For decades, Bhutan widely practiced 18 as the minimum legal marriage age, yet the Marriage Act of 1980 still allowed girls to marry at 16. This legal contradiction was resolved on June 25, 2025, when a Joint Sitting of Parliament passed the Marriage (Amendment) Bill of 2024, officially setting the minimum marriage age for women [...]

The National Council’s Good Governance Committee (GGC) raised serious concerns over the harmful use of alcohol in Bhutan during its 22nd session. Bhutan reportedly has the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the WHO South-East Asia region. Alcohol is a major contributor to health issues, including liver disease, and is also linked to domestic violence, [...]

A survey of over 1,000 Bhutanese youth working abroad found that career growth and low wages in Bhutan push many to seek jobs overseas. Most are working in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain, mainly in service and sales sectors. About 45% now earn significantly more than before, but job satisfaction is only moderate.Female workers make [...]

The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has raised concerns over the rising number of vehicle-pedestrian collisions and hit-and-run cases, which have increased from 40 in 2021 to 60 in 2024, with 18 already reported in mid-2025. Most incidents stem from reckless driving, speeding, distracted driving (especially mobile phone use), and failure to yield at zebra crossings. [...]

A new United Nations report has condemned Bhutan for illegally jailing ethnic Nepali citizens for life without parole, simply for expressing political opinions. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Bhutan has violated fundamental human rights, including the right to a fair trial, and described the arrests as “discriminatory.” The report highlights the [...]

Despite growing efforts to promote inclusive education in Bhutan, students with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in pursuing higher education beyond Class 12. A lack of essential  support services in colleges and universities such as trained sign language interpreters, deaf support officers, and counsellors proficient in Bhutanese sign language means that many students with [...]

From April 25–28, 2025, Bhutan warmly welcomed Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand for a historic State Visit—their first to the Himalayan kingdom. The royal couple received a grand and heartfelt reception, greeted not only by Bhutan’s King and Queen but also by enthusiastic citizens across the country. Schoolchildren lined the streets with [...]

Stroke is a growing health threat in Bhutan, affecting more young people due to high blood pressure, diabetes, and poor lifestyles.Globally, stroke causes over 6.5 million deaths yearly, and Bhutan is seeing a sharp rise in cases. In rural Bhutan, limited access to care and poor stroke awareness worsen outcomes. Many strokes go unnoticed or [...]