Southeast and East Asia
The Foundation's work in Southeast and East Asia is aimed to support political, economic, and social developments. On a regional level, this is realized in cooperation with our partners like the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), the Economic Network Asia (EFN), and the Working group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. We bring together like-minded individuals in the region to promote the liberal principles of individual freedom, social market economy, and the protection of human rights.
News
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Women have a choice
Sara is aware that a lot of complex issues face women today, including unequal pay as well as unpaid work, and child care. She highlighted that education is still the solution: continuous learning for one’s self and civic education for the society.
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Wisdom and compassion will prevent another infodemic
For Supinya Klangnarong who heads Co-fact, a fact-checking platform in Thailand, a double dose of vaccine is also necessary to curb misinformation: wisdom coupled with compassion. She hopes that the world achieves a level of equanimity where people would not resort to conspiracies and hate online and offline.
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Presenting: Wonder Women of Southeast Asia
A digital policy specialist. A human resource professional and homemaker. A business manager turned civil society activist. An architect, technologist, and educator. A frontline doctor. A public official creating spaces for entrepreneurship. Women who will share innovative ways to restart.
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Musical collaboration of Southeast Asian artists conveys optimism amidst the pandemic
Restart song brings positive spirit. It's a showcase that something beautiful can be created through solidarity. With an upbeat melody and colorful effects, it communicates confidence in a fresh beginning.
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Defending women’s rights in Islam
As the Executive Director of Malaysia's Sisters in Islam, Rozana Isa's role is to make sure that Muslim women are being heard. She finds women are being grossly disadvantaged under the Syariah laws, and she believes that women have a right to question the injustice they experience in the name of Islam. Isa’s resolve to make Islam truly stand for equality and justice is remarkable.
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Apply for a Journalism Scholarship
We're looking for freelance journalists from Southeast or East Asia who have less than five years work-experience, solid journalism skills, treasure journalistic ethics and standards, are fluent in English, and share FNF ́s liberal values. Successful applicants will get training, receive EUR 2000, and become part of a region-wide media network. Apply before 15 May 2021.
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A phenomenal song from a generation that speaks out
A song about breaking free from domestic violence, Born Free, earned the judges nod at the regional songwriting contest, Living Freedom. Composed by Aether, a group of young artists from Myanmar, Born Free was recognized for its authenticity – the relevance of the message given the rise of domestic abuse during the pandemic, and the heartfelt emotions expressed in the song.
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Practice Makes Perfect
There is a need to put forward a transformative agenda, which includes a re-politicization of a feminist process that practices an expanded and dynamic power analysis. It elevates feminist Leadership that refers to challenging the assumptions that masculinist leadership is essential, effective, and is the standard or norm. Female leadership is founded on values of reflexivity, care, and ethical concerns as prime.
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Women's Collective Leadership
The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) remains the global blueprint for the advancement of women’s human rights. This collectively derived environmental scan to ensure that women’s movements in the region, can substantially participate in the review and appraisal of the BPfA, and contribute towards renewing women’s collective leadership.
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In Asia, democracy is tested by coronavirus and China
In Southeast Asia, where democracy has been sliding back in a number of countries, leaders have used the pandemic to boost their authoritarian rule in the name of a state of emergency. They have restricted freedoms, tightened law enforcement, and abused their emergency powers. But citizens are pushing back, a silver lining in these bleak times.
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Southeast Asia uses pandemic and spread of disinformation to restrict press freedom
The health crisis became an excuse to tighten restrictions on news coverage and harass journalists, sending chills to newsrooms in the region. This wave of repression came on top of authorities clamping down on ‘fake news,’ using the supposed spread of disinformation as a justification to attack the press.
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Why EU and ASEAN won’t seem to get a Free Trade Agreement anytime soon
In times of turmoil in international relations, the European Union has to find new regional trade partners - and ASEAN is a potential candidate. But even though there have been several rounds of discussions, an agreement is nowhere in sight. The road to an FTA between EU and ASEAN is long and bumpy. What are the reasons?
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ASEAN needs to pull together to ensure economic recovery in 2021
This pandemic highlights the urgency for regional cooperation and the need to build institutions that strengthen regional integration of ASEAN as the region recovers from the pandemic.
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With RCEP, is post-pandemic recovery for ASEAN in sight?
After eight years of discussion, the RCEP agreement was reached during the ASEAN virtual meeting in Hanoi. Many people have high hopes that it can become the solution for ASEAN’s economic recovery. However, some are skeptical about it.
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Naumann Foundation relocates Global Innovation Hub to Taipei
With its political stability and its democratic, pluralistic and liberal society, Taiwan offers ideal conditions for the work of the Global Innovation Hub. Taiwan is an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of digitalization.
Social Media
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With women at the helm of leadership, businesses and communities are more successful. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bich Hang proves that. With her as Country Director of Marie Stopes Vietnam, the organization was awarded as the most innovative and sustainable NGO in the country. Join us in a conversation with her tomorrow, 13 May at 3pm GMT+7. Catch us live here or you can still register at bit.ly/WonderWomenSeri
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All member states of the European Union are signatories to the Istanbul Convention, the human rights treaty of the Council of Europe against violence against women and domestic violence. The convention was opened for signature 10 years ago today. A decade later, the call to stop violence against women is louder.
