The United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok:– Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Majesty Queen Suthida of Thailand today attended the “Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024”, which was jointly organized by the World Childhood Foundation and the SafeguardKids Foundation. The Interior, Justice, and Social Development and Human Security ministries signed a memorandum of understanding at the event to advance child protection and suppression of child abuse be it in the form of mental abuse, physical abuse, or sexual abuse. This MOU aims to set new standards and foster zero tolerance of child exploitation to ensure Thai kids are well protected.
Today (16 May 2024), Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Majesty Queen Suthida of Thailand arrived at the ESCAP Hall, the United Nations Convention Center (UNCC) at 9.45 am for the Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024. The Swedish queen gave the opening speech before the Thai queen delivered an address to advocate child protection. Their Majesties then listened to reports from World Childhood Foundation’s secretary-general Ms. Paula Guillet de Monthoux and SafeguardKids Foundation’s chairman and secretary-general Mr. Chale Woodthanan, which underline the severity of child exploitation and the serious need to protect kids. During the event, the royals also listened to performances by a youth chorus and visited exhibitions by organizations working for children’s causes in Thailand. Both had a group photo session with the organizing committee too. The World Childhood Foundation, founded by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Thailand’s SafeguardKids Foundation held the Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024 in collaboration with partners in public, private and civil-society sectors including the Interior Ministry, the Interior Housewives Association, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), Charoen Pokphand Group, The Mall Group and Siam Piwat.
The Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024 was held to protect children in all spaces so as to prevent child abuse especially online sexual exploitation that has been fast spreading since 2022. Child protection must be stronger for child sexual abuse to stop. When laws firmly protect children, they foster deterrence. When the public refuses to tolerate child exploitation, violations of children’s rights will have no place in Thai society. In support of the goal, the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security signed an MOU to improve children protection and laws enforcement against violators. At the signing ceremony were
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Justice Minister Pol. Colonel Tawee Sodsong, Social Development and Human Security Minister Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Mr. Sorensen Sven Philip and Ms. Monthoux of the World Childhood Foundation, Supreme Court’s president Mrs. Anocha Chevitsophon, Foreign Affairs Ministry’s permanent secretary Mrs. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Pol. General Chatchawal Suksomjit, a former permanent secretary for Justice, Dr. Teerapon Tanomsakyut, chief sustainability and strategy development officer of Charoen Pokphand Group, Mr. Chale and Mr. Suriyon Sriorataikul, chairman and vice chairman of the SafeguardKids Foundation respectively, as well as media.
The Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024 also presented panel discussions on important topics namely “Key steps to reduce child sexual abuse online” and “Protecting children from sexual abuse: challenges and key steps forward”, as well as engaging exhibitions. In addition to “A Journey Through the Shadows of Child Sexual Abuse” exhibition, there was a photo exhibition by Myanmar artist Ms. Hla Hla Win. The latter demonstrated the haunting pain of children forced into prostitution.
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