October 15: The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s women support group organized a meeting in Thimphu yesterday. The meeting was organized to educate the women on democratic process and the concept of free and fair election.

More than 250 women from Kawang gewog and Kawang throm attended the meeting. Most of them said that they came to participate in the meeting because it was about women issues.

However there are some who did not have any idea what the meeting was going to be about.

BBS spoke to some of the women after the meeting. They said women’s support group will help empower women.

The DPT women support group was formed to empower women and enable them to participate in the democratic process.

A member of DPT’s women support group Chador Pem said women constitute a major proportion of the population. She said women are influential at home, so it is important for them to know about the electoral process.

The women’s support group will look after social issues like domestic violence, problems faced by single mothers, youth, and substances abuse.

The meeting also discussed the role of women in parliamentary democracy.

The DPT’s candidate from upper thim throm and lower thim throm, former Labour Minister Ugyen Tshering and former Trade Minister Yeshey Zimba briefed the gathering on the electoral process and the importance of women’s participation in parliamentary democracy.

They said the success of democracy entirely depends on the people and how wisely they vote.