Bhutan is set to pilot the Care Georeferencing Tool in Thimphu from June to November 2026, aiming to improve how care needs are identified and addressed in urban planning. Developed by UNDP, the tool is designed to map where care is needed, where services already exist, and where critical gaps in access and investment remain.
Care work, including support for children, older persons, and people with disabilities, plays a vital role in sustaining families and economies, yet it is often underrepresented in planning and public investment. The new initiative seeks to make this work more visible and measurable through spatial data.
The pilot is being implemented by Bhutan’s Department of Human Settlement under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, in collaboration with Thimphu City and UNDP. By combining data on care needs with the distribution of services such as childcare centres and community facilities, the tool will generate a detailed digital care map of Thimphu.
This mapping system will help policymakers identify underserved areas and prioritize infrastructure and service investments more effectively. The approach is expected to reduce reliance on assumptions and improve evidence-based decision-making in urban planning.
According to officials involved in the initiative, the tool represents a shift toward recognizing care infrastructure as essential to city development, similar to roads and housing. It also supports broader goals of integrating social needs into spatial planning frameworks.
The pilot arrives at a time when unpaid care work remains unevenly distributed in Bhutan, with women and girls spending significantly more time on caregiving responsibilities than men. This imbalance has implications for labour force participation, education, and leadership opportunities.
At the same time, Bhutan is experiencing rising demand for care services due to demographic and social changes such as ageing populations, urbanization, and migration. These pressures highlight the need for more structured and equitable care systems.
The Care Georeferencing Tool is expected to support Bhutan’s long-term development goals by strengthening gender-responsive planning and improving access to essential services. If successful, the pilot in Thimphu could be expanded to other parts of the country, helping to embed care considerations more deeply into national planning processes.
