Report of the Consultation on Youth Participation in

implementing the National Youth Policy (NYP) and the

National Plan of Action on Gender (NPAG)

© UNICEF/NYHQ1996-0288/Franck Charton

Consultation held on 4

th November 2010 at the Youth Development

Fund (YDF) Conference Room

Thimphu, Bhutan

2

Report of the Consultation on Youth Participation in implementing the

National Youth Policy (NYP) and the National Plan of Action on Gender

(NPAG)

Consultation held on 4th

November 2010 at the Youth Development Fund (YDF)

Conference room, Thimphu, Bhutan

Background

The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) is a partnership of organizations

dedicated to supporting governments to reach the MDG and EFA goals in education and

gender equality. Among others, UNGEI is carried forward by young people/champions who

believe in and work towards a vision of "a world where all girls and boys are empowered

through quality education to realize their full potential and contribute to transforming

societies where gender equality becomes a reality."1

The UNGEI champions in the South Asia region are young women and men who are

advocates and change makers in their communities and societies and, through their

activities, address the overlapping and multiple disparities that affect children’s education,

with a focus on girls and hard to reach children. The South Asia model also recognizes an

emerging demographic trend, the “youth bulge” that will constitute the next generation of

leaders, workers, parents and citizens, and seizes the opportunity of working with and

preparing young people to function successfully in these roles.2

The South Asia Regional UNGEI has facilitated the implementation of the young champions’

model in at least three ways:

• Organizing the training of young champions and introducing the concept:

- In 2007, over 50 young people, UNICEF and government officers were trained from

seven countries of South Asia. Subsequent to the training, the young champions

returned home and began implementing their workplans. Many in turn trained

cadres of young volunteers to help promote girls’ education and gender equality.

Strategies varied across countries and communities, and included the use of

community radio stations, the scout movement, newspaper articles, television

documentaries, newsletters, school enrollment drives, campaigns for environmental

protection and bringing drop outs back to school. Most young champions worked at

1 Adopted at the UNGEI GAC business meeting, June 2008, Kathmandu Nepal

2 Worldwide, the number of young people (12-24) is expected to increase from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion in 2035

and gradually decline after that. Countries such as India will reach this peak in the next 20 years. (IMF, Finance

and Development 2006 volume 43). The total population of girls ages 10-14, already the largest in history, is

expected to peak in the next decade (Girls Count: a Global Investment and Action Agenda, Ruth Levine et al,

Washington DC centre for Global Development, 2008)

3

community levels with education officers, schools, teachers, youth

groups/volunteers, village facilitators and parents;

- In 2008, another 50 young people, UNICEF staff members and government officials,

many of whom had participated in 2007, came together once more for a refresher

training. Also in 2008, the scope of the model was broadened beyond UNICEF and

the education section, through the participation of, and in partnership with, other

sections such as child protection, and other organisations. For example, in the

Maldives, the young champions work in the areas of substance abuse and HIV and

AIDS; (ii) Supporting the preparation of a training manual for the South Asia Region

(now completed),

- In 2009, South Asia UNGEI brought together the young champions once more for,

among opthers, to: (i) Share the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the

progress review; (ii) Finalize the training manual, based on inputs by participants,

especially from countries where the manual has been field-tested; and (iii) Explore

the potential, strategies and modalities for scaling up and/or mainstreaming the

model in each country. Bhutan participated in all 3 ROSA organized events, along

with young champions and representatives from the government. Details are

available in the various workshop reports.

• Supporting the preparation of a training manual to be used by the young champions to

be adapted, contextualised and used to train young champions in each country; and

• Commissioning an external progress review of the model

This consultation was an effort to bring together various stakeholders working for young

people and the youth networks and programs including the young champions, a regional

initiative in youth participation, girls’ education and gender equality. The objective was to

bring about a better understanding of the NYP and the NPAG and enhanced coordination,

synergies and convergence by working in partnership with young people, youth led

organizations and programmes for young people.

The Consultation

Opening Session: The Department of Youth and Sports (DYS) welcomed the participants and

said that the consultation was an effort to forge stronger links and better coordination

amongst the stakeholders involved in youth development.

The introduction of the participants was done by Kezang Deki. Participants introduced

themselves by name, organization and expectations from the consultation. Some of the

organizations present were Department of Youth and Sports (DYS), National Commission

for Women and Children (NCWC), Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC), Royal

Education Council (REC), Parliamentarians, Young people’s network; Kuzoo, Young

Volunteers In Action (Y VIA) and Young Champions (YC).

