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COUNTRY PAPER
BHUTAN
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INFORMATION
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South Asia Conference on the Adolescent
21-23 July, 1998
New Delhi - India
* This document has been reproduced with minor editorial changes
Bhutan Country Paper
Responsible Sexual and Reproductive Health Behavior
among adolescents
1.1
Definition and Demographic profile
Adolescence has been defined by the World Health Organization1 as being
between the ages of 10 and 19, and youth as between 15 and 24 years. When
these two groups are combined (10 to 24 years of age), it is defined as young
people. With dramatic decline in the crude death rates, WHO estimates that
South East Asia’s population reached 1.4 billion in 1995 and will rise to a
projected 2 billion by the year 20202'
Table 1. Population Projection by age & sex, 1997, Bhutan
Age Gr.
Total
0-4 yr
95575
5-9 yr
89613
10-14 yr
74936
15-19 yr
55606
20-24 yr
49121
25 -29 yr
42159
30- 34 yr
37825
35-39 yr
34631
40-44 yr
29190
45-49 yr
23467
50-54 yr
22264
55-59 yr
19697
60-64 yr
18089
65-69 yr
10920
70-74 yr
7423
75 +
8041
____________ 618557
%Male
7.6
7
6
4.4
3.8
3.3
3
2.8
2.3
1.9
1.8
1.6
1.5
0.8
0.6
0.6
Source: R.H. Chaudhury, Population Projection for Bhutan, July 1996
1 WHO, Geneva; The health of young people - A challenge and promise
“ Regional Health Report 1997
1
% Female
7?8
7.4
6.1
4.5
4.1
3.5
3.1
2.7
2.3
1.8
1.8
1.6
1.4
0.9
0.6
0.6
Bhutan Country Paper
Table 2. Comparative demographic indicators, 1984 and 1994
National Health Survey
________________ Indicators
Sex ratio at birth, males/100 females
Crude Birth Rate per 1000 population
Crude Death Rate per 1000 population
Population Growth rate (percent)
Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births)
Maternal Mortality rate (per 1000 live births)
1984
102.0
39.1
13.4
2.6
102.8
7.7
1994
105.1
39.9
9.0
3.1
70.7
3.8
Bhutan’s population is estimated at 618,557 in 19973with an annual growth rate
of 3.1%4' Therefore, the population of Bhutan will double in approximately 23
years. This is a relatively young population with adolescent constituting 21%,
youth 17%, and young people, about 29%. More than 58% of the total
population is less than 25 years of age and over 43% less than 15 years of age.
1.2
The Adolescent Girl in Bhutan
Many around the world consider an adolescent girl in South Asia to be doubly
disadvantaged: as an adolescent and, more significantly, as a girl. However, the
situation in Bhutan is vastly different, both in terms of an adolescent girl’s
opportunities and status in the society. Indeed, she enjoys a much better position
than her counterparts in other regions of South Asia.
Indeed, it cannot be emphasized enough that the vital factor accounting for a
unique situation for adolescent girls in Bhutan is the relative absence of gender
discrimination. Numerous efforts to enhance the status of adolescent girls would
not hold much relevance if they were to enter a world of discrimination based on
gender.
The Buddhist tradition has no marked gender preference, be it in the everyday
affairs or even in religious matters. It is true that only men became monks; but
there are numerous nunneries in the country that provided the avenue for a
woman seeking a life of spiritual pursuits. Segregation exists in that there are no
co-habitation of the two groups, but for good reasons. In general more than 80%
of Bhutan is still agrarian with subsistence farming as the principle mode of
livelihood. In the rural life setting, the girl child grows to be an equally
responsible family member. There are no distinctly known gender preferences
for boy; in fact, if any preference exists, it is for girls. This is especially true
' R.H. Cliaudhury, Population Projection for Bhutan, July 1996
National Health Survey, 1994, Health Division
2
Rhutun Country1 Paper
amongst the Drukpas as the parents look upon the female child as their support
and companion in their twilight years: men are expected to marry and move out.
The societal attitude towards sex and sexuality is fairly tolerant. Premarital sex is
not a taboo. Although there is no hard research data as yet available on age of
menarche, it is believed that Bhutanese girls become sexually active at an early
age. In the 1994 National Health Survey, it was found that 55% of the women
were married before the age of 20. Until recently the age of marriage was 16 for
girls and 18 for boys.
