The Asia Foundation

Since the 1990s, The Asia Foundation has supported programs aimed at accelerating the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) by civil society, government, and the private sector. Certain advances in ICT – such as the...

Since the 1990s, The Asia Foundation has supported programs aimed at accelerating the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) by civil society, government, and the private sector. Certain advances in ICT – such as the pervasive adoption of mobile telephones and the rapid spread of internet connectivity – have dramatically increased the speed of information processing, as well as the ease, frequency, and quality of communications in the developing world.

Now more than ever, disaster preparedness and risk reduction are essential to the sustained well-being and future development of communities throughout Asia and the Pacific. For over 17 years, The Asia Foundation has been helping communities...

Now more than ever, disaster preparedness and risk reduction are essential to the sustained well-being and future development of communities throughout Asia and the Pacific. For over 17 years, The Asia Foundation has been helping communities strengthen their resilience to natural disasters and the increasing threats from climate change. It is cultivating leadership among local and national governments, building the capacity of vulnerable communities, and engaging the private sector.

Detailed guidance and technical information for businesses to develop disaster preparedness and response plan. Part of the materials used for disaster risk management training for businesses in The Asia Foundation's USAID/OFDA sponsored...

Detailed guidance and technical information for businesses to develop disaster preparedness and response plan. Part of the materials used for disaster risk management training for businesses in The Asia Foundation's USAID/OFDA sponsored project in Vietnam.

Information and approaches to help businesses resume  operations more rapidly after a natural disaster. Part of the materials used for disaster risk management training for businesses in The Asia Foundation's USAID/OFDA sponsored project...

Information and approaches to help businesses resume  operations more rapidly after a natural disaster. Part of the materials used for disaster risk management training for businesses in The Asia Foundation's USAID/OFDA sponsored project in Vietnam.

Occasional Paper No. 13, April 2012

This paper begins with descriptions of some of the critical challenges to democratization in Bangladesh. While electoral challenges are included, the paper seeks to look beyond elections and describe...

Occasional Paper No. 13, April 2012

This paper begins with descriptions of some of the critical challenges to democratization in Bangladesh. While electoral challenges are included, the paper seeks to look beyond elections and describe other factors that can have a profound impact on the quality and quantity of democracy experienced by the average person. The second section examines potential approaches to addressing these challenges.

Since 2002, The Asia Foundation has supported a pioneering effort to promote social justice for women within an Islamic framework in South Asia. Designed and implemented by Muslim scholars and activists, this program has helped communities to...

Since 2002, The Asia Foundation has supported a pioneering effort to promote social justice for women within an Islamic framework in South Asia. Designed and implemented by Muslim scholars and activists, this program has helped communities to understand women's rights within Islam. Program activities have been led by highly respected religious leaders and local institutions and have helped to foster a network of influential religious leaders, scholars, and advocates – both men and women – who are committed to advancing women's rights across the region.

Books for Asia is a program of The Asia Foundation that regularly distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels in over 15 countries. Since it was first started in September 1954, Books for Asia has distributed more...

Books for Asia is a program of The Asia Foundation that regularly distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels in over 15 countries. Since it was first started in September 1954, Books for Asia has distributed more than 41 million books and journals to more than 50,000 academic and non-academic institutions throughout Asia. In the Philippines alone, the Books for Asia Program has distributed over 13 million books and journals to public and private institutions across the country, as a contribution to national development, international understanding, and English-language literacy.

Occasional Paper No. 12, May 2012

This paper introduces development entrepreneurship, a model to assist development agencies and practitioners introduce transformative institutional change that significantly improves the lives of...

Occasional Paper No. 12, May 2012

This paper introduces development entrepreneurship, a model to assist development agencies and practitioners introduce transformative institutional change that significantly improves the lives of millions of people. Development entrepreneurship combines the technical and political dimensions of reform to uncover the principles to finding "technically sound, politically possible" reforms.

The Malaysia Business Environment Index (BEI) Pilot Study 2012 is the first survey that investigates firms' perceptions about the business environment at the district level. Utilizing data collected from 635 small and medium-sized firms, the...

