National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) launched Central Management Information System (CMIS) for women and children to address issues related to information storage, sharing, and stakeholders collaboration for protection of women and children in the country.

Senior programme officer with NCWC, Ugyen Wangchuk, said that stakeholders such as Royal Bhutan Police, Respect, Educate, Nurture, Empower Women (RENEW), and Dratshang Lhentshog would have access to information in CMIS.

“Cases will be reported into the system directly and, if there is a need for other services, we can also alert the related agencies,” he said.

He said that if the case needs further assistance from a different agency, the case would be forwarded without duplication of the cases. “In the future, we will work to produce a report by maintaining confidentiality,” he said.

In the past, information at NCWC was stored manually, which hindered data analysis and disaggregation of data.

NCWC said that the lack of disaggregated data was a major challenge to ensure effective and timely services to women and children in need of care and protection.

Health secretary, Dr Ugen Dophu, said that NCWC plays a lead role in fulfilling the mandates of Child Care and Protection Act of Bhutan 2011, Child Adoption Act of Bhutan 2012, and Domestic Violence Prevention Act of Bhutan 2013. “This information system will analyze data and ultimately improve the efficiency of NCWC and all the implementers,” he said.

He said that the stakeholders would be responsible for punching correct data for proper results and could ultimately help address and improve the gaps.

Apart from keeping track of reported cases, CMIS will also monitor relinquished cases and alternative care application, which will include kinship, foster and adoption applications.

The development of the system was supported by the Save the Children International, Bhutan.

Phurpa Lhamo

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