Assessment of the Challenges and Opportunities of Women in the Construction Industry of Bhutan

Assessment of the Challenges and Opportunities of Women in the Construction Industry of Bhutan

Lily Gurung¹, Yadhu Raj Acharya²

^1,2Civil Engineering Department, College of Science and Technology, Royal University of Bhutan

---------------------------------------------------------------------***---------------------------------------------------------------------

Abstract

Construction sector being one of the biggest sectors in terms of its economic activities (16% GDP and 5.1% workforce) and considering the long operational life of infrastructure, assessing gender parity in construction industries becomes inevitable. Gender mainstreaming can reinforce gender inequalities for decades, wasting limited financial resources and putting lives at risk. Evidently, it is also equally important to promote gender equality and empowerment of women. However, in Bhutan's construction industry, women face numerous challenges that limit their participation and representation in infrastructure project planning, implementation, and monitoring. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the challenges faced by women and their opportunities in the construction industry of Bhutan. Data was collected from 116 respondents who worked under various sectors including government, corporations and private firms. Relative importance indices were evaluated from the data collected and pareto charts were developed for the analysis and to present the results. Recommendations have been presented from both the respondents and the authors which could be implemented to address the challenges faced by women in the construction industry.

Key Words:  Construction Industry, Relative Important Index, Pareto chart, Gender Mainstreaming