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Afghanistan has been described as the world’s most dangerous country for women. Violence against women (VAW) takes many forms, and has complex and deep roots in the patriarchal culture of the Afghan society. One form of VAW is denying them access to food.

Ecological modernization is the key to a just society of the future. The core project of such a modernization is the transformation of the energy system - as it was discussed at the conference "Work in Progress: Energy Transition".

Over the past years, tens of thousands of men, women and children in Syria havee become subject to forced disappearances in Syria. On July 12, the film "Syria's Disappeared" was screened in which survivors of Syrian prisons and relatives of some tortured to death speak out.

How ASEAN deals with forced migrants shows in how far it is actually people-centered and people-oriented. This vulnerable group used to be integrated in the past. However, today it appears integration efforts are not truly inclusive.

Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Anyway the countries are planning to cover lacks in energy demand and supply mainly with coal. However, renewables from solar over biomass to wind have a huge potential in the region.

The public discourse in Indonesia has turned against LGBT people. However, behind closed doors, the Indonesian government still supports projects for LGBT groups.

Organic food production is still a niche market in ASEAN countries, yet one on the rise. Health and ecological concerns have brought sustainable farming methods including small-scale and organic farming back to the table. Perspectives from Thailand, Myanmar, and Singapore.

Competing trade agreements and planned infrastructure investments are dilemmas that ASEAN can only successfully solve if they approach the challenges as group that lets go if its consensus decision-making and allows for countries´ flexible participation.

Despite its diversity, ASEAN member states have one common trait: state repression. This is in contrast to ASEAN´s aspiration to be people-centered. How repression looks on the ground can illustrate the example of the Bersih movement for fair elections in Malaysia.

In 1967 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded. This dossier sheds light on the institutional framework of ASEAN and analyses with contributions by civil society and academia, where social and ecological justice has, or should have, its place in Southeast Asia.

So far, the engagement of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People´s Forum has been disappointing. A new strategy for people-to-people regional integration is needed.

Southeast Asia is a patchwork of networks, life-worlds, trading systems and cross-cultural pathways of human interaction. These interactions have always existed in different shapes, as a look to the rural borderlands shows.

“Mountainland” is an ongoing long-term project by the photographer Sascha Richter that surveys the lives and societies of Zomia. The pictures presented here were taken as first part of the project in October 2016 in the Northwest of Vietnam. More parts of the series can be found here. [gallery]

In Hungary, NGOs are now required to register as “civic organisations funded from abroad” if they receive financial support from a foreign source. The government is trying to delegitimise any organisation that criticises certain government policies, says Veronika Móra.

Heinrich Boell Stiftung Pakistan is geared towards enlarging knowledge and expertise in order to enable CSOs and government to negotiate and contribute to the implementation of climate change resilient initiatives. In this regards, it implements and supports programmes and initiatives that help transition towards the goal it has set for itself. One such initiative is the series of consultative dialogues between Civil Society and the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC). The aim of the dialogues series is to frame Pakistan’s agenda at COP 23. The initiative is being implemented by the Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization (MGPO) under the banner of Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC). The proposed dialogues will deliberate on the following climate change thematic areas: (i) Adaptation & Mitigation, (ii) Loss & Damage, (iii) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), (iv) Means of Implementation (MoI), (v) New Market Mechanisms, (vi) Transparency & MRV. The proceedings of the consultative dialogue series will be compiled and published in the form of a report. The first dialog on Adaptation & Mitigation took place on 18th July 2017.

Our economy is obsessed with productivity and growth. How can we transform it into one built around a broader sense of prosperity? One that makes our lives worthwhile instead of destroying our planet?

When the 19 member countries and the EU gathered in Hamburg for the G20 Summit one important topic was not on the agenda: from China to Mexico, Turkey to Russia, Saudi Arabia to India – the respect for fundamental human rights can no longer be taken for granted.

We all come into contact with it, especially when shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables, hardly anyone is aware of it: many hours of ‘invisible’ labor – often by migrant workers from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe toiling in agriculture in the Mediterranean region.

Myanmar’s transition to democracy has earned the country a lot of appraisal on the international stage. But over the last year, the boundaries between what is permitted and what will get people in trouble slid back and blurred again.

On 22 June 2017 international experts Gerald Knaus, Rebecca Vincent, and Berit Lindeman spoke with Anar Mammadli and other representatives of Azeri civil society about the critical human rights situation in the country, ways to potentially solve it, and European strategies.

On 23 Juni 2017 Ralf Fücks was given an official farewell after being chairman of Heinrich Böll Foundation for over 20 years. With Sergey Lagodinsky and Eva van de Rakt he speaks about his history and political developments.

He is thought leader and radical environmentalist: On 23 June 2017 Ralf Fücks was given an official farewell at Heinrich Böll Foundation by Cem Özdemir, chairman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.

The Hungarian government’s recently adopted legislation seem to specifically target the Central European University, creating a situation of existential instability. Anna Frenyó spoke with Zsolt Enyedi, the university’s Pro-Rector for Hungarian Affairs about the latest developments.

Across the US, progressive Americans are looking for ways to engage in civil resistance and defend progressive legislation. The Victory Institute and its associated Fund identify, train and support members of the LGBTQ community to run for office. We spoke with Ruben Gonzales, Vice President of the Leadership Initiatives at the Victory Institute.

On Tuesday, 13 June, Hungary’s National Assembly passed a law that requires NGOs which receive foreign funds above the annual threshold of 24000 EUR to register and label themselves as “foreign-funded organisations” on their websites and in their publications.

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union invites young Europeans from all Member States and the UK to Brussels in order to discuss with each other.