I recently got interested in an ongoing project on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), particularly as someone who has worked in schools for over a decade. While GESI is not a new topic, such topic that are often discussed almost everywhere, does not necessarily translate into systematic investigation, evidence, or research that can inform practice.
Although the project is still underway, it has already produced research outputs, offering evidence and insights that can contribute to how we understand and address GESI in Bhutanese schools.
What I find particularly interesting about the project is its focus on listening to students themselves. The project seeks to understand what children value and consider important for a good life rather than relying only on what adults think children need. This has the potential to make school learning and school environments more responsive to the experiences, aspirations, and genuinely inclusive places for every child.
GESI project is also directly relevant to Bhutan’s national education goals and challenges. The Bhutan Education Blueprint and other national frameworks emphasise the importance of inclusive and equitable education. However, national reports, such as those from the Royal Audit Authority, have highlighted ongoing gaps. For example, while Bhutan has achieved gender parity in primary education, the Gender Parity Index (GPI) for secondary education was 0.84 in 2023, indicating a higher number of male students. This shows that while policies exist, implementation on the ground needs focused interventions. This project directly addresses that gap by providing school-level tools and data to make GESI a practical reality.
What the Project is About
Titled as Promoting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Schools: Building on What Children Value and Aspire to Do and Be, the project is a multi-country initiative involving Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It is supported by the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
In Bhutan, it is being implemented by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) in partnership with Samtse College of Education, and it is currently active in five schools in Samtse district. The primary mechanism for this project is the establishment of LIKE Clubs (Learning Innovation Knowledge Exchange) in the participating schools. These clubs serve as the main intervention to promote GESI and build children’s capabilities. The activity book is designed for use in these clubs, providing structured activities that foster dialogue, empathy, and practical skills related to inclusion and equality.
As the project title suggests, the core idea is to promote gender equality and social inclusion in schools by identifying what children value (referred herein as “Children’s valued capabilities”) and using that to create safer, more supportive learning environments. This is where the project’s philosophy moves from paper to practice, creating a safe space for students to explore and value their own and others’ capabilities.
Key Outcomes of the Project
Even at its infant stage, the project has released a baseline report, children’s storybooks, a narrative book, and an activity book. These documents provide a comprehensive look at the project’s initial phase and its goals.
This is the central document that establishes the initial status of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and children’s valued capabilities in the participating schools. This is the primary source for data on the project’s starting point.
Children’s Books
There are two storybooks created to introduce key concepts to younger students:
This is a story book about body autonomy, personal boundaries, consent, and safe relationships. Tshomo learns from a magical bubble that her body belongs to her and that she has the right to say “yes” or “no” to physical touch, even when it comes from someone she knows. Through her interactions with her uncle and teacher, she discovers the importance of speaking up, respecting others’ choices, and asking for consent before giving a hug. The story encourages children to build confidence, understand their rights, and develop respectful relationships in a safe and inclusive environment.
This book tells a story about sharing, teamwork, gender equality, and social inclusion. The story follows a group of schoolchildren who prepare momos together, where Jigme initially feels embarrassed when others suggest that cooking is only for girls. With Pema’s encouragement, the children learn that everyone, regardless of gender, can participate in cooking, cleaning, and other responsibilities. The book teaches children the importance of challenging gender stereotypes, respecting one another, and working together to create a fair, inclusive, and supportive environment.
Rewriting Norms: Narratives in Scaling GESI shares experiences and lessons learned from students and faculty. It provides qualitative, human insights into the practical challenges and successes of implementing GESI.
Activity Book
The Learning Innovation Knowledge Exchange (LIKE) Club Activity Book contains activities designed to strengthen children valued educational capabilities in a practical, engaging way.
As this project advances, I wish to read the next phase of work which may possibly, for example, involve a thorough analysis of the Baseline Report to draw specific, data-driven conclusions about the current state of GESI in the project schools. This analysis will be critical to effectively using the storybooks, the narrative book, and the LIKE Club activities to address the specific needs and aspirations of the students.
Additional Readings
Seden, K., Tamang, T. O., Gayphel, K., Dorji, K., Kinley, Rai, R., Wangmo, S., Zangmo, S., & Rinchen, S. (2024). Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Bhutan: A Situational Analysis Focused on Children’s Valued Educational Capabilities. Educational Innovation and Practice. 9(1), 1–70.
Seden, K., Tamang, T., Gayphel, K., Dorji, K., Kinley., & Wangmo., S. (2025). Promoting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Schools Building on What they Value and Aspire to Be and Do: Assessing Children's Valued Educational Capabilities Through Capability Approach (Baseline Report from Bhutanese Schools 2025). Learning Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Lab. Katmandu University.
Seden, K., & Tamang, T. O. (2025). Building teachers’ capacity through the capability approach to advance gender equality and social inclusion in Bhutanese schools. Journal of Educational Action Research: The CERD Educational Journal, 8(1), 16–31. https://doi.org/10.17102/jear.25.07.125569
Seden, K., Wangmo, S., Thapa, S., Yangdon, Rai, R., Zangmo, S., Choden, K., & Tshering, P. (2025). Advancing gender equity in school leadership: Empowering women leaders in Bhutan’s education system. GPE KIX. https://www.gpekix.org/knowledge-repository/kix-emap-learning-cycle-case-study-advancing-gender-equity-school-leadership
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