4

This report summarizes some of the main discussion points and decisions taken at the

consultation. A list of participants, agenda and all the presentations are attached.

Technical Session 1 began with group work.in which participants were divided in two groups

to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the youth in Bhutan. The group presentations

are summarized below.

Strengths:

• Support from Monarch and the Government ( DYS, NCWC)

• Majority of the Govt. Budget allocation to social sector (education,

• Young King is a good role model

• Draft youth Policy in place

• NPAG in place

• Some young people support their parents

• Youth representation in the parliament, private sector, NGO, Youth netwoks (Y VIA,

VAST)

• NGOs for youth (YDF, Tarayana, Bhutanese Association for Women’s

entrepreneurship (BAWE0)

• Police youth partnership

• Govt. has institutions and schemes in place. Eg. Shelter home, youth

entrepreneurship etc)

Weaknesses:

• Dependant on family support – economic, psychosocial support, complacent attitude

towards employment etc ,

• Easily influenced – peer pressure, bad role models, substance abuse, media

explosion (negative effect) -- influenced by Japanese movies regarding crime and

violence aspects and Korean movies for fashion trends.

• Competitive environment

• Generation gap – difficult to communicate with older people

• Carefree (gangsterism, crime, liberal attitude to sex)

• Easy access to alcohol, marijuana, etc

• Young parliamentarians but small representation and their voice is not heard or

opinions valued, as the society has less faith in young people

Technical Session 2 on the NPAG and the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB)’s

commitments in the Five Year Plan included:

� NPAG Background

� Critical areas for action - 7 Thematic Areas

� The Way Forward - NPAG Recommendations

This was followed by a discussion on the opportunities for young people in implementing

the NPAG, as summarized below.

5

Opportunities for Young people in implementing the NPAG as identified by participants

included:

• DYS (Rinzin)

o raise awareness on the adverse effects of substance abuse through youth

centres

o Media watchdogs to be strengthened for good image of women. (gap)

o Advocacy programme on health related issues

o Leadership training and decision making

• REC (Pema Tshomo)

o Create awareness on gender related issues by YC

o Review teaching materials and curricula

o Promote inclusive education

o Promote awareness on ECCD and provide services

o Study on how to improve performance of women in tertiary education

• Kezang Deki

o Create awareness on ECCD

o Support or facilitate MOE/NFECD in integrating VAW in the curriculum

• Pema Lhamo

o Employ female workers

o Train and share skills

• NCWC

o Advocacy on the draft bills (Domestic violence Bill)

o Partnering with MOEA for women entrepreneurs through pilot projects

• Kuzoo Radio

o Appoint celebrity ambassadors for youth (Miss Bhutan)

o Media campaign/education on Domestic Violence Bill

• YDF (Dorji Om)

o Create awareness among policy makers/healthcare service providers on

issues related to disabilities – special education program. At YDF through

forums such as parenting education, advocacy through media outlets

Technical Session 3 on the NYP included:

� Background

� Rationale

� Vision

� Goals

� Key areas

� Strategic objectives & priority interventions

� Implementation

� Monitoring & Evaluation

� Role of youth

6

The presentation was followed by a discussion on some of the challenges for young people

in implementing the NYP, as summarized below.

• Quality of education and trainers of teachers – vicious circle (poor training, poor

school teacher, poor graduates)

• Degeneration of culture - young people do not get to watch tshechu3 anymore

• Scouts/volunteerism is not being looked at positively

Opportunities for Youth Participation in the NYP as identified by participants included

• NCWC

o Compulsory basic computer education skills enhancement in school

• REC (Pema Tshomo):

o Study on teacher quality assessment, a planned activity for REC

o Prioritization of Internship programmes for young people addressing teacher

quality

o Establishing new teacher education college

o Youth participation on community service as part of academic curriculum for

credit

• Pema Lhamo:

o Non formal education (English) for religious institutions

o Youth participation as volunteers on weekends and holidays needs to be

encouraged

• Kezang Deki:

o Findings from the YP consultations – to refer to for drafting NFE Policy –

suggest to NFCED to involve DYS

o Facilitate MoE for introduction of English curriculum in NFE and introducing

Equivalency Programme

• YDF (Dorji Wangmo):

o YDF is exploring micro finance initiatives to support groups of young people

trying to start businesses

o Strengthen communication skills, for example encourage writing and reading

habits, business writing (Resume, cover letters)

• Kuzoo:

o Conservation of environment:

� Street threatre

� Organic restaurants

� Recycling of plastic bags

3 Tshechus are annual religious festivals held in each district in Bhutan. It used to perform the function of social

bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages by bringing out large social gatherings.

