Sexual and gender-Based Violence (SGBV), including domestic violence (DV), has long been a pervasive issue in Bhutan, cutting across communities and deeply affecting the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of survivors. According to Bhutan’s National Commission for Women and Children, an average of five women and children suffer abuse every day. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reported cases surged by 53% in 2020, as documented by RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women), our Associate Member in Bhutan.
This crisis, however, goes beyond protection and justice. Survivors of violence often carry invisible wounds: trauma, anxiety, depression, and a profound loss of self-worth. Without addressing these wounds, recovery is incomplete. That is why RENEW has placed mental health at the heart of its SGBV response—and, by extension, at the center of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
Since its founding in 2004, RENEW has taken a holistic approach to tackling gender-based violence. Its model weaves together prevention, intervention, and reintegration—ensuring survivors are not just rescued but are also supported, empowered, and given the tools to thrive. Mental health and psychosocial support are core to this model. Free counselling services are offered nationwide, including individual, couple, and family sessions. These are not mere add-ons—they are foundational to helping survivors rebuild lives marked by trauma and disempowerment.
when
country
Bhutan
region
South Asia
Related Member Association
Respect Educate Nurture Empower Women - Bhutan
RENEW's Community Service Centers in 13 districts offer safe spaces and a range of services designed to meet survivors where they are. The vision is simple but profound: no one should face violence or its aftermath alone.
The impact is telling. RENEW has served over 550 survivors directly through psychosocial care and vocational training, enabling them not just to heal, but also ensuring economic independence and dignity of care. To ensure this support reaches those who need it the most, RENEW operates Community Service Centers in 13 districts. These centers offer safe spaces and a range of services designed to meet survivors where they are. The vision is simple but profound: no one should face violence or its aftermath alone.
Over the years, RENEW has trained more than 890 certified counsellors across Bhutan. These mental health professionals are not only equipped with global-standard training through RENEW’s affiliation with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC-USA), but their education is rooted in Bhutan’s cultural and social context. In 2025 alone, 40 counsellors were trained through RENEW’s specialized five-day program, which emphasizes culturally relevant, survivor-centered care.
This training is more than a technical exercise—it’s part of a growing movement. A movement to ensure that mental health care is not a privilege but a right. A movement to ensure that support is not just reactive but proactive, embedded in communities, and sensitive to the unique needs of adolescents and vulnerable groups. A movement to create an ecosystem of care that strengthens early intervention and inclusion.
RENEW is working to scale its efforts nationwide in the future. The aim is to expand mental health and protection services across all 20 districts of Bhutan. In doing so, RENEW is not only responding to violence—it is transforming how Bhutan understands healing, dignity, and rights.
At the heart of this transformation is a powerful insight: mental health is not secondary. It is not an afterthought. It is a prerequisite for well-being, for justice, and for empowerment. By integrating mental health into its SGBV response, RENEW is showing that sexual and reproductive health cannot be fully realized unless emotional and psychological healing are prioritized.
In a country that values compassion, community, and wellbeing, Bhutan has the opportunity to lead by example. And RENEW is lighting the path.
