Women aren’t seen equal to men – and it will take sometime

I personally feel that in Bhutan, there isn’t much gender discrimination. I say this from my experience and not from any research. However, it seems, in reality, it exists and the notion of gender in-equality is implanted in us through our culture and it will take sometime before it changes. For example, during the recent parliamentary election campaign, when a woman politician was taking part, an old woman from a village was heard lamenting that it is sad to see that we have come to a time where, we have to rely on women to be the leaders! This made me feel a bit sad. I have always been aware that the gender in-equality in Bhutan, if at all existed bred through our culture and tradition – yet, it threw me back a bit when this reality was heard spoken.

We have the age-old saying that, ‘men are nine steps ahead of women’ (if I could translate it roughly). A household is usually headed by men, and when it comes to the meals times, they are served first. This tradition isn’t very common in the urban areas and among the educated lots but it still exists in the villages. A descriptive analysis of the data from Gross National Happiness Survey 2010 shows how gender difference is inculcated in our mind through our culture: Out of 7142 respondents, 62.6% agrees that women are more suited for domestic work than men, while only 28% of them disagrees with this statement. 79% of these respondents agree with the statement that ‘Females tend to carry drip, so certain customs like women & girls not being allowed in certain parts of lhakhang, or to touch the bow before a man’s archery game, are valid’. It is such cultures and traditions that we are bred through that make us think women are unequal to men by nature.

On a similar line, out of 7140 respondents, 30.5% agree that education is more important for a boy than a girl. Again, 30.5% of 7132 respondents said that on the whole men make better leaders than women do. This is a high percentage and if we must achieve the equality we talk so much about, I think we should change this mindset.

Break down of the responses:

1. Women are more suited for domestic work than men

Response	Frequency	Percent
Agree	4469	62.6
Neither agree nor disagree	666	9.3
Disagree	2001	28.0
Don't know	6	.1
Total	7142	100.0

2. Certain customs like women being not allowed in certain part of the lhakhang is valid

Response	Frequency	Percent
Agree	5661	79.3
Neither agree nor disagree	588	8.2
Disagree	701	9.8
Don't know	192	2.7
Total	7142	100.0

3. Education is more important for boy than a girl

	Frequency	Percent
Agree	1243	17.4
Neither agree nor disagree	685	9.6
Disagree	5190	72.7
Don't know	22	.3
Total	7140	100.0

4. On the whole men make better leaders than women do

	Frequency	Percent
Agree	2177	30.5
Neither agree nor disagree	1068	15.0
Disagree	3840	53.8
Don't know	47	.7
Total	7132	100.0