The Malaysia Business Environment Index (BEI) Pilot Study 2012 is the first survey that investigates firms' perceptions about the business environment at the district level. Utilizing data collected from 635 small and medium-sized firms, the BEI is a composite of nine sub-indices which measure the business environment in 11 city and municipal districts across six states in peninsula Malaysia, and ranks them against each other based on a 100-point scale. The nine sub-indices have been structured to capture the key elements of the local business environment that can be influenced by district regulations or district implementation of federal and state policies.

In this issue: "Books for Asia Hosts Vartan Gregorian in NYC, Launches Tech Start-up Fund," "Skoll Global Threats Fund to Help Address Water Sharing in Asia," "Citi's Ida Liu to Chair Lotus Awards 2012," "Asia Foundation Announces Five New...

In this issue: "Books for Asia Hosts Vartan Gregorian in NYC, Launches Tech Start-up Fund," "Skoll Global Threats Fund to Help Address Water Sharing in Asia," "Citi's Ida Liu to Chair Lotus Awards 2012," "Asia Foundation Announces Five New Trustees," "Amb. Verveer Meets Experts from Asia Foundation Panel on Women's Changing Roles in Asia," "Briefly Noted," "Multimedia," "Ashraf Ghani Briefs on Afghan Transition 2014," "Henry Luce Foundation Renews China Young Diplomats Program."

The Asia Foundation commissioned a study in August 2010 to examine the dynamics of gender and conflict in Mindanao. Leslie Dwyer and Rufa Guiam conducted field-based research and a literature review to identify challenges and opportunities for...

The Asia Foundation commissioned a study in August 2010 to examine the dynamics of gender and conflict in Mindanao. Leslie Dwyer and Rufa Guiam conducted field-based research and a literature review to identify challenges and opportunities for women and men in community and national peacebuilding. Their report argues that programming is more effective when comprehensive gender analysis is utilized, and that such an approach can be transformative in societies trying to emerge from conflict.

Occasional Paper No. 11, April 2012

Formal and Informal Governance in Afghanistan is one of a series of analytical papers on The Asia Foundation's recently released public-opinion survey, Afghanistan in 2011: A Survey of...

A brief handout on Promoting Democratic Institutions and Practices (PRODIP). PRODIP is a five-year, $23.2 million program funded by the United States Agency for International Development. It is being implemented by The Asia Foundation in...

A brief handout on Promoting Democratic Institutions and Practices (PRODIP). PRODIP is a five-year, $23.2 million program funded by the United States Agency for International Development. It is being implemented by The Asia Foundation in partnership with the State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY-CID). PRODIP is designed to improve the effectiveness and transparency of the parliament, while also increasing the constructive participation of civil society in the public policymaking and legislative process.

A survey and analysis of voter behavior during Afghanistan's 2010 parliamentary elections. The survey provides a sense of people's understanding and acceptance of the elections. It aims to gather opinions on elections-related issues so that...

A survey and analysis of voter behavior during Afghanistan's 2010 parliamentary elections. The survey provides a sense of people's understanding and acceptance of the elections. It aims to gather opinions on elections-related issues so that elections stakeholders and opinion shapers in government, the international community, and the broader Afghan public can utilize the data as they make decisions and design relevant initiatives for improving electoral awareness and systems.

Aid to Subnational Conflict and Post-Conflict Areas: Balancing Development, Governance, and Security

Subnational conflict is a widespread problem in Asia, affecting nearly two-thirds of the countries in South and Southeast Asia. While...

Aid to Subnational Conflict and Post-Conflict Areas: Balancing Development, Governance, and Security

Subnational conflict is a widespread problem in Asia, affecting nearly two-thirds of the countries in South and Southeast Asia. While most of Asia is rapidly developing, subnational conflict areas typically lag behind in key development indicators. Many of these regions have been afflicted by conflict for decades, leading to protracted cycles of under-development, poor governance and instability. These conditions create an environment that stifles local economic growth, prevents integration into the national and regional economies, and leads to deteriorating social services. The project team will focus on four cases of subnational conflicts and post-conflict in Asia: Mindanao and Sulu (Philippines), Southern Thailand, Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, and Aceh (Indonesia).

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, several countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these...

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, several countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these environments are often troubled, and have frequently become the primary cause of prolonged conflict and fragility. Many citizens in conflict-affected and fragile regions have come to see their government as distant, unresponsive, inaccessible, or absent altogether. When citizens perceive states as illegitimate, many will simply avoid contact with their governments, and in some cases support violent challenges to state authority.