7

Technical Session 6 consisted of presentations by the various networks (scouts, Y VIA,

Kuzoo, Young Champions.

A suggestion during discussion was to expand the young champions outreach through

scouting program.

Technical Session 7: on volunteerism and partnership including the private sector

(presentation attached). The challenges of volunteerism and sustaining youth led programs

were presented along with the different methodologies in implementing young champions

initiatives in other countries of South Asia, both successes and challenges.

Finally global evidence was shared on supporting youth at risk and strategies that have

worked.

Recommendations and the Way Forward

There was a plenary session on decisions and action points. This was an interactive session

in which the UNICEF Dy. Representative and the Child Protection Specialist also participated.

Suggestions for the Way Forward included:

• A network of the people in the room (technical group for youth participation); ToR ,

Objectives, lead agency (Co chairs DYS and GNHC, Secretariat: )

• The network will look at the youth participation component of NYP and NPAG and

come up with a draft TOR (Responsibility: DYS, UNICEF and NCWC) that may include:

o Goal: Enhanced meaningful Youth Participation in societal matters.

o Objective: Better coordination in involving YP and in implementing the youth

participation component with Youth Policy and the NPAG and other themes

and address gaps

o Partners: DYS, NCWC, YDF, GNHC, Police, Y VIA, YCs, Kuzoo, Peer educators,

Community Scouts, Golden Youth, Monastic Institution, Religious Leaders,

VAST, Draktsho, Special Education Division, REC, YAG(YC), RENEW, UNFPA,

SCF, UNDP, BAWE, BNCA, Parliamentarians, Media (Radio, Print), RUB,

including a group of selected young people known as the technical group

o Frequency of meeting amongst the working group

o Role of the Co-chairs and inter-ministerial linkages

• Set up a working group for the youth participation within the network consisting of

DYS, GNHC, YC, NCWC, UNICEF, YDF, Representatives from Young Champions, YVIA,

Peer educators, Scouts, and a selected group of young people

• Invite the network and the stakeholders for the next meeting

• The network has to be decentralized (go beyond Thimphu to districts)

• Create an e group of the network that includes the organizations working for young

people ( responsibility: Kuzoo, Kingzan by end November 2010)

• Next step - to form the network for Youth Participation (YP) and then meet with

other stakeholders’: Responsibility: DYS (After the NYP is endorsed)

8

Closing Session

UNICEF Dy. Rep. Vathinee Jitjaturunt closed the consultation. She said development of the

NPY is not an end but it is the starting point. Bhutan is lucky for the importance given to

young people and children. She underscored the need to do a capacity assessment and

identify capacity gaps for meaningful participation by young people. Ms. Jitjaturunt also

commented on the inter-sectoral nature of both the NYP and the NPAG, the importance of

having a “children and young people” lens while implementing the policies and reaching all

children, both those in school and those out of school, with the same value based messages.

The consultation ended with an agreement to meet in a few weeks to capture the

momentum and motivation generated by the event. (First week of December 2010).

9

Annex I: List of Participants

Name Agency Email Ph. #

1 Kingzang Wangchuk Kuzoo 17767373

2 Rinzin Wangmo DYS rwangmo@gmail.com 02325177

3 Dorji Wangmo SCED, DYS dorjiom@gmail.com 02325177

4 Pem Lham UNICEF plham@unicef.org 02331369

5 Pema Tshomo REC pemat@rec.org.bt

6 Sonam Penjore NCWC sonampenjor@gmail.com 02334549

7 Sonam chokey GNHC schoki@gnhc.gov.bt

8 Kezang Deki UNICEF kdeki@unicef.org 02331369

9 Dema Election

Commission

10 Raka Rashid UNICEF ROSA rrashid@unicef.org

11 Tashi Wangmo MP

12 Choki Dolma UNICEF cdolma@unicef.org 02331369

13 Sonam Jamtsho BNCA 02335371

14 Vathinee Jitjaturunt UNICEF Vjitjaturunt@unicef.org 02331369

15 Annick Lacits UNICEF alacits@unicef.org 02331369

10

Annex II: Agenda

Youth Participation in implementing the National Youth Policy and

the NPAG of Bhutan

Time Topic Responsible

Person

Methodology Outcome

9:00 – 9:30 Welcome

Opening

Introduction

Rinzin Wangmo

DYS Director

Kezang Deki

9:30- 10:15 Strengths and

Weaknesses of

the youth in

Bhutan

2 groups (each

working on

different topics)

