Dharamsala, January 28 – Two representatives from the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA)attended two conferences in Bangkok last week. The 1st International Congress on Women’s Health and Unsafe Abortion (ICWHUA) held in Bangkok, from 20th to the 23rd of January 2010, and was attended by 170 delegates from 41 countries and organised by the Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights Foundation of Thailand (WHRRF).
The Conference was opened by the Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr.Abhisit Vejjajiva, signifying the importance of the event to provide the latest information about women’s health and unsafe abortions.
Prior to the ICWHUA conference, TWA members alongside 52 women’s organizations from 27 countries from the Asia Pacific region attended the Asia-pacific Regional Consultation Meeting (RCM) of Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) held in Bangkok from the 17th to the 19th of January 2010. The members gathered to reaffirm their support for the realisation of reproductive rights for all women and in particular for women under repressive regimes such as the women of Tibet. The Vice President of TWA, Samten Chodon stated “A women’s body is her right and she has the right whether to or not to reproduce, a state cannot interfere in this regard”.
The RCM of WGNRR was earlier scheduled to be held in Beijing, China in October 2009, in conjunction with the 5th Asia and Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights” (APCRSHR) organized by the National Population and Family Planning Commission’s (NPFPC) of People’s Republic of China. But the NPFPC’s refusal to accord TWA with an invitation letter compelled WGNRR to postpone the RCM and reschedule it to align with the ICWHUA (January, Bangkok).
The 52 members of the Asia-Pacific Network of WGNRR jointly declared that women’s rights are not protected. Issues of conflict, sexual violence and discrimination against minorities are among the issues faced by women. This includes China’s family planning policy that enforces forced abortion on Tibetan women inside of Tibet. The Coordinator of WGNRR, Kathy Mulville, further reiterated that “there is a lack of information, education and affordable services, persistence of discriminatory social norms and a rise in political and religious fundamentalism,” she further reminded the participants that “ we the citizens are failing to hold our governments to account, to stand up and demand our reproductive rights”.
TWA is committed to advocating and campaigning for the advancement of reproductive and sexual health rights for all and holds a steadfast commitment to represent the voice of Tibetan women at International meetings such as the International Congress on Women’s Health and Unsafe Abortion. The Research and Media Officer of TWA, Dhardon Sharling affirmed that they attended the Women’s conference in Bangkok to further the cause, to share experiences, build knowledge and capacity and to raise TWA’s voice for Tibetan women at such a significant international forum”.
