In a move towards strengthening women’s participation in political decision-making and leadership, Bhutan has established a ten-member interim working committee to examine legal and institutional measures aimed at creating greater opportunities for women in public life.
The committee was constituted during the two-day Bhutan Women Leaders Caucus in Thimphu, which brought together women from diverse professional backgrounds to deliberate on the challenges limiting their representation in leadership positions and explore ways to address them.
A central focus of the discussions was the need for a more supportive legislative and regulatory environment that would encourage women to take on political and leadership roles.
Reena Thapa, Chief Programme Officer at the National Commission for Women and Children, emphasised the importance of reviewing existing legislation and developing appropriate regulatory frameworks to facilitate greater participation.
She highlighted that identifying gaps in current laws and introducing necessary reforms would be essential to creating an enabling environment for women aspiring to leadership positions.
Beyond legislative changes, participants also drew attention to the social attitudes and public perceptions that continue to influence women’s opportunities in politics.
Sangay Lhamo, Orong Mangmi from Samdrup Jongkhar, stressed that women possess the same capabilities as men when it comes to leadership and decision-making. However, she underscored the importance of building public confidence in women leaders through greater awareness and visible examples of effective leadership.
According to Lhamo, women already holding political positions have an important role in challenging prevailing perceptions and inspiring wider acceptance of women in positions of authority.
The caucus also highlighted the importance of collective action and a shared vision in advancing women’s political representation.
Graca Maria Sanchez, Gender Specialist at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, encouraged participants to establish common priorities and clearly defined objectives. She emphasised that meaningful progress would depend on women leaders working together towards a shared set of goals suited to Bhutan’s political and social context.
The newly established interim committee will now undertake the task of identifying existing laws that may require review and examining the rules and regulations needed to support greater participation by women in politics and leadership.
The initiative marks a step towards translating discussions on gender representation into a coordinated process of legal and institutional review, with the potential to strengthen women’s voices in Bhutan’s decision-making structures.
