The Asia Foundation

The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program has operated in Vietnam since 1993 through a partnership with the National Library in Hanoi. Over the past five years, the Foundation has provided approximately 160,000 volumes to Vietnam to...

The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program has operated in Vietnam since 1993 through a partnership with the National Library in Hanoi. Over the past five years, the Foundation has provided approximately 160,000 volumes to Vietnam to more than 100 institutions throughout the country, with an additional 120,000 expected to be shipped over the next three years, with a total value of $4.5 million.

Market-led economic growth is a proven, effective means of reducing poverty. In Cambodia, the best way to achieve economic growth is to encourage the expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which dominate the economic...

Market-led economic growth is a proven, effective means of reducing poverty. In Cambodia, the best way to achieve economic growth is to encourage the expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which dominate the economic landscape. The large majority of MSMEs are located in the provinces. At present, little is being done to improve the business environment for rural MSMEs. MSME owners are among the worst affected by opaque regulations, lack of information, and costs associated with corruption and over-regulation. The Asia Foundation’s economic reform program in Cambodia focuses on supporting the policymaking process of reform, empowerment of the private sector, particularly provincial MSMEs, and developing a more business-friendly environment.

The Asia Foundation supported the establishment and construction of the first women’s shelter in the Lao PDR—opening in January 2006—to serve the needs of victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. The establishment...

The Asia Foundation supported the establishment and construction of the first women’s shelter in the Lao PDR—opening in January 2006—to serve the needs of victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. The establishment of the shelter, a direct result of growing awareness of these problems in Laos and the passage of the 2004 Development and Protection of Women Act, was made possible by the dedicated work of the Lao Women’s Union (LWU), which has been supported by the Foundation for more than a decade.

Improving the responsiveness, accountability, and transparency of governance is now accepted as vital to the achievement of improved standards of living and opportunities in developing countries. The heightened attention in recent years to...

Improving the responsiveness, accountability, and transparency of governance is now accepted as vital to the achievement of improved standards of living and opportunities in developing countries. The heightened attention in recent years to good governance has logically led to a greater focus on the way in which budgets are formulated, implemented, and monitored. This publication is intended as a reference for local governments, civil society groups, and nongovernment organizations seeking to apply consultative budgeting methods.

This Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA) follows and builds upon a previous assessment conducted for the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) in 2000 (Goodhand, 2001). Like the previous study, it aims to do three things: First,...

This Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA) follows and builds upon a previous assessment conducted for the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) in 2000 (Goodhand, 2001). Like the previous study, it aims to do three things: First, to provide an analysis of the structures and dynamics of conflict and peace in Sri Lanka since 2000. Second, to examine how international engagement has interacted with conflict and peace dynamics, with a particular focus on aid donors during this time period. Third, to identify how the strategies and approaches of international donors can best engage with and help strengthen domestic peacebuilding efforts.

This report is part of a broader study entitled "Aid, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka" (Goodhand and Klem 2005). Its focus is exclusively the North-East1 of Sri Lanka since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) between the...

This report is part of a broader study entitled "Aid, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka" (Goodhand and Klem 2005). Its focus is exclusively the North-East1 of Sri Lanka since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in February 2002. The report explores changing issues, relationships, and trends at a micro level and provides a critique of the macro-level analysis that has informed the peace process in Sri Lanka to date.

This Sinhala and Tamil press review, conducted under the aegis of the second Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA2), "Aid, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka" (Goodhand and Klem, 2005), sought to capture local perspectives on the island's...

This Sinhala and Tamil press review, conducted under the aegis of the second Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA2), "Aid, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Sri Lanka" (Goodhand and Klem, 2005), sought to capture local perspectives on the island's protracted conflict and Norwegian-brokered peace process as reflected in the vernacular press. While many local actors have been subject to closer scrutiny in relation to Sri Lanka's politics and peace process, there has been insufficient focus on the role of the vernacular media.

This nation-wide political opinion poll, Nepal Contemporary Political Situation II 2005 (NCPS–II 2005), was carried out by Interdisciplinary Analysts, a Kathmandu-based research organisation and funded by The Asia Foundation. The opinion...

This nation-wide political opinion poll, Nepal Contemporary Political Situation II 2005 (NCPS–II 2005), was carried out by Interdisciplinary Analysts, a Kathmandu-based research organisation and funded by The Asia Foundation. The opinion poll was designed between November and December 2005 and administered with the support of ACNielson Nepal Pvt. Ltd., a marketing research organisation, between 5 January and 25 January, 2006. Data processing and analysis were carried out in February 2006, and the report was prepared and finalised in March and April 2006.

This guide has been developed to help civil society groups understand and analyze government budgets as a first step towards engaging in such dialogue. The guide can be used to facilitate budget literacy trainings and to help civil society...

