Bhutan
Data on women
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Basic information > About parliament
Speaker
Speaker
Tashi
Dorji
(Male)
Year of birth
1981
Secretary general
Secretary General
Chencho
Tshering
(Male)
Notes
Additional information about the Secretary General, in particular regarding their term.
Appointed on 14 July 2016.
Members
Current number of members, by sex
Women
The number of female parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
Percentage of women
Calculated by dividing the current number of women by the current number of members.
Age
Average age of all members
Youngest member (years)
Age at the time of the last election or renewal.
Youngest member
Sonam Wangchuk (Male)
Oldest member (years)
Age at the time of the last election or renewal.
49
Oldest member
Rinzin Dorji (Male)
Reserved seats and quotas
Electoral quota for women
Quotas to promote the representation of women in parliament.
Elections > Election results
Candidates
Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
121
Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
6
Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
4.96%
Number of candidates, by sex
Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
6
Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
4.96%
Results
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
18
Number of women elected
2
Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
10%
Note on the Distribution of seats according to sex
Two women were elected in 2018 and two others were appointed by the King.
Number of women after election or renewal, by mode of designation
Women Directly Elected
2
Women Appointed
2
New legislature
Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
21
Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
4
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature
First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Tashi
Dorji
(Male)
Date of election
10.05.2018
Elections > Historical data on women
Women's suffrage
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1953
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Suffrage: Restrictions detail
Only 1 vote per household
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
2008
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
The new constitution, adopted by Parliament on 21 July 2008 provides for universal suffrage
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election
Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1953
National or local
Stand for Election: National or Local
National
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament
Year in which first woman entered parliament
1980
Specialized body - Women's caucus
Bhutan Women's Parliamentary Caucus (BWPC)
(August 2019)
Formal or informal
Formal
Activities
Issues dealt with by the caucus
The BWPC's platform is focused on:
Showcasing and promoting the voice and visibility of women to gain the trust and confidence of society in women's leadership, thereby increasing their chances of getting elected to parliament;
Ensuring that women’s rights, gender equality, children’s rights and social agendas remain central to the work of the Parliament.
Showcasing and promoting the voice and visibility of women to gain the trust and confidence of society in women's leadership, thereby increasing their chances of getting elected to parliament;
Ensuring that women’s rights, gender equality, children’s rights and social agendas remain central to the work of the Parliament.