Bhutan

Bhutan’s Progress: Midway to the MDGs

Bhutan is among the few countries that have been making good progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. According to the latest report “Bhutan’s progress: Midway to the Millennium Development Goals”, which was launched in Thimphu today, Bhutan has already achieved three of the MDG indicators and is on track to meet most of the other targets by 2015.

In a keynote address at the launch, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director, UNDP, Mr. Ajay Chhibber said that Bhutan presents an exemplary case of a peaceful political transformation from absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy with a gradual set up of democratic institutions and practices. He emphasized the need to “deepen and strengthen democracy to the grass root level and empower people” which will not only help achieve the MDGs but also strengthen the democratic process. Mr. Chhibber highlighted the need for targeted programs that will deliver development benefits directly to the poor, enhancing their human development and addressing the root causes of their impoverishment.  Such intervention, he said will help address the contrasts across districts on a number of MDG target areas such as poverty incidence, child malnutrition, food security, net primary education enrolment and access to safe drinking water.

Bhutan’s Education Minister Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, who was the chief guest at the launch said that while Bhutan had crossed several milestones in achieving the MDGs, there are certain areas that need to be addressed in poverty, gender parity at tertiary level of education, youth unemployment and women’s participation in decision making. Also speaking at the occasion, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Nicholas Rosellini said that Bhutan’s success story on the MDGs is attributed to the strong political will and commitment of the Government in integrating the MDGs into the national planning framework.  He highlighted the synergy between Bhutan’s development approach of Gross National Happiness and the Millennium Declaration and said that the “Millennium Declaration is guided by the universal values of freedom, equality, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibilities – ideals which are integral to Bhutan’s development approach of Gross National Happiness”, which has helped pave the way for Bhutan’s progress in the MDGs.

The launch was attended by senior government officials, representatives from development organizations, the NGOs, the private sector, the media and UN agencies in Bhutan..