Bhutan and UNICEF commemorate 50 Years of advancing Children’s Rights on World Children’s Day

Chencho Dema

Punakha – For the first time, the quiet grounds of Phochu Dumra monastic school in Punakha were transformed into a vibrant venue for World Children’s Day celebrations.

Bhutan joined the global community in observing World Children’s Day, an occasion dedicated to advocating for the well-being and rights of children worldwide yesterday.

The 2024 theme, “Listen to the Future”, focused on the need to amplify the voices and dreams of the youngest generation.

Organised by the Dratshang Lhentshog in partnership with UNICEF Bhutan.

The event brought together around 300 monks, aged five and older, along with representatives from the Central Monastic Body, the government, dzongkhag administration, and UNICEF Bhutan.

UNICEF Bhutan Representative Andrea James said: “In Bhutan and globally, children’s lives are at a crossroads. They face a future of continued, rapid change influenced by climate change, disruptive technology and major demographic shifts, offering both promise and peril and throwing into question the basics of what childhood will be like.”

She emphasised the vulnerability of the most disadvantaged children, whose rights are often compromised due to conflicts and violations. “Children deserve a safe, livable future and planet,” she said.

The celebration also marked a significant milestone—50 years of partnership between UNICEF and the Government of Bhutan. In honor of this collaboration, the event underscored a renewed commitment to ensuring that every child in Bhutan has the chance to realize their full potential.

A key highlight of the event was the launch of an Integrated Child-Friendly Intervention (ICFI) in monastic schools. This initiative aims to provide a comprehensive, child-centered package of services that address children’s needs in health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition, education, protection, and play.

The ICFI was developed through consultations with children across three monastic schools, including a nunnery in western, central, and eastern Bhutan. These consultations helped shape the child-friendly interventions implemented at Phochu Dumra.

The school now boasts inclusive WASH facilities, a playground, an outdoor gym, digital skills lessons, and English language classes. It also provides meals three times a day—an innovative approach not seen in other monastic schools.

In addition, UNICEF released its flagship report “The State of the World’s Children 2024”, which highlights the future of childhood in a rapidly evolving world. The report focuses on three megatrends—demographic change, climate crises, and breakthrough technologies—that will impact children’s lives through 2050 and beyond.

Bhutan was one of the first countries to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990. Since then, Bhutan has remained committed to the welfare of its children.

During the Children’s Day celebration in 2020, His Holiness the Je Khenpo issued a decree, urging the nation to prioritise children’s well-being.