As demand for water for the 700 million people living in the world’s most densely-populated river basins – the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra – rises, new tensions are surfacing that threaten South Asia’s stability. To respond, The Asia Foundation just announced an expansion of its partnership with the Skoll Global Threats Fund, to strengthen access to information on transboundary issues and foster a regional dialogue between stakeholders on the critical issue of international water sharing. 
Posts By Geoffrey Swenson
Stanford, Asia Foundation Launch First Text to Focus on Laws of Timor-Leste
December 7, 2011
Law has little meaning when it is not widely understood. Concepts like “conflict of interest” or “integrity” are used repeatedly in theories and explanations of law, but they are not self-explanatory. Perhaps nowhere is this more the case than in Timor-Leste, where rule of law is in the early stages of institutionalization and not well-understood by most citizens.
Topics: Education | International Development | Law | Legal Aid
Countries: Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste’s Legal Aid Lawyers Offer Vital Voice on Draft Legal Aid Law
August 24, 2011
Last month, Timor-Leste took a commendable step toward institutionalizing free legal assistance for its citizens who cannot afford it. Although the exact shape of legal assistance for the disadvantaged here remains uncertain…
Topics: International Development | Law | Legal Aid
Countries: Timor-Leste
Asia’s Newest State Builds Legal Education, Expertise
March 30, 2011
Legal professionals are indispensable for the rule of law; they draft laws, shape government policy, ensure compliance with legitimate rules and regulations, and inculcate respect for individual rights. Education dramatically affects a lawyer’s performance…
Topics: Governance | Law | Legal Aid
Countries: Timor-Leste
In the Shadow of the Himalayas: Nepal Faces Climate Change
December 2, 2009
The Himalaya mountain range is warming at a rate three times faster than the rest of the planet, and the impact of this crisis is reverberating throughout Nepal. Snowcaps are receding, new lakes are making traditional animal herding routes impassable, landslides are becoming more frequent, and insects that previously were unable to live in the [...]
Topics: Environment
Countries: Bangladesh | Nepal