The National Forum on “Empowering Women, Shaping Thailand’s Future” is convened by Kenan Foundation Asia, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development (DWF), Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

Thailand’s dual transition - rapid population ageing and intensifying climate impacts - are reshaping rural livelihoods in gender-differentiated ways. Rural women, particularly older women and those balancing unpaid care responsibilities, face disproportionate barriers to economic participation despite their central role in sustaining local economies and communities.

The Forum takes place within an evolving national policy context. This includes ongoing dialogue on the care economy and gender-responsive development - such as ESCAP’s 2025 Thailand National Consultation on Valuing and Investing in the Care Economy - as well as the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s “MSDHS Near You” initiative, which promotes job creation, income generation, and community-based support systems under its Care Economy and Family First strategies.

Drawing on the WE Inspire initiative implemented by Kenan Foundation Asia - including seed grants and mentoring support for women-led community enterprises in Chiang Rai - and insights from the local forum held in Chiang Khong District in November 2025, the Forum highlights rural women entrepreneurs as key actors in advancing climate-resilient, ageing-inclusive grassroots economies. Lessons from enterprise-level support and local dialogue help inform national policy discussions.

The Forum aims to advance evidence-informed policymaking and mobilize greater investment toward women-led community enterprises in the digital, green, and care economies.

Specifically, the Forum will:

• Strengthen understanding of the role, potential, and challenges of rural women entrepreneurs in an ageing and climate-affected context;
• Identify policy measures to enhance gender-responsive financing, intergenerational collaboration, and community-based care systems;
• Foster multi-stakeholder partnerships across government agencies, financial institutions, civil society, academia, and the private sector;
• Encourage stronger commitment to invest in women-led enterprises as drivers of Thailand’s sustainable and inclusive development.

The outcomes of the Forum will be reflected in a meeting summary report.