The Asia Foundation

Organizing and hosting the 2nd Annual Luang Prabang Film Festival and related filmmaking and educational activities around this event.

Local Partner:

Luang Prabang Film Festival

Acquisition and distribution of 6,496 books and journals to 22 schools, universities, public libraries, and other institutions throughout Laos.

Using river monitoring to protect natural resources and enable broad Lao constituencies to participate meaningfully in building the environmental sustainability of Laos.

Local Partners:

Lao Front for National Construction; Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union; Lao Women's Union; National University of Laos; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Improving the general public and the government's understanding of potential contributions of civil society organizations by facilitating access to information. Fostering civil society engagement with the National Assembly.

Local Partner:

Learning House for Development

Purchasing books for IFA's Library. Publication of the book Diplomatic Principles written by the vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Providing Internet access for IFA. Supporting the director of the Training Division to attend the 39th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations.

Local Partner:

Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Building upon ongoing efforts to improve access to justice for Lao citizens. Continuing to strengthen legal aid and education through multiple avenues: providing legal aid for poor and rural citizens; improving the services and capabilities of the Lao Bar Association; increasing understanding of laws, rights, and the legal system; strengthening the effectiveness of grassroots justice delivery; and enhancing cooperation and collaboration among government institutions, civil society organizations, and legal aid providers. Supporting the Law Committee of the National Assembly to provide legal dissemination in Attapu, Sekong, and Salavanh provinces and a workshop to interpret five laws: the law on penal code; law on drugs; law on criminal procedure; law on civil procedure; and law on labor.

Local Partners:

Lao Bar Association; Law Committee of the National Assembly Ministry of Justice

Serving as the designated lead organization of a consortium of local and international organizations working together to design a coordinated program on civil society development.

Strengthening the prosecution of human traffickers in Laos by improving the skills of Lao law enforcement, social service providers, and community groups, and improving coordination among these actors to enable them to more effectively prosecute traffickers and protect victims' rights.

Local Partner:

Lao Women's Union

Providing support to the Lao Women's Union Shelter, enabling them to offer basic needs and safe shelter to victims of violence and human trafficking, including food, clothes, medical assistance, and legal aid. General operational support and capacity building for the shelter staff through a study tour to visit Chiang Khong and Mai Sae women's shelters and related programs in Thailand.

Local Partner:

Lao Women's Union

Supporting a four-year scholarship program enabling 50 girls to pursue undergraduate studies at the National University of Laos.

Local Partner:

National University of Laos

Supporting a three-year program to enable the Gender and Development Group to expand its Sustainable Women's Empowerment and Leadership Project and train new groups of women in leadership and public speaking skills on an ongoing basis.

Local Partner:

Gender Development Group

Participation in the “United States-ASEAN Strategic Dialogue Roundtable” at American University in Washington, DC, which laid the groundwork for the government-to-government discussion at the Second U.S.-ASEAN Summit in 2010.

Three-month fellowship for a project manager of a major Korean development NGO to study and work in an Asia Foundation water management project in Laos; Fellowship for an officer from the Mongolian government’s investment planning agency to undertake research in Korea on public-private partnerships in infrastructure investment and management.

Acquisition of 28,351 books and distribution of 16,954 books to specialized educational institutions, public libraries, universities, colleges, a women’s shelter, primary and secondary schools, the National Assembly, the Ministries of Justice and Education, the People's Supreme Court, and NGOs.

Attendance at the Association for Asian Studies conference held in Philadelphia; Attendance for 20 Lao scholars, mainly from the National University of Laos, at the Third International Conference for Lao Studies, held at Khon Kaen University.

Improving access to information through establishing five CLICK "service points" to access CLICK online resources including the information websites: lao44.org, LaoLink, and LaoFAB; and to improve access to information and opportunities for knowledge sharing, using digital media and development-related content.

Producing “The Importance of Water in the Livelihood of Lao People, An Interactive Photo Exhibition.”

Promoting the development of Lao civil society by supporting 30 representatives from Lao nonprofit associations to attend the “6th ASEAN People's Forum” held in Hanoi.

Participation in the “7th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN+3” in Singapore to strengthen the institute’s professional capacity to provide information, education, and international perspectives to Lao officials; Participation in the “38th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations” in Malta; Providing internet access to facilitate IFA research, information-gathering, and communication; The Young Leaders Meeting at the Asia Pacific Roundtable (APR) held in Kuala Lumpur.

Comprehensive legal aid and legal education program to improve access to justice (particularly for poor and rural citizens) and increase understanding of laws and rights under Lao law among citizens and professionals in the legal field; Core support for the professional development of the Lao Bar Association.

