Country Profile> Kingdom of Bhutan>Statistical Data on Disability Profile

2. Current Situation of Persons with Disabilities

2.1 Definition and Classification

There are currently no widely used definitions of what constitutes a disability or the various types of disabilities in Bhutan.

According to the National Pension and Provident Fund, "Permanent Disability" refers to such disability of a permanent nature that incapacitates an employee of all work which he was capable of performing at the time of disability regardless of whether such disability is sustained in the course of employment or otherwise and is not able to engage in any gainful employment/activities thereafter. The following disabilities are deemed to permanent:

Complete loss of sight of both eyes
Loss of two limbs at or above the ankle or wrists
Permanent complete paralysis of two limbs
Brain injury resulting to incurable imbecility or insanity

2.2 Government Policy and National Plan Towards Persons with Disabilities

The Kingdom of Bhutan does not currently have a policy or national plan toward people with disabilities. However, Bhutan is a signatory to the Proclamation of the ESCAP Commission on Disability on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities. The Government is also a signatory to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1981 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990.

Bhutan gained its independence from India in 1949, however there is currently no written constitution or bill of rights. In 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution and in November 2004 presented the draft to the Council of Ministers and is currently awaiting approval by the Council. The currently drafted constitution does highlight the Kingdom's acknowledgement of PWDs. Every five years, the government issues a Five Year Plan under which all Ministries of the Government are required to implement. During the 8th Five Year Plan (1998 - 2002) and the 9th Five Year Plan (2002 - 2007) outline initiatives to include PWDs into the mainstream of society.

2.3 Government System

Figure 3

Description

Source: Royal Civil Service Commission Secretariat
Statistical Yearbook of Bhutan 2003, National Statistical Bureau

Ministry of Education,
Department of Education

Under the Department of School Education the Special Education and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Section conducts the following activities:

Coordinate and liaise with relevant agencies of the Government and international agencies on institutional and professional capacities development for special education.
Policy/Guidelines on ECCD
Advocacy on ECCD
Strengthen human resource capacities to promote ECCD
Support to private Daycare centers

The Ministry of Education has published a guidebook for teachers on the "Special Needs in the Classroom" in 2001 which is geared toward educating teachers on providing inclusive education with a flexible and individualized support system for children and young people with special educational needs.

The Ministry oversees the National Institute for the Disabled, the Technical and Vocational Education Section and several secondary schools that cater to the needs of children with disabilities.

Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the World Health Organization established a Community Based Rehabilitation Programme in 1997. The vision of the CBR Program is that all persons with disabilities are able to attain their fullest potential, become self reliant within their limits and be active contributors to the nation building to the extent possible.

Youth Development Fund

The mission of the Youth Development Fund (YDF), through sustained financial support, is to enable Bhutanese youth to realize their full potential as productive citizens of this world. The objectives of the YDF are:

To establish a sustainable funding mechanism within Bhutan so that youth development and empowerment activities can be undertaken, now and in the future;
To help sustain various youth programs through the formal school curriculum and extracurricular activities in areas such as environmental conservation, health and hygiene, reproductive health, agriculture and sports;
To be a national funding partner to international donors providing assistance for youth development activities, targeting all segments of the youth population. In particular, this will include disadvantaged youth such as the disabled, school dropouts, juvenile delinquents, unemployed youth, youth from un-reached areas, etc;
To raise awareness among youth about the importance of their role as future adult citizens of the country;

Beneficiaries will include agencies of the Government, local NGOs, schools, youth centers, youth development rehabilitation centers and district and community organizations and sport federations. Funding is used to provide:

Activities promoting
- a) values in youth,
- b) preservation of culture and tradition and
- c) enhancement of recreational and sports events;
Support to career counseling and guidance units and training of counselors;
Support to physically and mentally challenged children and youth, including training, equipment and/or rehabilitation;
Scholarships for disadvantaged youth in need;
Support for participation of youth in international events;
Activities that address the needs of juvenile delinquents and school dropouts;
Further activities in environmental conservation and reproductive health involving youth;
Skills development to enhance employment opportunities for youth.

