In Asia: Weekly Insight and Features from Asia

Last weekend, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held its 14th Summit in Cha-am, Thailand. This was the first summit since the ratification of the ASEAN Charter in December 2008, making the group a rules-based organization and committing it to principles of good governance, rule of law, and the protection of human rights for [...]

> More

The economy was at the top of the agenda at the 14th ASEAN summit this past week in Cha-am, Thailand. Just beforehand, on February 26, 2009, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN and a Trustee of The Asia Foundation, laid out some of the issues at the 2009 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) in [...]

> More

Chairman Ackerman, Ranking Member Burton, Members of the Committee: Mr. Chairman, you and I had the privilege of joining President Bill Clinton on his five-day visit to India in March 2000. Little did we know then that today that visit is seen as a “turning point” in U.S.-India relations. After decades of being “estranged democracies,” [...]

> More

In the face of economic hardships and social pressures, some women in Pakistan, with support from The Asia Foundation, are finding innovative ways to participate in their communities. Some have been gaining momentum in finding jobs in traditionally male-dominated sectors like carpentry, food processing, and fiber glass molding for construction. Others, empowered by business skills [...]

> More

I recently watched a local Nepali theater group skillfully combine theater with politics to explore gender-based violence in conflict-affected communities. Developed in the 1970s by a Brazilian political activist and director, “The International Theater of the Oppressed” is a method that has been practiced in theaters across the globe to help communities address social injustices. [...]

> More

Some may be surprised to discover that Pacific Island nations are leading the way in the international movement to recruit more female police officers in hopes of redressing  violence against women, improving women’s access to justice, and enhancing general safety and security for the entire population. According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2007 [...]

> More

International Women’s Day brings attention to the enormous challenges and opportunities that women from developed and developing countries alike face in their pursuit for equality in schools, the workplace, and community and political life. At Books for Asia, we are especially proud of the increased access to education our program extends to girls and women [...]

> More