Print — bhutan-disability-rights — BhutanWiki

Disability has historically been one of the least visible social issues in Bhutan, shaped by a combination of cultural attitudes, geographic isolation, and limited data. In Bhutanese Buddhist tradition, disability has sometimes been understood through the lens of karma — the idea that a person's condition reflects the consequences of actions in past lives — which, while not inherently stigmatising in all interpretations, has in practice contributed to attitudes of resignation and reduced expectations for persons with disabilities. This cultural framework, combined with the physical inaccessibility of Bhutan's mountainous terrain and the dispersal of the population across remote settlements, meant that persons with disabilities were often largely excluded from public life, education, and formal employment well into the 21st century.^[1]

The landscape has begun to shift, driven by Bhutan's engagement with the international disability rights framework, the growth of domestic advocacy organisations, and the government's recognition that Gross National Happiness — the country's guiding development philosophy — must be inclusive of all citizens, including those with disabilities. Bhutan signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on 21 September 2010, but ratification was delayed for more than a decade. The 10th session of the 3rd National Assembly and the 32nd session of the 4th National Council ratified the convention in 2023, and the Chargé d'affaires of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations handed over the original Instrument of Ratification on 13 March 2024, making Bhutan the 191st state party. Translating these commitments into reality in a resource-constrained, geographically challenging country remains a work in progress.^[2]

Prevalence and Data

Reliable data on disability prevalence in Bhutan has been limited, reflecting both the challenges of conducting comprehensive surveys in remote areas and the varying definitions of disability used in different studies. The 2017 Population and Housing Census of Bhutan, which included questions on functional difficulties aligned with the Washington Group methodology, found that approximately 2.1 percent of the population reported at least one form of significant functional difficulty (in seeing, hearing, walking, cognition, self-care, or communication). However, disability advocates and international organisations have suggested that this figure likely underestimates true prevalence, as stigma and lack of awareness may lead to underreporting, and the census methodology may not capture all forms of disability, including psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.^[3]

A 2016 UNICEF-supported study on children with disabilities in Bhutan found that children with disabilities in rural areas were significantly less likely to attend school than their peers without disabilities, and that families often lacked information about available services and support. The study highlighted the intersection of disability with poverty, gender, and geographic isolation, noting that girls with disabilities and children in remote eastern dzongkhags faced the greatest barriers to inclusion.^[1]

Legal and Policy Framework

Bhutan's Constitution (2008) guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, including the right to equality before the law and the right to freedom from discrimination, though it does not explicitly mention disability as a protected category. Article 7 prohibits discrimination on grounds of race, sex, language, religion and "other status," but does not enumerate disability. The 2024 deposit of the CRPD instruments of ratification was a landmark step, establishing a comprehensive international legal framework for disability rights that Bhutan is now obligated to implement domestically. The 2017 Population and Housing Census applied the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning to assess disability across six domains — seeing, hearing, mobility, cognition, self-care and communication — and found that 2.8 percent of the analysed population reported at least one disability ("a lot of difficulty" or "cannot do at all"), with 34.2 percent of those reporting multiple disabilities.^[9]

Domestically, disability-related provisions are scattered across several laws and policies rather than consolidated in a single comprehensive disability rights act. The Labour and Employment Act of 2007 prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The Education Policy includes provisions for inclusive education, though implementation has been gradual. The 12th Five-Year Plan (2018-2023) identified disability inclusion as a cross-cutting issue and included specific targets for improving accessibility, expanding special education services, and strengthening disability data collection. However, the absence of a dedicated disability rights law has been identified by both domestic advocates and the UN Committee as a significant gap in Bhutan's legal framework.^[4]

Accessibility

Physical accessibility remains one of the most visible and persistent challenges for persons with disabilities in Bhutan. The country's mountainous terrain poses inherent accessibility challenges, but the built environment — including government buildings, schools, health centres, markets, and public spaces — has historically been designed with little or no consideration for wheelchair users, persons with visual impairments, or others with mobility or sensory limitations. Traditional Bhutanese architecture, with its steep staircases, high thresholds, and multi-storey structures, is particularly inaccessible. Even newer buildings, including some constructed with government funding, have often lacked basic accessibility features such as ramps, accessible toilets, and handrails.^[5]

The Bhutan Building Rules, updated in recent years, now include accessibility requirements for public buildings, and the government has begun retrofitting some existing structures — particularly hospitals, dzongkhag administration offices, and schools — with ramps and accessible facilities. Thimphu, as the capital, has seen the most progress, with some newer public buildings and commercial developments incorporating universal design principles. However, enforcement of accessibility standards in private construction is limited, and the vast majority of public infrastructure across the country's 20 dzongkhags remains inaccessible. Transportation is another major barrier: Bhutan has no public transit system in most areas, roads are often narrow and steep, and vehicles are rarely adapted for wheelchair access.^[6]

