Dharamshala: - The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) appealed to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on Monday to show its concern for status of Tibetan women inside Tibet, affected adversely under the Chinese policies.
"In observance of the United Nations' 'Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women,' (CEDAW), the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) would like to draw the attention of UN CEDAW committee to the status of Tibetan women inside Tibet, affected adversely under the Chinese policies," TWA said in a statement.
"Although China has made commitments to the UN to abide by the UN conventions, it is palpable that China has been critically disengaged with its international commitments and its very own constitutional confirmations," the women group said.
"The family planning policy that prohibits Tibetan women from having a certain number of children infringes on the reproductive rights of Tibetan women," the group said, adding that "rampant cases forced abortion and sterilization violates a women's human right. "Even the policies in the field of education deters a Tibetan from learning one's own mother tongue."
The group says, "It forces Tibetan nuns and monks to comply with the patriotic re-education campaign. Even the employment policies discriminate Tibetans, particularly Tibetan women by not according equal pay for equal work. The basic fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and expression are curtailed."
"The draconian and repressive Chinese policies violates the social, political, economic and religious rights of Tibetan women thus compelling Tibetans to resort to extreme measures to make themselves heard. Since 2009, 123 Tibetans have committed acts of self-immolation and of them 20 are women: mothers, young students and nuns," he group added.
Therefore on this day of observing of UN-CEDAW, TWA said "it stands in solidarity with the Tibetans inside Tibet and advocates their aspirations-freedom inside Tibet and to live with human dignity."
