Despite its focus on national wellbeing, Bhutan faces huge challenges. As the Bhutanization programs continued after the promulgation of Citizenship Act 1985, unrest between Southern Bhutanese-Lhotshampa and Bhutan government started in Bhutan. Bhutan became a member of The World Bank in 1981, International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2003, and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) in 2014. PLEASE CONTROL TOURIST NUMBERS! May such changes be positive. DOI link for Cultural Continuity and School Education in Bhutan: Current Initiatives, Challenges and Opportunities. Click here to learn about the Weather in Bhutan Bhutan is undergoing a state of transition. Maintaining your organizational culture will increase the level of employee engagement. However, no outsider is allowed to enter the house for 3 days after a baby is born. It has achieved enormous yield gains as well as lower costs for large-scale farming. Bhutan Faces Challenges As it Sits Between Asia's Biggest Powers Increasing hostility between India and China is creating new tensions in the region. Festivals. Bhutan- never a SMALL or LITTLE dragon but a thunder dragon – come and give me a hug and why are your citizens so damn attractive? Non-communicable diseases account for 70 percent of the reported disease burden across all age groups. Bhutan: Achievements and Challenges. The country best known for valuing Gross National Happiness and harmony hides a very dark history being one of the world’s biggest creators of refugees by per capita[1]. So should tourism be developed in that area and along with it- infrastructure? AIIB : not surprised that US told the western countries and Japan to snub China. Bhutan is undergoing a state of transition. Benefit: Drawing from a culturally diverse talent pool allows an organization to attract and retain the best talent. The major challenge for any company is maintaining its healthy organizational culture. ( Log Out /  While Bhutan is one of the smallest countries in the world, its cultural diversity and richness are profound. Posted on 1 March, 2016. Women own the land, new husbands move into the homes of their wives after marriage, and … It is this sense of reclusiveness that makes Bhutan an interesting destination. The book is divided into five parts all taking a critical approach towards inequality: Part one offers an assessment of Bhutan’s developmental trajectories; part two deals with GNH, equality and inclusion versus exclusion; part three is devoted to culture, legal issues and the politics of change; and part four to governance and integration; section five addresses health, food and disparities. The Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism (Drukpa Kagyu) is the state religion; the majority of Bhutanese people follow the Drukpa school of the Kagyupa sect. It is rather the mindset of the citizens and the decisions made by those in power. People (especially young ones) will leave the villages and move into cities. In fact, the society of Bhutan follows more matrilineal practices than patriarchal. Both are capital cities and are popular places to move to. Aspects of Bhutan falls into my ideal country tick-list and some of their challenges adds more understanding that I have for this world. Development Challenges in Bhutan Johannes Dragsbaek Schmidt and Line Kikkenborg In many respects Bhutan is a showcase in South Asia. Bhutan: educational challenges in the land of the Thunder Dragon. The tourism industry in Bhutan is founded on the principle of sustainability, meaning that tourism must be environmentally and ecologically friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable. For decades, agricultural science has focused on boosting production through the development of new technologies. Tourism: Every year, international and regional tourists bring in revenue of more than $227m. This book explores the history, culture, challenges, and opportunities of schooling in Bhutan. (2013). And….I’m not surprised that I didn’t see  Thunder Dragon on the list. Bhutan is a country in the Himalayas with a relatively new education system and a unique governmental philosophy known as Gross National Happiness. Given the above context, it has become essential to educate the national authors of the Report at least on the following challenges and recommendations, even though these are not new and of any significance, and the historic account of the special feature of Bhutan… Happiness is important and highlighted. Retrieved 5 4, 2018, from http://www.equaldex.com/. ... GNHC has identified certain challenges before the country: Only about one percent of the population is college-educated and number of unemployed people is on the rise. Later, Bhutan attributed the group as anti-nationalist. Challenge # 1: Maintaining organizational culture. Economic growth is dependent on a few industries, largely driven by public sector. Yet some citizens worry that the newly empowered electorate's demand for basic services could threaten the nation's remarkable range of native plants and animals. Moreover, there is also external debt which has soared to nearly 90% of Bhutan’s GDP. Today tourism is a vibrant business with a high potential for … Monarchy and Democracy. However, it does set a super great example for the rest of the world in many aspects such as the concept of social well-being and personal happiness, the importance of maintaining one’s own culture and tradition and above all (what I love the most) – environmental protection. Bhutan Culture Religion in Bhutan. Some of these issues have been the darker side of Bhutan and have affected the development of Bhutan to some extent. Let us all be respectful and allow no one to threaten your national interest. This poses new challenges to the government and to the health system as this epidemiological transition is taking place. ... legislative, executive and media – democratic culture has still been slow to emerge. 