BCMD eNews: August–September 2026

August

Parliament and civil society agree to meet every year

7 AUGUST · THIMPHU

Fifty participants, including Members of Parliament, CSO representatives, the Parliamentary Secretariats and the CSO Authority, gathered for the Parliament–CSO Meet 2026, moderated by media and communications consultant Mr Needrup Zangpo.

Participants reviewed the resolutions of the 5th Session of Parliament and the legislative agenda for the upcoming 6th Session, including key bills and action taken reports, and looked at where civil society can contribute. In group discussions, they agreed to make the Meet an annual event, to strengthen consultation and information sharing, and to build a common digital platform that keeps the conversation going between sessions.

Parliament and civil society play different roles, participants concluded, but share one responsibility: a just, resilient and democratic society.

A joint undertaking of DW Akademie, BCMD, International IDEA, Bhutan Transparency Initiative and Save the Children, with financial support from the European Union.

Reporting on the law, without breaking it

10–14 AUGUST · THIMPHU

Sixteen journalists and editors from six media houses spent five days learning to report on the law accurately, ethically and safely. The workshop was led by Sonam Tshering, Associate Professor at JSW School of Law, and Sheila Mysorekar, senior consultant and journalism trainer with DW Akademie.

Sessions covered the constitutional and legal basis of press freedom in Bhutan, how to read legislation, charge sheets and judgments, and the risks of defamation, contempt of court, sub judice reporting, privacy and source protection. Participants redrafted high-risk stories, traced cases through Bhutan’s justice system and practised interviewing victims, minors and survivors with care and consent.

The aim: journalism that is accurate, legally sound and worthy of public trust, at a time when misinformation spreads fast.

Organised by BCMD with DW Akademie, funded by the European Union and BMZ, under the project ‘Building Inclusive Democracy: Civil Society, Parliamentarians, Media and Youth Strengthen Good Governance in Bhutan’.

118 women get ready for the test before the vote

1 SEPTEMBER · MONGAR, TSIRANG AND WANGDUE PHODRANG

Before anyone can contest a local government election, they must pass the Functional Literacy and Possession of Skills Test (FLT), which for the first time includes a digital assessment. To help aspiring women leaders clear that first hurdle, BCMD, the National Commission for Women and Children and EUTA ran three-day trainings in Mongar, Tsirang (two batches) and Wangdue Phodrang, reaching 118 women.

The training focused on official correspondence, agreement writing and foundational digital skills, all aligned with the Election Commission of Bhutan’s criteria.

The need is clear. Of the nearly 3,700 candidates registered for the 2027 Local Government Elections, just over 650 are women. In the months ahead, BCMD will continue supporting aspiring women leaders with public speaking, manifesto development, campaign planning, social media outreach and voter education.

Supported by UNDP Bhutan and the European Union under the project Strengthening People-Centric and Inclusive Access to Justice.

September

From ideas on paper to strategic plans

31 AUGUST – 4 SEPTEMBER · THIMPHU

Twenty-six representatives from civil society organisations completed a five-day Strategic Planning Training facilitated by Mr Wangchuk Namgay and Mr Ugyen Lhendup, both experienced in national and organisational planning.

Participants worked through vision and mission, SWOT analysis, results-based management, the logical framework approach, theory of change, key performance indicators, monitoring and evaluation, risk management, safeguards and resource mobilisation. More than learning the tools, each organisation used them: participants reviewed their own vision and mission statements, built logframes and theories of change, and turned them into draft strategic plans presented to the group for feedback.

For organisations that already had a plan, the training sharpened it. For those without one, they left with a first draft.

Part of ‘Building Inclusive Democracy’, supported by the European Union, BMZ and DW Akademie.

Students bring their stories to the country’s leaders

11 SEPTEMBER · THIMPHU

Months of citizen journalism by our Media and Democracy Clubs came together in one room. In April, more than 300 students from ten clubs in Trongsa, Trashigang and Samtse chose issues from their own communities: hostel overcrowding, waste management, road safety, digital access, fair pricing and bullying. In May, ten civil society organisations and three journalist mentors helped them turn first observations into verified evidence and clear calls to action.

At the September Showcase, the Hon’ble Deputy Chairperson of the National Council, Members of Parliament, government officials, CSOs, media and development partners walked through eleven student-led stations, each presenting the issue, the evidence, the action and the ask.

‘A school must teach academic subjects, but it must also shape responsible citizens. These clubs give students a dedicated space to observe, question, investigate, and take action.’

— Hon’ble Deputy Chairperson of the National Council

The stories are travelling further. A day after the Showcase, BBS broadcast one club’s investigation into bullying. Nine of the ten clubs were set up through this project, giving students in these schools a platform for citizen journalism for the first time.

MDC Story Development and Showcase Series 2026, part of the EU-funded ‘Building Inclusive Democracy’ project, in partnership with DW Akademie.

Bhutan Democracy Forum 2026: women leading the way

15 SEPTEMBER · THIMPHU

On the International Day of Democracy, BCMD convened the Bhutan Democracy Forum 2026 under the theme ‘Strengthening Inclusive Governance through Women’s Leadership’. The Forum brought together 47 women, 15 serving local government representatives and 32 aspiring leaders, with Members of Parliament, government agencies, civil society, media and development partners, including the German-Bhutan Himalaya Society. Hon’ble Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa, Minister for Education and Skills Development, graced the Forum as Chief Guest.

The Forum took the findings of BCMD’s 2026 Needs Assessment on Women’s Participation in Local Governance directly to the institutions able to act on them. Across three panels, moderated by Jigme Choden, Sangay Khandu and Needrup Zangpo, gups, mangmis and aspiring candidates from Mongar to Paro to Samdrup Jongkhar spoke about policy and legal frameworks, campaign financing and the FLT, childcare and family responsibilities, mobility, and how communities see women in leadership.

For many of the women planning to contest the 2027 Local Government Elections, the Forum was a chance to learn from those who have already made the journey, and to leave with the confidence to step forward.

Supported by International IDEA.