Bhutan has witnessed a 36.6 percent increase in gender-based violence this year, Kuensel reported citing the data released by a reputed NGO, RENEW, which world for women empowerment in Bhutan.  Bhutan recorded around 700 cases of gender-based violence by November this year while the numbers were just 500 last year. 

Surprisingly, almost half the cases, 345, were reported alone during the lockdown period, said Tshering Dolkar, executive director of RENEW. 

RENEW works under the leadership of Bhutan’s Queen Mother Galyum Sangay Choden Wangchuk in the country to raise awareness about sexual health among women, domestic violence. Last week, the Queen Mother was awarded the prestigious UN Population Award 2020 in the individual category.  

Addressing an event organized by civil society organizations, the queen said we must not only focus on surviving this COVID-19 crisis but also work in a direction so that women can emerge as a center of recovery.