Ministry of Labour and Human Resources,
Department of Employment

The Department of Employment's efforts focus on employment promotion. Employment promotion activities focus on developing an effective employment service, operating as an agent or intermediary between the demand for workers from enterprises, on the one hand, and the supply of job seekers, on the other. This requires the provision of high quality job matching services, based on information obtained during the processes of job-seeker and job-vacancy registration. Career guidance, employment counseling, and support for "self-service" approaches by job seekers to employment opportunities will be encouraged through the provision of direct contact services, print media, and computer-based services.

The Department also assumes responsibility for the administration of special job creation programs and projects designed to meet the needs of particular target groups as, for example, a youth employment project, or a project for placing disabled persons in productive employment. The Employment Service Centers make efforts to extend their services to new client groups, particularly disabled persons seeking open employment, and persons seeking information on self-employment opportunities. For persons interested in self-employment, the centers refer them to other agencies better placed to provide direct assistance.

As it relates to PWDs, the Department of Employment strives to achieve special programs of employment assistance for special groups, including school leavers, unemployed youth and disabled persons.

2.4 Regional Cooperation

Representatives from Bhutan have attended seminars on a variety of topics related to people with disabilities throughout the Asian region. Representatives from Bhutan attended the Capacity-Building Training Seminar for PWDs in the Asia-Pacific Region with the theme, "Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for PWDs" in Kathmandu, Nepal from 13-17 February 2004. A total of 27 participants attended the Seminar covering 27 countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sponsored the Seminar organized by Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific Region and supported by DPI Nepal. The purpose was to provide participants from Asia and the Pacific countries with an opportunity to strengthen individual and organizational capacities in order to promote and achieve equality and full participation for persons with disabilities with an emphasis on their integration as implementers and community development workers in relevant national development efforts

2.5 Statistics Data

Through the CBR Programme, identification of PWDs was carried out using a questionnaire to estimate the prevalence of disability in the areas of Khaling and Mewang. A training course was conducted for Health Assistants, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, Basic Health Workers and physiotherapy Technicians in order to identify PWDs. A door-to-door survey was then carried out in both the pilot program areas. The prevalence of disability established from the two Geogs was approximately 3.5% (240 people).

Speech and hearing disabilities and visual disabilities constitute the largest group as identified in the pilot survey, pointing to the direction of emphasis for interventions in the next phase of the CBR Programme

Figure 4

Proportion Distribution of Disability in Khaling and Mewang Geogs

Images: Proportion Distribution of Disability in Khalng and Mewang Geogs

Description

Source: Royal Civil Service Commission Secretariat
Statistical Yearbook of Bhutan 2003, National Statistical Bureau

Figure 5

Proportion Distribution of Age

Description

A nationwide information collection program on PWDs from all districts was collected by the BHU staff. The information collected confirmed the data collected from the CBR Programme in Khaling and Mewang Geogs. The information also confirmed that speech and hearing and visual disabilities constitute the largest group of PWDs. The age distribution was also the same as in the earlier survey. The findings were considered only indicative and additional prevalence surveys will need to focused on in the next Five Year Plan.

2.6 Law and Legislation

Currently the Kingdom of Bhutan does not have any specific legislation for the protection of rights for people with disabilities. However, under the current draft of the Constitution dated 26 March 2005, the protection of PWDs is introduced under the Articles 9-Principles of State Policy, Section 22 as follows:

"The State shall endeavor to provide security in the event of sickness and disability or lack of adequate means of livelihood for reasons beyond one's control".

The draft Constitution also provides a generic statement on the principles of a society free of oppression and discrimination as stated in Article 9 - Principles of State Policy Section 3 as follows:

"The State shall endeavor to create a civil society free of oppression, discrimination and violence based on the rule of law, protection of human rights and dignity and ensure the fundamental rights of freedom of the people".

The Principles of State Policy goes on to state in Section 6:

"The State shall endeavor to provide legal aid to secure justice which shall not be denied to any person by reason of economic or other disabilities."