The Marriage Act of 1980 was amended during the 74th Session of the National
Assembly (1996). According to the new act, the legal age of marriage for girls
was raised from sixteen to eighteen. This act has been favourable in that it has
given women legal rights to property and child support. Divorce though
considered fairly common is not associated with any stigmatization and both
partners can initiate the procedure for divorce irrespective of the grounds on
which separation becomes desirable. If wrong doing by either partner is cited as
a reason for divorce and guilt is proven, the guilty partner receives only one
third of all properties and liabilities held individually or jointly by the couple.
With respect to the custody of children, minors under the age of nine are
awarded to the mother, regardless of who bears guilt for the separation. During
this period the father, has to provide 20 to 40% of his monthly income as
alimony and child support up to the age of eighteen and but ceases once the
women remarries. After the age of nine, the children themselves decide which
of the two parents they wish to live with. In matters of marriage, there is a great
deal of freedom and flexibility. Young Bhutanese men and women choose their
partners with a high degree of freedom without parental/family restrictions. The
practice of dowry, which is prevalent in many Asian societies, is unknown in
Bhutan. Although the new Marriage Act discourages divorce and marriage out of
wedlock, separation is just as easy and there is no social stigma attached to
divorce.
While gender segregation and biases are not common issues in the life of an
average Bhutanese, dictated by the needs of the sort of work in the rural setting,
there is a well-defined job distribution. Ploughing, axe-wielding tasks and the
hardest physical work is left to the men, while household chores and child
rearing practices are more of the domain of the female. The woman contributes
equally to the household earnings. In fact in many parts of the country, women
earn more through weaving. Although, legally a woman has as much right to
make decisions in the house, women are known to be more subservient to the
men and the men, in turn, often leave out women’s opinion in making decisions.
3
Bhutan Country Paper
While a liberal society provides the environment for equal opportunities,
especially for girls, adolescence is not without its attendant risks. Early
marriages lead to early pregnancies. In addition unwanted pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases become unavoidable problems. In Bhutan, abortion
is not legal, except for strict medical reasons.
It is in the health arena that women face a much greater threat to their lives than
men. Along with pregnancy and childbirth, they are often malnourished, with
anemia as the predominant problem, and they suffer from many problems related
to pregnancy and childbirth. The maternal mortality was 7.7 per 1000 live births
(1984), one of the highest rates in the world, but now this has fallen to 3.8 by
1994 which is still significant. Given Bhutan’s rugged terrain and difficulties in
communication, maternal mortality continues to be a major concern. In the 1994
Health Survey, the commonest cause of maternal deaths were postpartum
hemorrhage (38.8%), puerperal sepsis (16.6%), obstructed labour (11%),
retained placenta, ante-partum hemorrhage and toxemia contributing about 5%
each. Of course the data for this came from a very small sample of maternal
deaths reported during this survey’s recall period and, therefore, rates are likely
to have wide confidence intervals.
1.3
STDs/HIV
As it is common in all societies, sexually transmitted diseases are an under
reported disease burden. From the available data it certainly indicates that STDs
are an important cause of morbidity. Although there is no marked difference in
the overall distribution of STDs among men and women, certainly it is most
common in the age group 15-29 years.
Table 3. Reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases, 1996
Diagnosis
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Chancroid
Urethral
discharge
Vaginal
discharge
Genital ulcer
Total
___
J
No'^'. ^Percent
173
71
23
10
5
2
22
9
Anoles .......
No.
Percent
71
43
13
8
1
1
18
11
Tuim
fl
a
No.
244
36
6
40
60
9
1
10
- .
0
0
55
33
55
14
19
242
8
100
7
165
4
100
26
407
6
100
Source: Annual Health Bulletin, 1996
4
Bhutan Country Paper
HIV/AIDS is a relatively new entrant in Bhutan. Since the introduction of
surveillance for HIV/AIDS, till the end of 1997 there have been only 9 HIV
positive cases picked up by the authorities. There is no significant difference in
the sex distribution of these cases, but the age groups are almost within 20 and
35 years. The potential for the spread of HIV/AIDS is high given the high
prevalence of STDs.
1.4
Alcohol abuse
Alcohol consumption is traditional. In many parts of the country, it is customary
that when a guest is received in the house, the first that is offered is some form
of alcohol. In the rural areas most people brew their own alcohol in their houses.
