Bhutan, Civil Society, and the EU

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 Why Does the EU Want to Support Civil Society? During the visit to Bhutan of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with countries of South Asia (DSAS) in May this year, we were delighted to help launch the EU’s Programme in support of civil society in Bhutan. This initiative...

Civil Society Organisations in Switzerland

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 HELVETAS Swiss Inter-cooperation and civil society A Few General Considerations What is civil society? It is not easy to define as the term is rather vague and there is no clear definition. Basically it is a large space between the State and private households. This means that civil society...

A Way Forward: What’s Civil Society Got To Do With It?

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 The role of civil society is not isolated from the role of politics. Politics defines the kind of society each nation cultivates. If we agree that nations around the world see democracy as the most desirable among the different forms of government known to man, then, should the conversation...

Civil Society Should Shift Focus on Human Capital as Democratic Spaces Shrink

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 While the term civil society originated in ancient Rome and Greece – it is more or less a direct translation from Cicero’s “societas civilas” and Aristotle’s “koinōnia politikē”. As times changed, the term began to be used differently. In Europe, “civil society” came to refer to civil government and...

Bhutanese Need to Write Compelling Proposals: An Interview With Dr Bruce Bunting, Founder and President of Bhutan Foundation

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 The Druk Journal: What are the areas that international donors are interested in? Dr Bruce Bunting: I am not really clued into international donors these days, but I feel in the US support for good governance, growth of democracy, support for cultural institutions in particular the arts, support for...

Skills-based Symbiosis: How Mutually Beneficial Civil Society-Private Sector Partnership Delivers Capacity Building

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 Summary Public, private, and civil society organisations form three separate sectors. When the sectors are bridged, many opportunities can be found. In this article, we focus on one such opportunity – making the most of the contributions individual corporate executives may make through cross-sector partnerships. A “Skills-based symbiosis” (SBS)...

Large-scale Innovative Fund Raising for Greater Impact and Sustainability of CSOs

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 Introduction Sustainable financing is one of the major challenges faced by many civil society organisations (CSO), particularly in developing countries where the need for CSO engagement is even greater. Although civil society vis-a-vis community participation is not a new concept in Bhutan, the prevailing western notion of non-governmental organisation...

Resource Mobilisation for Civil Society Organisations in Bhutan

Winter Edition , December 4th, 2017 By Saroj Nepal Over the centuries, Bhutanese living in remote mountaintop hamlets had to find a way to survive. They were compelled to cooperate and coexist with each other because rugged geography and underdevelopment made survival difficult. If it were not for the cooperation among villagers, it would not...

Towards a Sustainable Development (Editorial)

Summer Edition , June 28th, 2017 The potential of the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as an inspiration for “development with values” has drawn attention around the world. Since 1979, when His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo first coined the term, GNH has been studied by journalists, scholars, NGOs, and development experts. In 2011...

17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Summer Edition , June 28th, 2017 Sustainable Development Goals 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere 2. End hunger, achieve food security and adequate nutrition for all, and promote sustainable agriculture 3. Attain healthy life for all at all ages 4. Provide equitable and inclusive quality education and life-long learning opportunities for all 5....