Page 18 - Dignity and justice for all of us our voices are heard in Thailand

Article 22, the second cornerstone of the Declaration, introduces Articles 23 to 27, in which economic, social and cultural rights
– the rights to which everyone is entitled “as a member of society” – are set out. The article characterizes these rights as
indispensable for human dignity and the free development of personality, and indicates that they are to be realized through
national effort and international cooperation. These rights include the right to social security; the right to work; the right to
equal pay for equal work; the right to rest and leisure; the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being; the
right to education; and the right to participate in the cultural life of the community. The concluding articles, Articles 28 to 30,
recognize that everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the human rights and fundamental freedoms set
forth in the Declaration may be fully realized, and stress the duties and responsibilities which each individual person owes to his
community.

Dignity and Justice for All of Us: Our Voices are Heard in Thailand was undertaken as a joint initiative by the United Nations Country
Team in Thailand in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, to strengthen people’s knowledge
about the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to support the country’s current efforts to ensure
the effective frameworks for their protection. The aim of this project is to enable a wide range of different voices, of women,
men, young and old, from institutional and non-institutional backgrounds, to share their views on the enjoyment of the rights in
the Declaration, both in terms of progress achieved over the last 60 years and in facing the challenges ahead with a view
towards the future.

The idea of a “participatory” publication emerged quite early in the preparations for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Thailand. All participants involved in the preparations agreed that this
anniversary should be commemorated in an exercise that would last longer than a single day of celebration. It had to provide a
space for all parties to reflect upon achievements made and future goals foreseen towards the full realization of the rights
outlined in the Declaration. The methodology and framework for gathering the information contained in this publication
evolved during various meetings with the National Human Rights Commission as well as academia and other relevant
personalities. A group of experts from one of Thailand’s most prestigious universities, Chulalongkorn University, was tasked with
collecting voices from people across the country and commentaries from relevant personalities.

6 Dignity and Justice for All of Us