stakeholders and capacity building.

On 2 March 2021, Ms. Usana Berananda, Director-General of Department of ASEAN Affairs, delivered welcoming remarks highlighting Thailand’s commitment and contribution to the implementation of the WPS agenda, namely the National Measure and Guidelines on WPS, which serves as the National Action Plan, and the recent nomination of three female experts to the ASEAN Women for Peace Registry (AWPR). She also suggested how the ARF could help enhance WPS implementation: first, exerting more efforts to substantively link the WPS agenda to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions); second, intensifying cooperation and partnership with the United Nations and, regional organisations, governments and civil society; and lastly addressing challenging issues and strengthening capacity in the areas of collecting gender data, developing national and regional action plan, and engaging civil society.

The Workshop was attended by experts and advocates on women issues from diverse professional backgrounds, including Representative of Thailand to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) and Thai female peacekeepers from Peace Operations Center, Royal Thai Armed Forces, to discuss and share perspectives, experiences, and best practices on the implementation of the WPS agenda in the Asia-Pacific region. On this occasion, Thai experts moderated two sessions of the Workshop, namely Session 1: “Women, Peace and Security agenda and the ARF” by Ambassador Nongnuth Phetcharatana, Thailand’s representative to the AWPR and former Ambassador to Germany and Austria and Session 2: “Models for Regional Approaches to WPS” by Ambassador Phasporn Sangasubana, Thailand’s representative to the Advisory Board of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR) and Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

The Workshop discussed about future trends, including COVID-19 implications, emerging challenges, ways to advance the implementation of the WPS agenda in the Asia-Pacific region as well as the work of ARF in supporting the implementation of the WPS in an effective manner. The Workshop reaffirmed the commitment to the WPS agenda as stated in the UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN adopted by ASEAN leaders in 2017, and Joint Statement on Promoting the Women, Peace and Security at the ASEAN Regional Forum adopted in 2019. Furthermore, the Workshop underlined the importance of information sharing, including gender-disaggregated data and gender analysis, which helps integrate WPS agenda in ARF activities and initiatives, capacity building for female peacekeepers and enhanced cooperation with relevant stakeholders, including civil society organisations.