Indian advocates for female equality and anti-discrimination have been enraged by US President Donald Trump’s current executive order to destroy US federal laws of diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI), which has prompted them to need people to adhere to anti-discriminatory guidelines, especially in the workplace, as a means of advancing both business and the public interest.
The president’s executive order, which comes as he places a 90-day charitable delay on foreign aid, shocked the entire world, not the least of which is Thailand, where civic organizations are promoting the rights of the LGBTQ community.
They have expressed concern that the walk might have an impact on some of the most susceptible members of society.
According to Natthineethiti Phinyapincha, chairman of Trans Consulting Group, a diversity firm,” We view Trump’s professional attempt to destroy DEI initiatives as not merely backward but as suggestive of a larger problem: the misapplication of DEI over the past decades.” In some organizations, the principle is seen as unfair rather than a means of achieving equality in the workplace.
” DE I has faced resistance from those who view it as performative, divisive, or disconnected from core business outcomes for years. This is a chance to reevaluate, reevaluate, and reframe DEI for the future, she said.
According to Ms. Natthineethiti,” Trump’s action may lead Thai businesses, especially those in the multinational sector, to view DEI as a liability rather than a strategic asset” as many local businesses rely on surface-level strategies like awareness campaigns, short-term training, or token diversity hires.
Sulaiporn Chonwilai, a Tamtang Group advocacy officer, concurred that Mr. Trump’s executive order might serve as a blueprint for anti-DE I initiatives in some Thai organizations.
Additionally, it has the potential to influence discriminatory discourse around the world, particularly among conservative Thai policymakers who are unwilling to accept Mr. Trump’s decision to support domestic legal revision efforts.
The project manager for Tamtang Group, Chinthita Kraisrikul, expressed concern that Thailand might adopt the US’s example when ratifying international laws governing human rights.
She cited the Trump administration’s re-ratification of the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a global anti-abortion treaty with about 40 nations as signatories, in January.
The paper does not have any legal ramifications on member states. However, Ms. Chinthita said the paper suggests that members repeal their abortion laws, which have the phrase” The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state,” which might be perceived as a counterproductive position to a family unit run by same-sex couples in contemporary society.
According to Ms. Chinthita, the US has been lobbying for other nations to sign the agreement. Thailand’s potential signing of this agreement is very high, she continued.
HEALTH WORRIES
In the meantime, Mr. Trump’s decision to halt humanitarian aid has sparked concerns among Thai activists leading the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly in the LGBTQ community.
The decision by Mr. Trump to stop providing humanitarian aid had an impact on health services to the LGBTQ community, particularly in terms of HIV/Aids protection and awareness efforts, according to Kittinun Daramadhaj, president of the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand.
Thanks to US funding, he said,” Many LGBTQ organizations in Thailand are able to provide HIV or STIs]sexually transmitted infections ] tests free of charge.”
With their outreach capabilities and inclusive mindset, these organizations are crucial in putting an end to Thailand’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Some organizations have stopped operating following the funding suspension. In the wake of this, LGBTQ people who have long experienced stigma when receiving medical care from state institutions continue to be treated differently in the healthcare system.
According to Mr. Kittinun,” Trump’s action may be viewed as an indirect attempt to end lives.”
Due to the pause of the US humanitarian fund, Jarunee Siriphan, director of the Foundation for Action on Inclusion Rights ( Fair ) and the founder of the People’s Movement to Eliminate Discrimination ( MovED), was forced to suspend her project” GO MovED” ( Government’s Movement to Eliminate Discrimination ).
A project called GO MovED aims to end discrimination against those who have HIV.
Ms. Jarunee claimed that no money was given to her project by the Thai government. Foreign donors frequently provided sponsorship, with the US being one of the largest donors, she said.
Due to the executive order, and because the project is related to DEI, we were forced to stop working on it on January 24. We are not certain whether we can resume it after the 3-month funding pause, she said.
Apcom, a Thai company whose work focuses on HIV issues, claimed that funding for the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief ( Pepfar ) had also been halted.
The organization claimed that a number of projects, including those aimed at reducing harm, harm reduction, and basic HIV services, have completely been stopped as a result of the funding freeze. The five-year global project EpiC Program, which Pepfar and USAID have funded, aims to combat the HIV epidemic.
The President Trump’s executive order to stop Pepfar and USAID from providing foreign aid has unsettling consequences. It is crucial that we stand even closer and support one another in these uncertain times. We will overcome this challenge as well, according to Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Apcom Executive Director, by fostering trust, cooperating, and exchanging information.
Sulaiporn: Warns of the blueprint for anti-DE I policies
Natthineethiti:” Many rely on awareness campaigns.
Chinthita: Concerned about legal restrictions.
Kittinun: Life is saved by American funding.