The Asia Foundation

In this issue: "National Geographic and Dr. Sakena Yacoobi Honored at Lotus Awards," "Visionary NGO Leader Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of BRAC is Asia Foundation Fellow," "Asia Foundation at Google's Big Tent on Open Data and Disaster Preparedness,"...

In this issue: "National Geographic and Dr. Sakena Yacoobi Honored at Lotus Awards," "Visionary NGO Leader Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of BRAC is Asia Foundation Fellow," "Asia Foundation at Google's Big Tent on Open Data and Disaster Preparedness," "Renowned Philanthropist Dr. Chong-Moon Lee Launches New Projects to Combat Human Trafficking," "Luce Scholars Report for Assignments in Asia," "Multimedia," "Briefly Noted," "Rockefeller Foundation Supports Post-Flood Recovery and Environment Initiative in Thailand."

Occasional Paper No. 5, March 2011

A review of the basic theoretical and programmatic rationale for the series of Economic Governance Indices (EGIs) conducted by The Asia Foundation in countries throughout South and Southeast Asia,...

Occasional Paper No. 5, March 2011

A review of the basic theoretical and programmatic rationale for the series of Economic Governance Indices (EGIs) conducted by The Asia Foundation in countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

The Books for Asia program in Cambodia operated from 1955 to 1966, and resumed distribution in Cambodia in 1993. Since then, Books for Asia has annually distributed approximately 50,000 books to various Cambodian universities, schools,...

The Books for Asia program in Cambodia operated from 1955 to 1966, and resumed distribution in Cambodia in 1993. Since then, Books for Asia has annually distributed approximately 50,000 books to various Cambodian universities, schools, non-government organizations (NGOs), ministries, and government institutions open to the public. Since its inception in Cambodia, the Books for Asia program has distributed more than 600,000 books and journals. In the mid and late 1980s, the Books for Asia program provided books for Cambodian refugees in Site II (Aranyaprathet) and other camps on the Cambodian-Thai border. These book donations were especially important to the educational institutions established in the camps to serve the education needs of Cambodian refugees. In a country where communities were devastated during the Khmer Rouge period and most educational resources were destroyed, books donated by The Asia Foundation have served as a valued resource for readers and their research.

A look at the legal framework for labor migration of Cambodian women to Malaysia (for domestic work) and Cambodian men to Thailand (to work in agribusiness); and an analysis of the rules that govern regular migration while identifying...

A look at the legal framework for labor migration of Cambodian women to Malaysia (for domestic work) and Cambodian men to Thailand (to work in agribusiness); and an analysis of the rules that govern regular migration while identifying legislation that can be employed to protect those who become victims during irregular migration and that can be used against those who perpetrate and profit from it.

Commitment is growing among small Cambodian business owners to strengthen their own network as well as their relationship with the public sector, as demonstrated by the large turnout and vigorous participation of business owners who came...

Commitment is growing among small Cambodian business owners to strengthen their own network as well as their relationship with the public sector, as demonstrated by the large turnout and vigorous participation of business owners who came together for the cross-provincial meeting at the Sovana Phum Hotel in Kampong Chhnang on March, 28, 2007.

It is estimated that one in four women in Cambodia is a victim of domestic violence. To address this serious problem, The Asia Foundation’s Global Women in Politics (GWIP) program supported street theater productions to raise awareness...

It is estimated that one in four women in Cambodia is a victim of domestic violence. To address this serious problem, The Asia Foundation’s Global Women in Politics (GWIP) program supported street theater productions to raise awareness about violence against women and women’s legal rights in Cambodia.

This report presents the findings of the second national opinion survey of the Cambodian population conducted on behalf of the Asia Foundation. The aim of this nationally representative survey, which is a follow-up to a similar poll conducted...

This report presents the findings of the second national opinion survey of the Cambodian population conducted on behalf of the Asia Foundation. The aim of this nationally representative survey, which is a follow-up to a similar poll conducted in 2000, is to provide detailed information on the knowledge and attitudes of Cambodian voters, so that NGOs and other providers of voter education can more accurately plan their efforts. The survey also repeated a variety of questions from the first survey, which provide measures of the progress of democratization in Cambodia and the impact of voter education projects. A democracy assessment survey.

Project Director and Editor: Tim Meisburger, The Asia Foundation

Questionnaire and Report By: Craig Charney, Steve Hopkins, Charney Research

Technical Training Assistance: ACNielsen Indonesia

Research and Fieldwork: The Center for Advanced Study

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.

The Asia Foundation's Women's Empowerment program opens up economic opportunities for women. Working with local partners, our projects provide women with the full range of tools they need to be productive and profitable, including job training...

The Asia Foundation's Women's Empowerment program opens up economic opportunities for women. Working with local partners, our projects provide women with the full range of tools they need to be productive and profitable, including job training and networking, access to credit, and business management training. Our projects also educate women workers on their rights and help them mobilize to reform discriminatory laws and demand fair and equal treatment in the workplace.

A Report by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (July 2010)

The Report is an output of CCHR's Human Trafficking Trial Monitoring Sub-Project, supported by The Asia Foundation, and part of the wider CCHR Trial Monitoring Project. The...

