Action Plan on Domestic Violence against Women in Bhutan
Challenges of violence against women in Bhutan
Several domestic violence cases are reported every year in Bhutan, but this does not mean that this domestic violence against women is growing. The increasing number of violence in Bhutan indicates that men and women are being educated on the laws against domestic violence. Similarly, they are seeking security and justice whenever they experience crime. Also, there are stakeholders, for instance, the RENEW as well as the police which are making sure that domestic violence is not done amongst the people of Bhutan. Consequently, during the past years, there were no cases on marital rape but is reflected in the Penal code of Bhutan, and also teachers molested children in schools. Education on sexual harassment as well as sex is real and even sex education among people of Bhutan. However, RENEW has made plans on the consensus-building initiative to create awareness on domestic violence and also sexual abuse in families where they have a lot of volunteers all around Bhutan. Once, Doctor Meenakshi who is the director of RENEW, said that, according to the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, in 2013, it indicated that domestic violence is a crime and this violence is not negotiated. Mainly, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act shows that the four types of domestic violence, for example, sexual abuse, physical violence, economic and emotional violence are crimes.
However, there was recent research which was conducted in Bhutan, which indicated that there are some acceptance rates on women of domestic violence have grown to 80%. Therefore civil society organizations, together with government agencies, have taken a step to prevent violence against women. The government agencies and the civil society organization made an agreement that this violence should not be tolerated. Today in Bhutan, some interventions respond and support survivors of domestic violence; therefore, these interventions create a gap in primary prevention (Gevers, Miyaoi & Wangmo et al., 2018). Consequently, there is a committee which takes examines the root cause of this violence and focuses on how to change the injurious standards in many societies in Bhutan (Kubota, 2019). Similarly, RENEW, and other agencies like UNDP and NCWC are striving to examine the causes of this violence and what actions should be taken against them.
Women who suffer from domestic violence shows lack of confidence whenever they are doing their work, and they have low attention when participating in any activity. They are always seen to be sad with no energy and enthusiasm, they do not get a comfortable sleep, and they lack appetite. However, many women are being abused in Bhutan, but they do not know that they are victims, and therefore they suffer it more frequently (Dawa, 2018). When women are violated and abused, especially sexual violence may cause long term physical or sexual reproductive health problems. Researches argue that at least 42% of women in Bhutan experience intimate partner violence and also report injuries as a result of the violence. The journey to innovate primary prevention of violence against women in Bhutan is underway to widen the development projects as well as funding them for them to be able to campaigns against violence against women (Pem, 2018). Initially, there are also cases of women experiencing abuse, but they do not report to the police despite the volunteers trying to create rooms for them to feel free. According to RENEW director, the only cases reported are those from the urban areas, and so they do not know what is happening in the rural areas.
Policy responses required
There is a significant concern for the high increase in cases of domestic violence against women in Bhutan. The prevalence rise of violence is of women between the ages of 25 to 49, and this has adversely impacted the region .as As a result, policy responses are needed to address the significant challenge in Bhutan .the different responses required to include, strengthening gender sensitization through the human rights perspective. Awareness needs to be created on gender abused violence against women and their detrimental effects on health. Identically, women, socially those living in rural areas, needed to be given the necessary support, especially in building their financial autonym through economic empowerment programs. A program that will educate the community on how they can support the female members in the society is also crucial .finally, the government and non-government organizations need to collaborate in the policymaking at the local level.
Integration of human rights in strengthening gender sensitization: one of the most significant responses would be that the human rights department in Bhutan highlights gender sensitization in both rural and urban areas. Also, there should be supplementary material on the concerns of gender to the formal, non-formal centres and public places. Arguably, this response would be appropriate because of the cultural acceptance of violence against women, which is evidence of the absolute control of men over women, as noted in the Bhutan region. Correspondingly, since education is also crucial in protecting women against violence, it is recommendable that training is imparted in rural society so that it can change people’s cultural beliefs, which influence domestic violence against women in Bhutan.
Create awareness o gender-based violence against women. Importantly, this is another notable policy response, which can be vital in addressing the policy challenge of domestic violence against women in Bhutan. Awareness can be created through the integration of gender-related health problems programs that can be implemented through the collaboration of various sectors like health, judiciary policy, and media. Therefore, this will ensure that many people become aware of the gender-based violence against women across entire Bhutan. Similarly, the programs would also include alcohol-related issues, which also play a significant role in domestic violence against women in Bhutan.
Economic empowerment programs: supporting women, especially those in the rural areas, is vital in reducing the number of violent domestic cases in Bhutan. Arguably, it is the lack of finances that put the women at risk of various types of abuses, especially in the rural areas where they are not educated. When women can have their assets, this can make them have their earnings, positively influencing their relationships at home and reducing the violent cases in the region.
Education programs: education programs that aim to educate the community on how they can support their female members can also help address the policy challenge. For instance, this can be combined with education sector parenting programs that target parents at schools for the children. Through this policy, family members and friends can be a good source of helping women who are in need due to domestic violence. The health workers and volunteers can also be trained on how to provide door-to-door services to educate women on domestic violence issues and give them the necessary advice.
The collaboration of different partners: the civil society should also be engaged in matters about domestic violence in Bhutan. For example, both non-government and government institutions need to partner in policymaking in the contest of domestic violence bill and other relevant acts that protect women against violence and gender discrimination. Necessarily, this type of policy response is crucial mainly because of the inevitable social cultural and traditional stereotypes which discriminate against women in which puts them at risk of domestic violence. The civil society can use public forums to influence favourable and supportive policy making at a local level, which will, in turn, affect the policymaking at the national level (UNHCR, 2016).