Education

Bhutan has made a policy commitment to inclusive education — the principle that children with disabilities should be educated alongside their non-disabled peers in mainstream schools wherever possible — but implementation has faced significant challenges. The Ministry of Education established a Special Education Needs (SEN) programme in 2000, and as of recent reporting there are approximately 22 SEN schools — at least one in each of the 20 dzongkhags — that integrate children with disabilities into mainstream schooling. Two specialised institutions serve students with specific disabilities: the Muenselling Institute in Khaling, Trashigang, established in 1973 for students with visual impairments, and the Wangsel Institute for deaf children. The Draktsho Vocational Training Centre, operated by the Draktsho disability organisation at sites in Thimphu and Paro, provides vocational training and day-care services for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Total enrolment across SEN programmes is approximately 997 students.^[7]

A UNICEF Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices study on children with disabilities in Bhutan found that at least 80 percent of respondents believed that children's disabilities were the result of past deeds — reflecting widespread Buddhist-Hindu beliefs about karma. Teachers surveyed viewed disability predominantly through a "medical model" lens and cited lack of training as a major obstacle to implementing inclusive education.^[10]

Despite these efforts, the majority of children with disabilities in Bhutan — particularly those in rural areas and those with more significant support needs — continue to face barriers to education. Many schools lack trained special education teachers, adapted curricula, assistive devices, and physically accessible facilities. Teacher training in inclusive education practices has been limited, and attitudes among some educators and parents continue to reflect low expectations for children with disabilities. The government has partnered with UNICEF, the WHO, and disability-focused NGOs to expand teacher training, develop inclusive education guidelines, and pilot assistive technology programmes, but scaling these efforts across a geographically dispersed school system remains a challenge.^[1]

Disability Organisations

The growth of disability-focused organisations has been one of the most significant developments in Bhutan's disability landscape over the past two decades. The Disabled Persons' Association of Bhutan (DPAB), founded in 2010, is the primary national disabled persons' organisation (DPO), representing the voices of persons with disabilities in policy discussions and advocacy. DPAB has played an important role in raising public awareness, advocating for CRPD implementation, and providing peer support networks. The Ability Bhutan Society (ABS), established in 2011, focuses on advocacy, awareness, and the empowerment of persons with disabilities, working closely with the government and international partners.^[8]

The Draktsho organisation, established with support from Helvetas and other partners, operates vocational training centres in Thimphu and other locations, providing life skills training, vocational education, and sheltered employment opportunities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These organisations, while small and resource-constrained, have been instrumental in shifting the national conversation about disability from one of charity and welfare to one of rights and inclusion. Their advocacy has contributed to the government's increased attention to disability issues in national planning processes and to the growing — if still insufficient — allocation of resources for disability services.^[8]

Employment

Employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Bhutan remain severely limited. The formal labour market is small, and persons with disabilities face multiple barriers to entry, including inadequate education and training, physical inaccessibility of workplaces, employer attitudes, and a lack of support services such as job coaching and assistive technology. The civil service, Bhutan's largest formal employer, has begun to make some accommodations for employees with disabilities, but the numbers remain small. Private sector employment of persons with disabilities is even more limited, with few employers having experience or willingness to hire and accommodate workers with disabilities.^[3]

Self-employment and informal work are common among persons with disabilities who are economically active, but incomes tend to be low and work often precarious. The government has explored the potential of social enterprises and sheltered workshops as transitional employment models, and organisations like Draktsho operate small production workshops where persons with intellectual disabilities produce handicrafts and other goods. Expanding employment opportunities for persons with disabilities is recognised as a priority in the national disability strategy, but progress has been slow in the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms, employer incentive programmes, and comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services.

International Commitments and Future Directions

Bhutan's ratification of the CRPD and its engagement with the UN monitoring process provide a framework for continued progress. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in its concluding observations on Bhutan's initial report, recommended the adoption of comprehensive disability rights legislation, the strengthening of accessibility standards, the expansion of inclusive education, the development of disability-disaggregated data systems, and the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations in all policy decisions affecting them. The Committee also urged Bhutan to address the intersection of disability with gender, poverty, and rural isolation.^[2]

The path forward will require sustained political commitment, increased resource allocation, and continued partnership between the government, disability organisations, international agencies, and the broader community. Bhutan's small size and strong governance structures offer advantages — policy decisions can be implemented relatively quickly, and the GNH framework provides a philosophical foundation for inclusion — but the practical challenges of accessibility, capacity building, and attitude change in a mountainous, resource-constrained country remain formidable. The growing visibility and voice of Bhutan's disability community, supported by a strengthening network of domestic organisations, is perhaps the most important driver of continued progress.

Disability Rights in Bhutan