LHASA -- Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region has seen an increasing number of women joining the workforce and a growth of income, local women authorities said.

A series of policies against poverty, including targeted poverty alleviation and encouraging women to start businesses, attracted funds of more than 20 million yuan (nearly $3 million) last year, according to the regional Women's Federation.

Over 560 skill training activities organized by the federation helped more than 20,000 impoverished women start businesses or find jobs. The employment rate of women in the region grew to 40 percent last year, Gyatso Lhamo, chairwoman of the federation said.

Tibet has more than 1.62 million women.

The federation will continue to provide more training for women in 2019, especially women in rural areas and pasturing areas, to help them learn policies and skills necessary for social development and the job market.