To address gender gaps in workplaces and support women leaders, over 40 former recipients of the Australia Awards scholarships came together in the capital for a two-day workshop. Participants from Mongolia and seven South Asian countries committed to taking steps to tackle these issues in their respective nations. They discussed challenges such as gender equality and cultural barriers that hinder women’s professional growth.
Participants at the workshop argued that cultural beliefs impact the work lives of women. According to them, women face challenges burdened by stereotypical roles assigned to them.
They added that responsibilities both at home and in the workplace hinder women’s ability to perform on par with men.
“There are different sorts of roles that men and women play at work and home. The women are the caregivers for their children, or they are the ones who must prepare meals for the family. That strains the priorities that women have and that also perhaps squeezes the amount of time that women tend to spend at work. So, having a sort of policy in place that would make sure that women are given time to attend some of these responsibilities is important,” said Badamchimeg Dondog, a participant from Mongolia.
“There are certain things in culture that make people believe that a woman cannot do things such as construction work. That is always a masculine work. Maldives is a country of fishing, and it’s a cultural thing to say that a man can only be the person who can fish, not a woman. So yes, it’s not a belief system or a religious thing, it is more of a cultural thing that we believe but it needs to be changed,” said Aishath Ifadha, a participant from the Maldives.
She added that in the Maldives, the government has implemented a range of policies, including measures to prevent sexual harassment, promote gender equality, and address domestic violence.
However, she expressed concern that these policies are not being properly implemented.
According to participants, empowering women leaders can engage the community and inspire other women to participate in decision-making.
“The social and cultural perception of leadership for men and women is that men are much more capable of being a leader than women. Women themselves perceive that way and therefore depend on men to make the decisions. So, that is where we are with the beliefs, the social norms, and the traditions that we follow. We need to advocate and reduce these traditional norms and the old perception that only men can be a leaders,” said Ugyen Tshomo, a participant from Bhutan.
The Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships and short courses funded by the Australian Government.
“The regional workshop aims to bring alumni from the region together, to share experiences, to build networks, and to better equip them to go back and make significant contributions to the development of their countries. And the alumni we have chosen this year have made a significant contribution to advancing gender equality in their own countries,” said Matthew Lapworth, director of the South and Central Asia Development Section, DFAT, Australia.
He added that the scholarship equips recipients with the skills, knowledge, and networks to drive change and contribute to the economic and social development of their own countries.
This is the second Regional Alumni Workshop in Bhutan, following the first one held in 2018.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Sherub Dorji
