Gender-inclusive governance gains ground as women take up leaderships roles in rural communities in Chukha

KP Sharma

Chukha—While Bhutan has been consistent in its efforts to encourage women to take up leadership roles in fostering gender-inclusive governance, the reality in rural areas has remained a challenging one.

The social norms around women’s capabilities and ingrained societal expectations have often made it difficult for women to step into leadership positions. However, recent shifts—fueled by targeted interventions and local initiatives—are breaking down these barriers.

An inspiring example of such a change is in Chapcha, Chukha, where positions such as the water caretaker, farm road chairperson, and the gewog’s Mangmi are now held by women.

Women leadership in Chapcha

Tashi Wangmo, a 32-year-old woman from Dorgoen Rimtok in Chapcha, exemplifies the changing mindset toward female leadership in the gewog.

She serves as the caretaker of her community’s water user association, which includes 129 members. In addition, she is also chairperson of the local farm road user association, overseeing the management of the road. These roles were once typically held by men.

This remarkable shift in Chapcha is largely due to the transformative leadership training provided by SNV Bhutan in collaboration with government partners, an initiative aimed at recognising and nurturing leadership potential regardless of gender.

Tashi Wangmo’s journey into leadership began when local male leaders, recognising her interest, encouraged her to take on these roles. She was trained as a water caretaker, which boosted her confidence and paved the way for her later appointment as the chairperson of the road user group.

Initially unsure of her ability to manage these tasks, her confidence grew with the support from local leaders and the acknowledgement that gender was not a barrier to leadership.

Interestingly, she receives significant support from men in her community, who have been an integral part of her success. Rather than undermining her roles, men offered advice and shared their experiences, further enhancing her ability to perform effectively.

“Men equally support me through sharing their experiences and even advising me on some areas,” Tashi Wangmo said.

This collaborative spirit reflects a shift in social norms around women in Chapcha, where gender inclusivity is actively promoted. Through regular awareness programmes. Local leaders are fostering an environment where women’s contributions are valued, and the community’s mindset about gender roles is gradually evolving.

A vocal advocate for women’s leadership

Lemo, the Mangmi with Chapcha gewog, is another key example of women’s growing presence in leadership. Serving her second term, she is a vocal advocate for women’s leadership and gender equality.

She attributes much of her confidence to the transformative leadership training she received from SNV Bhutan, having attended the programme twice. She added that the training, mentoring, and consistent coaching played an important role in building her leadership capabilities.

“The trainings have helped me build the confidence which I believe is needed in whatever work we do,” she said.

However, she also acknowledges the challenges that women face, especially in accessing training opportunities.

Unlike their male counterparts, Lemo said that women often have limited access to external training, with most of their education happening through local workshops.

Lemo continues to encourage women, youth, and persons with disabilities to take up leadership roles, advocating for equal opportunities in community development. This advocacy has led to more women participating in community meetings and initiatives.

“Most of the meetings and community work are dominated by active participation from women,” Lemo said.

Such change reflects the growing confidence among women in Chapcha, as they believe their contributions can positively impact their communities.

Lemo pointed out that women’s leadership extends beyond governance into practical community works. “For instance, local self-help groups, mostly consisting of women, do the road maintenance work to the historic Dokhachu Goenpa, a popular destination for visitors,” she said.

Commitment to inclusivity and accountability

The empowerment of women in Chapcha is part of a larger effort to enhance inclusivity and accountability within the gewog’s services and infrastructure.

Under the leadership of Gup Tobgay, who also underwent SNV’s transformative leadership training, significant progress has been made in improving the accessibility of public spaces and services.

A key initiative was the installation of European-style toilets and ramps in public buildings, making these spaces more accessible for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Gup Tobgay sees this as evidence of the gewog’s commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that people with disabilities can access essential services.

He believes that these changes demonstrate the gewog’s commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of physical abilities, can access essential services.

Prior to the transformative leadership training, issues of accessibility were rarely prioritised in infrastructure planning. However, after gaining knowledge through the training, local leaders began recognising the importance of accommodating all community members, including people with disabilities, in public spaces.

“Chapcha has 100 percent toilet coverage with improved sanitation with the required standard, which I believe is more impactful,” Tobgay said.

This commitment to improving accessibility is a clear example of how leadership training can help local leaders understand the diverse needs of the community and work toward creating a more inclusive society.

In addition, the training has contributed to better governance and accountability in the management of community resources. For instance, Chapcha has adopted a new system for managing resources such as  drinking water and roads.

Under this system, which involves user groups with defined roles such as chairperson and secretary, accountability has increased and mismanagement of funds has decreased.

“Previously, funds often disappeared due to a lack of oversight,” Gup Tobgay admitted. “Now, we have a system where every penny is accounted for, building trust and transparency.”

In Sampheling, another gewog in Chukha, Gup Ram Kumar Rai, who also underwent transformative leadership training provided by SNV Bhutan, is focused on making public spaces more accessible and encouraging women to take on leadership roles.

The gewog administration is also in the process of installing ramps and toilets in key public places, including hospitals.

While this work is ongoing, Gup Ram Kumar is determined to complete it despite the challenges. “Although the gewog has asked the chiwogs to install the standard toilet pots, it is a challenge to change the system all at once,” he said.

But he is confident that necessary changes will be made in due time.

Ram Kumar said that while it can be difficult to get women to step forward to take up leadership roles, the gewog administration is committed to ensuring that there is gender inclusivity in leadership.

The gewog administration has set aside a dedicated budget to train women and raise awareness about gender equality.

This story is produced in collaboration with SNV Bhutan with support from the Royal Government of Bhutan, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government, and the Water for Women Fund.