2.7 Social Services

There are no specific social welfare services available from the Government for people with disabilities. However, through the National Pension and Provident Fund, people who are disabled are entitled to benefits.

National Pension and Provident Fund
Benefits for the Permanently Disabled

A member who is permanently disabled before his/her retirement is entitled to a benefit equivalent to 30% of the ACSSI, provided that at least 36 monthly contributions has been made and the member has served a minimum of 3 years before his/her permanent disability and the amount of benefit shall be reduced by any monthly workmen's compensation benefit received for the period of disability.

The permanent disability benefit is payable from the date of permanent disability throughout the continuance of the disability until the minimum civil service retirement age or recovery or death of the member. Upon attaining the minimum civil service retirement age, the member receives normal pension benefits due on retirement or the minimum pension whichever is higher.

2.8 Medical Services, Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices

Rehabilitation

Mental health and rehabilitation programs have already been initiated in the 8th Five Year Plan as follows:

National Community Based Rehabilitation

According to the 8th Five Year Plan, rehabilitation is an integral part of health care services in Bhutan. Efforts continue to ensure that those who are disabled through accidents or other causes receive physical as well as vocational rehabilitation and are integrated into and supported by their own community as well as by social welfare institutions.

Community based rehabilitation and mental health programs support both mentally and physically disabled people to enable their full social integration and participation. Mental health programs are further strengthened in the 9th Five Year Plan to gradually cover the entire country by training the health care staff appropriately.

Short-term, non-formal skill development programs such as village skills development, construction and building maintenance skills and special skill development programs, targeted to school leavers and unemployed youth, are further developed and implemented in the 9th Five Year Plan and are aimed at providing hands-on experience that will enable the candidates to be self-employed by starting small and cottage-scale enterprises. Village skills development programs provide training and skills required by most villagers in traditional arts and craft. Approximately 1,250 villagers are targeted to be trained under this program. Special skills development programs cover approximately 3,750 workers, will offer skills even to disabled and delinquent youth.

Assistive Devices

Assistive devices are typically obtained through purchases from outside the country and donations. Artificial limbs, braces, crutches and shoes are manufactured within the country, however approximately 80% of the devices used are imported. The main sources of import are Bangladesh, India and the United States including wheelchairs, walkers, trolleys, braillers, low-vision devices, educational devices and hearing aids. Imported devices purchased or donated are exempted from customs duties.

Devices are distributed (free of cost) based on requisitions from hospitals and health centers. Other than these, there is no policy on assistive devices.

2.9 Community Based Rehabilitation

A Community Based Rehabilitation program was introduced through government support as outlined in the 8th Five Year Plan

"In the 8FYP, two new programmes will be introduced; namely Community Based Rehabilitation, and Mental Health. These are intended to benefit those not yet reached, as well as to enhance the quality of the life of our disabled people."

The Community Based Rehabilitation Programme is sponsored by the Health Division of the Ministry of Health and was established in 1997 as a pilot program in Khaling using the infrastructure of the primary health care system for service delivery. The CBR Programme coincided with the launching of the 8th Five Year Plan. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided the initial technical and financial support for the program.

With the experience gained in the Khaling pilot program, the CBR activities were extended to Mewang in 2000. The pilot program focused on training some of the personnel, identification of people with disabilities and initiation of some rehabilitation services for those identified as in need of services.

