The Royal Government of Bhutan has formally endorsed its National Global Accelerator Roadmap for Acceleration on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition, marking a significant milestone in its journey as a pathfinder country.
Thimpu - Bhutan officially joined the Global Accelerator as a pathfinder country on 12 December 2024, aligning the three core pillars of the initiative with its national priorities, under the country’s 13th Five Year Plan.
The Office of Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination (OCASC) led a consultative and inclusive process to develop the national roadmap for the Global Accelerator in close collaboration with UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRC) and UN agencies in Bhutan including UNICEF, UNDP, and UNFPA. Key development partners, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, also provided critical contributions. Insights from Bhutan’s 13th Five Year Plan, national strategies, and analytical studies were integrated into the roadmap, resulting in a coherent and action-oriented framework for accelerating decent work and social protection outcomes.
Cabinet Secretary, Ms Kesang Deki, confirmed the government’s endorsement of the roadmap to the UNRC in Bhutan. The roadmap was validated at the Multi-Stakeholder Forum – Towards Inclusive Social Protection in Bhutan, co-convened by OCASC and the Asian Development Bank on 3–4 March 2025 in Thimphu.
The Bhutan National Roadmap lays out a clear and ambitious vision and identifies seven key priorities for acceleration:
- Establishing an Integrated Social Protection Management Information System
- Enhancing protection for persons with disabilities
- Equipping the workforce with 21st-century skills
- Promoting youth entrepreneurship
- Transforming agriculture for rural prosperity
- Bridging urban–rural divides in access to services and opportunities
- Strengthening public sector capacity and digital governance
A comprehensive financing strategy that blends domestic resource mobilization, institutional reforms, and international partnerships support the roadmap Key partners include the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Government of India.
“The National Roadmap is a living document that will continue to evolve as new opportunities emerge,” stated Ms Kesang Deki, Cabinet Secretary in her endorsement. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the United Nations and the Global Accelerator team to ensure effective implementation that leaves no one behind.”
Bhutan’s endorsement reflects its vision for inclusive and sustainable development at a time of rapid socioeconomic changes. The country is grappling with critical challenges, including high rates of outmigration—particularly among young and skilled workers—limited coverage of formal social protection systems, and persistent disparities in access to services and economic opportunities between urban and rural areas. Bhutan’s labour market is marked by a mismatch between education and employment, low productivity in agriculture, and barriers to entrepreneurship. The Global Accelerator Roadmap addresses these issues through targeted priorities: developing a comprehensive Integrated Social Protection Management Information System, enhancing protection for persons with disabilities, equipping the workforce with 21st-century skills, promoting youth entrepreneurship, transforming agriculture to improve productivity and market orientation, bridging urban–rural divides, and strengthening public sector capacity and digital governance. These integrated interventions aim to create decent jobs and expand inclusive social protection, positioning Bhutan to address its most pressing challenges and ensure that no one is left behind. As one of the newest pathfinder countries, Bhutan joins a growing coalition of countries committed to advancing decent work and universal social protection as drivers of just, inclusive transitions, and sustainable development.