This guide has been developed to help civil society groups understand and analyze government budgets as a first step towards engaging in such dialogue. The guide can be used to facilitate budget literacy trainings and to help civil society organizations engage in budget analysis on their own following training. It may also be useful to new parliamentarians, who often are not given formal budget training, despite their responsibility to enact the budget in most countries. While basic information on budgets is covered, this guide has been specifically modified for consideration of the tehsil level budget in Pakistan. This manual does not cover analysis of other local government budgets (such as union or district), nor does it include analysis of provincial and national budgets.

Building on a decade of support for development in East Timor, The Asia Foundation launched a major law reform program in 2002 to respond to the needs of the newly independent nation. The Asia Foundation supports the legal development efforts...

Building on a decade of support for development in East Timor, The Asia Foundation launched a major law reform program in 2002 to respond to the needs of the newly independent nation. The Asia Foundation supports the legal development efforts of government and civil society to strengthen the justice system at the national and local levels. The East Timor program strengthens the accountability and transparency of the judicial system, assists in the development of effective and accessible legal aid services and alternative dispute resolution, and strengthens women’s access to justice.

On December 15, 2005, a court trial was held in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, to prosecute a human trafficking case. A 20-year-old girl named Thuy, herself a former victim of trafficking, was accused of trafficking 27 women and children. Four...

On December 15, 2005, a court trial was held in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, to prosecute a human trafficking case. A 20-year-old girl named Thuy, herself a former victim of trafficking, was accused of trafficking 27 women and children. Four victims from Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province escaped and were rescued, and subsequently served as witnesses testifying against the accused trafficker. The trafficker was convicted and sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment, and was ordered to compensate the victims for the mental and physical trauma endured.

For more than 50 years, The Asia Foundation has been a constant partner and advocate for economic reform and development in Indonesia. Over the decades the Foundation has worked closely with small cooperatives and businesses to broaden their...

For more than 50 years, The Asia Foundation has been a constant partner and advocate for economic reform and development in Indonesia. Over the decades the Foundation has worked closely with small cooperatives and businesses to broaden their opportunities and growth potential. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) employ nearly 79% of the workforce and contribute 56% of the GDP. After the Asian financial crisis, the Foundation further strengthened its economic assistance to this vital sector, initiating projects for faster business permitting, analytical tools to improve government regulation, private sector forums and surveys to measure local investment climates. Through a variety of such advocacy programs the Foundation has helped to create more efficient local economies and eliminate local regulations that stifle business.

In Bahasa-For more than 50 years, The Asia Foundation has been a constant partner and advocate for economic reform and development in Indonesia. Over the decades the Foundation has worked closely with small cooperatives and businesses to...

In Bahasa-For more than 50 years, The Asia Foundation has been a constant partner and advocate for economic reform and development in Indonesia. Over the decades the Foundation has worked closely with small cooperatives and businesses to broaden their opportunities and growth potential. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) employ nearly 79% of the workforce and contribute 56% of the GDP. After the Asian financial crisis, the Foundation further strengthened its economic assistance to this vital sector, initiating projects for faster business permitting, analytical tools to improve government regulation, private sector forums and surveys to measure local investment climates. Through a variety of such advocacy programs the Foundation has helped to create more efficient local economies and eliminate local regulations that stifle business.

The Asia Foundation initiated the Ellsworth Bunker Asian Ambassador Series program in 1998 to bring together Washington-based Asian diplomats and American political, business, media, and policy leaders for off-the-record discussions of key...

The Asia Foundation initiated the Ellsworth Bunker Asian Ambassador Series program in 1998 to bring together Washington-based Asian diplomats and American political, business, media, and policy leaders for off-the-record discussions of key issues important to Asia's future. Unprecedented changes in Asia — social, economic, political, and strategic — present both opportunities and challenges for countries in the region and the United States. This program series allows both Asian ambassadors and select individuals in Washington to discuss and explore issues of mutual interest and change in the region.

The Asia Foundation supports initiatives to strengthen institutional and human resource capacity, public-private partnerships, and policy reform in the fields of governance and law. Through a combination of grants and technical assistance, the...

The Asia Foundation supports initiatives to strengthen institutional and human resource capacity, public-private partnerships, and policy reform in the fields of governance and law. Through a combination of grants and technical assistance, the Foundation assists organizations throughout Asia on a range of critical issues, including national and local governance, legislative development, elections, access to justice, and conflict resolution.

With the advent of the policy of renovation (doi moi) in 1986, Vietnam has been able to achieve a consistently high level of GDP growth in the past decade (8.4 percent in 2005) and effectively address the problem of poverty. Much of this...

