The Asia Foundation

Religious courts in Indonesia preside over family law cases such as inheritance, marriage, divorce, child support, and child custody. Gender bias has been a significant challenge to the principles of fairness and justice that religious courts...

Religious courts in Indonesia preside over family law cases such as inheritance, marriage, divorce, child support, and child custody. Gender bias has been a significant challenge to the principles of fairness and justice that religious courts in Indonesia are meant to uphold. In recent years, there has been a growing movement led by religious court judges intent on improving gender equality. The Asia Foundation is responding to this demand through partnerships with state and civil society actors to provide religious judges with the knowledge and resources they need to ensure gender equality in their court decisions.

The Asia Foundation's Women's Empowerment Program works closely with our local partners to address these challenges and ensure that women can be a key contributor to development in China. The program advances women's empowerment through...

The Asia Foundation's Women's Empowerment Program works closely with our local partners to address these challenges and ensure that women can be a key contributor to development in China. The program advances women's empowerment through education, increasing economic security, mitigating the effects of natural disasters, and helping women access their legal rights.

Since it reopened its office in Afghanistan in 2002, The Asia Foundation has established strong links with the formal education system, and also supports civil society organizations to provide remedial, vocational, and other non-formal...

Since it reopened its office in Afghanistan in 2002, The Asia Foundation has established strong links with the formal education system, and also supports civil society organizations to provide remedial, vocational, and other non-formal education and training for women and girls. The Foundation works both to increase girls' access to education as well as to improve the quality of education offered. During the years of conflict, the Foundation supported education for Afghan girls and women living in refugee camps in Pakistan. During the Taliban years, when girls were banned from school, the Foundation supported PARSA, a local Kabul-based organization that ran home schools for girls.

The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia program distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels to 18 Asian countries. Since its inception in 1954, Books for Asia has provided nearly 45 million books and journals to more...

The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia program distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels to 18 Asian countries. Since its inception in 1954, Books for Asia has provided nearly 45 million books and journals to more than 50,000 academic and non-academic institutions throughout Asia. In Afghanistan, Books for Asia has donated more than 350,000 books and journals to government agencies, private institutions, and NGOs across the country, supporting national development, international understanding, and English-language literacy.

The Asia Foundation re-established an office in Kabul in February 2002 to launch new program initiatives in key areas central to the development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Essential among these initiatives is the creation of a strong...

The Asia Foundation re-established an office in Kabul in February 2002 to launch new program initiatives in key areas central to the development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Essential among these initiatives is the creation of a strong educational system that is vital for long-term reconstruction of the country. The Asia Foundation addresses strategic educational needs in Afghanistan by supporting initiatives in higher education as well as increasing educational opportunities for women and girls.

The Asia Foundation re-established an office in Kabul in February 2002 to launch new program initiatives in key areas central to the development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Essential among these initiatives is the creation of a strong...

The Asia Foundation re-established an office in Kabul in February 2002 to launch new program initiatives in key areas central to the development of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Essential among these initiatives is the creation of a strong educational system that is vital for long-term reconstruction of the country. The Asia Foundation addresses strategic educational needs in Afghanistan by supporting initiatives in higher education as well as increasing educational opportunities for women and girls.

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has been promoting, facilitating, and supporting responsible use of water and minerals for the long-term prosperity of all Mongolians. The Foundation’s approach is to inform, engage, and empower civil...

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has been promoting, facilitating, and supporting responsible use of water and minerals for the long-term prosperity of all Mongolians. The Foundation’s approach is to inform, engage, and empower civil society to participate actively in decisionmaking that has direct consequences on communities, households, and individuals.

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has been promoting, facilitating, and supporting responsible use of water and minerals for the long-term prosperity of all Mongolians. The Foundation’s approach is to inform, engage, and empower...

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has been promoting, facilitating, and supporting responsible use of water and minerals for the long-term prosperity of all Mongolians. The Foundation’s approach is to inform, engage, and empower civil society to participate actively in decisionmaking that has direct consequences on communities, households, and individuals.

In 2010, The Asia Foundation, in partnership with the Zorig Foundation, launched a scholarship program funded by the Shirin Pandju Merali Foundation. The Program supports university education for 120 female students who were unable to continue...

In 2010, The Asia Foundation, in partnership with the Zorig Foundation, launched a scholarship program funded by the Shirin Pandju Merali Foundation. The Program supports university education for 120 female students who were unable to continue their education due to financial constraints.

