The Tibetan Parliament-In-Exile Encourages Female Political Representation by Approving Three Women as Cabinet Ministers
GHRTV Reporter
Giulia Benzi
Tibet & Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
The appointment by Sikong Penpa Tsering of three women as cabinet ministers of Tibetan parliament-in-exile represents an historical moment for the strengthening of female political representation in the Tibetan government. The vote in the 17th Dhramsala’s first session experienced a deadlock that lasted for four months, which was unfrozen only after the intervention of the Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama. The conclusion of the first session welcomed Norzin Dolma, a former researcher at the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Tharlam Dolma, a former school principal, and Gyari Dolma, a former activist. Apart from their election, the session also resulted in the approval of eight official resolutions of obituary and mourning and one expressing solidarity to the Tibetan community.
Regarding the election of the three female politicians, the Deputy Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile expressed the following: "According to the charter, we are supposed to have seven Kalons to be elected. There were objections for all the candidates from one of the female parliament members, because of that; we had to cast our vote for each of them. The three female candidates for Kalons, all passed the 50 per cent mark, so they were elected."
Although the Chinese government retains control over Tibet’s political activities and judicial decisions, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile continues to meet two times per year in order to go through CTA budgets, and once in September to discuss its departments’ yearly reports.
For further reading and sources:
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/posts-10132021150914.html
