“Training a man is training an individual; but training a woman is training the society,” according to the Bhutan National Legal Institute (BNLI). In line with this 67 local women leaders are taking part in a two-week training to improve their mediation skills or Nangkha Nangdri.
The training started yesterday in Paro. The President of the Bhutan National Legal Institute, Her Royal Highness Princess, Sonam Dechan Wangchuck graced the opening.
The women leaders are from 11 Dzongkhags of Thimphu, Paro, Monggar, Trashigang, Lhuentse, Bumthang, Trashi Yangtse, Zhemgang, Trongsa, Wangdue Phodrang, and Punakha.
The participants include Tshogpas and Mangmis as well as administration officers.
According to BNLI such trainings would help resolve disputes relating to issues affecting and pertaining to women. “Moreover, there may be issues which the women disputants can confide only among themselves without embarrassments, intimidation or male chauvinism.”
The training is expected to empower the women local leaders for better leadership and participation in the democratic forums. It would also help judiciary as people would not have to depend much on formal legal system, thereby allowing the judicial resources to be channeled to more serious issues.
The Director of BNLI, Drangpoen Pema Wangchuk, said there was a need for women to be trained separately. “When we first organised such training last year, we discovered that most women leaders were not able to mediate disputes. So our Chairperson, Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, commanded us to arrange this training for women leaders.”
In 2012 only eleven women Mangmis out of 205 were trained.
The Director also added that it would help achieve gender equality at the grassroots levels and further provide more comfort and convenience for the parties involving women.
As per 2012 Annual Judicial Report, matrimonial cases (4,393) top the list of cases. This reflected that half the parties involved were women.
The training for women leaders in the remaining Dzongkhags will be held at a later date in Phuentsholing.