Group work &

Presentation

Analysis of the

situation of YP in

Bhutan

10:15- 10:45 NYP

Main issues

Objectives

Strategies

DYS

Presentation

And Q and A

An understanding of

the NYP

10:45 – 11.00 Tea Break

11:00- 11:15 Identify

opportunities

DYS Brainstorming Identification of

opportunities for YP

in implementing

NYP

11:15 – 11.45 NPAG GNHC/NCWC Presentation

Q&A

An understanding of

the NPAG

11:45 – 12.00 Identify

opportunities

Brainstorming Identification of

opportunities for YP

in implementing

NPAG

12:00-13:00 Existing

networks

(Gender, YVIA,

YC, Peer

educators,

Scouts, ppl

project)

Raka Rashid Presentations and

Discussion

Experience Sharing

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:30 Volunteerism,

Private sector

partnership,

Raka Rashid Presentation and

discussion

Challenges and

opportunities of

Youth Participation

14:30- 15:15 Recommendati

ons

Raka Rashid Group work and

presentations

Recommendations

15:15- 15:30 Tea Break

15:30 – 15:45 Way forward Raka Rashid Summary

15:45- 16:00 Closing DYS

11

Annex III: Presentations

Scouts and Culture Education Division, Department of Youth & Sports,

Ministry of Education

Vision & Fundamental Principle

� To become a premier youth organization providing value-based educational programmesto youth towards equipping them with leadership qualities and making them more conscientious, responsible and productive.

� Fundamental Principle :- (Duty to God, Duty to Self & Duty to Others)

� Scout Promise and Scout Law

Sections in Scouting

� Cub Section (6-12 years)

� Scout Section (13-17 years)

� Rover Section (18-25 years)

� Community Scouts ( 18 + years) – Out of School youth

Programme for Cub Section

� Mottto – “Do your best”

� Geared towards knowing immediate environment

� Advancement Scheme

� Proficiency scheme for learning skills and earning badges

Programme for Scout Section

� Motto : “ Be prepared”

� Provide citizenship education & self development

� Advancement Scheme

� Life Skill Education

� Vocational skill development (Proficiency scheme)

Programme for Rover Section

� Motto: “Service”

� Self development through experiential learning involving the community and nature

� Earning proficiency in varied skills (First Aid, Disaster management skills, Exploration etc…)

� Preparation for Life through career education and guidance

Programme for Community Scouting

� Motto: “Service”

� Life long scouting

� Reaching to out of School youth

� Voluntary activities

� Membership open to all

12

National Youth Policy, Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education

"I have always believed that a nation's future is mirrored in the quality of her youth and that it is the Government's sacred duty to provide a good education and a conducive environment for young people to become strong, capable leaders for the future."

His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

Department of Youth and Sports

Ministry of Education

Outline of the Presentation

• Background

• Rationale

• Vision

• Goals

• Key areas

• Strategic objectives & priority interventions

• Implementation

• Monitoring & Evaluation

• Role of youth

Background

References:

• Situation of Bhutanese Youth 2005-2006

• Best practices

• Assessment of risks and vulnerabilities of

Bhutanese Adolescents

Stakeholders:

• Meetings

• Interviews

Rationale

• Young people (10-24 years): one third

population

• Future guardians and custodians of the

country

• Positive force to contribute to development

• Transitional stage – face risks and

vulnerabilities (globalization etc.)

• Rising youth concerns: Education,

employment, health (substance abuse)

violence, sex work etc

Rationale cont.

• Address major concerns and issues critical for

young Bhutanese and give direction to youth

programs and services.

• Provide a common goal; set policy priorities;

propose recommendations for key

interventions; and will streamline roles and

responsibilities of different stakeholders .

Definition of youth

13-24 years

• 13 years

Penal Code of Bhutan, 2004 – 10 years

Labour Act of Bhutan, 2007

UN and the CRC – 12 and below

• 24 years

WHO and the UN

Priority Target Youth Group

• Out of School Youth

• Under-employed and unemployed young people

• Young people engaging in risky sexual behavior

• Young people using drugs and alcohol

• Youth with disabilities

• Orphans

• Young Monks/Nuns

• Domestic workers

• Girls working in drayangs

• Uneducated young women in urban and rural areas

13

Vision

Generations of Bhutanese young men and

women, boys and girls, sons and daughters,

nurtured with love and care, the benign image

of the useful and the graceful, the living,

flowing breath of the ideal of Gross National

Happiness, at peace with themselves, at peace

with the society.

