If there is one thing that could describe the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan in international development terms, it would most likely be the introduction of a unique metric to measure development progress: the “gross national happiness” index.
But more than 40 years after the index was introduced by the country’s former king, Jigme Wangchuck, the South Asian nation remains mired in poverty, with many of its citizens uneducated and having little access to economic and social opportunities.
“Bhutan is at a crossroads,” Chime Wangdi, secretary-general of Tarayana Foundation, told Devex. Not only is Bhutan transitioning from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, it is also keen on moving up to middle-income status. And while the Himalayan nation remains devoted to its national ethos of pursuing happiness — all government programs and policies go through the country’s socio-economic planning agency, the GNH Commission — the government needs to take a more critical view of the GNH in an effort to improve it.
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
