Situation of persons with disabilities belonging to minorities in the Southern border provinces of Thailand

MRG submitted a joint alternative report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) with partners Center for Conflict and Cultural Diversity (CSCD) at the Institute of Peace Studies (IPS), Prince of Songkhla University and the Southern Association of Disabilities for the 105th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Geneva, 15 November – 3 December 2021. The submission outlined the situation of persons with disabilities belonging to minorities in the Southern Border Provinces (SBPs) of Thailand. For Malay Muslim persons with disabilities in the SBPs of Thailand, the vulnerabilities they face as persons with disabilities are compounded by vulnerabilities which stem from their identity as an ethno-religious minority.

Whilst Thailand has made improvements in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in recent years, this group continues to face significant vulnerabilities and barriers to their full participation in society. The situation is especially acute for persons with disabilities in the Southern Border Provinces of Pattani, Narrathiwat and Yala, who continue to be neglected by policies that are meant to address their needs in the wider context of disability rights in Thailand while also being overlooked in efforts to reduce conflict and increase development in the region, deepening their marginalization from the wider society.

Data were collected from PWDs from various marginalized communities and groups including Malay Muslims, women and children, and involved consultation with local and national disabled persons organisations (DPOs), government organisations (GOs) and human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in August and September 2020 and in July 2021 in Songkhla, Narrathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces.

Click here to download the CERD report (PDF, English)

Click here to download the CERD report (PDF, Thai)

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