Mostly it is Ara, which is the distillate from grain such as wheat, millets,
buckwheat or maize. Bangchang, a form of beer, again brewed from grains is
also popular. While there are difference in the consumption pattern between
regions in the country, alcohol is available everywhere. In addition, with the
emerging markets in the growing towns and urban centers, commercially
produced alcohol such as whisky, rum, gin and beer are freely available. Due to
the easy and cheap availability of alcohol, its consumption becomes increasingly
popular. As yet there are no studies to assess the extent of disease burden due to
alcohol, but health problems related to alcohol consumption is on the rise. The
social impact, especially on the family life and the psychology of a young child
growing in a family known for alcohol abuse is likely to be significant.
Furthermore, although there is now a legal restriction to the serving of alcohol to
anyone under 18 years of age, this rule applies only to open consumption in bars
and restaurants.
1.5
Drug abuse
>
r
i
Distinct from alcohol, drug abuse is a completely new phenomenon in the
Bhutanese society. The hill slopes of the country are covered with marijuana
which, traditionally, was occasionally used to feed pigs, but never known for
human consumption. With modernization, the use of marijuana and its products
is being reported. Substance abuse is gaining popularity with children and
adolescents engaging in the experimental abuse of benzodiazepines cough
sedatives, morphine, amphetamine, pethidine, glue sniffing, and even some hard
core drugs such as cocaine. The Ministry of Health and Education has stepped
up its information and educational campaigns related to substance use and abuse
since 1996. The establishment of the Youth Guidance and Counseling Center
under Education and the establishment of a Youth Center in the Capital City
indicate the seriousness of the Govt, in this area.
5
Bhutan Country Paper
1.6
Tobacco use
The Mahayana Buddhists have strong religious sentiments against use of
tobacco. Therefore, the people of Bhutan, especially in the rural areas, tend to
discourage the use of tobacco. In fact in some of the districts, the people
themselves have made strict regulations against the sale of tobacco. 5
Dzongkhags have been awarded the WHO No Tobacco Medal for their initiatives
for countering the Tobacco menace. As such tobacco is forbidden to use in
temples, dzongs and anywhere near a religious artifact, be it a wall painting or a
statue. While there is no stringent commercial rule against import and use of
tobacco, there are also no major efforts to promote the use of tobacco.
Nevertheless, both among the adolescents and youths, smoking may be
observed. This is especially more prevalent in the townships and urban areas. In
addition to smoking, chewing of tobacco, either in the form of simple tobacco
leaves with lime or the commercially prepared items such as khaini are also
seen.
1.7
Juvenile delinquency and Youth unemployment
With rapid urbanization, more and more people; including the youths migrate to
towns and peri-urban areas. In addition with increasing enrolment, there is also a
large segment of adolescents who are dropouts from school. Most of these
youngsters stay in the cities in the hope of finding opportunities for further
studies or jobs. Given the limited market for jobs and with their lower
educational background, finding satisfactory employment is difficult.
Consequently, many of these youngsters veer towards a delinquent lifestyle.
Thefts, gang fights, and even murders are now slowly emerging in an otherwise
peaceful society. At present, within the strong familial institution, relatives take
care of many of these youngsters. But with increasing population, this aspect of
support for youths without employment is likely to become less and, therefore,
exacerbating further the concerns for juvenile delinquency and rising crime.
To address the above concern, the Youth Guidance and counseling Services
Section in the Education Division is presently working towards conducting a
national survey on school drop outs with the objective of organizing Dzongkhag
based rehabilitative training for the drop outs.
1.8
Rape
The subject of rape has recently received increased attention in the government.
Rape was made a criminal offence in 1953. Existing laws have, therefore, have
been amended by the national legislature in 1993, reflecting much more serious
punishment, especially when minors are involved. The penalties include the
6
Bhutan Country Paper
payment of compensation along with imprisonment and, in case of minors, the
sentence range from five to seventeen years, depending on the severity of the
crime. In extreme cases, the law can award life imprisonment.
