Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight on Child Rights
For Implementation of International treaties
Paro, July 16 2025: UNICEF in partnership with the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the National Council of Bhutan (NCB) organised a three day workshop on Parliamentary Oversight of International Treaties, with a special focus on children’s right to protection in Paro. This event marked a significant step in reinforcing Bhutan’s commitment to upholding international obligations and ensuring accountability in their implementation.
The workshop brought together Parliamentarians from the NCB, the Parliament's House of Review, various members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, national and international experts. Their insights enriched discussions on translating treaty commitments into tangible improvements in protecting all children in Bhutan. The workshop equipped Parliamentarians with the tools, knowledge, and strategies to empower them to effectively legislate, monitor, and advocate for children's right to protection.
Bhutan has long demonstrated its commitment to the rights and well-being of children, having ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990. Guided by its constitutional mandate for children’s welfare, Bhutan continues to uphold its commitment to providing a secure, nurturing, and empowering environment for all children.
Aligned to this vision, the capacity-building workshop was held to enhance the capacity of Parliamentarians to effectively exercise their oversight role in monitoring and supporting the implementation of the CRC. By equipping lawmakers with the necessary knowledge and tools, UNICEF is confident that the initiative would empower lawmakers to ensure that policies and programmes are effectively implemented, monitored, and refined in line with Bhutan’s international obligations.
The National Council, plays an important role in protecting and fostering the rights of children. Also called the House of Review, it proposes and discusses legislation, makes remarks on government policies, and examines government performance, particularly enforcement of laws and national priorities.
The Parliament has demonstrated its commitment towards the rights of children by enacting the Child Care and Protection Act, 2011, the Adoption Act of Bhutan, and the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, 2013 and amendments of other laws like the Penal Code to impose stricter punishment on child-related offenses for perpetrators when they are in a situation of dependency or a position of trust.
The workshop included expert-led presentations on CRC and Children’s rights to protection, best practices and case studies from other countries and group discussions and group exercises.
For more information, contact Deki Dema, Child Protection Specialist at [email protected]
