Study on Status of Vulnerable Children, 2015

Study on status of Vulnerable Children

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Design & Layout by Chandra Singh Subba, I-Design Consultancy, Thimphu.

ii Acknowledgement

Our sincere gratitude goes to Save the Children, Bhutan, without whose support RENEW could not have come up with this important study. We also thank all the respondents of the qualitative and quantitative study, whose inputs have added flavour to the study.

To the Dasho Dzongdags, Local Leaders and District Kidu Officers of the three Dzongkhags surveyed, we offer our sincerest thanks for supporting and guiding the enumerators. We also thank all stakeholders who were involved in the study: NCWC, Tarayana Foundation, YDF, Chithuen Phenday, Lhaksam, Ability Bhutan Society, Draktsho, Royal Bhutan Police, guides, President of GAB, Principal and Vice Principal of Jigme Losel Primary School, Assignment Editor, BBS, President, BDMC, parents, children who had conflict with the law and others who contributed immensely to the study.

We further convey our gratitude to the Research Ethics Board of Health (REBH) for providing us the opportunity to conduct the study.

We hope that this report will help not only children but also serve as a guide for stakeholders who require information and policy makers to come up with required interventions.

iii iv Study on status of Vulnerable Children

v Study on status of Vulnerable Children

Acronyms

ABS Ability Bhutan Society BBS Bhutan Broadcasting Service BDMC Bhutan Dragon Motorcycle Club BMIS Bhutan Multiple Indicator Survey BNCA Bhutan Narcotics Control Agency CCPA Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA) of Bhutan- 2011 CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women CRC Convention on the Rights of Children CSO Civil Society Organization DYS Department of Youth and Sports FGDs Focus Group Discussions FYPs Five Year Plans GAB Guides Association of Bhutan GNH Gross National Happiness GNHC Gross National Happiness Commission KII Key Informant Interview MoE Ministry of Education MoLHR Ministry of Labour and Human Resources MoHCA Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs NCWC National Commission for Women and Children NGO Non Government Organizations (NGOs) NSB National Statistical Bureau PHCB Population and Housing Census of Bhutan (PHCB) 2005, POSYPP Police and Out of School Youth Partnership Program PYPP Police Youth Partnership Program RENEW Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women RBP Royal Bhutan Police UN United Nations UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund YDRC Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre YDF Youth Development Fund WCPU Women and Child Protection Unit

vi Study on status of Vulnerable Children

Contents

1. Executive Summary 1 2. Introduction 3 3. Objectives of the study 4 4. Limitations of the study 5 5. Methodology 6 6. Defining Vulnerability 7 7. Literature Review 8 7.1 Understanding Bhutanese Children 8 7.2 Protecting Children 14 7.3 National Legislations supporting Children 16 7.4 Chief Stakeholders 19 8. Findings 23 8.1 Qualitative Findings 23 8.2 Major Findings 24 8.3 Emerging Vulnerabilities/ The invisible ones 29 9. Quantitative findings 30 9.1 Sample size of this study 31 9.2 Major study findings 31 9.3 Summary of the Survey (Quantitative findings) 48 10. Causes/Triggers of Vulnerability 51 11. The Most Vulnerable 52 12. Recommendations 52 13. References 55 Annexures 57

vii Study on status of Vulnerable Children

1. executive Summary

Rights of the children are all-encompassing through Bhutan’s Constitution with many specific references on it. For instance, Article 9