Women’s Rights and Personal Security
Foreign Policy Highlights 2019 Afghan Survey
September 14, 2020
Media Coverage Post
Foreign Policy cites data from The Asia Foundation’s 2019 Survey of the Afghan People in an op-ed assessing how women are key to addressing gender health inequality. Afghanistan is instructive. Women there are making slow gains in challenging existing norms about their role in public life, particularly the Taliban’s resistance to the inclusion of w… Read more
Her Right to the City: Must Women Tread in Fear?
February 5, 2020
Blog Post
India has invested for decades in women’s empowerment, but the persistent threat of harassment and violence in cities shows that the built environment must change to make women safe in public spaces.
China: Tackling Domestic Violence and Its Effects in the Workplace
January 22, 2020
Blog Post
Chinese statistics show that a quarter of that country’s married women have suffered domestic violence from their husbands. Though it’s critical that these women remain employed if they are to escape these abusive relationships, survivors often struggle with work. But China is making encouraging progress with measures to keep women active and safe in the workplace.
The Gender Dimensions of a Changing Climate
September 25, 2019
Blog Post
The biennial conference of the Women’s Funding Network, which took place in San Francisco September 11–13, provided an opportunity for The Asia Foundation to convene the panel “Gender and Climate Justice: Lessons from Asia and the Pacific.” The changing climate is arguably the biggest issue of our time, and the follow-on effects of environmental di… Read more
The Gender Lab Boys Program
September 11, 2019
Blog Post
From 2018 to 2019, 2,500 boys from 61 schools in Mumbai, Indore, and Delhi, India, took a journey to redefine masculinity and stand up to gender-based violence. The Gender Lab Boys Program is the brainchild of cofounders Akshat Singhal and Ayushi Banerji, strong believers in the power of collective action who say they are out to change a patriarcha… Read more
Women and Gender Equality in Afghanistan: Key Findings from the 2018 Afghan Survey
Washington, DC, Thursday, December 6, 2018
Events Post
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Choate Room, First Floor 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 The 2018 Survey of the Afghan People provides critical insights on the status of women in Afghanistan and highlights gender gaps on a wide range of issues. The results of The Asia Foundation’s 14th annual public opinion survey are based on face-to-face int… Read more
A Skilled Global Girls Workforce
October 10, 2018
Blog Post
October 11 marks the eighth annual celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, established by the United Nations to address the challenges that continue to confront girls around the world. This year’s theme, With Her: A Skilled Girl Force, begins a year-long commitment by the global community to increase learning opportunities and build… Read more
Key Laws Impacting Women in Myanmar
August 1, 2018
Program Snapshot Post
Myanmar has long had a stated commitment to women’s role in public life. It was among the first countries in Asia to grant women the right to vote, in 1935. Myanmar endorsed the Beijing Declaration in 1995 and became a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1997. The National Strategic Plan fo… Read more
Reflections on the Gender 360 Summit
Washington, DC, August 1, 2018
Program Snapshot Post
More than 300 gender and youth practitioners convened last month in Washington, DC, for the Gender 360 Summit to explore the theme of positive girl and boy development. Panels examined how gender issues intersect with health, education, economic empowerment, and gender-based violence among girls, boys, and youth of diverse gender identities. Over t… Read more
More Female Prosecutors for Afghanistan
July 18, 2018
Blog Post
Female participation in the legal sector has increased dramatically in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, but fundamental legal and gender reforms have yet to truly take root in the country. Afghan society’s strict segregation of the sexes, and a shortage of female legal professionals, makes it difficult for women to seek red… Read more
Women Funded 2017: Tools for Turbulent Times
San Francisco, September 6-8, 2017
Events Post
The Park Central Hotel 50 Third Street, San Francisco, CA The Asia Foundation is proud to be a co-sponsor of the three-day Women’s Funding Network conference. Join 300 women’s fund and foundation leaders, corporate foundations investing in economic security, senior executives of diversity and inclusion initiatives, and issue experts from around the… Read more
Women and Leadership in Pakistan: A Conversation with Sofia Shakil
August 23, 2017
Blog Post
Concerns over access to justice and women’s rights are high in Pakistan. The appalling revenge rape in mid-July of a 17-year-old girl, ordered by a tribal council, has again ignited outrage over the country’s justice system and the sustained level of violence against women. In this interview, The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Pakistan… Read more
India’s New Anti-Human Trafficking Law: What You Need to Know
June 8, 2016
Blog Post
Human trafficking in India has reached a crisis level. A prominent headline in The Hindu last week declared ”An unsavory fact: India tops global slavery index.” A U.S. State Department report estimates that up to 65 million people were trafficked into forced labor, both into and within India. More recently, research reveals that India has the highe… Read more
Carnegie Corporation’s Vartan Gregorian: Transforming Afghan Women’s Lives through Education
May 4, 2016
Blog Post
On May 11, The Asia Foundation will host its sixth annual Lotus Leadership Awards Gala in New York City, honoring First Lady of Afghanistan, Rula Ghani, and Carnegie Corporation of New York and its president, Vartan Gregorian, for their efforts to improve the quality of life for women and girls in Afghanistan. The evening gala is a platform fo… Read more
One Man’s Efforts to Educate Afghan Girls
April 27, 2016
Blog Post