IL
Literacy and education, both formal and non-formal, including Family
Life Education
The national literacy rate increased from 14.2% in 1980 to 54% in 1997. This is
indeed an achievement despite the limited resources. The adult literacy is about
20% and the overall female literacy rate however is less than 10%. The primary
school enrolment of girls has reached 43%. It is one of the highest in the
SA ARC region as well as in the developing countries. Within a period of three
and half decades, the government has been able to create a modern education
system from primary to tertiary level. The Royal Government’s commitment to
education is well reflected in the impressive rate at which enrolment is growing
at all levels. Education is free and without any discrimination
Formal western education was started in the early 1950’s, and with the launching
of successive five-year plans, school enrolment grew from 1500 pupils in 59
schools in 1959 to over 70,000 students in 195 institutions in 1990. From a total
enrolment of 52,071
Table 4.Drop out rates, in percent, 1992-94
students in 1991, by
Gender Cl. VI
ci. VIII
Cl. IX
1997 the total enrolment
’92 ’93 ’94 ’92 ’93 ’94
’92 ’93 ’94
rose
to
92,267.The
Boys 3.2 18.2 9.0 22.5 25.8 10.4 14.7 9.9 8.4
estimated
gross
enrolment in 1997 was
Girls 16.4 16.2 8.6 37.3 31.3 11.9 8.6 8.5 16.7
72% at the primary
-----------------------------------------------------------level. Formal education
consists of one year pre-primary, six years of primary, four years secondary,
two years senior secondary, and three years of degree programme.
2.1
School enrolment, total and male/female ratio
With the increase in the number of schools and other educational facilities, the
enrolment of the students in these various categories rose sharply. The enrolment
in community schools rose from 7239 in 1992 to 9425 by 1996 (+30%);
primary from 38973 to 45937 (+17.8%); junior high school enrolment rose
from 6503 to 8870 (+36.4%); high schools from 3511 to 4185 (+19.2%), and
institutions from 1524 to 1732 (+13.6%) in the same time span.
The overall dropout rates ranged from 4.99 % of the total enrolment between
1991/1992 to 4.79% in 1993/94. While there does not seem to be any major
difference between boys and girls in the overall drop out rates, a closer look
7
Bhutan Country Paper
indicates that the drop out rates for girls can be as high as 37.3% between class VI
and Class VUI/Class IX. The imputed rates of drop out are shown in table 4.
It is estimated that the enrolment of girls is around 43%. In the 7th FYP, one of
the main objectives is to raise girl’s enrolment to at least 47%. It appears that the
examinations at Class VI and Class VIII have a significant effect on the drop out
rates for girls. For the period covering 1989-90, it was observed that drop out
rates for girls were lower than that for boys till class V, but thereafter the rates
rose as high as 35% and 23% in classes VIII and VI, respectively. There may be
genuine reasons why girls drop out at this stage, but to date there are no studies
carried out to find out the causative factors that contribute to this phenomenon. It
could possibly arise due to difficult terrain that force children to walk long
distances, lack of boarding facilities at primary level institutions, shortage of
manpower on the farms, or even family pressure on girls to marry early.
As of May 1995, there were 102 community schools, 143 primary schools and 7
private schools catering to primary education in the country. Besides, all the 19
junior high schools had primary sections attached to them. In all, 59,718
students were enrolled in primary education programme (PP-VI) in these schools
out of which 25,872 (43%) were girls.
2.2
Non-formal education
In 1992, the Dzongkhag Development Commission (DDC) initiated an Adult
Education Programme with the objective to provide functional literacy to those
who had never attended school. UNICEF supported this, mainly in producing
teaching and learning materials as well as training of instructors. By 1993, the
Education Division was entrusted with the responsibility of starting the now
Non-formal Education (NFE) programme which had components of the adult
education programme as well as bearing of life skills. The target population was
further widened to cover not only those that did not attend school at all, but also
those that had dropped out of school. Today, this programme, although still
school based covers almost all districts, except for Samtse and Sarpang. Since
the initiation of this programme about 60% completed the course successfully.
Between July 1997 and May 1998, a total of 1831 students had enrolled, out of
which 1274 (69.6%) were females. The NFE Unit carried out a sample
evaluation in 1997 by visiting 9 such centres. The data from these visits are
presented in the tables below.
8
Bhutan Country Paper
Table 5. Age group of pupils at NFE class, 19975
Age Group
< 15 yrs
16 - 20 yrs
21 - 30 yrs
31 - 40 yrs
> 41 yrs
Total
No. of students
34“
122
137
47
11
350
Percent (of total)
“lO.O
35.0
39.0
13.0
3.0
100.0
In addition to the age breakdown, the occupation of the students at the NFE
classes shows 76% that of farmers.
