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 Gita Sabharwal
Can Engaging with Gang Members in the Maldives Break Cycle of Violence?
May 22, 2013
With presidential elections in the island nation of the Maldives approaching in September, anxiety over an increase in gang-led violence is on the rise, despite the Maldives Police Service having successfully reduced crime on the streets of the capital, Male, in recent months.
Topics: Access to Justice | Economic Development | Education | Governance | Human Rights | Law
Countries: Sri Lanka
As Sri Lanka’s Economy Grows, Commercial Disputes Heat Up
March 27, 2013
Despite decades of internal conflict, Sri Lanka now boasts high-income growth and a notable reduction in human development index shortfall, according to the just-released 2013 Human Development Report entitled, “The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World.”
Topics: Conflict and Fragile Conditions | Economic Development | International Development | Law
Countries: Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Communities Use Tablets to Rebuild War-Torn Provinces
December 5, 2012
The end of a three-decade-long conflict in the Northern and Eastern Provinces in Sri Lanka is finally ushering in peace, security, and stability for millions in these affected communities. Alongside the daunting challenge of integrating thousands of returning internally displaced people…
Unemployed Youth in Maldives Turn to Gangs, Reveals New Report
November 7, 2012
The Maldives – a stretch of islands in the Indian Ocean – is mostly known for its sandy white beaches and crystal clear oceans. Not surprisingly, tourism is the largest contributor to the island chain’s GDP and drives this popular perception. However, despite its undeniable beauty, healthy GDP growth of more than 8 percent…
Topics: Conflict and Fragile Conditions | Economic Development | Governance
Countries: Maldives
Bicycle Patrols Rebuild Trust Between Sri Lanka’s Police and Communities
July 25, 2012
Still recovering from the effects of a 26-year civil war that ended in 2009, Sri Lanka is now seeing hopeful signs that one of its deepest wounds – the relationship between the police and the community – is improving. During the war, police were often preoccupied with counter-insurgency and national security.
Topics: Community Policing | Conflict and Fragile Conditions | Governance | International Development
Countries: Sri Lanka
New Survey in Post-War Sri Lanka Examines Ethno-Religious Relationships
July 11, 2012
Few countries in the world possess the level of ethno-religious pluralism found in Sri Lanka. The country is home to two national languages, Sinhala and Tamil, and four major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. In Sri Lanka, ethnicity and religion are intertwined…
Topics: Governance
Countries: Sri Lanka
SMS System Supports Sri Lanka’s Community Mediation
September 21, 2011
After years of waiting and hoping his mother would legally transfer the portion of family land due to him, the resentment had built up. Athula, the youngest of a poor family of seven, finally decided to take his mother, Soma to court. Their relationship worsened to the point where they were no longer speaking.
Topics: Conflict and Fragile Conditions | Governance | Law | Technology & Development
Countries: Sri Lanka