Save the Children International is looking to deepen its engagement with Bhutan in climate resilience, disaster preparedness and youth development as the country confronts growing risks associated with a changing climate.
Arshad Malik, Asia Regional Director of Save the Children International, met the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet on Tuesday to discuss areas including climate financing, disaster risk reduction, anticipatory action and early warning systems.
The organisation sees stronger preparedness as increasingly important for protecting children, who are among the groups most vulnerable to the consequences of climate-related disasters. It plans to position itself as a technical partner to the Royal Government of Bhutan by bringing expertise in disaster management and climate-resilient development.
“One of the learnings we have is that while the early warning and there were some efforts put in on early warning and anticipatory action, they are not good enough to meet the changing climate environment,” Malik said.
“So we want to be that technical partner for the Royal Government of Bhutan, where we provide skills in disaster management, disaster preparedness, risk reduction, climate financing and anticipatory actions,” he added.
Alongside climate resilience, education and skills development are expected to remain important areas of cooperation. Save the Children is exploring opportunities to strengthen inclusive and quality Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), while expanding its focus on technical and vocational education and skills for young people.
“At the moment, we are working with the Royal Government of Bhutan, particularly on ECCD, early childhood development. That will remain a key priority for us,” Malik said.
The organisation is also examining ways of linking vocational education and youth skills programmes more closely with employment opportunities, including access to the global labour market.
“Under education, we are also looking at technical and vocational education and youth skill development, connecting it with employability and connecting the youth with the global market,” Malik said.
He also highlighted the need to narrow disparities between Bhutan’s rural and urban communities, particularly in access to education and other essential services, while ensuring that gender equality remains part of the country’s development efforts.
Save the Children reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Royal Government of Bhutan to strengthen child health, education and overall well-being, with climate resilience increasingly forming part of efforts to protect children and communities against emerging risks.