Participation by two women leaders in the “Vital Voices of Asia: Women’s Leadership" and “Women as an Economic Force”; “Safeguarding Women’s Human Rights: Combating Violence Against Women and Human Trafficking”; and “Women in Political Leadership: Fostering Good Governance and Transparency.”

Assisting victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, as well as at-risk groups and/or disadvantaged women and girls, through provision of safe shelter, basic needs such as food, clothing and medical treatment, provision of legal assistance, and provision of vocational training and educational opportunities for an economically secure future; Building capacity and cooperation among law enforcement, social service providers and community groups to protect victims’ rights and prosecute traffickers; Enabling LWU officials to participate in the ASEAN Confederation of Women’s Organizations 14th General Assembly and Conference, Enhancing Women’s Effective Participation Toward a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable ASEAN Community, in Vietnam; Providing a computer, printer, and tables to facilitate the LWU’s work.

Field trip to Mongolia to learn about The Asia Foundation’s experience in implementing a successful water quality monitoring program.

Developing curriculum, coursework, and extra-curricular activities for students focused on American studies.

Organizing and hosting the Luang Prabang Film Festival and related activities to encourage and celebrate filmmaking in Southeast Asia, stimulate a film industry in Laos, inspire young Lao to enter the film industry, educate Lao about the art of film and also media literacy, and bring tourist dollars to the local communities.

Two-year apprenticeship program for three future civil society leaders; Developing curricula and training materials to be used for future apprentices.

Participation in the “4th Asia Pacific Judicial Reform Forum Meeting 2010” in Beijing and the “Asia Pacific Courts Conference” in Singapore to pursue better coordination and cooperation with international organizations and neighboring countries in order to raise the Lao judicial system to international standards.

Digital library development and improving Central Library facilities and services; Continuing the progress of the Laos Library and Information Consortium.

Participation in a U.S. study tour for the University of California’s Environment Leadership Program Alumni, which aims to promote learning and dialogue on policy strategies to address environmental management concerns.

Digital video training to support youth's access to new media technology through acquisition of digital video production equipment and provision of training; Creating and distributing mini-mobile libraries to selected rural schools and libraries.

Support for environmental leaders from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to participate in the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at the University of California, Berkeley.

Developing the Link Resource Centre to improve access to information, safeguard natural resources, and promote the rule of law in Lao PDR.

Support for the WREA, a policy unit of the Lao Government, to participate in the 2010 Summer Course in Sustainable Environmental Management at the University of California to learn about the social, economic, and biophysical aspects of natural resources and environmental management.

Acquisition and distribution of 2,622 books to seven institutions in Laos to broaden access to an array of books and print materials to Lao students, officials, and citizen through Books for Thailand Foundation.

Purchasing materials for the IFA to conduct research and an English training course for government officials; Participation at the 6th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN+3 in Seoul, South Korea.

A comprehensive legal aid and legal education program to improve access to justice, particularly for poor and rural citizens, and increase understanding of laws and rights under Lao law and the legal system among citizens and professionals in the legal field; Core support for the professional development of the Lao Bar Association.

Contributing to a wide-reaching survey on people's perceptions of access to justice in Lao PDR conducted by the Lao Bar Association (with support from the United Nations Development Programme).

Support materials for the training of trainers workshop for Lao women to increase the representation of women holding political office and decisionmaking positions, particularly at the local level.

Creation of an American studies program for university-level students, complemented by extra-curricular activities that will build further understanding and promote good will between the countries. This program is designed to develop a greater understanding of America, its people, and its policies among students, their families, faculty, and the broader community in Laos. Activities include curriculum development, support for the Lao-American soccer team, creation of a student body government, and American culture week.

Supporting the Deputy Director of INGO Division, International Organization Department of MOFA to participate in the "Current Developments in Southeast Asia" workshop in Singapore for the Foundation's America's Role in Asia project.

Enabling the Ministry of Justice to improve the rule of law at the local level and to provide better legal services to communities by standardizing and disseminating information and laws for village mediation units; Publishing over 18,000 manuals on issues such as village dispute resolution, village mediation units, and legal collections on local level justice procedures.

Supporting the Vice President of the National Assembly of Laos, the Director General of the Department for International Affairs at the National Assembly, and Vice President from the Lao Women's Union to attend the training on "Making Governance Gender Responsive," held in Manila, Philippines. The training was organized by the Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP).

Training for librarians; Purchasing a binding machine to repair damaged books; Supporting activities of the Laos Library and Information Consortium; Purchasing of computers and books to increase student and faculty access to information and improve the quality of the library's collection; Documentation fees, warehouse restoration, and distribution costs to launch and conduct the Books for Asia program in Laos, providing English-language books to Lao institutions, schools, and libraries throughout the country.

Technical and financial support to the Faculty of Science, National University of Laos in conducting river fieldwork and subsequently developing the first-ever Lao-specific Field Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates in Lao and English languages.

