The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report

President of College Student Government: Making a History in theElection
Mr. Chayku (Bhutan)
March 24, 2018 will be remembered in Sherubtse College for creating a history during
the election of the president of Forum for International and National Awareness (FINA).
It is neither because of the election procedures nor of the voter turnout, but because awoman was elected for the very first time in 30 years.
Sonam Deki, a second year student of Dzongkha-History was elected as the first everwoman FINA president, beating Dorji Gyeltshen of Economics by 147 votes.
Known as the ‘peak of learning’ as its name indicates, Sherubtse College has set aprecedent, and this has vitalized and fortified the pride of women. And Sonam thinks that
there will be more women participants and more of them will get elected.
Like it or not, FINA in Sherubtse, the highest governing body in the oldest andrenowned college, had only men taking part and getting elected as the FINA president
and representatives. It was as if women had not been allowed to run for the election.

FINA President 2018
(Sonam Deki, the second from the right)

The structure of FINA was such that the opportunity was availed and reserved only
for men. Led by the president (male) in his third year, one male secretary in his second
year and two male and one female representatives in their first year would make theentire forum until 2010. A group of activists in the college, who thought that womenshould also be given equal rights and opportunities to contest for FINA president, voiced
concern and appealed to the authorities to create posts of two first-year female
representatives and a second-year female secretary. In the proposal, they also asked forthe equal opportunity for the third-year women to contest for FINA president.
It was worth fighting for the cause, for the college authorities accepted the proposal.
Surprisingly in 2011, just a year after the acceptance of the proposal, Thinley Zangmo,
a second-year student of Dzongkha-English, was elected as the first woman secretary andthen as the vice-president a year later. The onset of the trend had already begun then. It
just signified the fact that women were equally capable of handling any responsibilities
as men, and the people, irrespective of their gender, accepted that.
Ever since, women have been equally taking up the important posts in FINA, but men
have always secured the president’s post.

The 28th Foreign Correspondent Report
And now, eight years after the proposal, the college has just elected its first woman
FINA president with so much grandeur.

With a faculty member, right after the election“There’s nothing women can’t do. They just need to be given a chance to lead,” SonamDeki said. She added that men and women are equally competent and the ‘inequality’ isjust a story that we made up. And like Sonam, others hold the same view that currently
the college authority has been giving everyone the same and equal platform andopportunity.
“This is the first of its kind in the college and we are happy that gender difference is
no longer an issue for the educated people now,” said Karma Wangmo, a third-year
student who voted in favour of Sonam Deki.
And the men in the college are also all smiles, as much as it has surprised Sonam,
appreciating the caliber she has demonstrated.
“I am proud to be part of this institution where women can take part in everything freefrom stereotyped perception,” said Tenzin Dorji, who also voted in favour of Sonam.
Tenzin also shared his view that everyone was overwhelmed by the history they createdby electing the woman president for the first time in 30 years.
Meanwhile, Sonam wants to develop the already close and beautiful relations thecollege has built with the society around it, and looks forward to working together withothers to create awareness on national issues such as alcohol, unemployment, waste
management and taking responsibility.
With about 1,700 students and over one hundred faculty members, Sherubtse College
conducts FINA election at the beginning of every year.