Tibetan Women´s Association (TWA)

Advocacy for home, Action in exile

Qui sommes-nous

The non-profit and non-government organization The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) was originally founded in 1959 in Tibet and after a long period of transition for TWA the NGO was officially reinstated in 1984, with the blessings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Committed to resolve the injustices inside Tibet, TWA’s expansion of 57 regional chapters within four continents (Asia, America, Europe and Australia) totally more than 16000 members outside Tibet, furthers the advocacy objective for social justice. TWA is the most powerful women’s organization in Tibetan history. TWA advocates human rights for women inside Tibet and is committed to empowering women in exile.

Mission
• The TWA calls for global vigilance to voice the concerns of Tibetan women and exert international pressure toward the critical human rights situation in Chinese-occupied Tibet.
• TWA aims to promote the social, political, economic, and educational empowerment of Tibetan women-in-exile, ensuring their accessibility to adequate education and resources.
• TWA also strives to preserve and promote Tibetan culture, language, traditions, and religion through community education, publications, and literacy programs.
• TWA seeks to draw international attention to the environmental crisis facing Tibet.
• TWA actively pursues a global initiative for the future with many courageous campaigns in the global arena.

Activities:
• Political and Social Empowerment through Participation
• Empowerment through Education and Action
• Environmental Protection

Projects:
• Sponsorship for the needy: Assists disadvantaged families, particularly single mothers, with financial support, capacity building, and employment resources.
• Stitches of Tibet: Provides Tibetan refugee women with an 18 month skilled training program for tailoring. Stitches of Tibet, is a capacity building project which includes economic development and empowers the women trainees for self-reliance.
• Fellowship for Women Studies: offers financial support to assist with professional development and encourages Tibetan women to excel in their advanced field of study.

Programs:
• Research and Media: Publishes reports and films focused on the socio political status of women both inside and outside of Tibet. The online and print reports are well-researched with up-to-date information.
• Empowerment through Action Desk: Empowers the Tibetan exiled community through the following programs: (1) Young Tibetan Women’s Leadership Training, (2) Advanced Tibetan Women’s Leadership Training (3) Gender Sensitization Training, and (4) Nuns leadership Training.
• Women and Environment Development Desk: Disseminates timely and useful information on the environment and women’s issues for the international community.

Dolkar Lhamo Kirti is the President of TWA.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.