Key areas of the PolicySustainable and equitable

socio-economic development

• Education

• Health & well being

• Employment & training

Conservation of environment • Environmental awareness

& action

Preservation and promotion of

culture

• Social environment

Culture & identity

Recreation & sports

Promotion of good governance • Youth civic participation

and empowerment

Goals

• Create awareness on the nation’s vision and

commitment for its young citizens

• Identify young people’s needs & priorities and create

understanding of these issues in the society

• Equitable & concerted distribution/utilization of

resources to meet the needs of the youth

• Encourage and reinforce culture of volunteerism and

social responsibilities

• Enable all stakeholders to have better coordination and

collaboration.

Critical issues-EDUCATIONFormal education (school and tertiary)

• Mismatch between education outcomes and employment

needs

• Quality of education (academic focus)

• Limited integration of life skills into the curriculum

• Limited opportunities for civic participation in schooling

process

• Costs of education – especially for rural poor

• Knowledge and skills of pre service teachers and practicing

teachers

• Access to higher education especially for young women

• Literacy levels for women

NFE and continuing education

• Opportunities for continuing and re entering

education for early school leavers

• Opportunities for gaining literacy and

numeracy in English

Monastic education

• Opportunity to gain literacy and numeracy in

English

• Adequate resources and facilities for

education and training.

EDUCATION

Strategic objectives:

Prepare young for the world of work-education process

Develop skills/capabilities of young people

Provide equal access & support to complete education-

class X

Increase the access of all young people to further

education

Improve the quality & relevance-educational experience

Critical issues-HEALTH• Substance abuse and misuse

• Injuries including drink driving

• Knowledge and awareness of sexual and reproductive health especially

among most at-risk young people

• Translating knowledge into practice

• Possible increase in rise of obesity leading to increased rates of non-

communicable diseases including cardio vascular disease, diabetes,

hypertension

• Violence including physical, mental, sexual, bullying and domestic violence

• Mental health

• Lack of awareness and information on young people with a disability

• Access to services such as youth friendly health centers, counseling and

rehabilitation services

• Unreliable health information sources from peer and parents

HEALTH

Inform & educate - on a range of health & well being

youth related issues

To shift from a disease to patient centered approach

To provide access for all young people to health and

information services

To further understand the situation of disabled young

people

14

Critical issues – E & T

• The mismatch with the education process which leaves many

young people with limited job ready skills and available jobs

• The mismatch between the aspirations of educated young

people and available jobs

• The limited opportunities for employment for out of school

young people

• Unemployment for young people leaving education

• Limited alternative employment in rural areas

• Lack of apprenticeship training with accreditation

• Underpayment and lack of regulation in payment of young

people

• No source of living for unemployed young people

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING

Enable all young people to actively participate in the world

of work

Enable young people to attain vocational skills - abilities &

aptitudes

Promote entrepreneurship capacity in all young people

Support & assist employable youth for a certain period of

time

Encourage young people to take up farming

ENVIRONMENT & YOUTH

To educate young people on local and global

environmental issues, create awareness and develop

action oriented plans to tackle national

environmental concerns.

Promote environmental national service programmes

for young people

To raise awareness on the national natural resources

and ways to conserve these resources e.g. water,

forest etc.

Critical issue:Enhancement of environmental awareness and action

by young people at local and global level

Strategic objectives:

CULTURE & IDENTITY

Inform, impart and educate young people on the

values and importance of maintaining our culture

and traditions

Critical issues:•Erosion of traditional values

•Explosion of the media•Impact of negative aspects of modernization on youth

•Perceived loss of interest in traditional culture/

festivals•Perceived loss of interest in community life

Strategic objective:

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Promote a family value system

Develop understanding between parents and children

esp. changing global world & implications for young

people

Support young people who come into contact with the

law

To promote media literacy among the youth to

minimize the negative effects of both global and local

Critical issues:

•Connection to family and community – break down of tradition family support system•Diminishing parental responsibility•Generation gap between parents and children

•Conflict with the law

Strategic objectives:

RECREATION & SPORTS

Encourage young people to participate in sports,

cultural & recreational activities

Provide adequate facilities

Critical issues:•Limited facilities for sports/recreational/cultural

•Loss of interest in physical activity•Limited physical education in schools•Limited activities for young people during vacation

Strategic objectives:

