This research explores the role of indigenous Pga K'nyau (Karen) women in leadership and development participation in Huay Ee Khang Village, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. And finally, the research analyzes the contribution of Pga K'nyau indigenous women to the development of indigenous communities and the collective rights of indigenous peoples.
INTRODUCTION
- Statement of Purpose and Research Questions
- Scope of Work
- Intersectionality
- Identity Politics
- Standpoint Theory
In the case of the Native American women of New Mexico, Native women's leadership and participation in environmental justice helped promote diversity and democratic participation (Prindeville and Bretting, 1998). Recently, issues related to the Karen indigenous people of Thailand have been brought to the attention of the academic field.
METHODOLOGY
Qualitative Research Methodology
- Interviews and Focus Group
- Participant Observation
I initially contacted an MP who was a member of the Pga K'nyau indigenous community. While conducting participant observations, I explored indigenous Pga K'nyau women's daily practices at work, interactions with community members, challenges and how they overcome them.
Ethical Considerations
- Issues Concerning Interviews and a Focus Group
- Issues Concerning Participant Observation
Several village members also mentioned their views on women's participation and leadership in the public sphere. Accordingly, out of respect for individual choice, I have printed the names and information of those respondents who have consented to have their identities published in the survey and anonymized those who wished to remain unidentifiable.
Limitations of the Study
In addition, there has been some recent academic research that has focused on the public participation of indigenous women in Thailand. This study focuses only on the change in which the community moved towards the greater rights of Pga K'nyau women in Huay Ee Khang village. However, I hope that my work will be able to fill the void and perhaps help to articulate the stories of courageous indigenous women who have overcome all the challenges and struggles in public and private spheres.
FINDINGS
Huay Ee Khang Village
Nevertheless, some participants reported that acceptance of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities has increased in recent years due to active social movements and little change in media representation. In the past, the villagers of Huay Ee Khang have had challenges in accessing the right to nationality or citizenship, due to the distance from the village to the municipality and the complicated registration process, as well as the systematic discrimination against indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities. As mentioned in the Pga K'nyau teachings, men and boys were taught to go out to learn, defend themselves and develop their skills or abilities.
In the past, when the Village Head position was appointed, which was not directly elected by community members, only men held the leadership position. Nevertheless, in the last decade the community has moved from the appointment to the election of the Chief.
Background of the Participants
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Everyday Life
I will provide more details of how Pga K'nyau women claimed their space in Chapter 5.4 Winds of Change. The second group were founders and managers of development projects, which included Head of Coffee Community Enterprise, founder and head of Che Su Mo Community Enterprise (traditional Pga K'nyau clothing and weaving products), and Head of "Pawmu Kleesutha (Pga K') nyau traditional herbs)” Social Enterprise In addition, Pga K'nyau women also facilitated a common platform for the villagers to meet and hold activities.
Recent activities were organic farming, green conservation, traditional knowledge of Pga K'nyau and digital security. Their main roles were to transfer knowledge and educate the new generation about traditional plants, written Pga K'nyau language, Bot-Ta (folk songs similar to Pga K'nyau poetry), rituals and ceremonies, and Pga history K'nyau and Huay Ee Khang Village.
Motive
- Driven by the Need for Better Change
- Break the Circle of Violence
Some participants reported that they had struggled with the acceptance of their place in public spaces and gender equality since childhood. In the past, Pga K'nyau women were not encouraged to play their roles in the public sphere. However, Pga K'nyau women found their way to participate in the space previously occupied by men.
In the case of Pga K'nyau women, participants reported that women in their community have also been subject to forms of violence. The research data and evidence showed that the participants began their role in the public sphere because of the need to advance community development in Huay Ee Khang Village.
Winds of Change
- Volunteering
- Women Supporting Women
Everyday interaction and communication with children and the elderly as well as other women in the village crucially facilitated the role of women as community health volunteers. Once women established their role in the public space, they encouraged other women to join them. Women not only encouraged other women to participate in the public sphere, they also helped other women advance their role in leadership positions.
After establishing their role, women went on to support other women to engage in public space. The forms of support included empowering other women to begin their role in community groups, as well as advocating for other women to advance their roles in leadership positions or run for elections.
Perception of Their Roles
When applying the intersectionality approach, one can see that ethnicity and gender have established conditions of women's lives that have marginalized women (Cho et al., 2013). In the case of Pga K'nyau women, their place is limited to private arenas. In the case of Pga K'nyau women, they used women's empowerment language and emphasized women's ability to lead in public affairs and economic development.
To promote women's sense of self-worth and capability, Pga K'nyau women translated women's empowerment into phrases like "women can do it all," and. Because K'nyau women promoted the discussion of women's health by organizing support groups using the language of "self-care" and "self-love." Using this discourse, Pga K'nyau women brought together different groups to participate in activities in the public space previously occupied by men.
Barriers That Hinder Women’s Leadership and Participation
- Family
- Cultural Belief and Unequal Status between Women and Men
- Expected Gender Roles
- Inability to Drive
- Language Barriers and Education
Most participants mentioned that women used to eat after men. Women's participation in the public sphere promotes gender equality and raises awareness of their struggles. Some villagers regarded women who date as “bad women.” Women reported experiencing community gossip when attending city gatherings or capacity-building workshops and trainings.
This was one of the approaches to 'moralize' women and keep them in the private sphere by limiting their role to "mothers" and "wives". Family is a factor that both enables and prevents women from participating in the public space.
Enabling Factors That Promote Women’s Leadership and Participation
- Family
- Communications and People Skills
And as mentioned in the previous section on 'women supporting women', participants revealed that they took the first step in their work and advanced their career with the immense support of women in the village. Endorsement and encouragement from family members and other female villagers played a significant role in advancing women's right to political and economic participation. In addition to support from family members and other women, most of the participants described how their communication skills help them perform their role in the public space and advance their career.
In addition, women's communication and people skills have also helped them fulfill their role in public affairs and economic development. Women's leadership and participation in decision-making roles led to a more equal status between women and men in private and public space.
Towards Inclusivity and Sustainability
- Women’s Status and Empowerment
- Projects by Women Leaders: Accessible for All
- Youth Activities
- Space for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
Most of the participants reported that many women in the village were no longer relying on their husband's income. As such, women leaders promoted women's participation in the public space and cultivated a practice that encourages women to play their part in the public arena. The acceptance of women's leadership and participation has translated into a more equal status between men and women in the family.
Some participants reported that men used to be responsible for private family planning. Many men supported women's management roles and encouraged them to participate in the public sphere.
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was used as a guideline for recommendations. The Declaration is the umbrella of an international instrument on the rights of indigenous peoples. The study revealed positive results and development of indigenous women's participation in economic and political spaces.
Officially recognize the existence of indigenous peoples and the rights of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in all regions of the country. The government should take effective measures to tackle all forms of prejudice and prejudice, and to promote better understanding of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities. Indigenous Peoples in Thailand, [online] Available at https://www.iwgia.org/en/thailand.html [Accessed 10 December 2022].
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, [online] Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp- content/uploads/sites UNDRIP_E_web.pdf [Accessed 4 April 2023].
Original instructions, informant letter, and consent form in English and Thai
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