The Asia Foundation

The Mongolian economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. Sustained economic growth is boosting gross domestic product (GDP), supporting job creation, reducing poverty levels, and allowing the economy to expand into new fields. Despite these...

The Mongolian economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. Sustained economic growth is boosting gross domestic product (GDP), supporting job creation, reducing poverty levels, and allowing the economy to expand into new fields. Despite these impressive successes, there have been persistent reports in the media about the existence of corrupt practices. These reports often relate to government employees asking businessmen for non-stipulated fees in return for services, for example, to process or expedite obtaining permits and documents, such as licenses, needed by business to operate. Until now, there has been no data about the pervasiveness of corrupt practices affecting business-government relations in Mongolia. The Study of Private Perceptions of Corruption (STOPP) was designed to obtain a picture of the extent of corruption, based on the experience of members of the business community. Interviewing representatives of small, medium, and large sized business enterprises, this study captures the similarities and differences companies face in relation to corrupt practices, breaking down the findings by sector.

Supporting Flood Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Measures

In October 2011, Thailand faced its most severe flooding in half a century. An especially long and heavy monsoon season caused flooding from Bangkok's Chao...

Supporting Flood Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Measures

In October 2011, Thailand faced its most severe flooding in half a century. An especially long and heavy monsoon season caused flooding from Bangkok's Chao Phraya River and several other neighboring river systems. Decades of inadequate planning and water resources management, as well as pressure from rapid urban growth, compromised the efficacy of both natural and built drainage courses from Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand.

In this issue: "Asia Foundation Hosts Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Visits President U Thien Sein and Furthers Engagement in Burma," "Carnegie Corporation Gives $1 Million Grant to Educate Afghan Women," "David D. Arnold Addresses Pacific Council on...

In this issue: "Asia Foundation Hosts Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Visits President U Thien Sein and Furthers Engagement in Burma," "Carnegie Corporation Gives $1 Million Grant to Educate Afghan Women," "David D. Arnold Addresses Pacific Council on Burma," "Extraordinary Milestone in Mindanao Peace Process," "Books for Asia Updates," "Briefly Noted: Asian Ambassadors Series," "Multimedia", "Remembering Robert Schwantes," "Kahng Foundation Scholarships for North Korean Women."

Advancing Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunities for Small and Medium Businesses

The Asia Foundation has a decades-long history of supporting broad-based economic growth across Asia through both public and private...

Advancing Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunities for Small and Medium Businesses

The Asia Foundation has a decades-long history of supporting broad-based economic growth across Asia through both public and private channels. Through its Economic Development programs, the Foundation has assisted micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in accessing the legal information, financing, business services, and skills they need to enhance their competitiveness and profitability, thereby helping to create jobs and reduce poverty.

For more than a decade, The Asia Foundation's Local and Economic Governance programs have supported broad-based economic development and reform in Indonesia, working with local business, government, and civil society to enhance their roles and...

For more than a decade, The Asia Foundation's Local and Economic Governance programs have supported broad-based economic development and reform in Indonesia, working with local business, government, and civil society to enhance their roles and effectiveness in policy reform and to promote business-friendly policies. Partnering with an extensive network of nongovernmental organizations, business associations, academics, community groups, and government agencies, the Foundation supports initiatives to improve the business environment through policy and institutional reform and develop pro-poor and gender-sensitive local policies and budgets.

For more than a decade, The Asia Foundation's Local and Economic Governance programs have supported broad-based economic development and reform in Indonesia, working with local business, government, and civil society to enhance their roles and...

For more than a decade, The Asia Foundation's Local and Economic Governance programs have supported broad-based economic development and reform in Indonesia, working with local business, government, and civil society to enhance their roles and effectiveness in policy reform and to promote business-friendly policies. Partnering with an extensive network of nongovernmental organizations, business associations, academics, community groups, and government agencies, the Foundation supports initiatives to improve the business environment through policy and institutional reform and develop pro-poor and gender-sensitive local policies and budgets.

The Asia Foundation's justice sector programs have supported Indonesian efforts to strengthen legal institutions, improve legal education, and drive reform for more than 40 years. The Educating and Equipping Tomorrow's Justice Reformers (E2J)...

The Asia Foundation's justice sector programs have supported Indonesian efforts to strengthen legal institutions, improve legal education, and drive reform for more than 40 years. The Educating and Equipping Tomorrow's Justice Reformers (E2J) program furthers this aim. This four-year initiative, funded by USAID, is working to improve the performance of Indonesia's justice system by partnering with university law schools, civil society organizations, and formal justice institutions to provide a new generation with the knowledge, skills, opportunities, and incentives to pursue careers in public service and to contribute to justice sector reform.

The Asia Foundation's justice sector programs have supported Indonesian efforts to strengthen legal institutions, improve legal education, and drive reform for more than 40 years. The Educating and Equipping Tomorrow's Justice Reformers (E2J)...