Table 6. Occupation of the students at NFE centers, 19974
______ Occupation
Government service
Spouse of govt, servant
Farmer
School drop-out
Business
Clergy
III.
No. of pupils
7
53
266
11
11
]
Percent (of total)
2.0
15.0
76.0
3.0
3.0
0.3
Exploitation of and Violence Against Adolescents
Among the countries of the world, Bhutan must rank so far as the safest place
for children and young people; there is no commercial exploitation of girls, girl
trafficking, prostitution or other forms of violence against adolescent girls. There
is no known tradition of gender biased preference for children, and in the rural
and farming tradition, exploitation of children for commercial gain is unknown.
Given the economic development stage of the country, there are not many
industries where child labor becomes necessary. Bhutan is still largely (>80%)
agrarian. It is traditional that even children contribute their share of work on the
farm through such chores as looking after cattle, helping the grown-ups around
the house with mundane and tasks appropriate to their physique.
However, with increasing urbanization, in some of the sectors such as hotel
businesses, young children are being employed to work as waiters & waitresses.
There is a legal restriction against employment of any person below the age of
5 NFE Unit, Education Division
9
Bhutan Country Paper
15 years. Prostitution is neither legal nor is there any organized form of
prostitution in Bhutan. Nevertheless, particularly in the urban areas, it is known
that a few girls and young women engage in willing sexual liaison for monetary
gain. But already there are severe penalties laid out within the legal system of
the country for anyone engaging in such activities.
IV.
Strategies to address adolescent concerns regarding their sexual and
reproductive health and innovative programs to operationalize them
4.1
The Royal Government’s Development philosophy
The physical and spiritual well being of the people within a safe and secure
environment lies at the very core of Bhutan’s development philosophy.
Investments in the social sector, thus, receive highest priority. Throughout its
development, Bhutan has placed special emphasis on human development.
Economic growth is regarded not as an end in itself but rather as a means to
strengthening the physical and intellectual capacity of individual citizens to shape
their own destiny. His Majesty the King defined this approach as the pursuit of
‘Gross National Happiness’.
The development of health and education infrastructure focused on equitable
distribution; this consistent development strategy pursued by the RGOB has
helped the country make impressive strides both in the health and education
sector. Investments in health have produced a dramatic decline in infant, underfive and maternal mortality between 1984 and 1994. At the same time growth
rate as well as life expectancy rate have risen significantly.
/
From a rural community with a scattered population thinly spread over the
rugged and mountainous terrain with emerging townships, the population shift
from a rural to an urban setting began so that as of now an estimated 20 to 30%
of the population reside in urban or peri-urban areas. Through successive
development plans, there have been dramatic changes, both in the landscape of
the country as well as the lifestyles of its people. Today a network of roads and
telecommunication facilities link the entire country, slowly making the boundary
between rural and urban areas more indistinguishable.
Bhutan is a Buddhist state. With its central tenet of non-violence and
compassion, tolerance is central to the philosophy of an average Bhutanese.
From a traditional rural and agrarian society, within the last three decades, the
Bhutanese have emerged confidently into the modern and monetised economy
without any dramatic upheavals.
10
Bhutan Country Paper
4.2
Reproductive Health Program
Given that the population growth rate of Bhutan was estimated at 3.1% per
annum, in the Eight Five-Year Development Plan (1997-2002), the Royal
Government gave the highest priority for population issue. In accordance with
the ICPD Recommendations, the erstwhile MCH/FP programs are now re
grouped as reproductive health. In the 8th FYP, the first objective for the Health
Sector is to ‘intensify population-planning activities.’ Within the framework of
Reproductive Health, adolescent health features as an important component.
The Reproductive Health Program in the country is supported by UNFPA. The
main objective charted out for the Reproductive Health Services is “to have
improved the reproductive health of women, men and adolescents through
intersectoral coordination and community participation.” The strategies to
achieve the above objective are:
Enhancing access to primary health care through the expansion of infrastructure,
especially Basic Health Units, to reach those areas that are still un-reached. This
will be supplemented through increased home visits by the BHU staff ‘so that
access to health service, especially in the case of the woman, improves.’ At the
end of the 7th FYP, the health infrastructure was as follows:
Table 7. Health Infrastructure, July 19966
Number of hospitals
Number of Indigenous hospital
Number of .Basic Health Units
Number of Dispensaries
Indigenous units
Out Reach Clinics
Number of training institutes
Number of malaria centers
26
1
97
32
10
454
3
19
By the end of the 8FYP, there will be 145 Basic Health Units; all dispensaries
will be upgraded to Basic Health Units in addition to new construction of BHUs.
