Lily Wangchuk
Lily Wangchuk or Lily Wangchhuk (born October 15, 1972) is a Bhutanese politician, diplomat and activist. A diplomat between 1994 and 2008, in November 2012 she became the first Bhutanese woman to be appointed president of a political party.[1]
Background and education
Wangchuk was born into a noble family. Her grandfather,
Career
Wangchuk began work as a diplomat in 1994,[3] and in 2003 she was a recipient of the Lions Club Award for Outstanding Diplomat for her work with Bhutanese bilateral relations with India.[2] After a 12-year career as a diplomat,[4] she took time off to travel across Bhutan, visiting all 20 districts and the remotest areas of the country, during which she observed the socio-economic challenges facing common people and inequalities in development.[1]
Wangchuk once served as the executive director of the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) and head of the People's Democratic Party's women wing.[2] Soon after leaving BMF to pursue a career as a politician, in October 2011 she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and overcame the disease in six months.[2] In November 2012, Wangchuk became the first Bhutanese woman to be appointed president of a political party, Druk Chirwang Tshogpa,[2] a party which was formally recognized in early 2013. She was a candidate for presidency during the 2013 elections,[1] and represents North Thimphu Constituency.[3] Wangchuk cites Aung San Suu Kyi as an inspiration in her leadership.[1]
She ran for the seat of the National Assembly of Bhutan as a candidate of Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) from North Thimphu constituency[5] in the 2018 Bhutanese National Assembly election, but was unsuccessful. She came in second, receiving 2,102 votes and losing the seat to Dechen Wangmo.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d "Lily Wangchuk". Diplomat Courier. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "A woman says 'I can' Lily-Wangchuk, President, DCT". Bhutan Observer. 3 March 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ a b "First woman president to lead a political party". BBS. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Lily Wangchuk, Bhutan". Iknowpolitics.org. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Know your candidate: Thimphu – KuenselOnline". Kuenselonline.com. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
- ^ "Seven women candidates of ten elected". Business Bhutan.