The vision of the CBR Program is that "All Persons with Disabilities are able to attain the fullest potentials, become self reliant within their limitations and be active contributors in the nation building to the extent possible." During the 9th Five Year Plan, the CBR Program will seek to address the needs of all identified disabled persons in the community and the following broad outcomes are expected to be achieved:

Recognition and inclusion of disability prevention and rehabilitation as an integral part of primary health care in all 20 Dzongkhags
Provision of medical rehabilitation for all types of disabilities
Promoting integration of children with disabilities into normal schools
Promoting activities for vocational rehabilitation of disabled adults
Community awareness and social integration of people with disabilities in community activities

The CBR Program's objectives are as follows:

To introduce community-oriented disability prevention and rehabilitation services as an integral part of the comprehensive primary health care delivery system in all remaining Dzongkhags based on the WHO Manual, "Training in the Community for People with Disabilities"
To undertake human resource development in rehabilitation professional and in the knowledge of community rehabilitation at all levels
To develop / establish a National Rehabilitation Resource Center for the country
To diminish the overall impact of disability by (i) Reducing the occurrence of disability through prevention, health promotion and increased awareness and (ii) Reducing the consequences of existing disability through early detection, early intervention and rehabilitation
To facilitate and coordinate the involvement of other sectors in disability prevention and rehabilitation programs in making use of the mult-sectoral coordinated approach

The experiences from the pilot CBR Program have shown that CBR as a strategy in Bhutan, through the primary health care approach, could be an appropriate method to address the needs of PWDs living in rural areas throughout the country. However, the pilot program also highlighted the fact that the goals of a community based program cannot be achieved only through the interventions of the health sector. An effort has been made in the pilot phase to form a National Coordination Committee on Disability (NCCD).

2.10 Independent Living Movement

According to the Independent Living Institute, a popular alternative to the establishment of residential homes and rehabilitation institutions is the community-based approach to rehabilitation service delivery, including income-generating schemes for disabled persons within the community. As such, Bhutan does not currently have an organized independent living movement. However, there are two existing rehabilitation institutions which include the physiotherapy department for physically disabled persons, located in the Thimphu General Hospital, and the School for the Blind. The CBR Program as instituted by the Ministry of Health promotes medical rehabilitation and the development of family and community support groups for PWDs

2.11 Public Awareness

As part of the ongoing strategies of the CBR program, a creation of awareness at different levels/sectors has been introduced to be carried out during the 9th Five Year Plan covering the following activities:

Topics

Causes
Prevention
Management of persons with disabilities
Changing negative attitudes and stereotypes
Clearing misconceptions and superstitions
Abilities and potential of persons with disabilities

Audience for awareness raising

Persons with disabilities and family members
Formal and informal leaders in the community
School authorities
Potential employers in the formal and informal sector
Traditional healers
All sectors of government

Methods of raising awareness

Observances of special events such as World Disabled Day
Parent education programs in homes and at other occasions
Focus group discussions
Use of persons with disabilities as advocates and role models
Use of folk arts, posters, audio-visual media
Advocacy meetings, networking meetings, sharing information and reports between different sectors

The intended outcomes and indicators of success during the 9th Five Year Plan period are as follows:

Reduced incidence of disability
Reduced Increased utilization of rehabilitation services
Reduced Changed attitudes towards people with disabilities
Reduced Increased opportunities for persons with disabilities
Reduced Increased participation of persons with disabilities in community life

Indicators

Attendance at rehabilitation service centers
Number of disabled children in schools
Number of persons with disabilities in employment
Number of disabled persons included in groups and committees
Number of disabled persons participating in community life as compared to earlier

2.12 Sports

The inclusion of people with disabilities in sporting activities is currently being addressed through the Youth Development Fund's commitment to be a national funding partner to international donors providing assistance for youth development activities, targeting all segments of the youth population. In particular, this will include disadvantaged youth such as the disabled, school dropouts, juvenile delinquents, unemployed youth and youth from un-reached areas.

Beneficiaries will include agencies of the Government, local NGOs, schools, youth centers, youth development rehabilitation centers and district and community organizations and sport federations.

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Biwako Millennium Framework Seven Priority Areas:

2.13 Self-help Organizations of persons with disabilities and related family and parent associations

There are currently no reported or formalized self-help or related family and parent organizations in Bhutan. However, through the Ministry of Health's CBR Programme, the needs of PWDs are being addressed.

2.14 Women with Disabilities

There are currently no government or non-government organizations in Bhutan that specifically cater to women with disabilities.

