Bhutan is well on track towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 40 per cent of the SDG targets have been achieved or are on track. This is according to the Sustainable Development Report 2023. The report is a global assessment of each country’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs are a set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity.
They aim to make the world a better place for everyone by addressing these issues by 2030.
The Sustainable Development Report states that Bhutan has achieved the 13th goal of Climate Action out of the 17 SDGs.
According to UN Resident Coordinator, Karla Robin Hershey, the country’s strict forest protection measures and land management practices have helped the country achieve its environmental goals and climate action.
“In South Asia, Bhutan continues to be a leader in environmental conservation, renewable energy, and social well-being. And this has garnered a lot of recognition from the neighbouring countries. And I have to say that Bhutan has also set the bar very, very high.”
She added that efforts to keep the goal on track should continue as the country is vulnerable to climate impacts.
Similarly, the goals in the education and health sectors have seen significant improvements.
According to the UN statistics, newborn deaths have decreased by over three per cent between 2015 and 2021. Likewise, enrolment for primary school stands at 93 per cent and secondary school at over 90 per cent.
“I would be remiss if I also did not mention the focus on education and healthcare has also yielded significant results, even at the halfway mark. Additionally, Bhutan has worked hard to empower women and children through education and economic opportunities. And this is reflected in its commitment to gender equality,” added the UN Resident Coordinator.
Despite the progress made, the country faces challenges such as poverty eradication, bridging the gaps in income inequality, economic diversification, and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups according to the report.
“When we look at all of these together, we need to understand the intricacies of these goals, that they are interconnected, and that they have to be coordinated. And this takes a lot of effort because it is across many different sectors, and stakeholders need to come together to agree on how this is going to happen,” further added UN Resident Coordinator
Currently, Bhutan’s SDG index rank stands at 61 out of 166 countries.
Sonam Pelkid (Intern)
Edited by Sonam Pem
