March 28, 2025
THIMPHU – Bhutanese women continue to be severely underrepresented in politics, with a recent study revealing deep-seated barriers preventing them from stepping into leadership roles.
In the 2023 elections, women secured just one of 20 National Council seats and only two of 47 National Assembly seats—an alarming statistic in a country striving for inclusive democracy.
The situation reflects a global trend, with women holding only 23.3 percent of parliamentary seats worldwide as of January 2024, according to UN Women.
The Centre for Research on Bhutanese Society (CRBS) launched a two-day capacity-building workshop on March 25, aimed at equipping women with the knowledge and skills to engage in national and local governance.
During the training, CRBS consultant Dr Chandra Dhakal presented findings from the organization’s 2024 study, which identified a range of structural, cultural, and economic barriers limiting women’s participation in politics.
The study, based on a nationwide survey of 448 women, along with key informant interviews and focus group discussions, found that entrenched societal norms continue to assign women primary responsibility for household duties, leaving little space for political ambition.
Lack of confidence was another critical issue. Many women doubted their own political abilities, a hesitation often reinforced by a male-dominated political landscape.
The country’s geography and infrastructure further compound the problem, making travel for campaigning difficult, particularly for women from rural areas. Financial instability and job insecurity also deter women from pursuing political careers. Political parties were also found to exhibit a bias against female candidates, limiting their opportunities to contest elections.
Tshering Choki, a participant in the workshop, said she was eager to understand the systemic challenges blocking women’s political engagement.
“I wanted to learn about the barriers, the struggles women face, and how we can overcome them,” she said. “I am interested in politics and plan to participate in the future.”
Another participant, Kezang Choden, said the training offered an opportunity to develop public speaking and leadership skills—essential tools to navigate the political arena.
One woman, who is considering running for office in the 2028 elections, pointed to Bhutan’s poor standing in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, where it ranks 124th out of 146 countries. She argued that greater female representation would lead to stronger policies on issues affecting women and children.
“Majority of women and children issues are known by women,” she said, citing the slow progress on proposed amendments to the Marriage Bill concerning child support.
The study called for a multi-pronged approach to increase women’s political participation, starting with awareness campaigns at the high school level to instill political aspirations early.
It recommended flexible capacity-building programmes tailored to women’s needs, financial safety nets for female candidates, and assistance with household responsibilities during election campaigns.
Political parties, the study argued, should be required to field a minimum percentage of women candidates while also fostering internal mentorship and leadership training for aspiring female politicians.
Additional recommendations included mentorship networks to connect emerging women leaders with experienced politicians, initiatives to engage men as advocates for women’s leadership, and logistical support to improve rural campaign access, safety, and transportation.
The key components of the training included understanding the democratic process in Bhutan, exploring constitutional and legal frameworks for elections, developing skills for election preparation and participation, analysing challenges to women’s political engagement and strategies for effective contribution to national and local discussions.