“We Want to Work”: Providing Livelihood Opportunities for Refugees in Thailand

A delegation from the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), including two staff members, two members from WRC’s board of directors and an interested third party, traveled to Thailand from June 22 to July 3, 2006 to assess current livelihood programs targeting refugee women and youth and to learn about emerging opportunities due to lifting of some Thai government restrictions on the ability of refugees to participate in livelihood activities. The delegation held meetings in Bangkok and Mae Sot and traveled to two refugee camps (Mae La and Umpiem) to visit operational livelihood programs and to speak with refugee women and youth about their livelihood needs and aspirations.