Abstract
This study examines women's participation in the peace process as efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict in Thailand's deep south. Despite the ongoing unrest between the Thai military and Malay resistance groups in the southern border provinces, women's participation at the formal decision-making level within peace processes has been largely overlooked. The study explores the factors contributing to the lack of recognition of women's involvement. It investigates the relationship between women's identity, ethnicity, religion, and their influence on peacebuilding. The research analyzes data from 142 women, comprising Malay-Muslim and Thai-Buddhist participants, and includes in-depth interviews with selected women leaders. The findings indicate that women who collaborate with government agencies and represent both religious and ethnic backgrounds are more likely to impact the peace process significantly. In contrast, those who emphasized exclusive identities had less influence. Thus, representing women's identities is crucial to their engagement and effectiveness in peacebuilding efforts.
Author Information
Anna Christi Suwardi, Center of ASEAN Community Studies (CACS) - Naresuan University, Thailand
Paper Information
Conference: APISA2023
Stream: Distributive justice and good governance
This paper is part of the APISA2023 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Suwardi A. (2023) Between Identity and Peacebuilding: A Case of Women’s Participation in Thailand’s Deep South Peace Process ISSN: 2758-9374 APISA 17th Annual Congress (APISA2023) Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 105-119) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-9374.2023.11
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-9374.2023.11
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