In Asia: Weekly Insight and Features from Asia

Democratic transition in Burma/Myanmar has so far been peaceful, rapid, and encouraging. The world is watching in anticipation to see whether these developments will result in greater political participation and economic opportunity for the nation’s people. On April 2 at California State University in Sacramento, Asia Foundation President David Arnold joins the University’s distinguished experts, [...]

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Malaysia’s 13th general elections must be called by June 2013. After the ruling Barisan Nasional lost its two thirds majority in the 2008 elections, the big question in the minds of citizens and political parties is whether BN will recapture its majority or lose further ground to the opposition.

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As the world population approaches 9 billion by 2050 and demand for food rises, tackling food security and sustainability is one of the most critical challenges. In Asia editor Alma Freeman spoke with former Asia Foundation president and member of Congress, Douglas Bereuter…

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The inauguration ceremony of South Korea’s new president, Park Geun-hye, was held on February 25 with mixed feelings among Koreans about her election. She is the daughter of the controversial former president, Park Chung Hee…

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Indonesia is a successful but flawed democracy: while the electoral process has worked well, the quality of democratic governance is less encouraging. Missing from the equation between elections and democracy is political accountability. Parties’ obsession with coalition building as a route to political power…

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The Asia Foundation in Thailand just released a new animation series that raises public understanding of the role of forensic investigation in criminal justice administration. Forensic investigation holds special significance in Thailand, where allegations of human rights abuse routinely arise. Originally intended to educate young people about forensic investigation, the films are now used by [...]

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On Monday, March 11, 2013, The Asia Foundation and the U.S. Department of State launched a new report, Access to Trade and Growth of Women’s SMEs in APEC Developing Economies, at the United Nations in New York. The report reveals that while women’s contribution to economies is increasing, persistent barriers exist that limit the ability [...]

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In Vietnam, a remarkable 95 percent of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 have access to the internet, with social networking growing so rapidly that Vietnam is Facebook’s fastest growing market in the world, with an estimated 8.5 million users, according to a We Are Social report. No doubt, rapid economic growth in the past two decades has contributed to tremendous social transformation in Vietnam, while global integration and the communications revolution have connected young Vietnamese to outside information and views like never before. Despite these trends, a brand new survey reveals that traditional gender roles remain deeply embedded in Vietnamese society and institutions, permeating work, home, and the public arena.

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For International Women’s Day, the UN declared 2013 a “time for action to end violence against women,” as the theme of the annual global event. In the lead up to IWD, on February 14 tens of thousands of events were held in 207 countries across the globe…

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This year, the Cambodian Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ 5-year strategic plan, known as the Neary Rattanak III, which aims to ensure gender equality for women, comes to a close. While serious obstacles remain, women have made great strides in Cambodia, particularly in the area of political participation.

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