With the advent of the policy of renovation (doi moi) in 1986, Vietnam has been able to achieve a consistently high level of GDP growth in the past decade (8.4 percent in 2005) and effectively address the problem of poverty. Much of this explosive economic growth is a direct result of the government’s practical economic reforms to encourage private sector growth. Since the implementation of the Enterprise Law in 2000, Vietnam has registered more than 120,000 formal private companies, six times the number registered in the nine years before the law’s enactment. Yet, the benefits of Vietnam’s rapid economic growth have not been spread evenly across the country.

The Asia Foundation has engaged in a wide range of programs to help Afghan women and
girls expand their opportunities and strengthen their rights. These initiatives provide women
and girls with the skills, tools, awareness, and...

The Asia Foundation has engaged in a wide range of programs to help Afghan women and
girls expand their opportunities and strengthen their rights. These initiatives provide women
and girls with the skills, tools, awareness, and knowledge they need to improve their lives. The
Foundation has ensured the active participation of women in Afghanistan’s political process
through education and technical support to the Afghan elections process. These initiatives began in 2002 when the Foundation re-established its office in Kabul, and built upon the Foundation’s history of working with Afghan educational institutions for women since 1954.

The mining sector holds promise and potential for economic development and job creation in Mongolia. But mining also impacts social, environmental, and alternative economic values. The Asia Foundation is launching a major new programmatic...

The mining sector holds promise and potential for economic development and job creation in Mongolia. But mining also impacts social, environmental, and alternative economic values. The Asia Foundation is launching a major new programmatic thrust that will seek to advance mining in the national interest and mitigate its negative impacts.

The mining sector holds promise and potential for economic development and job creation in Mongolia. But mining also impacts social, environmental, and alternative economic values. The Asia Foundation is launching a major new programmatic...

The mining sector holds promise and potential for economic development and job creation in Mongolia. But mining also impacts social, environmental, and alternative economic values. The Asia Foundation is launching a major new programmatic thrust that will seek to advance mining in the national interest and mitigate its negative impacts.

In April 2004, The Asia Foundation began working with the Mongolian Women Farmers’ Association (MWFA), founded in 1999 by Byatshandaa, an agronomist and farmer. TAF and MWFA seek to empower women vegetable and poultry farmers to increase...

In April 2004, The Asia Foundation began working with the Mongolian Women Farmers’ Association (MWFA), founded in 1999 by Byatshandaa, an agronomist and farmer. TAF and MWFA seek to empower women vegetable and poultry farmers to increase household income and thereby help reduce the incidence of poverty and domestic violence. Through Give2Asia, a U.S. non-profit organization that works closely with The Asia Foundation, MYTWO Funds donated $36,233 to strengthen MWFA’s vegetable training program and build a poultry farming promotion center in Bayankhushuu, one of Ulaanbaatar’s peri-urban ger districts.

In April 2004, The Asia Foundation began working with the Mongolian Women Farmers’ Association (MWFA), founded in 1999 by Byatshandaa, an agronomist and farmer. TAF and MWFA seek to empower women vegetable and poultry farmers to increase...

In April 2004, The Asia Foundation began working with the Mongolian Women Farmers’ Association (MWFA), founded in 1999 by Byatshandaa, an agronomist and farmer. TAF and MWFA seek to empower women vegetable and poultry farmers to increase household income and thereby help reduce the incidence of poverty and domestic violence. Through Give2Asia, a U.S. non-profit organization that works closely with The Asia Foundation, MYTWO Funds donated $36,233 to strengthen MWFA’s vegetable training program and build a poultry farming promotion center in Bayankhushuu, one of Ulaanbaatar’s peri-urban ger districts.

Providing citizens access to economic information, which is relevant to decisionmaking that affects their lives, will yield better and more representative policy, and will underscore other government goals associated with transparency and good...

Providing citizens access to economic information, which is relevant to decisionmaking that affects their lives, will yield better and more representative policy, and will underscore other government goals associated with transparency and good governance. Through the USAID Economic Policy Reform and Competitiveness Project, The Asia Foundation is assisting the Government of Mongolia to communicate new economic policies to targeted groups and the public, in order to build a broad constituency that will fuel economic growth and job creation.

Mongolian version

Providing citizens access to economic information, which is relevant to decisionmaking that affects their lives, will yield better and more representative policy, and will underscore other government goals associated...

Mongolian version

Providing citizens access to economic information, which is relevant to decisionmaking that affects their lives, will yield better and more representative policy, and will underscore other government goals associated with transparency and good governance. Through the USAID Economic Policy Reform and Competitiveness Project, The Asia Foundation is assisting the Government of Mongolia to communicate new economic policies to targeted groups and the public, in order to build a broad constituency that will fuel economic growth and job creation.