Youth Participation & EmpowermentPromote young people’s participation in decision

making

Provide a platform for young people - views to national

development

Eliminate all forms of gender discrimination

Facilitate young women’s access to decision-making

processes, professional positions and economic

opportunities

Youth Rights

advocates that all young people irrespective of

their gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity,

geographic location or disability have the right

& opportunity

& Responsibilities

young men and women have a responsibility to

contribute positively to building a peaceful,

prosperous and caring society

15

Policy Implementation

• DYS, MoE to take the lead role

• Adopt an integrated, well coordinated, cross-

sectoral and interdisciplinary approach to

address youth issues

• Establish networking & coordination mechanism

among stakeholders

• Develop the national youth action plan and

ensure its implementation

Monitoring & evaluation

• Ensure targets are reached and accountability

monitored for the delivery of those targets

• Be based on a standardized set of baseline data

allowing for comparisons

• Carried out regularly and systematically so that

comparisons can be made across programmes and

over time

• Published and disseminated to ensure transparency

and public accountability

• Review National youth action plan every three years &

the National policy after every five years

Your role

• What can you contribute?

• How?

• When?

• Where?

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR ATTENTION

16

YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN IMPLEMENTING THE YOUTH POLICY AND GENDER STRATEGY

Youth Participation in Implementing

the Youth Policy and Gender

Strategy

04 November 2010

Thimpu, Bhutan

Who is a young champion?

• A young person who is an advocate and spokesperson for positive change

• Based on the concepts of

– Social entrepreneurship (someone who recognises a soc problem & uses entrepreneurial skills to create & manage a venture for social change)

– Youth Bulge – young people and their aspirations

– Volunteerism - the rights perspective, peer support

– 2011 is the international year of youth

– Partnerships

The context

• Began as a concept to promote girls’ education and gender equality

• Expanded beyond education because of the multi-sectoral nature of education and inter-linkages with other sectors (health, protection, labour), to incorporate issues such as early marriage, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and gender based violence – addressing MARA and EVA

• Emerging: urbanisation/overcrowding, climate change, internet

Young Champions work in 7 countries

of South Asia

• Scaled up and institutionalised in 3 countries (Nepal, India and Pakistan) – under MOE, or Social Welfare

• Implementation method varies – Meena girls in India, boy scouts and girl guides in Pakistan (office space in the ministry), with parliamentarians in Nepal, journalists in Bangladesh), “youth space” in Maldives

• Young champions have in turn trained volunteers

• Radio plays a key role in Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan

Challenges

• Time allocation

• Funding

• Low value of volunteerism as it is often non-

remunerative

• Absence of incentives and recognition

Recommendations from the Progress

Review

• Scale up and mainstream, led by DYS for YP and NCWC for NPAG, involving diverse and multiple stakeholders including the private sector

• Coordinate various on-going approaches (e.g., YVIA, YC, peer educators) into a systematic national strategy for working with young people

• Use media to engage youth incl. radio programmes (Kuzoo, SSMK)

• UN, other international and national bodies to support, also the private sector

Core Policies –global evidence

• Investment in first 5 years of life (ECD)

• Complete secondary schooling

• Use schools to pass on relevant information

• Make RHS to meet needs of young people

• Effective communication – use of the media

(radio to address remoteness)

• Effective parentingSource: Supporting youth at risk in MIC: World Bank

Promising Approaches – global

evidence

• Educational equivalency for older people and school drop outs

• Job training Programmes that have LS, technical skills and Internships

• Financial incentives

• Youth friendly spaces in public buildings

• Internships in the public sector

• Caring adults as mentors

• LSE are part of all interventions

• Self-employment and targeted youth employment programmes

Source: Supporting youth at risk in MIC: World Bank

17

General Polices – the global evidence

• Safe neighbourhood programmes (good

police-community relations)

• Reduce the availability of firearms

• Increase prices and reduce availability of

alcohol and tobacco

• Increase access to contraception through

social marketing and provision of emergency

contraceptionSource: Supporting youth at risk in MIC: World Bank

General Policies (cont.)

• Reduce youth crime and violence by focusing on rehab programmes and second chance opportunities

• Promote anti violence and positive living messages through the media targeted to young people (radio, soap operas with social messages)

• Provide birth certificates to unaccompanied adolescents and young people

Source: Supporting youth at risk in MIC: World Bank

Moving from Wish List to Action

• Prioritising

• Assigning and coordinating institutional responsibilities

• Taking resources away from ineffective programmes and reallocating to programmes that work – making hard choices

• Importance of evaluating youth interventions

• Base programmes on cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis

• Monitoring and benchmarking trends against national and international databases

Source: Supporting youth at risk in MIC: World Bank

What does this mean for Bhutan?

• Building on what works

• What are the challenges?