There are many potential benefits to an economically connected and integrated Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). But connectivity in maritime Southeast Asia remains a serious challenge. ASEAN is beginning to address these issues,...

There are many potential benefits to an economically connected and integrated Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). But connectivity in maritime Southeast Asia remains a serious challenge. ASEAN is beginning to address these issues, with the adoption of a Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity. Among its flagship projects is a regional "roll-on, roll-off" nautical transportation network, patterned after the innovative system pioneered in the Philippines with support from The Asia Foundation.

The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia program envisions a world where every child has access to books that inspire them to develop to their full potential and where every community leader has access to up-todate information to inform his or her...

The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia program envisions a world where every child has access to books that inspire them to develop to their full potential and where every community leader has access to up-todate information to inform his or her decisions. An educated population is a powerful tool to combat poverty and disease, and to promote stability. In Indonesia alone, Books for Asia has distributed over 2.3 million English-language books and journals to Indonesian schools, higher education institutions, ministries and commissions, and professional and civic organizations since 1955.

Religious leaders of all faiths are highly regarded in Sri Lankan society, and an accurate picture of the current reality for this island nation is incomplete without considering Muslims. Sometimes referred to as Sri Lankan Moors, they...

Religious leaders of all faiths are highly regarded in Sri Lankan society, and an accurate picture of the current reality for this island nation is incomplete without considering Muslims. Sometimes referred to as Sri Lankan Moors, they comprise 7 percent of the country's population. Their mother-tongue is Tamil but they are a distinct ethnic group with their own customs. Muslims are found all over the island but the largest concentration is in the Eastern Province.

While one third of Mongolia's 2.7 million citizens are still nomadic, half of Mongolia’s population now resides in Ulaanbaatar, and harsh winters combined with the depletion of natural resources push more and more Mongolians to settle in...

While one third of Mongolia's 2.7 million citizens are still nomadic, half of Mongolia’s population now resides in Ulaanbaatar, and harsh winters combined with the depletion of natural resources push more and more Mongolians to settle in developed areas. The Asia Foundation works with government and NGO partners to support more effective service delivery, citizen engagement, and local government orientation on the skills and knowledge needed for the urban context.

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems...

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems that are identified.

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems...

Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, is a method widely- used in developed countries to identify the need for certain regulations. The method calculates the costs and benefits of regulation, and weighs alternative solutions to the problems that are identified.

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing...

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing applications, but kept "back office" processing of permits decentralized across various other agencies. While this resulted in some improvements, the impact of these "One- Roof One-Stop Shop" (OSS) licensing reforms remained limited. The Foundation supports reforms that have resulted in "One-Door" OSS, in which both front office and back office authorities are united in a single location.

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing...

Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported initiatives to simplify business licensing at the local level.Initially, programs supported local governments to establish agencies that integrated the "front office" receipt of licensing applications, but kept "back office" processing of permits decentralized across various other agencies. While this resulted in some improvements, the impact of these "One- Roof One-Stop Shop" (OSS) licensing reforms remained limited. The Foundation supports reforms that have resulted in "One-Door" OSS, in which both front office and back office authorities are united in a single location.

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional...

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional Autonomy Watch ranked regional competitiveness between 2001 and 2005, using perception surveys of business owners coupled with secondary data about key indicators of factors that support the regional business climate and promote healthy competition.

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional...

The Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) was established in 2000 by stakeholders from the business community, journalists and researchers to monitor the impact of regional autonomy on economic growth. With support from The Asia Foundation, Regional Autonomy Watch ranked regional competitiveness between 2001 and 2005, using perception surveys of business owners coupled with secondary data about key indicators of factors that support the regional business climate and promote healthy competition.

In this issue: "Afghanistan Poll," "Ten Years in Vietnam," "First-ever Survey on Thailand's Troubled South," "Luce Scholars," "Cambodia: Countering Domestic Violence," "Partner Highlight: Del Monte Foundation Gets Books to Children in the...

In this issue: "Afghanistan Poll," "Ten Years in Vietnam," "First-ever Survey on Thailand's Troubled South," "Luce Scholars," "Cambodia: Countering Domestic Violence," "Partner Highlight: Del Monte Foundation Gets Books to Children in the Philippines," "Spotlight: David D. Arnold Leads The Asia Foundation," and Program Highlights from Malaysia and Mongolia.