Status of Human Rights Report 2018 ACRONYMSFORWARDSUMMARYSTATE PROTECTION MECHANISMPOLITICAL FREEDOMRIGHT TO EXPRESSION & FREEDOM OF INFORMATIONRELIGIOUS FREEDOMMINORITY ISSUESWOMEN ISSUESCHILDREN ISSUESEMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR RIGHTSLGBT RIGHTSPRISON SITUATIONSECURITY & CRIMECONCLUSIONANNEXURE   FORWARDIt is my pleasure to be a part of the team to bring out an annual human rights report on Bhutan. Bhutan has adopted a controlled democratic set up which can be considered an outcome of our post 1990 political and human rights campaign. In 1998, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was compelled to reinstitute the power vested by his father King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck to the National Assembly of Bhutan. He further evolved the idea to “guided” democracy eventually declaring the country in 2008 as Constitutional Monarchy. Now, Bhutan has a written constitution. Because of this development Bhutan is freer than pre 1990 situation but yet it is a long way to go to achieve democracy as enjoyed in truly democratic system of governance. The checks and balances in the system are so weak that the “guided” democracy could easily turn into a permanent road block in the quest for true democracy in Bhutan. As a team member of this fresh initiative to publish the annual human rights report in Bhutan. We will cover cultural rights, civil rights, minority rights and economic rights of Bhutanese people as seen by people in the opposition bench. It is hoped that such reports will be useful for self-evaluation of the people in the government and the need to do more for opening up the country for better governance. I also congratulate the team members from the resettled Bhutanese communities for coming forward to join the publication team. We have a long way to go. There is a need for us to organise at global level a vibrant Bhutanese Diaspora which should not only be able to take care of its own interest but also help Bhutan and the Bhutanese people to make economic and…