Women oppressed in the daily lives and cultural practices of the akha people, Thailand: how can the situation change?

BACKGROUND: Gender equality is one of the most concerning issues globally. Females lacking equality could lead to several impacts, including health and economic impacts. Gender equality is often present in some minorities, such as the Akha hill tribe people who live in remote areas and have poor educational and economic statuses. This study aimed to understand the patterns and forms of women’s oppression through their norms and cultures. METHODS: A qualitative method was used to elicit information from participants in twelve group discussions. The participants were Pha Mee and Ulau Akha people living in six selected villages along the border of Thailand and Myanmar. Twenty-two main questions were used as a guide in the discussions, which were grouped by gender and conducted by a same-gender moderator. The findings were extracted and formed according to a thematic approach. RESULTS: A total of 72 Akha from six villages were invited to participate in the study: 29 males and 43 females. The average age was 47.7 years, 69.4% were married, 63.8% were Buddhist, 47.2% had never attended a school, and 47.2% worked in the agricultural sector. Several forms of Akha women’s oppression were identified: oppression through daily life, religious rituals, son preference, novels and cradle songs, naming ceremonies, and work performances. Many factors acted as unorthodox patterns to relieve the oppression of Akha women: religious conversion, educational impact, exposure to people from outside villages, and social and economic roles. Oppressed Akha women moved through four layers: individual, family, community, and external culture and modernization. The combination of culture and globalization was a key factor in gender inequity through these four layers to balance the pressures to oppress and resist. CONCLUSIONS: Akha women have lived under the power of men for several years, and these men have built up common features to control women in their society. Improving gender inequity is important for moving to a better stage of health, quality of life, and social roles, which will increase the power of all people to improve their society in the future. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-023-01361-6.