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populations. Many studies have shown how the scheme has prevented many and
especially the poorest of the population to avoid debt related to expenses for
medical care, thus reducing inequalities in the access to healthcare. This policy of
Thailand was acknowledged and praised most recently by the global community at
a High-Level event during the UN General Assembly in September this year.

The Government’s recent efforts to address the issue of statelessness and
the delivery of citizenship to more than 100.000 people in the last three years is
another example of intervention that addresses inequalities, as without papers these
individuals were not entitled to the same benefits and services as others. Other
policies and tools established by the Government to reduce inequalities include a
series of cash grant mechanisms for the elderly benefitting 8.4 million people last
year, for people with disability covering 1.6 million people (and I understand the
instigator of these two measures is with us in the room today). There is also the
Child Support grant and the well-established welfare card that has been distributed
to more than 14.6 million people. All these measures are clear attempts by the
Government at reducing inequalities in Thailand.

In UNDP, we are also implementing with our national partners from
Government and civil society specific interventions focusing on the most vulnerable
populations such as people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQI community,
the elderly, ethnic community members which all contribute to addressing
inequalities. More broadly, our efforts in this area are integral to our work to assist
the country achieve the SDGs.

Because the imperative of reducing inequalities is enshrined in the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development and its central pledge of leaving no one
behind. To help countries achieve SDG 10 focused on reducing inequality within and
between countries, four strands of policy recommendations or targets have been
identified.

๏ First to progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom

Keynote Speaker ๏ Second to ensure equal opportunities as well as reduce inequalities in
40% of population at a rate higher than the national average;

outcomes through eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices
and promote appropriate legislation and policies;

๏ Third to adopt fiscal, wage and social protection policies to progressively
achieve equality;