Asia

The outcome of the 2019 midterm elections in the Philippines displayed the domineering political influence of President Rodrigo Duterte, a crowded-out opposition, and the limits of his promise for genuine and meaningful socio-political change.

On 17 April 2019, Indonesia held the world’s largest, and arguably most complicated, one-day election involved presidential, legislative (national and local), and senate elections – done simultaneously. Voters’ attention, however, was largely on the presidential election, which led to a turnout of 81%, the highest in Indonesia’s electoral history in the post-reform era.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation is represented in Asia with five offices in Beijing, Bangkok, Yangon, Phnom Penh, and New Delhi. From there we promote partner projects in the countries of the region. Our Afghanistan program is implemented by a local partner organization.

Afghanistan is a resource rich country with reserves estimated to worth around 3 trillion USD which almost have remained untapped. Afghanistan is prompt to invest in its extractive industry to cover the state expenses and budget deficits and to fund its development projects to alleviate poverty in the country.

Investment in infrastructure and channeling the revenues for equal development and enabling economic factors that would precipitate long-lasting and sustaining economic growth is important for making the best use of natural resources.

Heinrich Boell Stiftung (hbs) Pakistan organized an event to acknowledge the contributions of the cohort of Journalists on environment 

As the world celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the region of Southeast Asia highlights two compelling political phenomena: the emergent ‘authoritarian populism’  and the return to the ‘Asian Values’.

Since winning the presidency in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte’s regime has enacted policies of fear and repression that have eroded democratic norms and endorsed violations of fundamental rights.

Shubha Chacko is a prominent LGBTQ activist from India. On the occasion of the landmark Supreme Court judgment decriminalizing a portion of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, she writes on the long fight against section 377, the challenges ahead and what it means for the society at large.

Heinrich Boell Stiftung Islamabad-Pakistan's 's Ecology Programme coordinator, Mome Saleem organized and moderated a panel discussion on climate change and security dynamics at the 13th International Conference of the Bled Strategic Forum in Bled, Slovenia. The panel featured prominent leaders such as Former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Danilo Turk and Dean, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston Univeersity and Former Vice Chancellor, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan), DR. Adil Najam.  

In 2018, political relations on the Korean peninsula are in flux to an unprecedented degree. Taking note of the unclear situation, this article deliberately engages in speculation and develops three scenarios for the region.

The EU or its member states have ideal requisites for greater involvement in a necessary peace process between North and South Korea.

This article aims to understand Government writ towards conservation coupled with citizen action and how Pakistan is at a unique placement for increased green efforts. In an ongoing effort to conserve green spaces and practices,  Reclaiming Green Islamabad (RGI) celebrated 71 years of Pakistan by holding a plantation drive named, ‘Plant for Pakistan’. The plantation drive was supported by Heinrich Boell Stiftung - a German Green Foundation operational in the country since the past 25 years.   

Apply by the 1st of July to attend the first green open-space workshop on young Asian-European relations: "Our brave new world – valuing human rights across Asian-European borders".

A revolution took place in Malaysia on May 9, 2018. It was a silent and peaceful one, amazingly achieved through the ballot box, and is therefore not noticed for what it is. But it is a revolution nevertheless.

The following article on opportunities and challenges in the mining sector in Afghanistan illustrates the situation in the country at large.

Digital, online and social-media avenues undoubtedly offer an alternative or complementary channel for news, because of the inherent difficulty in censoring these spaces. Their wide reach and levels of engagement have saved lives during disasters or emergencies.

Journalists sued for espionage in Cambodia, and for using drones or supposedly violating the official secrets act in Myanmar. News outlets faced with financial penalties steep enough to cause them to go under, as it did in Cambodia. Media organizations in the Philippines repeatedly described as ‘fake news’ outlets by government officials chafing at critical reporting.

Many young Cambodians have little knowledge about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. The Bophana Center developed an app that provides free access to these historical events.

China suffers from draconian internet regulations, but enjoys a prosperous marketplace; it attracts IT giants from the United States and Europe, but it has also expelled some of them.