The Government acknowledges women in particular and is a signatory to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1981. As part of the 9th Five Year Plan in-line for education for women, counseling and guidance catering to the special needs of students and girls in particular will be strengthened in the schools. More non-formal education centers will be established to cover half of the population by the end of the Plan. Favorable employment conditions will be formulated to enable women to pursue their career and raise children.

The National Women's Association of Bhutan (NWAB) was established in 1981 with the objective of "encouraging women to take an active part in the implementation of socio-economic development programs and in all other nation-building activities" and "improving the socio-economic status of women, especially rural women". NWAB is an NGO and receives government financial support. It had about 400 members nationwide in 1993. It carries out social work in a number of areas and provides handicraft training for women and credit to assist women in setting up their own businesses.

Off-farm activities are undertaken by both men and women. Women are traditionally engaged in weaving and petty trade. Cloth weaving is an important economic activity in the central and eastern regions. Basket- and shoe-making, portering and carpentry work are some of the non-farm income earning activities that men undertake. Producing fine bamboo baskets and other containers is a specialty of the people in the eastern districts, which are now becoming very popular among tourists. Bhutan has numerous family-operated traditional paper-making units. In the Bhutanese farming community the system of exchange labour is widely practiced. Both men and women work on another's farm as part of the labour-for-labour exchange. In this system men's and women's work are accounted as equal. Both men and women also take up jobs in road construction, but for unskilled labour men are paid higher daily wages than women.

2.15 Early Detection, Intervention and Education

Early Detection / Prevention

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided assistance to Bhutan on a variety of programs throughout the years. Current WHO programs for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases are as follows:

Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme:

Though the Health Sector took up the community-based disability and rehabilitation programme in early 1997, the Ministry of Education established the Zangley Muenselling School for the Visually Impaired in Khaling, Eastern Bhutan prior to that. The Health Sector has identified one hospital as a rehabilitation center which all efforts are currently placed to further develop this center.

Mental Health Programme:

The Community Mental Health Programme was formulated in 1997 coinciding with the beginning of the 8th Five-Year Plan. WHO and the Danish Agency for International Development (DANIDA) played key role in its development by providing both financial and technical assistance. The program is totally integrated into the general health service. A pilot mental health survey was conducted in 2002. The program is being strengthened through developing the key staff and health workers.

Primary Eye Care and Oral Health Programmes:

A program to prevent blindness with a blindness prevention program was initiated in 1987. Eye camps are organized to treat eye problems in the schools and communities. These community level activities are supported by care at the tertiary level. An optical shop supports the program by providing glasses at a concessional rate.

As oral hygiene is generally poor, an Oral Health Programme was put in place in 1998. The program conducts regular visits to the schools to examine and medicate the dental problems of school children besides providing normal dental service from the hospitals.

Village Health Workers Programme (VHW):

In keeping with the principles of primary health care, it was seen necessary to extend universal coverage of health services to the rural population and encourage community participation in health activities and awareness. The VHW Programme was established in 1978. The VHWs are considered to be the important link between the community and the Government in improving basic hygiene and sanitation, prevention of vaccine preventable diseases, family planning, nutrition, control of diarrhoeal diseases and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, especially for communities that do not have easy access to health facilities. Presently there are about 1,327 village health workers supporting normal health programs.

Education

The Government recognizes that disabilities are acquired before or after birth as a result of childhood illness, genetic factors, micro-nutrient deficiencies and accidents. Prevention of physical and mental disability and rehabilitation form an important component of primary health care.

Under the 8th Five Year Plan, the Ministry of Education maintained its broad objectives for the Education sector that are in line with national objectives of improving the quality of life, developing human resources, facilitating the meaningful participation of the population in the country's development activities, and preserving and strengthening the country's culture.

