Women should develop self-confidence: Dalai Lama

National Women’s Parliament

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Friday found fault with the `lopsided’ education system for all the gender and social divides fraught with discrimination and biases. Education system is more materialistic in nature and lacking gender sensitiveness, Lama said at the National Women Parliament.

The spiritual leader sought to visualise the 21 century as the centre of peace and dialogue with no scope whatsoever for prejudices in terms of caste, gender and creed while underlining the need to build a disarmed world.

"Scientists now say women are more sensitive of others' suffering. There are 200 nations on this planet and more women leaders would bring a safer world," the Buddhist monk observed. "We have to analyse what went wrong in the 20th century.

At this very moment, people are killing each other. We cannot remain indifferent to the conflicts in the world because we are all one. We have to think how to create more peaceful 21st century," he said.

"In order to produce warm hearted and compassionate humanity, we have to make every effort. In that aspect, biologically, females have more ability. Women should take more active role in promoting deeper human values.

In all professions, we need promotion of values," Dalai Lama said. "Women should develop self confidence. The perception of women as being weaker should be changed. Work hard with determination and confidence," he added.

The three-day National Women's Parliament, being organised by Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly with the theme of 'Empowering Women-Strengthening Democracy', got underway in the state capital region Amaravati today.