The Bhutan National Legal Institute (BNLI), with the support of UNICEF Bhutan, successfully concluded the second phase of its Legal Advocacy Program on Access to Justice for Children for School Law Clubs across the nation yesterday. Commencing on October 8, 2025, in Bumthang, the program reached its successful conclusion yesterday at Shari Higher Secondary School in Paro.ย
During this phase, the BNLI imparted vital legal knowledge to 835 participants (357 male and 478 female), with a particular focus on the Rights and Duties of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL). This accomplishment marked yet another milestone in Bhutanโs enduring journey to nurture a legally aware, responsible, and just generation.
The first phase, launched in 2024, had extended to 27 schools across 13 districts, engaging 1,031 participants, including students and Club Coordinators. Building upon that foundation, the second phase expanded the program to the remaining 26 School Law Clubs, achieving full national coverage across all 20 Dzongkhags. In total, approximately 1,866 participants have now been introduced to their legal rights and responsibilities through the program.
At its heart, the program aimed to empower young minds with legal literacy, deepening their understanding of child justice, the protection the law affords them, and their role in upholding it. By introducing students to the principles of due process and restorative justice, the BNLI aimed to foster both a respect for the rule of law and an understanding of the impact on those affected by it.
In fulfilling its noble mandate as the patron institution of School Law Clubs in Bhutan, the BNLI continued to foster a spirit of legal education among the nationโs youth. Through these clubs, students not only learned about the law but also about its living values such as fairness, accountability, and civic duty.
As the program unfolded and concluded across all 20 Dzongkhags, the BNLI reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to enriching the nationโs future through legal awareness, education, and empowerment. For every child who learns to respect the law becomes a citizen capable of strengthening it, and in every school that upholds justice, a stronger Bhutan takes root. Each step forward in legal literacy brings the country closer to its timeless vision: a society guided by wisdom, harmony, and the rule of law.
The BNLI expressed its deepest gratitude to the School Managements and School Law Club Coordinators nationwide for their unwavering support and coordination. The Institute also extended sincere appreciation to all participants for their enthusiasm and commitment to nurturing law-abiding citizens through legal education.
Through this collective dedication and collaboration, the BNLI found renewed inspiration to advance the School Law Club Program to even greater heights. The Institute looks forward to a continued partnership and shared purpose in fostering a generation of Bhutan that is legally enlightened, promoting a just and harmonious future.ย