The Future of Work

Working women in the Pacific Islands face a trifecta of challenges from Covid-19, climate change, and disruptive technology. A new report from The Asia Foundation takes a hard look at the path to a better future.

The Future of Work for Women in the Pacific Islands highlights challenges and opportunities women face in the context of the pandemic, climate change, and the imperatives of technology-led change. Across the Pacific there are pronounced gender disparities in labor market participation and the types and level of work women and men perform. Pacific w… Read more

Advanced technologies like automation have utterly transformed economies, livelihoods, labor markets, and workplaces throughout Asia. Hundreds of millions of laborers have been lifted out of poverty as new technology applications created new jobs and industries. At the same time, millions were left behind without access to vital technologies and in… Read more

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies are expecting severe economic repercussions from Covid-19. According to Women, Covid-19, and the Future of Work a new policy brief prepared by the APEC Policy Support Unit with the support of The Asia Foundation, women will face disproportionate impacts caused by the pandemic. The policy brief… Read more

The Asia Foundation is inviting applications for the 2021 YSEALI Future Workforce Workshop implemented by the Foundation with the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. The Workshop, for students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals ages 20-35 from across ASEAN will be held virtually from May 16 to May 23, 2021. The virtual workshop will include a series of… Read more

The Asia Foundation has received a grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Covid-19 Response Fund to support vulnerable communities in Myanmar and Nepal impacted by Covid-19. Across Asia, vulnerable communities such as women, youth, small- and medium-sized business (SMB) owners, and returnee migrant workers continue to be critically impac… Read more

The Asia Foundation has joined the H&M Foundation in a new partnership to coordinate immediate disaster relief for female garment workers in Bangladesh who have been impacted by Covid-19. In addition, through this partnership The Asia Foundation and the H&M Foundation are working to address the longer-term needs, welfare, and livelihoods of… Read more

Thailand has managed the pandemic with aplomb, and economic activity has begun to rebound, but like an invisible ocean tide, signs are emerging that Thailand is in the early stages of a far-reaching economic crisis.

In a still-locked-down Asia-Pacific, the world of work is becoming a world of screens. The digital economy can be a lifeline for both workers and small businesses as they struggle with Covid-19 and the future of work, but prosperity for all will require a delicate balancing act.

Covid-19 is an unprecedented public health crisis that has led to staggering losses in economic activity and jobs. The pandemic will accelerate the adoption of automation by firms and organizations across the region, according to a new policy brief prepared by the APEC Policy Support Unit with the support of The Asia Foundation, titled Covid-19, 4I… Read more

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) presents a variety of opportunities and challenges for the ASEAN region. With support from Microsoft, The Asia Foundation led a regional research program examining the challenges confronting ASEAN policymakers in the face of 4IR transformations and provided recommendations for how stakeholders can work togethe… Read more

This conversation will examine how COVID-19 has hastened digitalization and technological innovation in labor markets, jeopardizing the livelihoods of many Asia-Pacific workers and increasing the need for dynamic, market-aligned upskilling and reskilling. Featuring John Karr, Senior Director, Technology Programs, The Asia Foundation Oliver Petzold,… Read more

Organized jointly by the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management and The Asia Foundation, the “Asian Approaches to Development Cooperation” (AADC) dialogue series brings together development experts and government officials from the Asia region and beyond to share perspectives and to facilitate mutual learning between and… Read more

For millions of Nepali workers who have gone overseas for work in recent years, smartphones have become a crucial tool for navigating the highly complex and risky process of international migration. Yet despite this widespread smartphone usage, there remain serious information gaps between those seeking to migrate and the providers of important ser… Read more