Some participants at the Women’s Leadership Summit in Thimphu recommended establishing a Ministry for Women and Children to bridge the gender gap and encourage more women to assume leadership roles.
According to the participants, the number of women in leadership roles is less with only 15 per cent of women in the executive position today. They said it is the social, cultural and economic norms that are holding women back from taking up an executive position. The participants called for family support and confidence in women to encourage more women to take up leadership positions.
“What can we do to support young women? We talked a lot about the need for mentorship, the need for role models and forums and networks. Ultimately, we need to institutionalise some of the solutions,” said Yangchen Tshogyel, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.
According to Dr Rinchen Chophel, the Director-General of the South Asian Initiative to End Violence Against Children, the institutions in the country are not empowered and strong enough to establish a ministry for women and children.
“Before I left, the discussion with the cabinet, the RCSC and planning commission was that the NCWC will be delinked from the civil service commission and as an independent, autonomous and rights body, becoming a watchdog to the government. And the government will establish a ministry of women and children,” he said.
According to other participants, there is a need for a healthy and conducive environment in the job market for women to assume leadership roles.
“While competing in the labour market and in the civil service with men, there are stereotypical norms and practices and also occupation outside the civil service in the technical fields and there is clear gender segregation of jobs which leads to girls of little choice to get into”, said Tshewang Lhamo, a senior programme officer with the NCWC.
The National Commission for Women and Children will be discussing the recommendation with other relevant agencies. The recommendations are expected to help the commission in planning a better policy and programme in the future.
Tshering Zam