A Report by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (July 2010)

The Report is an output of CCHR's Human Trafficking Trial Monitoring Sub-Project, supported by The Asia Foundation, and part of the wider CCHR Trial Monitoring Project. The purpose of the sub-project is to monitor human trafficking trials in Cambodia in order to assess their fairness, for both the victims and the accused, against fair trial standards; and to assess the impact of recent legal developments aimed at combating human trafficking, including the Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation 2008 (the "LHTSE"). CCHR aims to use the findings of the Report as a basis for dialogue with the judiciary and other relevant stakeholders, and hopes that the Report will serve as a useful tool for research and study related to human trafficking and fair trial rights in Cambodia.

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.

This new book from The Asia Foundation summarizes the Foundation's experience designing and implementing programs aimed at strengthening economic governance in Asia. Authored by Asia Foundation staff experts V. Bruce. J. Tolentino, Nina...

This new book from The Asia Foundation summarizes the Foundation's experience designing and implementing programs aimed at strengthening economic governance in Asia. Authored by Asia Foundation staff experts V. Bruce. J. Tolentino, Nina Merchant-Vega, Veronique Salze Lozac'h, Maria Belen Bonoan, Jaime Faustino, Hari Kusdaryanto, Frida Rustiani, and Arumaithurai Subakaran.

Khmer-language version of a report looking at the legal framework for labor migration of Cambodian women to Malaysia (for domestic work) and Cambodian men to Thailand (to work in agribusiness); and an analysis of the rules that govern regular...

Khmer-language version of a report looking at the legal framework for labor migration of Cambodian women to Malaysia (for domestic work) and Cambodian men to Thailand (to work in agribusiness); and an analysis of the rules that govern regular migration while identifying legislation that can be employed to protect those who become victims during irregular migration and that can be used against those who perpetrate and profit from it.

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ASIA FOUNDATION IN INDONESIA, CAMBODIA, VIETNAM, SRI LANKA, AND BANGLADESH

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is...

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ASIA FOUNDATION IN INDONESIA, CAMBODIA, VIETNAM, SRI LANKA, AND BANGLADESH

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is the formal and informal MSME sector, the major source of employment for most countries in Asia. However, the growth and job-generation performance of MSMEs are often constrained by a wide spectrum of institutional obstacles. To address the constraints to MSME growth, the Foundation has developed specialized tools to analyze local business environments, measure the quality of local economic governance, assess progress through a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators, and support policy reforms. Local Economic Governance Indexes (EGIs), developed in collaboration with local and international partners, are one of these tools.

11x17 version.

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is the formal and informal MSME sector, the major source of employment for most...

11x17 version.

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is the formal and informal MSME sector, the major source of employment for most countries in Asia. However, the growth and job-generation performance of MSMEs are often constrained by a wide spectrum of institutional obstacles. To address the constraints to MSME growth, the Foundation has developed specialized tools to analyze local business environments, measure the quality of local economic governance, assess progress through a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators, and support policy reforms. Local Economic Governance Indexes (EGIs), developed in collaboration with local and international partners, are one of these tools.

Cambodia, where the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES) was first implemented in 2006, and Sri Lanka where the first Economic Governance Index (EGI-SL) was conducted in 2007, are the two most recent additions to the LEGIs...

Cambodia, where the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES) was first implemented in 2006, and Sri Lanka where the first Economic Governance Index (EGI-SL) was conducted in 2007, are the two most recent additions to the LEGIs developed by The Asia Foundation and its partners.  These two indexes, based on the experience of The Asia Foundation in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, had to be adapted to the specific economic and administrative context of Cambodia and Sri Lanka.  They have, however, the same objectives:
• Providing updated information to the private sector about the business environment in their area, and thus creating a demand for an improved business environment.
• Creating a frame of reference for local leaders and public officials as they seek to improve policies and economic governance practices in their area.
• Stimulating a proactive and competitive process involving all relevant stakeholders in their efforts to offer a more supportive business environment.

Occasional Paper No. 2, July 2010

The processes of development are fundamentally shaped by powerful political, economic, and security actors in aid-recipient countries. These actors use their influence to shape formal governance...

Occasional Paper No. 2, July 2010

The processes of development are fundamentally shaped by powerful political, economic, and security actors in aid-recipient countries. These actors use their influence to shape formal governance institutions, policies, and the distribution of development assistance to advance their interests. The political settlements framework is an important new approach that may help international development organizations to better understand and respond to this reality and the challenges to developmental progress that is often affected by political dynamics in developing countries. This paper seeks to translate the concepts underlying political settlements into principles, strategies, and guidelines for practical action by donors and other development assistance organizations.

Thomas Parks, Regional Director for Governance and Conflict, The Asia Foundation
William Cole, Senior Director, Governance, Law, and Civil Society Programs & Program Strategy and Development, The Asia Foundation

This paper utilizes a unique dataset of 500 firms in ten Cambodian provinces and a natural experiment to rigorously test one of the most important propositions in political economy; that the predictability of a corruption is more important for...

This paper utilizes a unique dataset of 500 firms in ten Cambodian provinces and a natural experiment to rigorously test one of the most important propositions in political economy; that the predictability of a corruption is more important for firm investment decisions than the amount of bribes a firm must pay, provided the bribes are not prohibitively expensive. We find persuasive evidence that this hypothesis is correct.