Abstract
After having situated Buthan, the legal framework of the right to social security is examined. The relevant constitutional provisions are mentioned, after which an overview of the social security legislation and structure is provided. Attention is also paid to the enforcement of constitutional and statutory rights. In a next part of the chapter, general data on the population and its composition are followed by a description of the personal scope of the social insurance and social assistance schemes. The administration of social security is dealt with as well as the topic of the coordination of the national social security schemes with foreign social security provisions.
With special thanks to Prof. Michael Peil and Prof. Mahesh Gajmer, both of Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, for reviewing the report on Bhutan.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
- 2.
On the Gross National Happiness idea, see amongst others: K.P. Lama & S.T. Dorji, Gross National Happiness and SCP in Bhutan, in: Sustainable Asia, Chapter 6. Available from: www.worldscientific.com.
- 3.
- 4.
Dorji et al. (2017), p. 32.
- 5.
See: www.nppf.org.bt.
- 6.
Section 70 of the National Pension and Provident Fund Plan Rules and Regulation of the Kingdom of Bhutan. 2002.
- 7.
- 8.
Sharma et al. (2014), pp. 226–237, here pp. 227–228.
- 9.
World Health Organization (2017), p. 68. Accessed on: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255701/9789290225843-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
- 10.
World Health Organization (2017), pp. 68–69. Accessed on: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255701/9789290225843-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
- 11.
RICB senior agent Kyshab reports that he has not heard of any social security litigation, so far.
- 12.
See e.g. Dorji et al. (2017), p. 7.
- 13.
Dorji et al. (2017), p. 24.
- 14.
Dorji et al. (2017), p. 1.
- 15.
Ministry of Labour and Human resources, Draft National Social Protection Policy for Workers in Bhutan, 2nd July 2013, p. 1. Accessed on: https://www.gnhc.gov.bt/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Draft-Social-Protection-Policy-2-July-2013.pdf.
- 16.
Dorji et al. (2017), p. 32.
- 17.
Dorji et al. (2017), pp. 23–24.
- 18.
See: https://kidufoundation.org/about-us/; Shaw (2015), pp. 1–22. Accessed on: http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/JBS/JBS_Vol33/1.JBS_Vol33%20Notes%20Concerning%20the%20Political%20Role%20of%20Kidu.pdf; and Dorji et al. (2017), pp. 32–33.
- 19.
- 20.
In 2014, for instance, 161 students were pursuing higher education abroad with such a scholarship.
- 21.
In 2014: 95 persons.
- 22.
Press Release from the Druk Gyalpo’s Relief Kidu, https://bhutanfound.org/press-release-from-the-drul-gyalpos-relief-kidu.
- 23.
Dolkar (2012), p. 19. Accessed on: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/76052/44152-012-reg-tacr-04.pdf.
- 24.
- 25.
Figures taken from: National Statistics Bureau (2019).
- 26.
National Pension and Provident Fund, Annual Report 2017–2018, Thimphu, 2019; p. 6. Accessed on: http://www.nppf.org.bt/eng/publication/annual-report/2017-2018-Annual-Report.pdf.
- 27.
Dolkar (2012), p. 23. Accessed on: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/76052/44152-012-reg-tacr-04.pdf.
- 28.
In the study Social Protection in South Asia (p. 54) it was estimated that the formal private sector in Bhutan stands roughly for one per cent of the total labour force. Accessed on: https://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/social_protection_in_south_asia_-_a_review_-_unicef_rosa_2009.pdf.
- 29.
National Pension and Provident Fund, Annual Report 2017–2018, Thimphu, 2019, p. 1. Accessed on: http://www.nppf.org.bt/eng/publication/annual-report/2017-2018-Annual-Report.pdf.
- 30.
National Pension and Provident Fund, Annual Report 2017–2018, Thimphu, 2019, pp. 13–14. Accessed on: http://www.nppf.org.bt/eng/publication/annual-report/2017-2018-Annual-Report.pdf.
- 31.
World Health Organization (2017), p. 24. Accessed on: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255701/9789290225843-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
- 32.
World Health Organization (2017), pp. 58–59. Accessed on: ttps://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255701/9789290225843-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
- 33.
Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Draft National Social Protection Policy for Workers in Bhutan, July 2nd 2013, p. 10. Accessed on: https://www.gnhc.gov.bt/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Draft-Social-Protection-Policy-2-July-2013.pdf.
References
Country Profiles (2020) International Social Security Association. https://www.issa.int/en_GB/country-profiles. Accessed 12 Feb 2020
Dolkar C (2012) Kingdom of Bhutan: updating and improving the social protection index. Asian Development Bank. Accessed on: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/76052/44152-012-reg-tacr-04.pdf
Dorji L, Jamtsho C, Norbu T, Bhujel GD (2017) Understanding the situation of elderly citizens in Bhutan. National Statistics Bureau, Thimphu
Lama KP, Dorji ST. Gross National Happiness and SCP in Bhutan. In: Sustainable Asia, Chapter 6. Available from: www.worldscientific.com
Ministry of Labour and Human Resources (2013) Draft National Social Protection Policy for Workers in Bhutan. Accessed on: https://www.gnhc.gov.bt/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Draft-Social-Protection-Policy-2-July-2013.pdf
National Pension and Provident Fund (2019) Annual Report 2017–2018. National Pension and Provident Fund, Thimphu. Accessed on: http://www.nppf.org.bt/eng/publication/annual-report/2017-2018-Annual-Report.pdf
National Statistics Bureau (2019) Bhutan at a glance. National Statistics Bureau, Thimphu
Sharma J, Zangpo K, Grundy J (2014) Measuring universal health coverage; a three-dimensional composite approach from Bhutan. WHO South-East Asia J Public Health 3(3–4)
Shaw BC (2015) Bhutan: notes concerning the political role of Kidu. J Bhutan Stud 33 (winter). Accessed on: http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/JBS/JBS_Vol33/1.JBS_Vol33%20Notes%20Concerning%20the%20Political%20Role%20of%20Kidu.pdf
UNICEF (2009) Social protection in South Asia. Accessed on: https://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/social_protection_in_south_asia_-_a_review_-_unicef_rosa_2009.pdf
World Factbook (2020) Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/ countries/bhutan. Accessed 12 Feb 2020
World Health Organization (2017) Regional Office for South-East Asia, The Kingdom of Bhutan health system review. Health Syst Transit 7(2). Accessed on: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255701/9789290225843-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pieters, D. (2021). Buthan. In: Social Security Law in Small Jurisdictions. The World of Small States, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78247-4_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78247-4_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-78246-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-78247-4
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)