Peace and Reconciliation Bhutan Project #21600

Empower Bhutan's Citizens to Engage in Democracy

by The Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy (BCMD)

Empower Bhutan's Citizens to Engage in Democracy

Project Report | Jul 18, 2017
Community Mapping Trainers Keen to Share Ideas

By Tshewang Lhamo | Programme Officer

Participants During the Training of Trainers

Community Mapping Trainers Keen to Share Ideas

Following a weeklong training on “Community Mapping”, 16 teachers who participated in the training are now eagerly waiting for the schools to resume to share what they’ve learnt to create more engaged citizens.

Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy (BCMD) trained 16 teachers from different schools on community mapping as an exercise that trains youth to assume the role of being “active” citizens and reach out to the community they live with.

Brimming with ideas in building community, these teachers are now going to teach students in their schools on how to find simple effective solutions to local issues. Once, they identify issues and solutions, these teachers can help both students and community to come up with their own action plan to resolve problems.

Teachers also identified pertinent local issues at Paro during their six-day Training of Trainers from July 6-11. The issues identified included how to deal with stray dogs, lack of toilets in a town area and vegetable sheds and how to strengthen community-school relationship at Drukgyal.

Members of parliament addressed the group of teachers and talked about the important role of citizen participation in building community. Upper House Member, Dasho Tashi Wangmo, and National Assembly member, Dasho Kezang Wangmo noted the challenges in getting people’s participation because of a lack of understanding in how to engage in local issues.

Their action plan was shared with people from various sectors including the Paro District officials on July 14

Youth Talks about Youth Issues on National TV

While it’s usually either policy-makers or government officials talking about youth unemployment, this time a group of youth from BCMD’s Youth Initiative went on national television to talk about youth unemployment.

The youth programme was broadcasted on July 2.

During the panel discussion, students talked about the government’s initiative of overseas unemployment. “We asked about the sustainability of government led programmes such as the overseas employment scheme,” said Sushma, a YI member who is a Sherubtse College graduate.

The youth also spoke about the mismatch between the education and employment opportunities. They pointed out the flaws of sending students for the same courses, which have no relevance in the Bhutanese job market. They urged the government to align the education system and vocational skills in line with the job market requirement.

The discussion called for equal pay for blue-collar jobs and white-collar jobs.

Google Trains Youth and CSO Members

BCMD in collaboration with Google trained around 17 people including Bhutanese youths on vacation and Civil Society Organisation employees on enhanced use of Google Applications from June 19-21 at the BCMD’s Media Lab in Nazhoen Pelri Complex, Thimphu.

The participants learnt on how to use applications like the Google calendar, contacts, drive, maps, translation, upload videos on Youtube, among others, to make work and personal life more organised. Google also touched on smart ways to handle online hate speech and fake news, among other cyber issues.

Multimedia Training of Trainers

Fourteen participants from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Youth Initiative (YI) members and teachers produced four two-minute audio-visual productions with the theme “local hero”.

They featured four different characters that were locally inspirational. They included a specially disabled man practicing woodcarving, a man selling balloons for a living, and another physically challenged man pursuing body building and the life of a young musician, rapper.

All featured characters were from Thimphu city. The Training of Trainers included photography, scripting, story pitching, research and interview, among others.

BCMD trained 14 participants from Civil Society Organisations, Youth Initiative Members and teachers on multimedia production to enable them to conduct such trainings at their own respective organisations and schools in future.

BCMD and Google Partner to Train on Google Apps

The Participants Getting Trained on Audio-Video

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Apr 17, 2017
The Media Lab and launch of graphic novel "Jurwa"

By Tshewang Lhamo | Programme Officer

The Media Lab-Giving youth a Voice

BCMD's Media Lab provides the space where youth can pick up skills of self-expression through media production. In doing so, they also learn critical thinking, and the code of ethics of media production and expression. These contribute to fulfilling the overall aim of the lab that is “To create a dynamic, intentional learning space that engages youth” and “giving youth a voice”.

Starting in April, the Media Lab has been getting members to join the lab and to participate more regularly in activities. On offer are courses on photography, multimedia and film-making. Our volunteer professional filmmaker Kim Paul Nguyen from FWB(Filmmakers Without Borders) will train youths and CSO on multimedia and filmmaking. He will help facilitate in conducting programs at the Media Lab.

BCMD is introducing membership opportunities to youth and Civil Society Organisations. The membership opportunities for the Media Lab aims to provide the members with the space and equipment. The registration will be open throughout the year. Members will be eligible to attend at least 2 workshops for free and use the lab on specified days.The target group are out of school youth, Youth Initiative members, CSO and Media Club members.

Launch of Graphic Novel 'Jurwa'

BCMD creates resources and content for teachers, parents, political parties, students, and members of civil society to deepen their understanding of democracy. The print, online, and audio-visual material help to share ideas generated by BCMD forums and discussions, and help to sensitise people to democratic ideas, discussions and thinking.

Our latest publication is a graphic novel on democratic change -- adapted from the story of Jurwa, which began as a 43-episode radio series. The graphic novel was designed especially to encourage our young readers in the country to not only read but to also learn about a culture of democracy. The novel is being distributed to schools and college libraries.

The novel and TV Series was launched at an important national conference-Women in Governance, Leadership & Politics in Bhutan on 9th March by our partners and supporters: the Elections Commissioner, Dasho Deki Pema, National Council member, Dasho Wangmo and DIPT Director Rasmus Petersen.

Jurwa Graphic Novel Cover

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Jan 17, 2017
Pod-casting Workshop: Sharing Youth Voice

By Tshewang Lhamo | Programme Officer

Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy’s efforts to inspire active citizens through youth engagement has seen positive outcome over various podcasting and multimedia workshops. Because of the positive responses reveived over the years, BCMD has organised one more podcasting workshop called 'Sharing and Engaging Youth Voice' from 5-8th Decmeber 2016 where thirty one youth participants from across the country participated

The youth learned about sound, sound production, editing, interviewing, script writing, transcription, photography and team work.The workshop also focused on the context of the social and environmental issues that Bhutanese community face.

The outcome from this workshop was that youths were able to produce ten podcasts. After learning about technical skills, the youths identified various issues that they want to focus and voice on. A variety of stories based on the participant’s interest were covered. Some of the stories were about Different Healthy Life Style Doma, the Eighth Parliament Session, Good Parenting, Youth’s Engagement During winter break. The youth also interviews few Members of Paliament on

Participants shared that they gained news skills in interviewing, photography, sound, and handling the recorders, cameras and editing software. They also shared about how they will now be able to take back the skills they acquired in this workshop and use it in their lives to share stories and help their friends share their stories as well.

The participants realized the importance of teamwork and how having good interview skills will help them achieve good interviews. They stressed on how important the 5 W’s and H (who, what, where, why and how) were while interviewing people.

Over the four day workshop, the participants felt that they can bring about positive change in their community and it were also equiped them with the necessary skills and knowledge about sound, photography, interviewing skills, storyboarding and at the same time learning the importance of how powerful sharing their voice through podcast and multimedia can be.

The workshop ended with the participants screening their final finished podcasts.

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