A meeting was held at the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) Office between Secretary WPC, Dr. Shahida Rehmani; Chairperson Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr. Nafisa Shah; and Treasurer WPC, Ms. Shahida Begum; and H.E. Mr. Rongvudhi Virabutr, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Pakistan, to discuss avenues for enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and Thailand in the areas of women’s empowerment, political participation, economic inclusion, and peacebuilding.

At the outset, the participants conveyed their heartfelt condolences to the people and Royal Family of Thailand on the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, and expressed solidarity with the people of Thailand during this difficult moment.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Dr. Shahida Rehmani highlighted the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Thailand and emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bilateral ties. She underscored the role of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus as a bipartisan platform advancing women’s rights, gender equality, and inclusive governance. Dr. Rehmani noted that Pakistan and Thailand could benefit from greater cooperation and exchange of experiences in areas such as women’s economic empowerment, digital inclusion, gender-responsive budgeting, leadership development, and parliamentary engagement on gender equality.

Dr. Nafisa Shah, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, appreciated Thailand’s support for vocational and beauty skills training programmes and encouraged the expansion of such initiatives to the provincial level across Pakistan. She also welcomed Thailand’s work in the agriculture sector and expressed support for expanding collaboration in women’s agricultural empowerment.

Recalling her role in organizing Pakistan’s first conference on Women, Peace and Security in 2010, Dr. Nafisa Shah expressed keen interest in working closely with Thailand on WPS-related initiatives. She also highlighted the significance of gender-responsive budgeting, noting that it remains a priority area for the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus and offering closer collaboration with Thailand on advancing gender-sensitive fiscal policies.

Ms. Shahida Begum, Treasurer WPC, welcomed the Ambassador and appreciated Thailand’s efforts in promoting women’s empowerment. She proposed strengthening institutional linkages and exchanges between Pakistani and Thai women parliamentarians to foster mutual learning and cooperation.

Ambassador Virabutr reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to women’s empowerment and highlighted Thailand’s collaboration with UN Women and the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus on initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s economic participation. He shared updates on ongoing projects supported by Thailand, including a women’s economic empowerment initiative in Sialkot being implemented with UN Women. He also highlighted programs focused on women’s entrepreneurship, vocational and beauty skills training, and economic opportunities within the broader care and marriage economy.

On the issue of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Ambassador Virabutr shared that Thailand is in the process of launching its National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and expressed interest in collaborating with Pakistan in this important area. Participants agreed that both countries could benefit from closer cooperation and exchange of experiences related to peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and women’s leadership in security and governance.

The Ambassador also stressed the importance of accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that only a few years remain until the 2030 deadline. He emphasized that women’s economic empowerment remains a critical factor in achieving sustainable and inclusive development.