DHARAMSHALA: A two-day women empowerment workshop is underway from 27-28 October at the conference hall of Hotel Tibet, Gangtok. The workshop is being organised by the Women’s Empowerment Desk, Department of Home, in collaboration with the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) and Tibetan Women’s Association.
Over 53 Tibetan women including students, teachers and staff from various non-governmental organisation in the area are participating in the workshop.
The inaugural session of the workshop was attended by Shri P.D Rai, a member of the Indian Parliament and Ms. Gyari Dolma, Kalon for the Department of Home. Other dignitaries present include Youdon Aukartsang and B. Tsering, members of Tibetan Parliament and the settlement officers of Gangtok and Ravangla Tibetan settlement.
Kalon Dolma Gyari, in her address, spoke about the importance placed by the present Kashag towards the empowerment of women in the Tibetan community and underlined that women empowerment is not restricted only to rights. ” The Central Tibetan Administration is firmly committed to women empowerment and gender equality. However, women empowerment is not restricted strictly in terms of fighting for women’s rights. It also means to be responsible and capable in your respective duties. The Tibetan women in exile should collaborate with local women and work hard for the upliftment of not just the Tibetan community, but also for the advancement of our host states and country,” she said.
She thanked the local Sikkim government and people for bestowing their kindness to the Tibetan people for the last five decades of exile.
Following Home Kalon’s address, Shrimati. Pramilatai Medhe, former chief of Rashtriya Sevika Samiti, an influential women’s organisation, gave a brief talk related to women empowerment.
The two-day workshop will be presided over by Ms. Kamla Bhasin, a prominent women’s rights activist and social scientist; Ms. Shanta Kumari, President of Rashtriya Sevika Samiti and Dr. Doma T. Bhutia, a lawyer in the Sikkim High Court. Tibetan Parliamentarian B. Tsering and Youdon Aukartsang are also taking over the workshop.
