With an aim to promote women’s political leadership and governance in India and South Asia a two-day conference on Gender Responsive Governance Index beganin the capital, Thimphu from today.
Despite equal opportunities for both the gender, it is said that women’s participation in the local and central level has not been impressive. As of now, women’s participation at local government is only two percent while it is fourteen percent at the national level. More than 50 percent of the country’s total populations are women.
According to the Education Minister, Thakur Singh Powdyel, though women have overcome the physical barrier there still persist other issues that are yet to be concurred.
The conference under UN Women Programme, therefore, aims to strengthen village council for women’s political empowerment and develop political decision on gender issues. This is expected to be met through capacity building and evidence based policy advocacy with establishment of regional centre of excellence.
During the conference a documentary film by Kesang Chuki Dorjee titled “Nangi Aums to Go-Thrips” or‘Housewives to Leaders’ was also screened.
The Education Minister, Regional Programme Director of United Nations Women South Asia Regional Office, Anne F. Stenhammer, and other officials attended the conference.