4.3
Improved quality of reproductive health care services.
Within the Reproductive health services package is included training of all
categories of health workers to improve the quality of services that they provide,
both for reproductive tract infections as well as family planning services. Special
6 S"1 FYP Document, Vol 1, Main Document
O’
1224
'5°
Bhutan Country Paper
efforts wilj be made to make condoms available, not only for family planning
purpose, but also to prevent STDs, especially among the male adolescent group.
Efforts will be made to improve access to RTI/STD/HIV services by supporting
training of women in the community about RTIs/STDs & HIV as part of the
training package for reproductive health. Education and services will be provided
to adolescent schoolgirls and girls out of school through the Non-formal Education
program. For this purpose, in collaboration with the Division of Education, under
the IECH of Health Division, a school health program is being charted out.
4.4
School Health Services
Although some basic first aid has always been there in schools, school health
was primarily limited to de-worming and health education on various topics.
Realizing the lacunae of services in schools, and also seeing the opportunity of
involving students to spread the message of health to their respective
communities, the Comprehensive School Health Program was initiated with the
start of the current development plan. In this program special attention will be
provided to the adolescents. Advocacy will be given the highest priority with
development of educational materials for raising awareness among school
children about reproductive health issues, prevention of STD/RTI/HIV and their
potential contribution to promote positive reproductive health.
4.5
Promotion of Universal Education
Through out the past decades of planned development, the Royal Government
has given the highest priority to education. Bhutan is committed to achieve
universal primary education by the year 2000. Despite the constraints of
inadequate teachers, limited school infrastructure and the rising cost of
education, the Royal Government has been able to provide free education to all
its children, irrespective of gender. By the end of the 7th FYP, it was estimated
that the primary enrolment had reached 72%. The Sth FYP objectives strive to
“increase the number of children who attend school in order to meet the goals of
Education for all,” and “enhance the literacy rate through alternate forms of
education such as non-formal and adult literacy programs.
With the rising primary level enrolment and limited opportunities for higher
level education, there is a burgeoning group of adolescents that are not yet
competent to enter the usual job market and, at the same time, are now reluctant
to return to a farming life. To enroll them into some gainful vocation, special
emphasis is being given to the strengthening of vocational and technical
education training. At present there are two formal technical institutes; the Royal
Technical Institute at Phuentsholing and the Royal Bhutan Polytechnic at
Deothang. Those students that leave after class VI gain entry into trade level
education and training courses and those from classes VIII to X to craft and
12
*
Uhutan Country Paper
V
technician level courses. In all these institutes, both boys .and girls are given
equal opportunity. In addition, there are other institutes- Royal Institute of
Health Sciences, Natural Resources Training Institute, Forestry Institute, School
of Fine Arts and Crafts, and Driving School- that provide opportunities for the
youth and adolescent to employ themselves gainfully.
4.6
Non-formal Education, NFE
Bhutan has made a commitment to provide educational and literacy services for
all its population. While the main thrust for increasing literacy levels will be
geared through the formal education sector, the literacy programme recently
established to cater to out-of-school youths and adult illiterates will supplement
this.
The NFE programme is an effective means by which youth and adults who have
had no opportunity to attend formal schooling can acquire literacy and functional
skill necessary for living a productive life in the modern world. The programme
uses resources available within the formal system to ensure cost effectiveness
and sustainability. So far 4080 illiterate men and women have benefited from the
programme out of which 70% are women.
The NFE programme has been a valuable channel for dissemination of
information and communication on health and hygiene and development
programmes.
4.7
Youth Guidance and Counseling Section, YGCS
Realizing the huge potential to guide the youths of this country in the right
direction the Royal Government, through the Education Division, established the
Youth Guidance and Counseling Section, YGCS, in 1996. The primary purpose
of this unit is to develop a comprehensive youth guidance program to guide
individual youths towards a meaningful approach to life. The YGCS has
initiated a program of systematic counseling in schools, through the active and
interactive participation of the teachers, students and the parents, with teachers
taking the lead role. The focus of such counseling is to provide career counseling
to students, promotion of their understanding of their own abilities and to guide
their interest into areas of their talents and potentials. In addition, extracurricular
activities, be it in cultural, literacy, sports, etc. are given further impetus to
involve the youths and the adolescents in schools.
