Community Engagement along the Belt and Road: Findings from Cambodia and Pakistan
June 2, 2020The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an economic and infrastructure corridor designed and launched by China in 2013 to promote development, trade, and connectivity, is not only reshaping the geopolitical realities of contemporary development cooperation, but is also having an immediate impact on communities, environments, and local governments across South and Southeast Asia. This pilot research provides insights into community…
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Subnational Governance in Nepal Quarterly Newsletter – Issue 5
June 1, 2020The Subnational Governance Program in Nepal (SNGP) (स्थानीय सरकार सबलीकरण काययक्रम) is implemented through a strategic partnership between the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and The Asia Foundation, in coordination with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration. SNGP aims to generate evidence and data and improve service delivery to promote inclusive governance at the subnational…
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Updates from Washington, DC: May 2020
May 29, 2020In this issue: COVID-19, Gender-Based Violence during Covid-19, InAsia Podcast, ASEAN Microbusinesses, Afghan Disability Survey, Books for Asia in the Pacific, Myanmar, Nepal, and Rohingya Refugees.
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Monitoring Violence in Asia
May 26, 2020Better data is needed to understand the drivers and impacts of conflict and violence in Asia, and to monitor progress against the violence reduction targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals. The Asia Foundation has been supporting the development of violence monitoring systems across Asia. Since these systems rely on local sources of information, we are able to capture the…
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The Impact of Covid-19 Lockdown on Nepal’s Construction Sector
May 13, 2020This paper presents an assessment of the challenges faced by the construction sector in Nepal in the aftermath of the nationwide lockdown announced on March 22. This report has been produced with the generous support of the World Bank in Nepal. The opinions expressed here are solely of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the World Bank…
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Model Disability Survey of Afghanistan 2019
May 13, 2020The Asia Foundation remains committed to closing data gaps by providing empirical research and surveys to inform public policy and development programs to improve Afghan peoples’ lives. The MDSA comes at an historical juncture in time with renewed commitments by the international community towards supporting peace initiatives, including at the time of publication, a reduction in violence. A roadmap on…
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Beyond Relief: Securing Livelihoods and Agency for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh
May 7, 2020Several waves of displacement and migration since 1990 have resulted in the splintering of many Rohingya families, who live indefinitely separated across Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and other countries. Meanwhile, refugees in Bangladesh endure the hardships of camp life while awaiting sustainable solutions to the crisis. A study by The Asia Foundation and the Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University,…
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Situational Assessment of Professional and Technical Occupation Associations
April 30, 2020Most skilled workers in Vietnam are members of science, technology or professional associations that represent and protect the rights and interests of their members. However, they are facing difficulties and challenges including organizational capacity and resources for more sustainable and efficient operations. These associations and their members have limited knowledge of their labor rights as well as labor laws. Moreover,…
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Report on Needs Assessment of Women-Owned Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Vietnam
April 30, 2020The objective of this study is to assess the need for support of women-owned SMEs in Vietnam. Specifically, the report explores the obstacles faced by women-owned SMEs, their need for support including supporting services, method of support, and implementation of support to WOEs. The empirical results also provide evidences for proposing and developing women-owned SME support policies and advocating for…
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Go Digital ASEAN
April 29, 2020Targeting disadvantaged communities across ASEAN, the Go Digital ASEAN initiative is designed to equip MSMEs and the emerging workforce, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, with digital skills and tools; expand economic opportunity across ASEAN countries; and minimize the negative impact from the Covid-19 crisis. The project will reach up to 200,000 underserved people and rural micro-enterprises across the…