Below is an excerpt from a profile of 2016 Asia Foundation Development Fellow, Nangyalai Attal, which appeared this week in HuffPost Women. Attal’s work focuses on Afghan girls and young women. The article comes from a new book from the George W. Bush Institute, with an introduction by former First Lady Laura Bush, “We Are Afghan Women: Voices of H… Read more
Lotus Circle: A Gender Smart Investment for Women and Girls
April 13, 2016
Blog Post
While women and girls are increasingly able to realize their rights and contribute to society, they continue to face enormous challenges and disadvantages across Asia. Today data shows that no country can get ahead if it leaves women and girls behind. In the words of former World Bank President Robert Zoellick: “Gender equality is smart economics.”… Read more
2015 Lotus Leadership Awards
June 4, 2015
Slideshow
On June 3, The Asia Foundation’s Lotus Circle honored journalist and author Sheryl WuDunn, and Dr. Ranjana Kumari, a leader in the women’s rights movement in India, at the fifth annual Lotus Leadership Awards in New York City, for their contributions to the well-being of women and girls in Asia. Ms. WuDunn, the first Asian-American reporter to win… Read more
Lotus Circle Advisor Missie Rennie Hosts Lyn Devon Trunk Show to Benefit The Asia Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Program
October 11, 2013
Slideshow
On September 24, 2013, Asia Foundation Trustee and Lotus Circle Advisor Missie Rennie hosted a trunk show at fashion designer Lyn Devon’s Manhattan showroom to benefit The Asia Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Program. The all-day event gathered guests including Asia Foundation Trustee and Lotus Circle Advisor Masako H. Shinn and Young Lotus Circle… Read more
USAID Afghanistan Features MORE Project Launch
September 10, 2013
Media Coverage Post
USAID Afghanistan features the launch of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Organizational Restructuring and Empowerment Project (MORE), organized by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), The Asia Foundation and USAID. Read the full article: “MORE for Afghan Women’s Empowerment.”
A Report on Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives Led by the Government of Nepal
September 5, 2013
Publication
The second publication A Report on Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives Led by the Government of Nepal, the first-ever report brought out by the Government of Nepal/Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, highlights the important initiatives undertaken by the Government of Nepal in addressing human trafficking in Nepal between April 2012 and… Read more
Cambodia Counter-Trafficking in Persons Program
August 30, 2013
Publication
An overview of The Asia Foundation’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons Program in Cambodia.
The Asia Foundation and The Lotus Circle Honor Mr. Chong-Moon Lee at Annual Lotus Leadership Awards Luncheon
New York, June 6, 2013
News Post
Award-winning ABC News veteran Lynn Sherr to interview U.S. Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Today, The Asia Foundation and The Lotus Circle, a community of individuals working with The Asia Foundation to empower women and girls in Asia, honor Silicon Valley entrepr… Read more
Asia Foundation Workshop Outlines Counter-Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Strategies
Kathmandu, September 19, 2012
News Post
Kathmandu forum seeks more holistic approach to combat trafficking in persons On September 17-19, 2012, expert speakers, donors, and participants joined the Asia Foundation in Kathmandu, Nepal for “Capturing Lessons Learned, Charting the Way Forward.” The three-day counter-trafficking in persons (TIP) workshop, hosted by The Asia Foundation’s Women… Read more
Counter-Trafficking in Persons Program: Prosecution
August 2, 2012
Slideshow
An alarming number of Cambodians, approximately 35 percent, live on less than $1.00 a day. In cities and small towns, young people are vulnerable to false promises of jobs or marriage—and are still systemtically trafficked into exploitative situations. Unsuspecting individuals, struggling to survive, are forced into prostitution or labor and also s… Read more
Counter-Trafficking in Persons Program: Protection
August 2, 2012
Slideshow
An alarming number of Cambodians, approximately 35 percent, live on less than $1.00 a day. In cities and small towns, young people are vulnerable to false promises of jobs or marriage—and are still systemtically trafficked into exploitative situations. Unsuspecting individuals, struggling to survive, are forced into prostitution or labor and also s… Read more
Counter-Trafficking in Persons Program: Prevention
July 3, 2012
Slideshow
An alarming number of Cambodians, approximately 35 percent, live on less than $1.00 a day. In cities and small towns, young people are vulnerable to false promises of jobs or marriage—and are still systemtically trafficked into exploitative situations. Unsuspecting individuals, struggling to survive, are forced into prostitution or labor and also s… Read more
Celebrating Women of Asia
March 3, 2010
Slideshow
Millions of women in Asia are on the rise – taking advantage of expanding economic and educational opportunities, political participation, increasing rights and influence within their societies. At the same time, others remain trapped in a cycle of illiteracy, poverty, or ill health, often lacking the means to raise themselves and their families ou… Read more
Wall Street Journal Op-ed: Cambodia Tackles Human Trafficking
Phnom Penh, June 12, 2008
Media Coverage Post
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed by The Asia Foundation’s Marielle Sander-Lindstrom, Chief of Party, Counter Trafficking in Persons Project (C-TIP), about Cambodia’s first-ever national efforts to collect standardized data on human trafficking. Trafficking statistics are notoriously difficult to gather, and consistent, accurate… Read more
The Asia Foundation Launches Innovative Anti-Trafficking Program in Vietnam
Hanoi, May 30, 2007
News Post
The Asia Foundation is launching a $300,000 project to combat human trafficking in Vietnam over the next two years. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Government of Vietnam and local organizations in five provinces most affected by human trafficking. To support the project activities, The Asia Foundation will open an office on… Read more