A New Turn in the Tide: TWA elects its 9th Executive Members
The 9th General Body Meeting of Tibetan Women's Association concluded at 1 am, this morning. The 6 day meeting (10-15 April, 2009) held in Dharamsala was attended by 170 women delegates from 32 regional chapters spread across the globe, and concluded with the election of the 9th Executive members.
Former president of TWA and the current ATPD member, Mrs. Dolkar Lhamo Kirti got elected as the president and Mrs. Samten Choedon, the outgoing president of RTWA Bylakuppee and the current Manager of 'Workshop', Bylakuppee got elected as the vice president. The former general secretary of TWA, Mrs. Tsering Yangzom Oshoe got reelected as the General Secretary. The elected in-house and sitting executive members also include Mrs. Tenzin Dolma (former TWA executive member), Ms. Tsering Kyi (former Miss Tibet (2003) and reporter for Bod Kyi Dus Bab) and T. Dhardon Sharling (the current staff of TWA). The newly elected out-stationed executive members are Tashi Dolma (Uttarkhand), Passang Dolma (New York), Yangchen Wochutsang (Switzerland) and Kalsang Wangmo (New Delhi).
The handover will take place soon after the fresh executive members start holding office in the coming months.
The presence of young members in the team was a significant turnover. "I am elated that the young Tibetan women are now beginning to tread the right path of leadership" said Dr. B. Tsering Yeshi, the outgoing president of Tibetan Women’s Association. The coming of the new team marks a new era in holding the mantle of leadership and in continuing with the sustained efforts of the outgoing executive members.
Tibetan Women's Association is today on the threshold of achieving maturity and has over the years stepped up its efforts to contribute to the freedom struggle at a higher level and essentially in empowering Tibetan women on all fronts. The achievements of TWA has catapulted Tibetan women into the 'coming-of-age' stage where it has reached the higher notches of its struggle and at a focal point where it can strive to create an empowered women for an empowered society.
The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) has 49 regional chapters and over 15, 000 members outside Tibet. Today, TWA is the second largest Tibetan NGO and the only women's NGO in exile that advocates human rights for Tibetan women in Tibet and works to empower Tibetan women in exile, in particular newly arriving refugees from Tibet.