Bhutan

Gender Equality and the Empowerment Of Women

The first baseline study on gender conducted in 2001 with support from UNDP and other UN agencies revealed that although Bhutan enjoyed a generally high level of gender equality in comparison to its neighboring countries, more subtle and indirect forms of gender bias did exist. The study also highlighted gender gaps in key areas such as education, national economy and political participation. The main findings in relation to certain gender issues and gaps were used by the Royal Government when formulating the Ninth Five Year Plan (2002-2007) as well as for preparing and submission of the country’s combined 1st to 6th periodic report to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee in December 2002. As a follow-up on its support to the CEDAW Report, UNDP provided support to the RGoB in raising national awareness on the Convention and the country’s report by publishing and disseminating booklets.

UNDP support the development of a national policy document to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, through preparation of the ‘National Plan of Action for Gender 2008-2012’. UNDP has supported series of activities aimed at enhancing capacity of its national counterparts in gender mainstreaming mainly partnering with the National Commission for Women and Children.

The gender mainstreaming capacity within the UNDP Country Office has been going on since 2005 through development of a Vision for Gender Mainstreaming in the CO, CO Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and a gender mainstreaming checklist for use by the programme staff to ensure gender mainstreaming in all its programmes and projects.

Today, UNDP is a key partner of the Royal Government in helping promote gender equality and empowerment of women through various interventions under its following projects:

Ongoing Projects

• Enabling Environment for Child Protection and Women's Empowerment
• Gender Mainstreaming and Women's Empowerment in Bhutan