happiness of mountain women and men discussed

More than 200 women and men from all over the world gathered for the conference and called for a equitable and inclusive sustainable development

A decade following the success of the ‘Celebrating Mountain Women’ conference in 2002, the Bhutan +10 conference, “Gender and Sustainable Mountain Development in a Changing World” set new agendas for gender positive change in natural resource management in a rapidly changing mountain context.

At the end of the conference this week, it was declared that mountain women and men need an equitable and inclusive sustainable development.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, who also attended the Celebrating Mountain Women Conference in 2002, said much has been achieved in the past ten years.

“It is with the initiative and support led by you that the stories of mountain women are heard and the lives of mountain people are improving,” said Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck said, “As a mountain women myself and mother to two mountain boys I look for inspiration to a sustainable future for mountain people from the participants gathered here today,” she said.

The Bhutan +10 conference looked at whether gender mainstreaming in institutional programs has been able to deliver the required levels of gender equality, women’s leadership, in-depth research, and gender positive impacts.

It also reflected on gains, innovations, and best practices, as well as the persistent challenges and resistance that continue to face mountain women in achieving gender equality in the region and beyond.

It has been noted that some progress has been made in addressing gender issues in mountain development policies and natural resources management practices, but that progress has been uneven when it comes to advancing the status of mountain women, especially economically poor and socially excluded women.

Conference organizer Dr. Ritu Verma of International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said “Due to the fixation on adding women to pre-existing structures and other policies that are not equitable, mainstreaming efforts have not been effective in achieving gender equality and women’s meaningful participation in all domains of mountain development and research”.

Dr. Ritu Verma said the significant achievements of the conference were awareness raising, knowledge sharing, laying the foundation for a gender and mountain network and a strong declaration and statement on what mountain women and men want from sustainable development.

“They called for alternative visions and approaches to development that do not focus only on economic opportunities at the expense of people and their environments, but rather that strongly integrates and focus on gender equality, culture, spirituality, and the psychological wellbeing of mountain women and men,” she said.

During the opening of the conference, the agriculture minister, Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho, said Bhutan’s understanding of the various dimensions of gender, from gender equality and equity to gender sensitivity and empowerment, has made significant advances since 2002.

“I must say that we have come a long way in terms of meeting gender needs and priorities. The number of girls enrolled in schools and colleges and the number of women entrepreneurs and civil servants have increased significantly over the last decade,” said Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho.

The week-long conference included an informative and engaging high-level panel of ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Norway, and Pakistan, including a debate on pros and cons of affirmative action and quota system.

A second high-level panel reflected on the outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in terms of gender impact. The week also saw six plenary discussions and eighteen parallel sessions.

The Bhutan +10 conference declaration called for a better integration of mountain perspective in all sectors and scales of international development, sufficient human and financial resources for gender analysis and transformative change, affirmative action, recognition of women and men as active players on a level playing field, and the promotion of wellbeing and happiness in mountain countries.

The Director of Program Operations, ICIMOD, Dr. Eklabya Sharma, said ICIMOD is committed to gender transformation change and impact in the coming years through its programs in its regional member countries of the greater Himalayas.

“ICIMOD is committed to implement the outcomes of this conference in its future programming and is ready to take on the facilitation role for the Women, Gender, Ennvironment, and Mountains (WGEM) network,” he said.

Organized by the ICIMOD, National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest, Bhutan+10 brought together mountain women and men, researchers, policy makers and development practitioners from the HKH region and around the world in a post Rio+20 world for a comprehensive update, stock taking and new agenda setting.

“Bhutan+10 will take away important learning from Bhutan’s concept of  Gross National Happiness, as it also focuses on improving the wellbeing and happiness of a healthy, thriving, and empowered society,” said Dr. Ritu Verma.

More than 200 women and men from all over the world gathered for the conference and called for a equitable and inclusive sustainable development

A decade following the success of the ‘Celebrating Mountain Women’ conference in 2002, the Bhutan +10 conference, “Gender and Sustainable Mountain Development in a Changing World” set new agendas for gender positive change in natural resource management in a rapidly changing mountain context.

At the end of the conference this week, it was declared that mountain women and men need an equitable and inclusive sustainable development.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, who also attended the Celebrating Mountain Women Conference in 2002, said much has been achieved in the past ten years.

“It is with the initiative and support led by you that the stories of mountain women are heard and the lives of mountain people are improving,” said Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck said, “As a mountain women myself and mother to two mountain boys I look for inspiration to a sustainable future for mountain people from the participants gathered here today,” she said.

The Bhutan +10 conference looked at whether gender mainstreaming in institutional programs has been able to deliver the required levels of gender equality, women’s leadership, in-depth research, and gender positive impacts.

It also reflected on gains, innovations, and best practices, as well as the persistent challenges and resistance that continue to face mountain women in achieving gender equality in the region and beyond.

It has been noted that some progress has been made in addressing gender issues in mountain development policies and natural resources management practices, but that progress has been uneven when it comes to advancing the status of mountain women, especially economically poor and socially excluded women.

Conference organizer Dr. Ritu Verma of International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said “Due to the fixation on adding women to pre-existing structures and other policies that are not equitable, mainstreaming efforts have not been effective in achieving gender equality and women’s meaningful participation in all domains of mountain development and research”.

Dr. Ritu Verma said the significant achievements of the conference were awareness raising, knowledge sharing, laying the foundation for a gender and mountain network and a strong declaration and statement on what mountain women and men want from sustainable development.

“They called for alternative visions and approaches to development that do not focus only on economic opportunities at the expense of people and their environments, but rather that strongly integrates and focus on gender equality, culture, spirituality, and the psychological wellbeing of mountain women and men,” she said.

During the opening of the conference, the agriculture minister, Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho, said Bhutan’s understanding of the various dimensions of gender, from gender equality and equity to gender sensitivity and empowerment, has made significant advances since 2002.

“I must say that we have come a long way in terms of meeting gender needs and priorities. The number of girls enrolled in schools and colleges and the number of women entrepreneurs and civil servants have increased significantly over the last decade,” said Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho.

The week-long conference included an informative and engaging high-level panel of ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Norway, and Pakistan, including a debate on pros and cons of affirmative action and quota system.

A second high-level panel reflected on the outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in terms of gender impact. The week also saw six plenary discussions and eighteen parallel sessions.

The Bhutan +10 conference declaration called for a better integration of mountain perspective in all sectors and scales of international development, sufficient human and financial resources for gender analysis and transformative change, affirmative action, recognition of women and men as active players on a level playing field, and the promotion of wellbeing and happiness in mountain countries.

The Director of Program Operations, ICIMOD, Dr. Eklabya Sharma, said ICIMOD is committed to gender transformation change and impact in the coming years through its programs in its regional member countries of the greater Himalayas.

“ICIMOD is committed to implement the outcomes of this conference in its future programming and is ready to take on the facilitation role for the Women, Gender, Ennvironment, and Mountains (WGEM) network,” he said.

Organized by the ICIMOD, National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest, Bhutan+10 brought together mountain women and men, researchers, policy makers and development practitioners from the HKH region and around the world in a post Rio+20 world for a comprehensive update, stock taking and new agenda setting.

“Bhutan+10 will take away important learning from Bhutan’s concept of  Gross National Happiness, as it also focuses on improving the wellbeing and happiness of a healthy, thriving, and empowered society,” said Dr. Ritu Verma.