Continuing support of book shipments to Laos to broaden access to an array of books and print materials to Lao students, officials, and citizens.

Participation of a Lao environmental professional in the International Seminar on Protected Area Management at the University of Montana, Missoula; Planning and inception workshops with key partners, namely the National University of Lao’s Faculty of Science, Water Resources and Environment Administration, Lao Front for National Construction and the Lao Youth Union, to launch the pilot Lao Water Quality and Environmental Monitoring project.

Diplomatic and Administrative Training for Lao government officials to strengthen their diplomatic and administrative skills and to improve the management skills for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, line ministries, and provincial officials; Provision of Internet connectivity to facilitate IFA research, communications, and information-gathering activities; Publication of the book entitled, Diplomatic Negotiation, with the objective of strengthening the professional capacity of government officials, and diplomats as well as students at the National University of Laos; Support for two government officials to attend the 5th Annual ASEAN+3 meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, “Building Regional Identify from Diversity.”

Comprehensive legal aid and legal education program to improve access to justice, particularly for poor and rural citizens, and to increase understanding of laws and rights under Lao law and the legal system among citizens and professionals in the legal field.

Improvement of the leadership skills of Lao women to increase the representation of women holding political office and decision-making positions, particularly at the local level.

Implementation and enforcement of the new domestic violence law through training multi-disciplinary professional teams of social workers, counselors, lawyers, welfare officials, and shelter staff to utilize the new law to assist victims of domestic violence and trafficking and to prosecute perpetrators; Support for the operation of the Lao Women’s Union’s Counseling and Protection Center for Women and Children, the first women’s shelter in the Lao PDR. The shelter has been functioning since January 2006 to serve the needs of victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. Support includes provision of salaries and benefits for employees, support for shelter residents, including psycho-social and legal counseling, food, clothing, housing, medication, and training in income-generating opportunities and the purchase of equipment and materials for the multi-function meeting room; Continuing support to the vocational training center to provide training opportunities for women and girls who are either at-risk or victims of violence and trafficking so that they can rebuild their lives.

Creation of an American studies program for university-level students, complemented by extra-curricular activities. This program is designed to develop a greater understanding of America, its people, and its policies among students, their families, faculty, and the broader community in Laos. Activities include American studies curriculum development, support for the Lao-American soccer team, and American culture week.

Increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies, namely police, public prosecutors, and judges, to enhance the quality of the legal architecture in Laos; Strengthening Lao citizen access to justice through workshops on legal dissemination and publication of a handbook.

Enabling the National Library to better provide resources and professional library services to the general public by improving the quality of the library’s collection through book purchasing in Bangkok, Thailand, and strengthening the professional capacity of staff librarians in IT/software programming and maintenance through intensive computer courses at the Foreign and Lao Institute in Vientiane.

Continuing support to enable the Central Library of the National University of Laos to better provide academic resources and professional library services to meet the increasing educational needs of students, faculty, and other university staff through such activities as establishing a larger student computer center with Internet access, purchasing books and lockers, and training library staff in IT services.

A five-day book-purchasing and study tour to Bangkok, Thailand, for three young librarians to learn about different types of libraries and learning centers and their systems and processes.

Emergency support to provide basic services for victims of trafficking; those services
include medical examinations, psychological counseling, and non-formal education training.

Technical assistance for anti-trafficking and trafficking protection programs; safe shelter program; domestic violence laws; and strengthening women's political leadership.

Two-day workshop for Foundation partners on Enhancing Capacity on Program Development and Reporting.

Acquisition and distribution of 1,678 English-language books to government agencies, NGOs, and universities in Laos.

Support to enable the institute to host the ASEAN-ISIS Regional Workshop in Luang Prabang
during its term as chair of ISIS; support for IFA director to participate in the fourth
ASEAN+3 meeting of directors of diplomatic training institutions in Japan; tuition for
English language training courses for IFA staff; two-day workshop on Enhancing IFA Staff
Capacity on Program Development and Reporting.

Salaries and benefits for employees of the LWU’s safe shelter for victims of violence
against women and trafficking. Continued support for the first comprehensive shelter service
in the Lao P.D.R. for women and girls who are victims of violence and trafficking.

Creation of American studies courses and programs; activities for improved understanding of American culture among university students and the broader community.

Tuition and expenses for library staff to attend courses on library management and purchase Thai language books in Thailand; tuition for IT staff to attend courses on computer repair.

Support for the director’s attendance at the “Thinking Outside the Borders: Library
Leadership in a World Community” program in the U.S.; university library study tour in
Thailand; IT staff training; courses for staff on library management; computers with
Internet connectivity for student use; support for the creation and start-up activities of
the Laos Library and Information Consortium (LALIC) to enable academic libraries to
coordinate and leverage resources.