Open Collections

Tiansuwan, Kawin

University of British Columbia

This thesis addresses the exclusion of sexual and gender minorities (SGMs; i.e. LGBTIQ+ persons) in international development, emphasizing the importance of recognizing SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics) rights in development policy and practice. Because binary gender distinctions and heteronormative assumptions are deeply ingrained in development, this study examines how international development organizations can break such rigid norms through SOGIESC inclusion. The study focused on both challenges and good practices, with Thailand as a case study on how SOGIESC concepts and inclusion are applied on the ground. Focusing on two children’s rights international non-government organizations (INGOs), semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight staff members. The interviews revealed practical issues around the safety of SGM-identified staff members when participating in project activities. Addressing these issues includes ensuring non-discrimination from project staff. The study demonstrates how rigid gender and sexuality norms are detrimental to the well-being of SGMs, and an obstacle to making projects more SOGIESC-inclusive. It highlights challenges of INGOs in implementing SOGIESC inclusion within their internal structures and practices. Despite staff members’ desire for clarity and support, the lack of organizational resources and expertise hinders effective mainstreaming of SOGIESC rights. Staff with expertise in LGBTIQ+ and SOGIESC rights play a pivotal role in driving organizational change. Despite these challenges, the study suggests SOGIESC mainstreaming as a viable strategy for SOGIESC inclusion in development practice and policy. It also suggests that conducting organizational and community-based context analyses with local SGM community organizations and activists is necessary for informing interventions.

Text

2025-01-31

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87414

Planning

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/