Women’s empowerment

Women’s Empowerment Program

TWA runs a Women’s Empowerment Program (also known as ‘ETA’ or ‘Empowerment Through Action’) which seeks to empower an exiled society with the following classes:

1. Young Tibetan Women’s Leadership Training.
2. Gender Sensitization and Domestic Violence Training.
3. Nuns Leadership Training.
4. Democracy Training.

Our projects – vocational training programme Stitches of Tibet and our Sponsorship programme – also work to support and to empower women in the exile community.

Education

Under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, education has become a primary focus and responsibility of Tibetans living in exile. The value of a literate and informed society is vital when it comes to Tibet’s struggle for freedom. Educational development is, therefore, a major concern of the Tibetan Women’s Association and all of its regional branch offices.

At present TWA provides scholarships for many Tibetan primary school children to attend secondary school. TWA also provides increasing number of sponsorships for students to pursue higher tertiary studies. In addition, TWA’s Fellowship for Women for Specialized Studies encourages Tibetan women with the required financial impetus to excel in their advanced studies. TWA hopes that these activities will encourage more students, particularly girls, to realize their full academic potential.

At the regional level TWA actively promotes community education in many Tibetan settlements. This includes basic English and Tibetan language literacy, as well as issues such as health care and the environment. TWA also provide basic health training and awareness to Tibetan women.

Religion

As a community we believe it is very important to encourage institutions which support women who wish to devote themselves to spiritual practices. A total of ten nunneries have been established in exile, with TWA assisting with the management and coordination of three. These nunneries function as comprehensive learning and spiritual centers for the preservation of a unique religious and cultural tradition.

In 1987, TWA launched the Tibetan Nuns Project in conjunction with the Department of Religion and Culture. The Tibetan Nuns Project assists many newly arrived nuns with shelter, food and clothing as well as with providing environments conducive to learning. Today the Tibetan Nuns Project is a completely independent and self-sustaining program. The vision and energy of the Tibetan Nuns Project has grown to accommodate over 500 nuns in exile. The TWA continues its strong relationship with the Tibetan Nuns Project by serving as a governing member of the program..

Recent Women's empowerment news:

• TWA convenes its 10th General Body Meeting

  
  04-14-2012 6-day crucial meeting to assess past and frame future activities Dharamsala, April 11: 140 grassroots women leaders belonging to 33 regional chapters of Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) have converged in Dharamsala for the 6-day (April 11 -16) General Body Meeting (GBM), the 10th in the series of TWA’s history. Chief guest former Kalon Tripa, professor Samdhong Rinpoche and guest of honor Rinchen Khando, founding president of TWA and former Kalon graced the opening ceremony. The GBM c...
  
  
  



• Report: 4th Annual Buddhist Nun’s Leadership Training 7th – 13th March 2012

  
  03-23-2012 Report from TWA Empowerment through Action Desk 4th Annual Buddhist Nun’s Leadership Training 7th – 13th March 2012 House of Peace and Dialogue, Upper TCV School, Dharamsala The week-long ‘4th Annual Nun’s Leadership Training,’ held from March 7th – 13th,2012, was attended by 17 nuns from 8 nunneries based in Nepal (Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery), Ladakh (Gephel Shadrupling)...
  
  
  



• Rare panel discussion on ‘Political Participation by Tibetan Nuns in the Exile Diaspora’ marks conclusion of week-long 4th Annual Nun’s Leadership Training

  
  03-14-2012 Dharamsala, March 13, 2012: This year’s Nuns Leadership Training, the 4th in series organized by Tibetan Women’s Association, concluded with a panel discussion on the topic ‘Political Participation by Tibetan Nuns in the Exile Diaspora’ held at the House of Peace and Dialogue, in Upper TCV School, Dharamsala. Three prominent and distinguished personalities participated: Geshe Monlam Tharchin, Member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Rev. Lobsang Dechen, the Executive Director of the...
  
  
  



• Report from TWA's 10-day Advanced Leadership Training in Delhi, November 2011

  
  01-26-2012 Full report from 2011's Advanced Tibetan Women's Leadership Training now available The Empowerment through Action Desk (ETA) of TWA, organized a 10 - day Advanced Leadership Training (November 21st to 30th), second in the series  and held in Delhi. The training was led by 3 core trainers – Vicki Robinson from Canada, Lynda Ongel Lepcha, director & senior trainer at Holistic Training Solutions based in New Delhi and Dhardon Sharling, research & media officer (TWA) and member of ...
  
  
  



• TWA’s ‘2nd Advanced Leadership Training’ for Tibetan Women Successfully concluded

  
  12-07-2011 Symposium on ‘Women’s Leadership in the 21st Century’ marks the culmination of 10-day Women's Leadership Training TWA’s ‘2nd Advanced Leadership Training’ for Tibetan Women Successfully concluded New Delhi, December 1, 2011: The Advanced Tibetan Women’s Leadership Training (ATWLT), the second in the series, an undertaking of Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) reached its pinnacle yesterday with the concluding ceremony in the form of a symposium held at the India Internati...
  
  
  



• TWA to hold Women's Leadership in the 21st Century panel discussion

  
  11-29-2011 A Symposium: ‘Women’s Leadership in the 21st century, a noble achievement’ Delhi, November 28: On the momentus occasion of South Asian Women’s Day, and as a culmination of the concluding session of the 2nd Advanced Tibetan Women’s Leadership Training, the Tibetan Women’s Association is organizing a 90 minute audience based discussion on the topic ‘Women’s Leadership in the 21st...