Bhutan

[9-Apr-2008] Updated Partnerships to fight poverty and sustain the environment Regional Poverty-Environment Initiative

Sound and equitable management of natural resources and ecosystem services is critical to sustained poverty reduction and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This was highlighted at a regional workshop on Poverty-Environment mainstreaming, currently underway in Thimphu. Delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam, as well as representatives from UNEP, UNDP, members of the donor community and other key partners attended the three-day meeting.

[8-Apr-2008] Royal Government of Bhutan & UNDP collaborate to address climate change effects

Climate change is contributing to increased melting of glaciers and the formation of glacial lakes and the potential of Glacial Lake Outbust Floods (GLOF) thereby posing a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of the Bhutanese people. The melting of glaciers is leading to alarming volumes of water in downstream glacial lakes. Increased temperature also causes melting of ice-cored moraine dams to the point that the ridges can no longer resist the pressure. The concern is that when the current holding capacity of the lakes reaches a critical threshold, loose glacial debris that act as dams or barriers could fail and lead to flash floods that could result in severe adverse impacts on downstream communities.
Bhutan’s whole northern territory abound with glaciers and glacial lakes. Studies have revealed that there are 677 glaciers and 2,674 glacial lakes in Bhutan. Of these, a total of 25 glacial lakes pose potentially high risk for GLOFs.

[25-Mar-2008] Updated Bhutan Elections: Role of UN/UNDP

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Remote deployment of election materials
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Civic Education
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The tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, the world’s youngest democracy, held its first ever multi-party democratic elections on 24 March 2008 to elect a National Assembly – a key step in its transition to democracy over the past three decades.
This transition is unique as the country moves peacefully from a benevolent monarchy to a system of governance that puts people at the centre of decision-making.
The United Nations has supported the democratization process in Bhutan through civic education, by promoting transparent and accountable government structures and strengthening a vibrant and independent media.

[19-Mar-2008] Bhutan & the UN system partner in addressing national priorities (UN Human Security Fund Project)

The UN System in Bhutan will support the Royal Government to tackle some of the challenges the country faces in achieving the MDGs by 2015 and upholding poverty reduction as the overarching goal of the 10th Five Year Plan. An agreement to this effect was signed today (19/03/2008) between the Secretary of the GNH Commission Mr. Karma Tshiteem and the Representatives of UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNV and WFP. This illustrates the UN agencies’ commitment to delivering as one, thus enhancing the synergies and the effectiveness of UN activities through greater coherence around a common set of outcomes and strategies.

[9-Mar-2008] Investing in women and girls (International Women's Day)

More than 3,000 people comprising of students from schools in the valley including representatives from the business community, the local community including representatives from the Government and development partners participated in the commemoration of the International women’s Day in Bhutan on Saturday. The day has special significance in Bhutan and the commemoration each year helps focus attention on the issues, needs and concerns of women and girls and the challenges the country faces in addressing them.

[29-Feb-2008] RGoB and UNDP support strengthening of Media and Public Information Policy

The Royal Government of Bhutan and UNDP this week signed a project which aims to support democratic governance by strengthening independent and pluralistic media in Bhutan including quality reporting as well as effective and efficient communication channels between the Government and the media. The project started with a one-week advanced training programme for journalists on election coverage which enjoyed broad participation of journalists from across the country.

[18-Feb-2008] Tenth Round Table Meeting for Bhutan concludes

The two-day Tenth Round Table Meeting (RTM) for Bhutan successfully concluded on 18 February 2008 in Thimphu. The RTM is the highest level of donor coordination between the Royal Government and its development partners.  Over one hundred and thirty participants including 83 delegates representing 14 countries, 20 multilateral agencies and 4 NGOs as well as senior government officials, attended the meeting. The Meeting was marked by spirit of cooperation  and a warm atmosphere of mutual understanding.

[8-Feb-2008] What will it take to achieve the MDGs in Bhutan?

The Bhutan MDG Needs Assessment and Costing Report (2006-2015), a joint report of the Royal Government and the United Nations Country Team, provide a detailed assessment of what the country requires in terms of financial, human and institutional resources and policy reforms to meet the MDGs by 2015. It estimates that Bhutan will need to increase public investment by around USD 2.5 billion between 2006 and 2015 if it is to implement prioritized activities identified by Thematic Task Forces for achieving the MDGs and the Tenth Five Year Plan (2008-2013). The social sector (health and education) targets account for the major chunk of the investment at 46.3% of the total estimated outlay of the needs assessment.

The needs assessment and costing exercise was conducted almost in tandem with the preparation of the Tenth Plan, thereby helping to mainstream the MDGs into the Tenth Plan. The MDG NA and Costing Report is one of the key background documents of the Royal Government for the Tenth Plan Round Table Meeting being held on the 17- 18 of February 2008.

Bhutan is one of the first countries in Asia to undertake a MDGs Needs Assessment and costing exercise with support from UN agencies in the country and from the region to make the country’s development plans more MDG based. Full report (3mb)

[1-Feb-2008] Fewer People Live in Poverty in Bhutan

The Bhutan Living Standard Survey (BLSS) 2007 conducted by the National Statistics Bureau with support from the UN System in Bhutan and the Poverty Analysis Report (PAR) 2007 reveals that 23.2 percent of the country’s total population lives below the national poverty line, a drop from 31.7 percent in 2004.

[21-Dec-2007] United Nations Common Country Programme Action Plan for 2008-2012 signed

The Planning Commission and the UN Excom Agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF & WFP) and other interested UN Partner Agencies signed the UN Common Country Programme Action Plan (cCPAP) for the next five year period from 2008-2012. Altogether the activities of 15 agencies (resident and non-resident) are covered in the cCPAP.

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