BANGKOK – Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and Her Majesty Queen Suthida of Thailand showed their supports to the child protection while attending the “Child Protection Summit Bangkok 2024” event in Bangkok.
This event on May 16, 2024 at the ESCAP Hall, the United Nations Convention Center (UNCC) was jointly organized by the World Childhood Foundation, founded by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Thailand’s the SafeguardKids Foundation.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have work to do. It starts with the children; we need to show the children that we see them and that we listen. And the perpetrators need to know that they cannot hide. Child sexual abuse is a borderless crime, and we need to collaborate internationally,” Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, said in her opening speech, followed by an address to advocate child protection by Queen Suthida of Thailand.
“How can we safeguard our children when the dangers are out of arm’s reach? Sexual abuse of children is a complex issue. We need a holistic solution, we need financial support for vulnerable children, we need public awareness, and we need local communities to learn about the dangers. Her Majesty Queen Silvia should be an inspiration to us all,” said the Queen of Thailand.
The two queens oversaw the signing ceremony among Thai ministers of the Interior Ministry, Justice Ministry, and Social Development and Human Security Ministry, on a memorandum of understanding 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 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.
Their Majesties also listened to reports from the 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.
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 the “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.
