A new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recommends Bhutan develop and implement a comprehensive national plan to promote women’s representation in decision-making positions. According to the report, only 23 per cent of executive positions in the civil service are held by women. The report on Gender Equality in Public Administration was launched today.
Introducing the report, Tshewang Lhamo, gender analyst at the UNDP Bhutan, said gender equality will improve the quality of public service delivery.
The review report assessed gender equality and women’s leadership in public administration from 2022 to 2023. As of the end of 2022, there were over 12,000 women in the civil service.
The report found that despite the increase in female civil servants over the years, the representation of women at decision-making levels remains low at a little over 20 per cent.
The review also found that there is no explicit discrimination against female civil servants.
However, the report pointed to limited awareness of gender equality, national policy, and commitment towards promoting gender equality. Capacity-building opportunities for women were also found to be limited
The report highlighted that the national action plan should include plans and actions to address these gaps.
Likewise, at the global level, only 30 per cent of women are in decision-making positions.
The UNDP’s gender analyst added that it requires sustainable and planned efforts from everyone, including the National Commission for Women and Children, the Royal Civil Service Commission, government agencies, and the public.
The report, funded by the Government of Italy, is a joint initiative of the UNDP Bhutan, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the National Commission for Women and Children.
Devika Pradhan
Edited by Phub Gyem
