The Foundation for Women

The Foundation for Women (FFW) is a non-governmental organization providing services to women and based in Bangkok, Thailand.

FFW implements activities by applying human rights principles aiming at respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of individual women and girl child.

Background

FFW was formed in 1984 when we established a Women’s Information Centre, providing advice to Thai women who were to go abroad. In 1986, we opened a women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence.

In 1988, FFW expanded its activities with the launch of a community-based education project (Kamla) to inform people about the problems of child prostitution and to counter the propaganda spread by agents working for international and national trafficking networks. The Kamla project was illustrated in the UN Plan of Action Combating the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography in 1992 as an example to combating child prostitution by launching public education.

In 1991, the experience gained from the community-based work led to the launch of the “Weaving New Life” project. The project combined the public education/media production work of FFW with the training of village residents as volunteer development workers to assist women and children in their communities.

While working for gender equality/equity and social justice, FFW encourages the participation of women and community in solving their problems and collaborating with authorities at all levels in shaping plans and policies that affect the lives of women and children.

FFW respects the right to self determination of individual women and aims to assist women to achieve equality and justice by providing information and support to enabling them to make informed decision and take control of their life. FFW produces educational material to publicise and promote the recognition of women’s human rights.

While the services at FFW are available to everyone, we give a special emphasis in our work to rural women, young women, women workers, women and children vulnerable to forced prostitution and international trafficking, victims of domestic and sexual violence.

At FFW, our activities are led by the following principles:

The social position of women will be changed through the combined efforts of women and men but women will play decisive role in this transformation.

Our work will attend to those women who are most disadvantaged and be based on equal participation and mutual learning

We will cooperate with governmental and non-governmental groups nationally and internationally to achieve the best results.

Current Activities

Our current work builds on the experience gained from the early projects. We continue to provide direct services to women and girl child who are victims of structural and gender-based violence, and combine the social service with education, research and campaign activities.

Direct Assistance

FFW provides information, support and referral and emergency assistance to individual women affected from gender-based violence particularly in cases of domestic and sexual violence.

FFW provides social and legal assistance to Thai and non-Thai women and children who are victims of national and cross-borders trafficking.

FFW advocates for the rights of trafficked women and children, and cooperates with other organizations to defend their rights such as the rights to compensation and civil remedies.

FFW has a special interest in the plight of migrant women and children from other countries as they are vulnerable to be trafficked and to work in exploitative conditions. In order to access to these women and children, FFW works in the Immigration Detention Centre and the Public Welfare Home.

FFW co-operates with organizations in countries of destination in assisting women and children and preventing human trafficking.

Advocacy and campaign

FFW conducts campaigns in order to improve the law enforcement and mechanisms for the protection and prevention of the rights of women.

FFW works with other organizations and local women’s network to campaign for the criminalisation of marital rape.

FFW promotes the role of civil society in enhancing the rights of women and girl child to economic security and freedom from violence and exploitation. FFW follows up the development plan and policies concerning women.

FFW produces newsletters, videos, posters and books for use in villages, and for national distribution in order to raise public concern and awareness on women’s issues.

Community Network

FFW promotes the role of community in providing assistance to women and children in the North and Northeast of Thailand including the tribal communities.

FFW strengthens the role of local volunteers and members of the Tambon (subdistrict) Administrative Organizations (TAOs) in assisting women and children and preventing trafficking of women and children.