• Involvement of the community – religious leaders, teachers and young people in planning, implementation and monitoring

• Role of the private sector – CSR

• Ownership

• Designing programmes based on needs and consultation with all stakeholders

• Where next? – Prioritisation (what to implement, how to implement

(partnerships?), scaling up good practices, what to advocate for, how to advocate )

18

Bhutan’s National Plan of Action for Gender (NPAG) 2008-2013

Bhutan's National Plan of Action for

Gender (NPAG)

2008-2013

Incorporating NPAG

Recommendations in the AWPs

Presented by GNHC during the UN Annual Review Meeting, Olathang

Hotel, Paro (7th to 23rd December 2009)

Presentation Outline

� RGOB’s commitments in Five Year Plans

� NPAG Background

� Critical areas for action - 7 Thematic Areas

� The Way Forward - NPAG Recommendations

RGoB’s commitments in Five Year Plans

� 5th FYP � First time RGoB included a separate chapter on women

� 6th FYP � Reinforced special efforts to involve women in development

� 7th FYP � Included chapter on ‘Women’s Involvement in Development’

� 8th FYP � Outlined the status of women and their access to credit, health and education services

� 9th FYP � Highlighted RGoB’s continued commitment to promoting wider representation and participation of women in broader decision-making bodies, as well in the civil service

� 10th FYP� the Plan Guidelines underlined that each sector should mainstream gender issues & disaggregate data wherever possible; Gender as cross-cutting development theme in the Main Plan Document

NPAG Background

� Gender Pilot Study (GPS) conducted by GNHC and NSB in 2001

� GPS provided critical input for the preparation of Bhutan’s 6th periodic report on CEDAW

� Concluding comments and recommendations of the CEDAW committee

� Women’s low representation in public decision making

� Women’s equal employment, insufficiency of sex-disaggregated data,

� Low participation of women and girls in secondary and tertiary education,

� Prejudices and Stereotypes,

� Women’s access to vocational training,

� Women’s health, and

� Violence Against Women and Girls

� The above issues were considered during the formulation of the NPAG

NPAG – 7 Thematic areas for action

1. Good Governance (GG)• Integrating a gender perspective into policies & legislation pertaining to GG• Addressing causes of low participation of women• Increase women’s representation• Improve sex disaggregated information

2. Economic Development (focus on Employment)• Promote greater access to higher education & professional, technical,

vocational education• Enhance skills & incomes of rural women• Promote cottage & small rural-based industries & access to financial

services• Women’s involvement in the informal sector• Address employment of under-aged girls as domestic workers• Improve sex disaggregated information

NPAG – critical areas for action

3. Education & Training• Gender parity at the tertiary level, professional, technical &

vocational education levels• Easing transition of girls from secondary to tertiary levels• Raising literacy rates (esp. in rural areas)• Addressing the issue of “informal boarders”

4. Health

• Improve collection & analysis of gender-related health information• Mainstream gender into health policies, plans & programs (esp.

HIV/AIDS & STI programs)• Access to information/awareness on sexual & reproductive health

issues • Address teenage pregnancy/unsafe abortions

19

NPAG – critical areas for action

5. Ageing, Mental Health and Disabilities

• Promote “active ageing” gender sensitive policies• Gender-sensitive strategies on prevention, treatment & rehabilitation

• Equal & equitable access

6. Violence Against Women• Understand the VAW issues in Bhutan, including trafficking and prostitution

(through the collection and analysis of reliable data and information)• Address the issue of widespread use of alcohol and its social acceptance• Strengthen implementation of existing legislation and review/enact new

legislation to adequately address domestic violence and sexual harassment• Enhance men’s and boys’ role in preventing VAW• Take appropriate measures to prevent VAW and care for survivors of all forms

of violence

7. Prejudices and Stereotypes

• Challenging socio-cultural perceptions on gender roles and relations via awareness and sensitization (use of media)

• Eradicating more subdued and indirect forms of gender bias

The Way Forward - NPAG

Recommendations

RecommendationsNPAG Recommendation.xls

20

Bhutan Youth Development Fund

Y-VIAYoung Volunteers in Action

Bhutan Youth Development Fund

Background

Was founded in March 2003

Why?

�To complement the efforts of YDF

�To provide a youth perspective

Now……..

