Overall targets
To nurture democracy in Bhutan through civic education, open discourse and advocacy through targeted capacity development programs for civil organisations, youth and thought leaders.
Immediate targets
1. Advocacy capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bhutan is increased to promote issues that pertain to their mission and interests, 2. Role of citizens in Bhutan's democracy is increased amongst youth and civil society members, 3. Enhancing citizen's voice through the Media Lab.
Target groups
The primary target group includes core members of the CSOs, the college and college-bound youth (19-25 yrs. old), CSO board members and advisers. The secondary target group includes: 1) 100 civil society staff, thought leaders and 'Friends of BCMD'. Currently, about 50 CSOs have been registered by the Civil Society Organisations Authority of Bhutan with BCMD as the first one in 2010; 2) Empowering about 100 youths through the youth program and media lab, and indirectly influencing another 200 youth; 3) Through the advocacy activities including indirectly elected leaders, bureaucrats and other people.
Resume
Deepening democracy in Bhutan: The overall goal of this project is to contribute to the nurturing of democracy in Bhutan through civic education, public discourse and advocacy. The project enhances the capacity of the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy as well as other civil society organisations to contribute to the deepening of democracy through promoting understanding of citizenship and democracy and building new networks among youth, members and heads of civil society organisations and thought-leaders (e.g. journalists, writers, specialists and bloggers who influence public domain). In the long term, the project will contribute to the sustainability of activities begun in the earlier phases by further strengthening the capacity of civil society groups to engage more regularly with Bhutan's new MPs after the 3rd general elections in 2018.