8, No. Today tourism is a vibrant business with a high potential for … Bhutan’s achievements and the challenges that she face offers a great lesson for all other nations especially her two giant neighbours. The World Bank Group and Bhutan. Nevertheless, structural challenges remain, including large current account deficits, high public debt, an underdeveloped private sector, and a high youth unemployment rate. It has a population of nearly 760,000 people— about 70 percent of whom live in rural areas. When glaciers melt, Bhutan’s existing flash flood problem will only intensify. As the first decade of the 21st century comes to a close, we are faced with enormous Girls receive nearly equal educational opportunities, and, while accorded a lower status than boys, they are cherished because … Bhutan's culture does not isolate or disenfranchise women. Competitions are held regularly in most villages. Another issue of Bhutan can be considered as the religion. But economic growth has stumbled in recent years. So here are some rants before I end my Bhutan Travel entries. And, who cares what other countries think since we have been seen as this threat for a long time. The transition from young graduates to the new workforce is not a smooth and easy one. Everyone  wants to move into the big cities ( first-tier/second-tier). While most tourists stay around the Western part of the country, the eastern part remains undiscovered. This approach carefully analyzes the independent government development approach, including the idea of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which has replaced GNP as a measure of well-being. As mentioned in earlier blogs Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersexual Queer (LGBTIQ) is not perceived well in Bhutan. https://www.equaldex.com/region/bhutan. 4. In a conclusion, the land of happiness and Shangri-La is struggling with these cultural and religious issues; Lhotshampa ethic cleansing, LGBTIQ community and Christianity. A nation of only 740,000 people, Bhutan is already a poster child for development (pdf). How tough can this be? Urbanisation is happening in every country and Bhutan is no exception. Culture and Modernisation: From the Perspectives of Young People in Bhutan 1st October 2013 Off By admin This is a study of what a people and a government in a so- called developing country think about modernisation and culture and tradition. Lyonpo Sangay Penjore was the Minister of Communications Ministry from May 1970 to August 1971. The government still fears that religion other than Buddhism will divide the nation and create tension. On target to meet all eight millennium development goals, its poverty rate has halved in less than a decade, to 12% in 2012 from 23% in 2007. The authors […] Copyright © It is the only South Asian country which enjoysa sustained high level of economic growth, at an average of 8.7% per year,and its level of social service delivery is admired all over the developing world. It is great when another county can ‘take care’ of you but since I’m the sort of person who leans more towards self-reliance, the idea of such a close relationship is a tad frightening. Dancing, music, food, and drink are part of the riotous challenges between villages, with local supporters doing their best to distract the rival team. Retrieved 5 4, 2018, from http://www.asiannews.com. The dialogue around passing on culture often sounds defeatist. ( Log Out /  Despite regarding itself as one of the happiest nations, Bhutan still struggles (will struggle in the future)  with some of its cultural issues, which are little known to the world. Likewise, Bhutan also regards happiness as a shield against the negative and disrupting influence of modernisation and globalisation. Everest) Shortly after my departure, a friend mentioned that this year’s winter was colder than usual. But as modernity and consumerism take hold in the Himalayan nation, Bhutan is facing a host of problems, including poverty, youth unemployment, and growing public debt. Bhutan is not 100% an oasis or an eternal Shangri-la and certainly no Utopia. Our Mission This poses new challenges to the government and to the health system as this epidemiological transition is taking place. Unity in cultural diversity. This means all non-Buddhist communities have limited access to religious freedom in Bhutan. Lyonpo (Dr.) T. Tobgyel began his service in 1954. 13 October, 2016. The intrepid team tackled Bhutan's Snowman Trek—typically a month-long feat—in a record-breaking two weeks. 11 March, Thimphu: A team led by Mr. Kozo Watanabe, the Chief Representative of JICA Bhutan Office met the Hon’ble Sanam Lyonpo yesterday. Retrieved 5 3, 2018, from http://www.thediplomat.com. A small country indeed but not little and certainly not a Little Dragon since there are much that her giant neighbors can learn from this timeless Kingdom. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. China is facing huge urbanization crisis. A delay in hydropower construction could cloud macroeconomic prospects in the coming years. The difficulties with trekking here, aside from the high cost are the weather. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south, and China to the north, Bhutan has long maintained a policy of strict isolationism, both culturally and economically, with the goal of preserving its cultural heritage and independence. In addition, the DoC has started providing financial support of Nu 50,000 each to those coming up with program that promotes culture. Those living in the south are mainly Hindu. As such, cultural heritage preservation is one of the four pillars of Gross National Happiness, the guiding philosophy of Bhutan’s development, and is embedded in all its national development policies. Bhutan is located in one of the most seismically active zones in the world. 2021 Two Bandits. It affect almost everything ; from arts and crafts to the system of government, from folk dances to architectural style. Waking up in a foreign land is a pleasant sensation. But this success has come at a high environmental cost. It is estimated that 100,000 Southern Bhutanese lost their homes, land and country during the Lhotshampa – ethnic cleansing or also known to us as Bhutanese refugee crisis. In addition, Bhutanese doesn’t easily accept the members of LGBTIQ group. But, I did not set foot into the country in a state of oblivion. We need to continue to seize international opportunities to say hi to their representatives. Cultural Continuity and School Education in Bhutan: Current Initiatives, Challenges and Opportunities . Being small in landmass with a relatively small population is an advantage. Likewise, Bhutan also regards happiness as a shield against the negative and disrupting influence of modernisation and globalisation.