The Content and Policy Actors
Notably, a policy action plan is required to address domestic violence against women in Bhutan. Arguably the prevalence of the violence against women in Bhutan is through three significant forms: physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. From the study carried out, atleast 3 out of 10 women that are between the ages of 15 and 49 are likely to be in some violence with their partners. The main reasons for the cause of these domestic violence cases are for no specific reason. However, for some people, this can be attributed to various situations, such as when their partners are having difficulties at their workplaces or when they have financial problems when they are drunk. However, even after the violence-related cases, some obstacles keep women from seeking help both in the formal and nonformal sectors. Most of the women do not confide or discuss the violence they experience at their homes. Similarly, few go for help from the legal institutions, who typically do not respond to their pleas. Therefore, most of the women who experience domestic violence leave their homes and leave their partners because o the severity pg the force that they tend to suffer (UN, 2019)
The policy actors who are engaged in dressing the domestic violence against women entail the Bhutan government. Human rights department, non-government institutions .critically, the government can commit itself in enforcing laws that are meant to guard the rights o women. The government can also ensure that women are cute by enrolling women at school at all levels and reduce the number of school drop out rates. As a result, this will ensure that women are educated and this one of how violent cases at homes can be reduced. Additionally, the national commission of Bhutan should take the initiative o protecting the rights of women by conducting various programs with different sectors. These sectors will address the issues of domestic violence against women and implement measures on how to reduce the prevalent cases. Therefore, all stakeholders in the society o Bhutan needs to be involved in some capacity to address policy challenge (G.A, 2009) effectively
The Use Of Language In The Policy Field
There is a particular language and rhetoric’s which have been used to describe domestic violence, which has led to the rise of domestic violence cases against women in Bhutan. For example, the term ‘domestic violence’ is not taken with the seriousness it deserves because domestic means private, which implies that women are a property of the men. The language of domestic violence makes cases in the courtroom not to be addressed in seriousness as these type of incidents are perceived to be healthy at homes (Easteala, Bartelsa &Bradford, 2015). another notable language which only seems to increase violence against women is that men have a righ to discipline women for ‘incorrect ‘behaviour.most people in Bhutan believe that violence is acceptable and necessary when used by men to punish their women when their behaviour is against the social norms (Sundas, 2016)
Correspondingly, another major cause of domestic violence is social norms and stereotypes which dictate how men treat women. For instance,women are perceived as the weaker sex, and this makes them vulnerable to their husbands. Consequently, they are not in a position to defend themselves whenever they experience such type of abuses. For instance, women are not supposed to answer back, even after being verbally abused, or physically assaulted, importantly, measures should be taken to ensure that women have their rights even inside their domestic homes (Winkelmann, 2004).
Advocating for Change
There is need for advocating for change so that the cases of domestic against women cab be addressed in Bhutan. Comprehensive measures need to be taken from every level of the society to prevent violence against women in Bhutan.oen of the significant ways to advocate for change is through campaigns for communication or social differences. Typically, through this advocacy strategy, there will be communication which will be aimed at promoting change paradigms, and comprehension o violence as a policy challenge which is accusing various adverse effects hence needed to be resolved. This type of advocacy will be carried through education material .brochures and videos which discuss the impacts of domestic violence against women (Wagnere al, 2016).
Another way in advocating for change on violence against women si through enacting legislative acts which promote gender equality,women empowerment and their enjoyment of human rights. Homes should be safe places for women, and women should participate in decision making in their homes and relationships as well as other areas. Identically, the men should also be involved in this policy change initiative because they can speed the progress in the prevention of domestic violence against women. For example, the men can start by challenging the deeply rooted inequalities and social norms which perpetuate mens control and power over women and reinforce tolerance for domestic violence against women.awareness can also be raised through community mobilization and social media (Hall, 2015) Importantly. New policy language will be used to advocate for the change needed. For instance,’ end to women exploitation ‘anther policy language that can be used is’ in her shoes’.critically, this language policy can help in raising awareness on what the women have to go through in these domestic violence experiences.
Domestic violence occurs as a result of differences between family members, especially interrelated factors. In many times domestic violence may result in subjugation whereby the abuser who is the male imposes their will to the women. The domestic laws amended by the Marriage Act of Bhutan 1980 cover the separation divorce together with child custody. The act support mothers to be the custodians of children. The act also marriageable age should be 18 years. However, many people who are being abused in Bhutan do not report to the police, and again they do not see themselves as victims. Accordingly, domestic abuse against women in Bhutan should be restricted, although domestic violence is not that increasing. People are getting formal education and are aware of the laws on violence against women. Mainly, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act shows that the four types of domestic violence, for example, sexual abuse, physical violence, economic and emotional violence are crimes.
References
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Henderikus J. Stam, Michaela Zverina, H. Lorraine Radtke & Robbie Babins-Wagner. (2016). Discourses of Abuse and Recovery: Talking about Domestic Violence and Its Implications for Therapy. the Palgrave Handbook of Adult Mental Health, 653-670.
Kubota, A. (2019). Launch of the Violence Against Women and Girls Report. Thimphu: UNDP Bhutan Report.
Patricia Easteala, Lorana Bartelsa & Sally Bradford. (2015). Language, Gender and ‘Reality’: Violence against Women. International Journal of Law Crime and Justice, 324-337.
Pem, D. (2018). Understanding and Fighting Domestic Violence in the Bhutanese Setting. London: The Bhutanese Newspaper.
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Winkelmann, C. (2004). Language of battered women, the: A rhetorical analysis of personal theologies. research gate