Her Royal Highness Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck officially launched the nationwide media advocacy campaign titled ‘La Aum Lyonchen’ on Saturday last week.
The advocacy campaign was organized by the KCD Productions, with financial assistance from the Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD)
With unfolding of the Media Advocacy campaign material by HRH Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck at the event, a short video message from the director of Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy (DIPD) Bjorn Frode was screened.
The La Aum Lyonchen media advocacy campaign is a form of encouragement and a tremendous support for the Bhutanese women to come forward and take responsibilities outside of the family space. Furthermore the project is a continuation of an initiative, Inspiring Bhutanese Women to lead, which won the UNDP human development fellowship award 2010.
The short documentary during the event had some of the top Danish women in power talking about the role and the difficulties women can face to take up powerful seats in the government. The documentary also showed some of the challenges faced by the Bhutanese women MPs Sangay Zam and Karma Lhamo in the Bhutanese society.
In his speech Dasho Kunzang Wangdi said,“I dare you, all accomplished Bhutanese women, to stop highlighting stereo-typical arguments on what has been in the past rather embody and demonstrate the present potential and be forward looking, deriving moral strength from the values enshrined in our constitution and legal power from the laws made there under ”.
He said women are generally more committed to overall well-being than men. And women devote more care and dedication to all causes. He added if more women take up leadership roles, the progress of nation building would be much easier.
As of now only about 14%of Bhutanese parliament constitute women members, while the message from the documentary showed that 40% of women are represented in Danish parliament. Back home only 5% of women are represented in the newly elected local government across Bhutan.
Director of the KCD productions Kesang Chuki Dorji said that the campaign aims to provide more encouraging and conducive environment for the women who plan to contest for the upcoming elections.
Some of the advocacy campaigns, like radio drama series, TV Public Service Announcements, and MTV will be aired on BBS TV, Radio and Kuzoo FM.
Both women and men are equal in terms of attaining enlightenment according to Buddhism. Women generally represent wisdom energy and men methodology but only difference is women suffer more than man in reality.