Background : The Office of Women’s Affairs and Family Development (OWAFD) is one among new governmental units that have been established under the Thai government’s bureaucratic reform policy of B.E.2545, which proposed to improve the efficiency of the bureaucratic system by means of dissolving several units on social issues in various ministries as to be re-establish as a new, better-functioned ministry and units.
The OWAFD has been established by the virtue of :
• The Administrative Organization of the State Act B.E. 2545
• The Royal Decree Transferring Affairs, Power and Duties of State Authorities under the Act Organizing Ministries and Department B.E. 2545
• The Ministerial Regulation Organizing the Office of Women’s Affairs and Family Development B.E. 2545.
The OWAFD has integrated the works of :
1. Office of the National Commission on Women’s Affairs under the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister Office of Women (43 officers)
2. The Women, Child and Youth Development Division of the Ministry of Interior (18 officers)
3. The Department of Public Welfare, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (164 officers) , which consists parts of :
3.1 The Division of Social Security
3.2 The Division of Self-establishment Community
3.3 The Division of Community Service
3.4 The Division of Hill tribe People Welfare
3.5 The Division of Vocational Welfare