Gender-based violence against women and girls is one of the most significant social issues today, with widespread impacts including on health and wellbeing, productivity and on national development. Violence Against Women and Girls (VAW/G) is usually ‘gender-based’ because it occurs due to an imbalance of power between women and men and its existence contributes to perpetuating a cycle of inequality.

A lack of data on VAW/G in Bhutan has hampered evidence-based planning and monitoring of development goals. With Bhutan’s 12th five-year plan (2018 –2023) in place and the formulation of the next United Nations One Programme underway, the need for a study to collect national data on the prevalence of VAW/G was given high priority.