�Y-VIA has grown to 584 members and expanded

to 6 regions Pema Gathsel, Phuentsholing,

Bumthang, Trashigang, Tsirang and Thimphu

VISION

That the Y-VIA is recognized as the strongest network of Young

Volunteers in Bhutan that is dedicated to achieving Gross National

Happiness through volunteerism & leadership

MISSIONThrough advocacy, active participation, capacity building and

volunteerism, the Young Volunteers in Action will address issues that

concern the communities, people, culture, and the environment in

partnership with relevant agencies, and establish a strong youth

development that is Dynamic, Strong and Sustainable

Objectives

�Identify programs on issues concerning young

people

�Offer youth perspectives

�Involve and participate in community

based programs of the YDF and other agencies

�Mobilize more Y-VIA in the country through

leadership programs

�Establish & Strengthen a strong youth network in

Bhutan

Management

Executive Director (YDF)

Nazhoen Pelri Project Director

Overall Regional Coordinator/Y-VIA project officer

Dzongkhag Coordinator/ Cluster Coordinators

Y-VIA support group

Y-VIA members

Focus Areas

�Community Service

�Peer Help

�Advocacy Campaigns

�Fundraising

�Networking

�Capacity Building

�Preservation of Culture & Environment

Programs/Activities

� Blood drive and Clean-up campaign

� Awareness and advocacy campaigns on youth-related

issues

� Establishing clubs to encourage youth participation and

productive engagement

� Fundraising activities to support youth-related programs

and workshops, including the Golden Youth Awards 2009

� Active participation during key events and programs –

Golden Youth Awards, Mind and leadership Training

Camp

News & Events

3 July – 10th July 2010

Golden Youth Award Camp, Thimphu

Coordinating and organizing this years week long camp

14 July – 1 August 2010

Hospitality Management Training, Aman Kora, Bumthang

12 August 2010

International Youth Day

Thimphu & Tsirang; preserving the environment & raising

awareness on youth issues

October – November 2010

Bumthang fire

Fundraising and volunteering

21

Young Champions

Young Champions, Bhutan

2007 - 2010

Participants

• Khandu Om – UNICEF

• Kesang Dema - UNICEF

• Dawa Dem - NWAB

• Tashi Choden – YDF

• Roma Pradhan - YDF

• Dorji Om – DYS -Scout

• Dema – DYS - Youth Centre

• Pema Lhamo – Kuzoo FM

• Kinzang Wangchuk – Kuzoo

• Sonam Wangchuk - VAST

• Yangchen Lodey - NCWC

YDF

• Social skills and Ethics to

youth participants

• Y-VIA (Youth Volunteers in

Action) core members work

alongside each other in

passing on messages related

to Youth issues.

NCWC

• Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against

Women (CEDAW)

• Convention on the Rights of

the Child (CRC)

Kuzoo FM

• Meena Manch advocacy story message on Kuzoo Radio band 104 & 105

• Aired a talk by Nun AniChoying on her life & being a woman

• Shared the life of an Afghan Youth through an recorded interview

• Weekly talk with selected youth & youth Issues

• Radio Partner covering youth related functions

• Kuzoo Clubs expanded to 2 schools

NWAB

• Women Empowerment in

Rural areas.

DYS – Scout & Youth Centre

• Exchange Programs for

Youth

• Career counseling

• Youth related facilities

• Games & sports

• Dance and Basketball

competition, Art, Painting,

Reading programs during

the school summer and

winter break.

•

VAST

• Art Camps for students in

Rural Areas

• Expression of Art in the

form of “Importance of

Sanitation” art program

Young Champs Come together

• Alongside the youth festival, the YC also conducted an Art Exhibition and quiz with the theme “Education For All” (EFA)

• Y-VIA, The Youth Volunteers in Action, Host for two hours during Weekends, taking calls from other youth and shared their problems and Youth related Issues

• The YC’s Collected Story books and delivered them to a school in Dagana

• Kuzoo FM also produced programs related to CRC and CEDAW, through NCWC, funded by UNICEF

• Kuzoo FM also had counseling programs in collaboration with the DYS, MoE.

Young Champs Come together

• Toy collection taken up for under privileged

children

• Taj Tashi organized a dinner for under

privileged kids through the Young champs

Where the Young Champs in Bhutan are Now

• We lost our VAST participant Sonam Wangchuk to a Tragic accident in 2010

• Pema Lhamo left Kuzoo FM in 2009 and worked with Bio Bhutan a Private company related to community development through agricultural and forest based resources, the company too looked into more participation from women.

• Yangchen Lodey left NCWC and is currently working for Save the Children

• Tashi Choden - YDF is pursuing her Masters Degree in the US.

• Dawa Dem - NWAB is now working in the UK

• Dorji Om is still with the Scouts division, Dema from the Youth Centre division is now working for the Election Commission of Bhutan

• Roma Pradhan – YDF and Kinzang Wangchuk – Kuzoo FM are coordinating programs related to the YC in their respective division.