13
Bhutan Country Paper
4.8
Druk Scout Program
Another move within schools to provide a supportive environment for
development of adolescents, is the initiation of scouting. This activity is also
coordinated by the YGCS. Any student between ages 10 to 18 is eligible to
become a member of the scout association. Almost all junior high level has
introduced scouting as a regular activity.
Scouting is seen as an important youth leadership-training forum. It helps to
develop desirable characteristics in adolescents by promoting values of sharing,
instilling team spirit and including dignity of labour besides learning useful life
skills such as first aid. Through this activity, scouts, as usual agents will be
actively involved in community service and organizing awareness campaigns on
various issues such as adolescent reproductive health (STD, HIV/AIDS, Family
Planning), health and hygiene, environmental education, drug abuse etc.
4.9
National Women’s Association of Bhutan, NWAB
The NWAB is a non-governmental organization that strives mainly to support
women’s development in the country. Within its scope of work special attention
is being given to the adolescent girl and the young child. The association
promotes health and developmental issue awareness among the rural women,
provides support for income generating schemes through micro-credit systems
and the promotion of cottage industries such as weaving, small scale agricultural
activities such as kitchen garden promotion. The association also supports the
schooling of indigent children and orphans. Both for the education and health
sectors, NWAB is an important partner in the promotion of various health and
educational activities in the country.
V.
Challenges and Opportunities for the Promotion of Involvement of
Adolescent in Development mainstream.
Through the successive enlightened rule of the Kings of Bhutan, great emphasis
was given to the social sector. Consequently, in a short span of time, Bhutan has
made tremendous progress in both health and education sectors. Mortality from
diseases has declined, life span has risen significantly, and the overall economic
situation of the country is on the upswing. There is now a growing population of
young in the country with the potential for further strengthening of the
achievements made so far. It is timely that the region is now looking at the issue
of youths and adolescents. There are many challenges facing youths of today,
but at the same time, there are also opportunities where adolescents can
contribute to building of the nation.
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5.1
Education and Vocational Training for adolescents
Although the Royal Government has not made primary education compulsory,
due to the major expansion in the education infrastructure and education being
provided free, by now the gross primary level enrolment has exceeded 80,000
students - almost l/6lh of the country’s population. Therefore, the opportunity
for a child in Bhutan to be in a school is indeed high. At the same time, there are
major challenges.
With the expansion of education facilities in the light of severe shortage of
teachers, inadequate facilities or lack of quality in the existing facilities make the
provision of education a very challenging task. At the same time with a larger
number of dropouts at the end of the primary level, there is an increasing
population of adolescents that may not wish to return to a life of an ordinary
farmer, yet at the same, their level of education does not provide them the
opportunity to seek gainful employment. This is made more difficult due to the
limited number of vocational institutes that can absorb them. Thus, there is an
emerging group of youngsters, moving from the rural to the urban areas seeking
employment opportunities. Unless appropriate mechanisms and opportunities are
created, this vulnerable group could emerge disenchanted and frustrated. More
attention is therefore; being given to basic skill development through
organization of need based training at localized levels so that these people will be
effectively utilized after the training.
5.2
Changing social milieu and conflicting socio-cultural patterns
The development history of Bhutan is indeed short. Till the end of the 1950’s
Bhutan pursued a policy of self-imposed isolation, almost totally oblivious to the
advances in the rest of the world. The country, even after more than three
decades of modernization, still continues to make energetic efforts to preserve
and promote its cultural values, traditions and practices. Yet, at the same time,
education and modernization has provided the avenue to see and experience
another form of life and, perhaps, whetted the appetite for more materialistic life
styles. With the amount of printed materials, electronic and other media, today’s
adolescents and youths have no dearth of information. Thus, while a larger
portion of the country still remains rural and simple with strong beliefs and
tradition in their cultural practices, the emerging youths and adolescents are
often torn between simple blind faith versus a rational approach to many such
practices. This is likely to produce either stress between the young and the
adults, sometimes commonly called the “generation gap,” or to lead the
adolescents of today to abandon the rich cultural tradition to pursue a life of
materialism, propped and supported with the intoxication of drugs and violence.
