As well as TWA’s international presence, working to raise awareness of the problems endured by Tibetan women in exile and in Tibet, it is a top priority of TWA to support the women inside Tibet as best we can and to disseminate information on their plight.
One crucial issue facing women in Tibet is the supression of reproduction rights; on this topic TWA has published a book entitled Tears of Silence, the first edition in 1994 and subsequent updated editions in 1995, 2002 and 2009. Research found that whilst forced abortions and compulosory sterilizations were no longer endemic after the 1980s, and the government’s approach changed in the mid 1990s to imposing fines rather than force, brutal enforcement of reproduction policies continues to occur. Furthermore, Tibetan women refugees reveal that women in Tibet are often unaware of their right to have more that two children, and to refuse abortions and sterilizations. They are also often unaware of alternative family planning methods such as contraception. This short video report on forced sterlization in Tibet offers a helpful introduction. In the light of China’s current plans to gain greater control of Tibet by resettling its entire nomadic population into fixed accomodation (see Purging the Treasure House: displacement and the status of the Tibetan nomad [TWA, 2011]), it seems that a wider enforcement of reproduction policies may be on the cards.
This page covers TWA’s work to support or campaign on behalf of women in Tibet. See our Tibet news page for other reports on Tibetan women.
Latest news:
09-19-2013 Celebration of TWA’s 29th anniversary in exile September 10, 2013 Today as we celebrate the 29th year of re-establishment of Tibetan Women's Association in exile. Fore mostly, we hearty honour a...
03-11-2013 Central and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association commemorate the 54th Anniversary of National Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day Today on March 12th 2013, we, the Tibetan Women's Association, commemorate the 54th anniversary of National Tibetan Women's Uprising Day. March 12, 19...
03-11-2013 The Central and Regional Tibetan Women's Association organize the "Tibetans Stand Together in Joy and Sorrow" Movement Press Release: The oppressive policies of the Chinese government in Tibet continuously push Tibetans from all walks of life to self-immolate. Since...
03-13-2012 Tibetan Women commemorated the 53rd anniversary of National Women’s Uprising Day Statement of Tibetan Women’s Association On the occasion of 53rd commemoration anniversary of National Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day Dharamsala, ...
03-12-2012 Tibetan Women to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of National Women’s Uprising Day TWA honors 53 years of peaceful resistance by Tibetan women Tomorrow on March 12, the Tibetan Women’s Association and its global network of chapter...
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