Tibetan Women's Advanced Leadership Training; Advancing high level women leadership and promoting women representation in the Tibetan community
Dharamsala, June 7, 2010: The Tibetan Women's Advanced Leadership Training organized by the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) kick started with a opening ceremony held at the House of Peace and Dialogue, Upper TCV School and was attended by dignitaries from the exile Tibetan Community. Statistics say the Central Tibetan Administration is comprised of a 46% female and 54% male workforce, but this does not demonstrate the true situation. There is a shocking discrepancy of a low 3% of women at top level positions, in stark contrast to the 97% of males at high level positions. The same picture also fits in many other frames of Tibetan exile Diaspora. The Tibetan Women's Advanced Leadership Training (June 7 to June 17), an undertaking of the Tibetan Women's Association, sought to not only address this issue, but to tackle it by enabling women's representation in the higher realms of representation and ranks of governance. Thirty professional and high potential Tibetan women leaders from all over India participated in this 11-day training, which is the first of its kind. Additionally, this training also accentuated the implementation of the Kashag's eight point policy on women's empowerment launched in October 2008. It also provided a niche platform and a creative forum for potential women leaders to identity and hone their leadership skills.
The Chief guest for the afternoon's ceremony, Mrs Rinchen Khando, former minister of the Tibetan Government in exile and the founding president of the TWA applauded this daring initiative of TWA and said that "women, rather than waiting for equal opportunity to befall them, should prove their mettle and if anyone dares to interrupt, then the women should assert their equal rights." Mrs Gyari Dolma, the deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, said that “compared to the other societies, Tibetan women have had equal footing and they are well positioned, but it is also increasingly important to identity and address the gaps and the loopholes and then empower women who constitute a very important proportion of the Tibetan community." Mr Tsewang Yeshi, the President of Tibetan Children's Village Schools, lamented that 'intentionally or unintentionally, there is discrimination against the Tibetan women and hence it is essential to sensitize and educate the larger community and take collective efforts to empower women for the benefit of the society." The guests also launched the 21st anniversary special edition of 'DOLMA' magazine, TWA's annual literary magazine in both Tibetan and English, which stands for the intellectual expression of and for Tibetan women.
The 11-day training was divided into three phases; professional and experienced resource speakers from the exile Tibetan Community officiated the first phase of the training on 'Understanding Leadership'. Lynda O Lepcha, the director and master trainer of Holistic Training Solutions (New Delhi) led the second phase of the training on 'Building Leadership Skills'. The TWA trainers along with Michelle Pomeroy, a young trainer from the United States who has served as a training coordinator, spearheaded the final phase of the training on 'Practicing Leadership'. Gaea Logan, professional psychotherapist, a professor and author based in the United States actuated the evening sessions on 'Women and Personal Dialogue.' The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation (USA) supported this maiden venture of TWA with the much needed financial impetus, along with financial resources from the Open Meadows Foundation.
"The 11-day intensive training aimed to foster strengthening the whole Tibetan democratic community by empowering our women. There are many decisions relating to women and children that are socially crucial, such as education, maternal health, community-based services, and equal legal rights, where opinions, advises and expertise of women is indispensable. By the end of this training, we aspire to see women who are not only empowered, but also capable, prepared and willing to take up challenging roles in the decision making arena," said Kirti Dolkar Lhamo, the president of TWA.
TWA's primary goal is to advocate the rights of the Tibetan women inside Tibet and to empower the women in exile. This training fits in the paradigm of TWA's 'leadership and empowerment actions' that includes the 'Annual Young Tibetan Women's Leadership Program,' 'All India Gender Sensitization Training' and the 'Annual Tibetan Nuns Leadership Training'.
The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) has 52 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 new refugee women from Tibet. TWA's tag line is 'Advocacy for home, Action in exile.'