DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan government-in-exile on Friday celebrated Tibetan Women's Day in Dharamshala.
President of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Lobsang Sangay including his cabinet ministers and women staff members of different departments of the government-in-exile gathered to mark the Tibetan Women's Day.
The CTA officially recognised March 12 as 'Tibetan Women's Day' in 2017, in its commitment to Tibetan women's empowerment with the objective of enabling them to fully participate and contribute to the advancement of Tibetan society.
On March 12, 1959, thousands of Tibetan women took to the streets of Lhasa to protest against China's unlawful occupation of Tibet.
"We feel that women are equal to men and we have given equal opportunities to them. There should be equal leadership from the women side as well so this year the theme is COVID-19," Lobsang Sangay told ANI.
"So if you look at globally, the pandemic is handled better by women leaders from Germany to Taiwan, from Finland to New Zealand compared to most of the infected countries in the world led by a man," he added.
The CTA president said Tibetan women have made a tremendous contribution to the Tibetan freedom struggle.
Education Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Pema Yangchen said, "Be proud that you are a woman and that too a Tibetan woman. Be confident and above all be a compassionate human being that would be my message."