February eNews
Fourth CSO Quarterly Meet and First Annual CSO Summit in Punakha
The Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy (BCMD), in collaboration with the Civil Society Organizations Authority (CSOA), successfully organised the Fourth Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Quarterly Meet and the first Annual CSO Summit on 6th and 7th February 2025 in Punakha. The event convened 45 participants, including representatives from CSOs, CSOA, and development partners, to engage in comprehensive discussions on pressing issues, emerging challenges, and opportunities within the civil society sector.
The summit served as a vital platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration, particularly in aligning CSOs with Bhutan’s national priorities. A key highlight of the event was a presentation by officials from the Cabinet Secretariat on the 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP), providing participants with an in-depth understanding of the country’s development priorities and the strategic role of CSOs in advancing national goals.
Discussions also focused on the Government of India’s (GOI) funding support for CSOs, offering clarity on funding mechanisms and processes. In light of the evolving funding landscape, the session enabled CSOs to enhance their understanding of available financial resources and submit recommendations on optimising fund allocation to maximise impact.
Beyond policy deliberations, the summit addressed the capacity-building needs of CSOs, reinforcing a shared commitment to institutional strengthening and long-term sustainability. Participants engaged in thematic discussions to explore ways of contributing to ‘Future Bhutan’, ensuring that CSOs play a significant role in the nation’s sustainable development.
The Annual CSO Summit marks a significant step towards strengthening the civil society sector in Bhutan. By fostering collaboration, enhancing strategic alignment with national development plans, and addressing capacity challenges, the summit has laid the foundation for more effective and impactful civil society engagement in the years ahead.
The event was organised by BCMD in collaboration with CSOA, DW Akademie Asia, Helvetas Bhutan, and International IDEA, with financial support from the European Union (EU) and Bhutan Transparency Initiative (BTI).
2025 Asia Foundation Development Fellows visit BCMD
The Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy welcomed Mr. David Kim, Senior Director-Leadership and Exchanges and the 2025 Asia Foundation Development Fellows to its office on 24th February. The 2025 fellowship consisted of 13 emerging leaders from the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on climate resilience, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and environmental innovation across the region. Dasho Kinley Dorji, former Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, former editor of the national newspaper, Kuensel and currently serving as the editor of The Druk Journal shared his experience and insights on the intersectionality of media with climate change against the backdrop of Bhutan’s development and progress since its unity under a single polity in the 1600s. The speaker shared the evolving media landscape alongside developments and associated challenges and opportunities that Bhutan and its people faced in the rapidly changing global environment.
The question and answer session also discussed the Gelephu Mindfulness City as a vision of His Majesty the King in defining an era of Gross National Happiness (GNH)-based development and growth in contemporary times and in supporting sustainable and innovative solutions as an alternative development model . The session also provided an opportunity for the BCMD to share with the Fellows, its origin, vision and work in areas of governance and democracy in Bhutan.