Women of China – https://www.womenofchina.cn/html/womenofchina/report/15090592-1.htm
TIBET – ECONOMIC & SOCIAL PROGRESS FOR WOMEN – EDUCATION KEY
By Tang ZhaoyangEditor: Mable Wang – September 9, 2015
| Tibetan women in the street [By Ma Dongming] | ||
| “Back then, women were not only insulted in the workplace but also bullied at home. They had to give birth in cattle yards.” According to Zhang, that historical period would be inconceivable for today’s Tibetan women. They were barred from the education system and could not participate in politics or government affairs.
Tibetan Family Photo [By Ma Dongming] The Democratic Reform has completely changed the fate of Tibetan women. Over the past five decades, from the anti-illiteracy campaign to the call for women’s involvement in public affairs administration, women in the region have gradually shaken off the spiritual shackles imposed by the old system for thousands of years. “Tibetan women are realizing their values in a free environment,” Zhang said. Now all walks of life in Tibet have members of the female elite and female employees make up more than 46 percent of the total work force. “We have set up small loan programs for women to encourage them to start their own businesses.” An increasing number of Tibetan women have also begun to set foot in politics. Many Tibetan women cadres and delegates are now active on the country’s political stage.” Official data shows that women account for 33.8 percent of the total number of civil servants and female deputies to the 10th People’s Congress and female members of the 10th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of the autonomous region account for 23.2 percent and 21.2 percent respectively. “This wonderful trend is all thanks to education.” Zhang held that it is education that has altered the mental state of Tibetan women during the past 50 years and endowed them with free and independent characters. “Prior to the Democratic Reform, more than 90 percent of women were illiterate. Now the enrolment rate for school-age girls has surpassed 99 percent.” Law has become an amulet of protection for Tibetan women and medical care now covers all women and children. “There is no denying that women in some backward and poverty-stricken regions still suffer from an inferior status. Plus, it’s a long way to go to achieve gender equality throughout the whole world,” Zhang claimed. She is convinced, however, that Tibetan women will embrace a brighter future full of accelerated economic and social progress. _____________________________________________________________________ |
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