China has been questioned about the predicament of Tibetan women in Tibet by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
According to Tibet Rights Collective, China has been questioned by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) about the state of Tibetan women in Tibet.
The rights and welfare of Tibetan women are of special importance to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which is in charge of directing the Convention’s implementation. Recently, CEDAW members requested clarity on a number of problems with regard to China’s treatment of Tibetan women.
The bulk of the committee’s enquiries, according to Tibet Rights Collective, were on gender equality, access to healthcare and education, political participation, and the preservation of religious and cultural rights for Tibetan women living in Tibet.
At a UN public briefing on May 8, 2023, the Tibet Bureau and the Tibetan Women’s Association jointly released a statement about the situation of Tibetan women in Tibet. Examining China’s implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was the main objective of the briefing. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CEDAW)’s 85th session included the briefing.
Attending the conference, representative Thinlay Chukki gave an outline of the circumstances of Tibetan women living under Chinese administration in Tibet. She attended the conference together with Tenzing Dolma, President of the Tibetan Women’s Association (Central), and UN Advocacy Officer Kalden Tsomo.
Due to charges of discrimination against its Tibetan community and human rights abuses, Tibet has attracted attention from throughout the world. The CEDAW committee’s investigations, according to Tibet Rights Collective, were mainly designed to shed light on the challenges encountered by Tibetan women and evaluate the effectiveness of China’s attempts to address these concerns.
Fears for Tibetan women
Concerns were raised by the committee over allegations of gender-based violence, women’s restricted access to healthcare and education, their economic opportunities, and their difficulty integrating into new cultures. The Chinese delegation was questioned over the measures taken to solve these problems, guarantee equality, and protect the rights of Tibetan women.
Assuring the committee that China was dedicated to developing gender equality and bettering the position of Tibetan women, its delegate recognized the committee’s concerns. The delegation claims that several legislation and programs have been implemented to improve women’s rights and give them greater influence in Tibetan society.
According to Tibet Rights Collective, they emphasized programs in the fields of education, healthcare, poverty reduction, and job possibilities in an attempt to address the problems brought up.
The CEDAW committee will now examine China’s remarks and the information shared at the meeting. The review will assist the committee in formulating its final findings and recommendations, which it will share with China to guide future efforts to enhance gender equality and defend the rights of Tibetan women.
This development shows how the world is concerned about the rights and welfare of Tibetan women. The CEDAW committee’s involvement shows how committed it is to fulfilling states’ responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and ensuring Tibet’s women’s rights are protected and respected.
In order to address the challenges encountered by Tibetan women and strive toward a more inclusive and fair society in Tibet, the UN and other pertinent parties may hold more discussions and take other steps as the situation evolves, according to Tibet Rights Collective.