The improvement in the efficiency of the education delivery system to make the education system more sustainable and cost-effective was highlighted in the 8th Five Year Plan as follows:

Create and provide educational opportunities for the disabled and the disadvantaged for meeting their basic learning needs
Establish education programs for the disabled and link it with provision of relevant skills to enable them to remain in the society as productive community members As part of the strategies included in the 8th Five Year Plan for education for PWDs the following policy was established:

An education program was established to cater for the specific needs of the disabled. The recently upgraded school for the blind, the National Institute for the Disabled, the Community Rehabilitation program of the Ministry of Health and the Technical and Vocational Education Section of the Ministry of Education will formulate policies and programs to address the educational needs of people with different forms of disabilities. Wherever possible, the program will be community-based, and use the existing facilities. Apart from providing basic education, efforts will also be made to provide special skills which will help disabled people to become gainfully employed. Teachers for the disabled will be sent on study/training programs to learn the specialized skills needed.

Under the 9th Five Year Plan

Other initiatives in the 9th Five Year Plan that will have a large impact on the poor include the policy of the Government to cater to remote areas through a combination of schools with boarding facilities and construction of new schools within 3 km or one hour walking distance.

Provision of quality service will be accorded priority. All will have access to potable water supply and sanitary facilities by the end of the 9th Five Year Plan. Multi-sectoral initiative on Health and Nutrition will be reinvigorated. Reproductive health services and family planning strategies will be intensified. Surveillance system and prevention of STD/AIDS through education and advocacy will be strengthened. Establishment of child care centers and nurseries will be encouraged. Some schools in the Dzongkhags will be equipped with appropriate resources to enable disabled children to access education locally.

Children with Disability

The National Institute for the Disabled (NID), which is currently the only facility educating and training visually impaired children, is being diversified to include programs for children with other disabilities. The Government's strategy is based on the integration of disabled children into regular classrooms, instead of taking them away from their families and communities. A multi-sectoral group has been formed to initiate community-based rehabilitation programs, endeavoring to integrate health care, education and training with the ultimate objective of helping disabled children to become productive members of the society.

There is currently no separate unit within the Ministry of Education with specific responsibility for the development of policy and program planning for special education. To date, responsibility for special education has been understood as a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education although with limited coordination.

Some teaching of disabled children has been established at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu. The goal is to provide education opportunities for children under in-patient care for extended periods of time. The Ministry of Education is in the process of developing a planning framework for special education.

There were three schools that were observed by the APCD mission to Bhutan in 2004. The Changangkha Lower Secondary School adapted inclusive education. In 2001 there were four children with special needs enrolled in the school. The Head of the school studied special education in Canada which was arranged and collaborated between the Canadian International Development Agency and the Danish International Development Agency. The Khasadrapchu Middle Secondary School and the Woochu Lower Secondary school also incorporate inclusive education into there systems. According to the APCD mission team, the Ministry of Education also oversees a Deaf Education Unit where a research unit was in established to be a pioneer in deaf education in Bhutan. The current teacher/researcher of the Deaf Education Unit is currently in the process of creating a Bhutan sign language of which over 1,000 words have been collected.

The vision of the Ministry of Education regarding children with disabilities based on the Ministry's realization of Vision 2020 and its education sector strategy is as follows:

All children with disabilities and with special needs - including those with physical, mental and other types of impairments - will be able to access and benefit from education. This will include full access to the curriculum, participation in extra-curricular activities and access to cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activities. The program will be supported by trained and qualified personnel using teaching strategies responsive to different learning styles to ensure effective learning. Teacher training will be re-oriented as a means of achieving the Ministry's objectives.

Children with disabilities and those with special needs will to the greatest extent possible, be able to attend a local school where they will receive a quality education alongside their non-disabled peers. The provision of education should not take children away from their families and local communities. Maximum participation by parents should be secured in order to achieve partnership in education. Children with disabilities who spend time away from home in educational boarding facilities shall be ensured inclusive education and safety. Institutes of higher learning will be equally accessible to disabled young people.

2.16 Training and Employment

The Draktsho Vocational Training Centre for Disabled

According to the Youth Development Fund of Bhutan, educational needs of the disabled already enrolled in schools are being addressed by the Ministry of Education. The needs of out of school disabled youth are met through community based rehabilitation activities. The Draktsho Vocational Training Centre for Disabled (DVTCD) is a facility established for the Thimphu community. Given that no informal educational services were being provided to the out of school disabled youth in Thimphu, the Youth Development Fund agreed to support a project during the pilot phase.