It is at this critical time that the country must ensure that the rich spiritual
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heritage is not lost, but strengthened through adaptation that is relevant to the
mood of the day. Spiritual and religious teachings must come out of the cloisters
of esotericism and mysticism. To that end, the Royal Government is pursuing
vigorously the preservation and promotion of Bhutan’s rich cultural traditions
and, at the same time, striving to inculcate in the young a sense of belonging and
responsibility and national identity.
5.3
Adolescent and Community Development
Within Bhutan’s school, social service is given great emphasis to prepare the
adolescents to emerge as socially conscious and responsible adults.
Such
activities have included assisting farmer-parents during sowing and harvesting
seasons, helping in the promotion of water and sanitation by assisting the
construction of latrines in the rural areas; participating in rural festivals and
staging educational and entertainment activities for the benefit of communities.
In the capital, the Bhutan Youth Development Association aims to channel the
energies of the adolescents and youths through the promotion of sport activities,
organizing social services to support the destitute and disadvantaged, and
supporting the YGCS to organize scouts activities for students. In addition, the
Youth Association is also increasingly focussing itself on the issues of juvenile
crime, delinquency and substance abuse. The strengthening of such initiatives
and the expansion of similar efforts to the rest of the country should be given
priority.
5.4
Adolescent and Environmental concerns
Bhutan has a pristine and rich environmental heritage. The government has
committed itself to the preservation and promotion of the environment to the
extent that it is the stated policy of the Royal Government to maintain at least
60% forest cover for all times to come. In order to increase environmental
awareness among the adolescents and youths of the country, environmental
concerns are accorded the highest consideration even in the school curriculum.
Further, 2nd June is observed as Social Forestry Day and school children
participate in activities related to awareness arising on environment conservation
etc. Nature Clubs are also encouraged in schools that promote such activities as:
Art works contests on environment theme Environmental beautification of
school campuses
■
Street campaigns for environmental preservation and promotion
■
Joining public campaigns for environmental protection, etc
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VI.
UNFPA’s assistance
The Third UNFPA Country Programme will help contribute towards: (i)
increased institutional capacity for the delivery of RH services, including FP,
and information to all couples and individuals, particularly adolescents; (ii) a
significant reduction in maternal and infant mortality, as well as the stabilisation
of population growth, through expanded access and improved delivery of RH
services, (iii) increased primary school enrolment and continuation rates,
particularly of girls, through active advocacy; and (iv) capacity-building for
population and health data collection, analysis and utilisation, so that progress
towards the stated goals can be accurately measured and population and
development plans strengthened.
For these purposes, UNFPA will provide US$ 4.4 million, of which $4 million
would be programmed from UNFPA’s regular resources, and the balance of $
0.4 million from multi-bilateral and/or other sources. Some 70 per cent of
UNFPA’s input will go towards implementing reproductive health programmes,
including FP activities; approximately 16 per cent will go towards implementing
population and development strategies; about 4 per cent for advocacy, and 9%
for other related expenses.
Within the Third UNFPA CP, the RH projects aims at improving access to and
provision of integrated quality reproductive health services for men, women and
adolescents. Assistance will be given in developing a critical mass of trained
health manpower, and in creating an enabling environment for the delivery of
reproductive health services through multisectoral collaboration and IEC efforts.
The population education project will support the institutionalisation of
population education in primary, junior high, and high schools as well as in
teacher training institutes, non-formal education programmes, and outreach
programmes. The population and advocacy project will strengthen advocacy in
support of a broader reproductive health approach. Focussing on various target
groups, the project will advocate girls’ education, responsible male sexual and
reproductive health behaviour, and women’s empowerment and employment
opportunities. The project on population and development strategies will
strengthen the information base and mainstream gender concerns for population
and development planning, and conducts policy research for planning purposes.
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VII.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it may be stated that at the core of Bhutan’s development
philosophy is the quest for self-reliance. His Majesty the King had stated that
"National self-reliance in the Bhutanese context means ultimately to be able to
stand on one’s own feet, have the power of decision in one’s own hands, and not
be dependent on others.” The supportive framework for this development
philosophy is to ensure sustainability, preserving Bhutan’s own cultural and
spiritual identity and striving for quality of life. Without taking the concerns of
the adolescents and youths of the country today, neither the future adults will be
able to stand on their own feet, nor can they acquire the ability to make their
own decisions.
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