INASIA
Weekly Insights and Analysis
To our readers: As the COVID-19 emergency unfolds around the globe, the health and safety of the communities where we work is our top priority. As we protect and care for one another, we are working hard with our partners, grantees, and staff to continue the Foundation’s important programs in Asia. We will also continue to bring you InAsia during this challenging time, knowing that readers may be more interested than ever in news of our world.
Coronavirus Dispatches, April 1
As the global health crisis unfolds, Asia Foundation staff send reports from the field.
Nepali Labor Migrants, Covid-19, and the State
Remittances from overseas workers make up a quarter of Nepal’s GDP. But the pandemic has suddenly put these migrant heroes of the national economy in a precarious position.
China’s Domestic Violence Law Turns Four
When Chinese beauty vlogger Yuya revealed her story of domestic violence to the internet, she brought a ray of light to dark corner of Chinese society. But China his making great strides in combating DV.
Letter from Mindanao: Women Driving Change
Civil society organizations are stepping up to support women peacemakers in Asia. Nowhere has their role been more dramatic than in the Mindanao region of the Philippines.
New Rules Right a Wrong in the Philippines
Shelter is a fundamental human right, but the Philippines has a shortage of affordable housing that will reach 6.8 million units by 2022. Now, a new set of rules for rent subsidies, championed by The Asia Foundation’s Coalitions for Change, promises to make decent housing affordable for poor families.
Personal Profile: From Guns to Dialogue in Nepal
Tripani Baijali was in the ninth grade when her friends began to disappear into the custody of police looking for Maoists. Eventually she had to flee for her life, joining the Maoists for her own safety. Today, this former combat leader is a dialogue facilitator for The Asia Foundation.
Green Tea and Recycled Cardboard: Living on the Periphery of Urban Planning in Hanoi
When the garment factories arrived ten years ago, “Tien” had to leave her farm in northern Vietnam and move to Hanoi for work. Today, as she supports herself recycling cardboard and selling tea from a small street stall, she exemplifies the mixed consequences of Asia’s booming urban migration and the challenges for urban planners.
Insights from the Australasian AID Conference 2020
This year’s Australasian AID Conference coincided with Australia’s announced “refresh” of its international development framework. Here are some highlights from the event.
Getting Her Gig on: The Future of Work for Indian Women
On the eve of International Women’s Day, Indian women are still too often excluded from the formal economy. But they’re finding a place in the gig economy, thanks to a raft of tech start-ups that have given them new freedom, flexibility, and economic dignity.