DVTCD is a service oriented and non-profit making Centre which aspires to enhance the living standard of the disabled youth through empowerment and integrating them with the mainstream population. Its main focus is to equip them with vocational skills to enhance their opportunities for gainful employment. It also aims to build their self-esteem and self-reliance thereby, making them independent, confident and contributing members of the society.

The Centre aims to not only equip them with skills and knowledge, but more importantly to develop in them a positive attitude towards life and living. In fact, the greatest challenge for the centre is to erase the deeply embedded stigma of being less fortunate and a useless member of the family and the society at large.

The following activities care currently being carried out at the centre:

Traditional art and painting
Tailoring
Flower making (paper and cloth)
Making dolls and toys (traditional)
Singing and using musical instruments
Making souvenir items (traditional)
Making seasonal greeting cards
Non-formal education
Recreational sports

The Centre caters to 13 youth between the ages 8 - 25 and they come from poor families and would not be able to afford payment for the training or use of facilities. As a result, the Centre does not charge any kind of fee.

The Centre generates a small amount of funds from the sale of products made by its students which is utilized for the maintenance and daily operation of the centre. In addition, a small remuneration is given to the youths as pocket money to stimulate their interest in work and to create an understanding of value for work. Apart from this and YDF's support, the Centre does not have any other source of funding.

Project Description

The DVTCD is housed in a rented building and without the continued support of the YDF, it will not have the resources to cover the cost of the rent. In view of this concern, with the help of the YDF, the Thimphu City Council has agreed in principal to provide land for construction of the centre. Therefore, the project proposes to acquire land and begin construction of a multi-purpose hall, an administrative unit and classrooms for tailoring, flower making, doll making and music, art and a resource room.

DVTCD is presently functioning under guidance of committed parents and does not have a single trained staff except for a trained instructor in tailoring. Due to budgetary constraints, the centre cannot send any of its staff for training. As such, it is proposed that through this project, an expert be hired to work in DVTCD to streamline its activities, train the staff in dealing with children with different disabilities, to develop a human resources development plan and help establish a self sustainable center.

Long Term Objectives

To support disabled children and youth in preparing them to lead independent, confident and happy lives by providing them with vocational training opportunities and non-formal education.

To make DVTCD a fully functional centre supporting disabled children/youths in Thimphu and gradually catering to such needs in other parts of the country through branch centers.

Immediate Objectives

To develop the capacity of DVTCD staffs to support the disabled children in the centre.
To promote, consolidate and integrate the parent's support group with DVTCD.
To encourage and coordinate volunteers' support in the multi-skill development program at the DVTCD.
To provide a basic sports program to the children.
To provide non-formal education to the children.
The children after undergoing one year of simple vocational and educational training through this project should have a higher level of confidence and the following skills:
Making greeting cards
Making various types of flowers from cloth and paper
Making souvenirs and traditional handicraft items
Using traditional musical instruments, singing and other social activities
Learning to recycle waste products

2.17 Access to Built Environment and Public Transportation

There is currently no readily available information regarding the Government's initiatives to address accessibility in built environments or in public transportation systems for people with disabilities.

2.18 Access to Information and Communication

The NID provides instruction in reading and writing Braille so that children skilled in Braille can be integrated into regular schools toward the end of primary schooling.

All children with disabilities and special needs - including those with physical, mental and other types of impairment - should, therefore, be able to access and benefit from education. This will include full access to the curriculum, participation in extra-curricular activities and access to cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activities.

A small number of schools in each Dzongkhag will be equipped with appropriate resources for enabling children with disabilities to access education locally. This will have to be rationalized based on population and may be linked to resource centers. The National Institute for the Disabled will be developed as a resource center to support education for the visually impaired children and a Braille production unit will be set up at NIE Paro to ensure that all curriculum and other relevant materials are available in Braille for these children. A support center for the deaf will also be set up in one of the schools to support the hearing impaired children. A special education unit will be established within the Department of Special Education, under the Ministry of Education.

