PRESS RELEASE:
Despite continuous efforts, the presence and leadership of women in Bhutan’s public administration remains minimal. According to the Civil Service Statistics 2023, women comprise only 23 percent of civil servants at the executive level.
A review conducted by the National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) on measures to promote women’s presence and leadership in public administration identified social and cultural norms, traditional gender roles, and gendered occupational segregation as key barriers to enhancing gender equality. Another significant finding is that men’s continued dominance in the civil service reinforces patriarchal values and stereotypes, which influence key workplace decisions. The assessment also revealed limited awareness of national policies and commitments towards promoting gender equality, as well as the responsibilities of ministries and agencies in gender mainstreaming, further hindering women’s leadership in the civil service.
At the launch of the assessment report on Gender Equality in Public Administration during the Bhutan Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Partnership Week in Thimphu, Tashi Namgyal, Director of the NCWC Secretariat, urged civil service agencies to intensify efforts to challenge the social and cultural norms that impede women’s leadership. “A concerted agency-wide effort is necessary for transformative, long-lasting progress. Agencies must take strong ownership of this responsibility to achieve our shared goal of a gender-equal public administration,” he said.
Commissioner Kinlay Tshering of the Royal Civil Service Commission noted that while the gender ratio in the civil service is nearly balanced, most women remain concentrated in lower-level positions. However, he highlighted that recruitment at the Professional and Management Category (PMC) entry level has reached a 50:50 gender balance, marking significant progress in educational advancement. “This group of women within the PMC represents a growing pool of potential leaders. Therefore, conscious efforts must be made to break down the barriers holding back Bhutanese women and encourage their equal participation and leadership in the public sector,” he said.
The review, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), draws attention to the state of gender equality in the public sector. “In Bhutan, as well as globally, the public sector remains the largest employer. Therefore, the sector possesses tremendous potential to uphold women’s rights to equal and full employment and public participation, setting an example for other institutions. A critical mass of women in public administration, especially in senior leadership positions, is essential for promoting effective, inclusive, and accountable public policy-making and service delivery,” said Mohammad Younus, UNDP Resident Representative.
The findings of this report will serve as an important resource for the government to design policies and programs that accelerate women’s equal participation and leadership in public administration and beyond. Based on the findings, the review outlines several recommendations, including enhancing institutional and policy frameworks for gender equality, strengthening accountability for gender mainstreaming, and conducting gender-responsive human resource auditing.
Additionally, the review recommends the development and implementation of temporary special measures and gender parity systems in the appointment process, as well as measures to eliminate structural inequalities and gendered occupational segregation. An action plan to implement these recommendations has been developed.
