At a glance: The First Ever Secretary-General, National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

We are happy to introduce Mrs. Kingkaew Inwang, Secretary General, National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (NEP), a new departmental organization under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS). Mrs. Kingkaew has had much experience in community development which focuses on empowering and strengthening networking of people among concerned organizations and people's organizations under the Ministry of Interior. After the Public Reform in 2002, she relocated to stay as a Director of the Bureau of Gender Equality and as a Deputy Director General of the Office of Women Affairs and Family Development, MSDHS.

Mrs. Kingkaew stated that the major role of NEP is to coordinate with various governmental and non-governmental organizations on disability policy. NEP has a strong network with MSDHS. NEP's strategy includes empowerment of persons with disabilities by involving representatives of disabled people's organizations in all stages from planning to monitoring. This national office also serves as an information center particularly data of registered persons with disabilities in Thailand, research, best practices, etc.

One of her significant achievements was to seek approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This will lead to more persons with disabilities to mingle with others in society and enjoy the same rights as others.