The Asia Foundation's justice sector programs have supported Indonesian efforts to strengthen legal institutions, improve legal education, and drive reform for more than 40 years. The Educating and Equipping Tomorrow's Justice Reformers (E2J) program furthers this aim. This four-year initiative, funded by USAID, is working to improve the performance of Indonesia's justice system by partnering with university law schools, civil society organizations, and formal justice institutions to provide a new generation with the knowledge, skills, opportunities, and incentives to pursue careers in public service and to contribute to justice sector reform.

This report explores the impacts of Nepal's Local Self-Governance Act 1999 and the evolution of local governance in Nepal and its effect on the health and education sectors. It includes recommendantions for practical and policy interventions....

This report explores the impacts of Nepal's Local Self-Governance Act 1999 and the evolution of local governance in Nepal and its effect on the health and education sectors. It includes recommendantions for practical and policy interventions. It was prepared by The Asia Foundation Nepal for AusAID.

Youth constitutes a large segment, 43 percent, of the total population in Malaysia. The diverse and numerous roles that they play in the country's political, social and economic landscapes underline the fact that they are a critical...

Youth constitutes a large segment, 43 percent, of the total population in Malaysia. The diverse and numerous roles that they play in the country's political, social and economic landscapes underline the fact that they are a critical demographic group to engage. In April 2012, The Asia Foundation conducted its fourth nationwide survey of Malaysian youth opinion as part of the Foundation's continuing efforts to enhance public engagement and innovative research in support of improving governance, civil society, economic progress, and sustainable development in Malaysia. Over 2,100 youth across all states and federal territories in Malaysia were engaged in the comprehensive survey. The survey provides a window into the attitudes, concerns and practices of young Malaysians on a range of contemporary political, social and economic issues.

This research examines communitiesʼ experiences of two different decentralized development programs in Timor-Leste: the Programa Dezenvolvimentu Lokal (PDL), and the Pakote Dezenvolvimentu Desentrilizadu (PDD). Using...

This research examines communitiesʼ experiences of two different decentralized development programs in Timor-Leste: the Programa Dezenvolvimentu Lokal (PDL), and the Pakote Dezenvolvimentu Desentrilizadu (PDD). Using these two programs as a lens for comparative analysis, the overall aim of this research is to identify and examine broader issues surrounding the implementation of decentralised development in Timorese communities, and to draw lessons for sustainable, community-level development in the future. This research also aims to make a substantive contribution to planning for the Planu Nasional Dezenvolvimentu Suku (PNDS), which will be introduced throughout Timorese communities from 2013.

Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, is home to the country's largest concentration of Muslims. The region suffers from poor infrastructure, poverty, and violence that has claimed more than 120,000 lives in the last four decades. The...

Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, is home to the country's largest concentration of Muslims. The region suffers from poor infrastructure, poverty, and violence that has claimed more than 120,000 lives in the last four decades. The violence and rebellion derive from internal Christian migrations to the region, sectarian clashes, war against Muslim/Islam separatist insurgents, clan feuds, and unfulfilled hopes of peace and economic prosperity.

The Government of Nepal is strongly committed to promoting gender equality, ending gender-based violence (GBV), and advancing programs that enhance women's empowerment. In line with this commitment, the Gender Empowerment Coordination Unit...

The Government of Nepal is strongly committed to promoting gender equality, ending gender-based violence (GBV), and advancing programs that enhance women's empowerment. In line with this commitment, the Gender Empowerment Coordination Unit (GECU) at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) oversees and coordinates the Government of Nepal's efforts to address gender-related challenges. The National Strategy and Plan of Action on Gender Empowerment and Ending GBV 2012-2017 is one of the key policy instruments currently being used the the government. This study report examines the current situation, changes, trends, and achievements in the areas of violence against women as a sub-category of GBV in six districts representing the easter, central, western, and far western development regions of Nepal.

Since early 2011, The Asia Foundation and the Korea Development Institute have been working together to move development effectiveness forward by facilitating mutual learning among both emerging Asian development cooperation partners and...

Since early 2011, The Asia Foundation and the Korea Development Institute have been working together to move development effectiveness forward by facilitating mutual learning among both emerging Asian development cooperation partners and "traditional" aid donors.

Findings from The Asia Foundation's eighth survey in Afghanistan - the broadest public opinion poll in the country of 6,290 Afghan citizens across all 34 provinces.

View an e-reader version of the

Findings from The Asia Foundation's eighth survey in Afghanistan - the broadest public opinion poll in the country of 6,290 Afghan citizens across all 34 provinces.

View an e-reader version of the Survey here.

Maldives 2012

Gang violence in the Maldives is becoming increasingly commonplace and the nature of violence more brutal as new types of drugs and weapons are used. There are reportedly between 20 and 30 different gangs operating in...

Maldives 2012

Gang violence in the Maldives is becoming increasingly commonplace and the nature of violence more brutal as new types of drugs and weapons are used. There are reportedly between 20 and 30 different gangs operating in Male' with 50 to 400 members in each group. Gang violence impacts almost all citizens of the capital in one way or another. Businesses and neighbourhoods frequently have property damaged during gang violence; youth congregate in public areas, often using drugs and starting fights; and during political rallies gangs are seen on the streets causing chaos.