Social development

Vietnam Punishes Critics of Government’s COVID-19 Response

Authorities in Vietnam have arrested a Facebook user for posting mild criticism of government COVID-19 policies, while a university fired a lecturer after a student shared on her comments faulting Hanoi’s pandemic response on the social media platform. The Tien Giang People’s Procuracy announced Tuesday that ...

RFA’s Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Eugene Whong.

Fighting Poverty by Protecting Landscapes

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the World Bank have launched a $57 million Lao Landscapes and Livelihoods Project that will generate jobs and income in rural areas by promoting investment in environmentally sustainable and socially-responsible forest and landscape management, and in the preservation of Lao ...

The World Bank

NGOs urge transparency for $52 mil US donation for Mekong region

After United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken announced the US pledge to donate $52 million to Mekong countries for development, NGOs have come forward asking the government to utilise the donation with transparency. NGO Forum executive director Tek Vannara said that the donation will ...

Son Minea

Sharing solutions: How a digital toolkit is strengthening Indigenous voices

Technology isn’t always a practical solution for Indigenous communities fighting for their land rights. Some technology requires internet access, which often isn’t available in remote areas. And some technology can be needlessly complicated and expensive, alienating some community members. The Earth Defenders Toolkit is working to help overcome ...

Caitlin Looby

Ethnic communities in Myanmar opposing a coal plant see their fight get harder

Almost two decades ago, Myanmar’s largest coal-fired power plant was built as a joint venture by a group of military-affiliated businessmen and the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation. Since then, it has disrupted the socioeconomic lives of the Pa’O and Taungyo people who are Indigenous ...

Robert Bociaga

Guardians of Nature: Bold and brave women rangers of Cambodia stand tall

As Cambodia marks World Ranger Day on July 31, Khmer Times highlights a handful of bold brave, and resilient women rangers who are standing alongside men to conserve and protect the wildlife and natural resources of the protected forest. Over the years, women have navigated from ...

Sen David

Prosecuting women traffickers: breaking the cycle of double victimisation

All populations are vulnerable to human trafficking. This is a low-risk, high-reward criminal activity for male traffickers who benefit from the vulnerabilities of women. Human trafficking is enabled by patchy policing, low levels of prosecution, and underfunded prevention. Traffickers prey upon women and girls with ...

Christina Storm, Steven Baker, Rachel Tong

Heavy Job Losses in Myanmar Since Coup: ILO Report

Myanmar lost an estimated 1.2 million jobs in the second quarter following the February military coup that crippled an economy already weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). “Myanmar was already facing economic stress with jobs and livelihoods under threat as ...

THE IRRAWADDY

Press freedom more important than ever in the Asia–Pacific

The current Covid-19 pandemic has had an alarming impact on press freedom. Over the past 18 months, governments across the Asia–Pacific have – knowingly or not – used the health crisis to restrict the flow of information, stifling the press freedom that underpins societies and ...

OLIVIA PIRIE-GRIFFITHS

Vientiane releases millions of fish to ensure food security

Vientiane plans to release an additional two million fish back into the river to meet the government’s goal of releasing 58 million fish this year to ensure food security. This was informed by the Director of Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department, Dr Lasay Nouanthasing, on July ...

Times Reporters

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