Sikyong Penpa Tsering Attends Inaugural of Women Empowerment Desk’s Three-Day Conference

Dharamshala: The Women’s Empowerment Desk of the Department of Finance, CTA held the inaugural ceremony of the three-day ‘Dialogue on Women’s Empowerment within the Tibetan Community’, at Asia Health Resorts in Dharamshala on 3 November 2023.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration in his address as the chief guest shared that this was the 16th Kashag’s first conference concerning women’s empowerment since assuming office. He urged the attendees to participate wholeheartedly in the discussions to enable the compiling of responses that are relevant and practical to the Tibetan societal setting and can bring forward suggestions to review the current policy on women empowerment.

In addition, Sikyong spoke about the importance of Tibetan society in moving forward with the times and bringing to an end all circumstances related to gender-based violence.

Special guest, Dr. Poonam Smith Sreen, Deputy Director of the General Development Office of USAID, asserted that every society has its own customs and norms, and based on which there are some apparent and some not-so-apparent differences. She applauded Tibetan society for holding such conferences which allow for discussions on the issue and compilation of responses.

The conference will be held for three days from 3-5 November. It will discuss on themes, such as women’s leadership at the Central Tibetan Administration, women’s leadership at the grassroots, women and health, women and mental health, education and gender, law and gender, violence against women, etc.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Secretaries of the various departments, along with the committee members of the prevention of sexual harassment, and representatives of the NGOs bringing the total participants to 64.

Sikyong addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 3-day conference on women empowerment. Photo/ Tenzin Jigme/ CTA

Dr. Poonam Smith Sreen, Deputy Director of General Development Office of USAID, addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 3-day conference on women empowerment. Photo/ Tenzin Jigme/ CTA

Secretaries of the Departments of CTA in the audience. Photo/ Tenzin Jigme/ CTA

Women’s Empowerment Desk staff addressing the gathering. Photo/ Tenzin Jigme/ CTA

Tsering Kyi of Women’s Empowerment Desk addressing the gathering. Photo/ Tenzin Jigme/ CTA