October 29, 2025
THIMPHU – A decline in women’s participation in local government and politics is raising concerns over gender equality in decision making roles, even as their representation in the civil service remains stable.
According to the Royal Civil Service Commission Annual Report 2024–25, of the 30,025 civil servants in the country, 17,635 are male and 12,390 are female. This indicates a relatively balanced gender representation in the bureaucracy. However, women’s presence in leadership and elected positions remains disproportionately low.
Currently, only nine women serve as gups across the country. Just two women were elected to the fourth National Assembly, and only one was elected to the National Council.
Sangay Lham, Gup of Shaba Gewog in Paro, said that many women are reluctant to contest local government and political elections due to fear and social pressure.
“Women fear the social consequences of losing an election,” she said. “Those who wish to participate in politics must resign from their jobs, and if they are not elected, they have no choice but to depend on their husbands.”
Sangay Lham added that a lack of spousal support is another major deterrent, as many partners do not encourage their wives to enter politics.
The lack of campaign funding is one of the biggest challenges.
Sangay Lham said that local government candidates must finance their own campaigns due to a lack of state funding. “Most women who wish to run are financially dependent on their partners, which severely limits their ability to campaign effectively.”
A former Member of Parliament, Sangay Khandu, said that achieving an equal number of men and women in leadership is less important than ensuring that women’s voices are included in policy-making and reflected in outcomes. “What matters is not numerical parity, but the impact of women’s representation in decision making.”
However, Sangay Khandu acknowledged that despite policies promoting gender equality, women’s participation in politics has steadily decreased over the years. He also pointed to a lack of supportive facilities for women in leadership roles, stating that even Parliament lacks crèche facilities for mothers.
Citing an example of gender-insensitive policy implementation, he said that while schools may have an equal number of toilets for boys and girls, the way they are used differs. He added that such gender differences must be considered at the implementation level.
Gup Sangay Lham said that women in leadership positions play a crucial role in addressing community issues.
She added that women, in particular, are more comfortable sharing personal grievances with female leaders. In her experience, this has allowed her to help resolve many such issues.
Sangay Lham also said that women leaders often manage resources more prudently. “The same prudence women apply to managing household finances can be applied to ensure gewog budgets are used appropriately and effectively.”
However, she said that stereotypes persist in the community, with many people still believing a gup should be male. People often address her as ‘Azha Gup’ (Madam Gup), and she must remind them to use the simple title ‘Gup’.
The Assessment of Gender Equality in Public Administration 2022–2023 report found that while women made up 40 percent of the civil service in 2022, their representation in decision-making positions was only 20.4 percent.
Despite progress in gender equality policies, the declining number of women contesting and winning elections highlights the persistent challenges to women’s political empowerment in Bhutan.