PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS

Over one million refugees currently live in dire conditions in the world’s largest refugee camp near the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Almost three years after the 2017 Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, there is little hope for repatriation or integration in the short term. A recent study by The Asia Foundation and the Center for Peace and Jus… Read more

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics contribute significantly to global environmental degradation. Fortunately, PET plastics can also be recycled, multiple times, to make fabrics, fibers, and other synthetic products. Approximately 10 percent of all plastics imported into Sri Lanka are PET, and many communities continue to dump or burn these r… Read more

With the number of violent conflicts increasing, there is a worldwide need to respond more effectively. The Smart Peace global initiative convened its first virtual roundtable of policy, practice and research experts, hosted by Chatham House. Since 2018, the four-year program combines the expertise of consortium members to address the challenges of… Read more

Located in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of Sri Lanka and India, the Maldives is an archipelago that is well known for its beautiful beaches, oceans, and resorts. With a population of less than half a million, the Maldives is the smallest country in Asia and one of the most geographically dispersed.  Connected by a network of ferries, the… Read more

What if the voices of children and young people held a meaningful place in the conversation about education programs that deeply affect their lives? The Asia Foundation’s Let’s Read initiative in Indonesia worked with a group of 15 youth between the ages of 10 and 14 to use photography to document the impact of humans on their natural environment…. Read more

The Asia Foundation’s Pakistan office joins the efforts of the Government of Pakistan at this difficult time to partner with the District Administration Rawalpindi in their multi-pronged response to Covid-19. To support the response of District Administration Rawalpindi, The Asia Foundation is partnering with Rawalpindi V-Force in Pakistan to disse… Read more

Watch a new film on Asia Foundation partner The Gender Lab, an India based organization working to change gender attitudes. Gender Lab co-founder Akshat Singhal discusses empowering adolescents to question existing gender narratives and engaging boys to challenge fixed notions of masculinity. The boys’ and girls’ collective outreach reached over 10… Read more

At this moment, 9 out of 10 children in the world are out of school. The global Covid-19 pandemic has left millions of children without the essential support of teachers, librarians, and community centers. As a result, parents are frantically finding new ways to help their children continue to learn and grow from their own homes. As the timeline of… Read more

With the spread of Covid-19 and many countries experiencing shelter in place orders, the need for resources to help children understand the world around them and maintain normalcy in their lives is greater than ever. In response, The Asia Foundation’s Let’s Read initiative has published COVIBOOK, written by Manuela Molina Cruz, and available to any… Read more

The Bangladesh tannery industry is still addressing the challenge of ensuring occupational safety and health, and basic labor rights after the relocation of the Tannery Industrial Estate from Hazaribagh to Savar. Business analysts and economists have put enormous focus on the industry tripartite actors—owners, workers’ representatives, and governme… Read more