The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held its first national women’s convention in Thimphu yesterday. The daylong meeting discussed various issues related to women, both at the local and national level.
Over a thousand women party supporters from across the country gathered to share various views on and related to elections, social and family issues.
Some of them highlighted the need for more female candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Speaking at the gathering, the party’s vice president, who is also the Works and Human Settlement Minister, Dorji Choden said quota reservation for women in the elections was discussed many times in the parliament but did not get through.
She added reserving seats for women will only undermine their status.
The party’s president, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, said aspiring women candidates are still held back by family security concerns and traditional beliefs.
Issues related to youth and support for divorced women were also raised during the meeting.
