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TheGovernment had made gender a cross-cutting theme for the first time, in the Five-Year Plan for national development, and it had installed gender focal points in the Gross National Happiness Commission and the National Commission for Women and Children, he said. Women were also asserting themselves, participating in all walks of life, including politics, in increasing numbers.

The Bhutanese delegation was headed by Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, Foreign Minister, and also included Lhatu Wangchuk, Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations; Nima Ome, Deputy Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations; Jangchuk Norbu, Judge, Bench II, Thimphu District Court; Tshewang Dorji, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the United Nations; Kunzang Lhamu, Head, Research Evaluation Division, Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC); Sonam Tobgay, Head, Programme for Public Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Rinchen Chophel, Executive Director, National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC); Norbu Gyalsthen, Programme Officer, NCWC; and Yandey Penjor, Executive Director, Youth Development Fund.

CORNELIS FLINTERMAN, expert from the Netherlands, asked if the new Constitution provided for the primacy of the Convention and other international conventions over conflicting domestic laws. If not, what was the legal status of the Convention in the domestic legal order? Could women invoke its provisions in the courts? Could judges apply its articles? Should article 7 be interpreted in such a way that it included equality between men and women? Was the list of non-discrimination grounds in article 7 meant to be exhausted? Would the Gender Equality Law include a definition of discrimination in line with the Convention? He called on Bhutan to ratify the Optional Protocol. Had the Government involved civil society organizations in preparing its country report? What could the Government do to create a greater understanding of the nature and need for temporary special measures, among Government officials, the general public and civil society organizations?

Regarding trafficking, Bhutan was a small country with 700,000 people widely dispersed throughout its territory, he said. Because of that, it had been believed for years that it was not affected by trafficking. But in recent years, that was found not to be true. Bhutan had a large porous border with India. Its economy was doing well and purchasing power had improved. There was more of a basis for trafficking of domestic help than for sexual exploitation and organ transplant. The Government had not conducted any specific studies, but it had initially addressed the issue by drafting a domestic violence bill. The Royal Police was also doing an in-depth analysis on missing persons. In September, it planned to hold cross-border consultations with different Government agencies and non-governmental organizations in India to explore ways to address trafficking.

Continuing, he said Bhutan was a signatory to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution. In late May, it had finalized a standard regional plan for trafficking. The 2004 Bhutan Penal Code had specific provisions concerning trafficking. The country had conducted two investigations on trafficking since the code was adopted.

Further, in the last four years, it had conducted many reviews, resulting in the drafting of bills on child protection, adoption and gender violence. Parliament was finalizing the child protection bill and the adoption bill and would submit them to the National Assembly in September. Following that, the domestic violence bill would be submitted. The 2007 Labour Employment Act dealt with sexual harassment in the workplace.

Mr. TSHERING said Bhutan went from having one newspaper printed twice a week to having four newspapers printed daily. All newspapers were privately owned. The Government owned the national television network. Forty per cent of the news reporters were young women starting their careers. Radio stations were private and largely featured entertainment rather than news.

Regarding the chapter on women and children and development in the Five-Year Plan, another delegate said it mandated that each sector mainstream gender into its activities and have sex-disaggregated data. The chapter was closely linked with the National Plan of Action on Gender and its strategies to improve the lot of women in terms of health, employment, education and human rights, among other areas.

Mr. TSHERING said that requiring a university degree to hold a political post was a forward-looking approach, but Bhutan would look at that situation carefully in order to bring more women into the political fray. Women held 38 per cent of professional posts in the foreign service, he added.

Ms. ARA BEGUM, expert from Bangladesh, said young girls who were employed as domestic workers often worked long hours for little pay. There was a need to protect those exploited girls and ensure that they received an education. The country report stated that sexual harassment in the workplace was on the rise. What Government measures existed to end that?

Ms. PIMENTEL, expert from Brazil, said the country response stated that 30 per cent of all HIV infected people were under the age of 25, with more than half of them women. What measures was the Government taking to eradicate that calamitous spread of infection?

A delegate said that the adult literacy rate was 53 per cent, and was lower for women than for men, particularly in rural areas. The tenth Five-Year Plan provided for literacy programmes. Regarding incentives for poorer families to send their daughters to schools, some non-governmental organizations were purchasing uniforms and school supplies. Girls were allowed and accepted at school after they had children. The tenth Five-Year Plan focused on incentives to recruit teachers in rural areas. The Government was drafting the Population Perspective for Bhutan, which included adolescent sex education.

Ms. HALPERIN-KADDARI, expert from Israel, expressed alarm over the practice of requiring children of divorced of parents to decide at the age of nine with which parent they wanted to live. Were pension rights and work-related insurance considered joint property? Were divorced women compensated for the work they provided in the home? Did women in unregistered marriages have the same rights of women in registered marriages?

Concerning dispute resolution mechanisms, a delegate said courts directed people to settle divorce disputes out of court through an intermediary. When a couple divorced, the mother was given custody of children under the age of nine. It was believed that the mother would provide the best care for children in those circumstances. But if a mother was incapacitated, the father was given custody of the child. There were no restrictions on unregistered marriages and rights of people in them.

Mr. TSHERING said the delegation had benefited from the collective wisdom of the Committee and its succinct, specific questions. It had enabled Bhutan to learn about international best practices, particularly at a time when it was working to build a State based on human rights and democracy.

Ms. GABR, noting that the delegation had stated that national law superseded the Convention and other international treaties, implored Bhutan, at a minimum, to harmonize national laws with the Convention.

In Chad, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the country is grappling with an array of challenges that are driving humanitarian needs. These include the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.

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