2.19 Poverty Alleviation through capacity-building, social security and sustainable livelihood programs

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has assisted the Bhutan Development Finance Corporation (BDFC) in the provision of rural credit since the 1980s. UNCDF assistance to the nationwide Rural Credit Programme administrated by the BDFC has enlarged income-generating opportunities of small farmers in Trashigang by expanding the availability of credit for investments in essential inputs, farm implements and land improvement.

In 1999, a micro finance project was started with the aim to further strengthen the capacities of BDFC in micro finance, and eventually contribute towards improving rural household income levels through ready access to adequate financial services. The project has provided a combination of capital funding, capacity-building and technical assistance in cooperation with SNV (The Dutch Development Organization) and RaboBank. Notable achievements of BDFC during the project period have been a shift towards operational sustainability and efficiency, and gradually adopting internationally accepted standards for micro finance. There has been a major decentralization of the organization and improvement in credit delivery process, resulting in a sharp decrease in transaction costs for customers in terms of waiting time, travel expense and missed business opportunities. The project has also assisted BDFC to formulate a new business plan, to improve its Management Information Systems, to increase its staff capacity, and to introduce new products such as mobile banking and group guarantee loan schemes.

The Asian Development Bank's (ADB) planned lending program for Bhutan in 2005-2006, totaling US$13.4 million, emphasizes sustainable economic growth, including private sector development, according to a Country Strategy and Program.

The planned lending program consists of four loans, including a standby loan, covering the development of the road network, rural areas, urban housing and infrastructure, and possibly small and medium enterprises (SME's). All four loans are classified as poverty intervention projects, with economic growth as the principal theme. Three of the four projects also have private sector development as an additional key theme.

"ADB's program has aimed at reducing rural poverty through rural electrification, road network expansion, and basic skills development," says Richard Vokes, Director of ADB's Operations Coordination Division in its South Asia Department.

"Given the growing concerns over the expanding labor force, government policies have started to put more emphasis on private sector development and financial sector reform."

According to the ADB, with the growing number of young and educated Bhutanese, the private sector, particularly SMEs, is expected to provide job opportunities. As such, ADB assists the Government in preparing a comprehensive sector assessment, identifying the key constraints on SME development, and formulating a program for the effective promotion of SMEs in the country.

Physical isolation is one of the main causes of poverty in Bhutan. ADB will help promote economic growth, rural development, domestic and regional trade by improving the east-west highway and the north-south highway connecting to India's border, and providing connections to remote and poorer districts. ADB also plans to promote the economic development of rural areas by developing farm-to-market roads, bridges and marketing centers; agriculture-based and export-oriented SMEs, micro enterprises, and cottage industries; and marketing channels.

The UNDP assistance and support for poverty reduction in Bhutan fall mainly within the following areas:

Elaboration of Development Reports to Inform Policies and Development Plans

The UNDP is supporting and assisting the Department of Planning of the Ministry of Finance, and the Bhutan National Statistical Bureau in the elaboration of various development reports: National Human Development Reports, Poverty Related Analysis Reports and Millennium Development Goals Progress Reports.

Establishment of a National Poverty Monitoring System

Like many Least Developed Countries, Bhutan lacks a solid and comprehensive statistical base. UNDP is supporting the Royal Government in establishing a national poverty monitoring system, which includes establishing national poverty indicators and national poverty lines, as well as mechanisms for monitoring poverty trends over time.

High-Impact Poverty Reduction Programmes

To promote sustainable livelihoods and help stimulate private sector development in poor rural areas, UNDP (along with the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)) supports the development of rural enterprises and provides finances for small enterprises. UNDP is also introducing the use of ICT, mainly targeted at rural women beneficiaries, to the poorer eastern region to enhance market and information linkages between rural artisans and consumers.

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