Gender differences in gross national happiness: Analysis of the first nationwide wellbeing survey in Bhutan

Abstract

• By viewing gender differences through GNH’s multidimensional domains and indicators understandings of gender equality in Bhutan are advanced. • The GNH survey indicates that men are happier than women with wellbeing gaps widest in work, leisure time, literacy, and political participation. • The GNH survey indicates gender wellbeing is strongest in assets and land tenure, but gender-biased perceptions that disadvantage women exist. • GNH can benefit from gender analysis by expanding to include qualitative methods that explore gendered socio-cultural attitudes and stigmas. • Gender analysis of practical and strategic needs can benefit from GNH by adding a third dimension of wellbeing needs as an outcome of development. At a moment when market-oriented, techno-centric and consumption-led approaches prevail in response to otherwise complex socio-cultural and political-economic realities, innovative concepts from Bhutan present an alternative bearing on equitable, sustainable and holistic development. Elaborated in the 1970 s by the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, GNH is encoded in Bhutan’s constitution, the driving philosophy of its development process, and is gaining momentum as an alternative development approach globally. While GNH has been studied from various angles, the survey findings have not been analyzed from a gender perspective. Recognizing this as a critical gap, this study seeks to better understand gender differences in Bhutan. It does so through the disaggregation and analysis of the first GNH nationwide survey data, domains and indicators by gender, triangulation of the findings against secondary literature, and contextualization within contemporary debates about gender in the context of development. Such an exercise is critical, given the disconnects that exist between perceptions of gender ‘neutrality’ and ‘equality’ based on women’s relatively strong position in certain areas, and the GNH data, which demonstrates gender differences in wellbeing in Bhutan. Our study finds that overall men are happier than women. Men fair better in GNH domains such as education, psychological wellbeing, time use, governance, community vitality, whereas women do better in the domains of living standards and ecological diversity and resilience. Several gender barriers exists, including social stigmas and attitudes that disadvantage women in terms of political participation, decision-making and status. Such an analysis is timely, given the Royal Government of Bhutan’s efforts to pro-actively address gender issues that crosscut the GNH domains and shape gender relations, culture and society. The study reflects on Bhutan as a unique context for the study of gender and development, and highlights novel contributions that advance the field of development by studying GNH from a gender lens, and vice versa.