Pantawid Pamilya: Money for nothing?
More than 4.4 million poor Filipino families receive regular cash grants from the government to help them make ends meet. But they aren’t getting money for nothing—there is a catch: families only get the cash if their children go to school and get regular health check-ups, and if the parents go to family development sessions every month.
Why AIDS funding stands at a crossroads in Asia and Pacific
The Asia Pacific region has scored many successes in its march to reverse the HIV and AIDS epidemic in a number of countries, starting with Thailand, Cambodia, and India. But the region still faces serious challenges with other countries like Pakistan, Philippines, and Indonesia reporting rising epidemic levels. Initial successes in scaling up treatment and prevention programs have left some political leaders and policymakers complacent.
Why Asia and Pacific needs youth policies
Based on Plan International’s 2012 World Atlas of Youth Policies, fewer than half of the countries in Asia and the Pacific have youth-specific policies. Other countries have integrated youth in their constitutions or sector-specific policies, such as on education, health, and drug prevention. Do we really need to prioritize and direct limited resources to a certain demographic defined only by age?
Does education equal wealth?
At an E-Camp: Social Accountability for Better Education Services held in the Philippines on 3-5 December, 2014, students from various countries in the Asia and Pacific region asked, “Is education still a way out of poverty?”
There’s nothing random about fostering an environment of creativity
Creativity has little space where tasks are practiced as regimentation. “Business unusual” is a catchphrase about doing things differently, to bring about change, to innovate. Times are becoming more complex. For economic gain, nature can no longer be simply considered as something to be “conquered” by people to extract wealth
We are all advocates
About twenty years ago I was working for a well-known nongovernment organization (NGO), campaigning on many issues from access to affordable drugs for HIV/AIDS patients, to advocating for fair trade for small farmers. When asked what I did I explained about my advocacy for social justice. “Oh so, you’re promoting communism?” was the response.
Fast-tracking Myanmar's reform
Over just 3 years, Myanmar has introduced ambitious reforms which have put it on track to become a modern economy. But big challenges still lie ahead.
Is Asia ready for Social Impact Bonds?
Raising finance for projects which are socially important but have little appeal to hard-nosed investors has been a major challenge for governments and donor agencies in the past. But now a new instrument has been developed which offers a fresh way forward—Social Impact Bonds.
Engagement between governments and CSOs: Are we getting results?
States are increasingly recognizing that constructive engagement and collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) is an important ingredient to achieving better governance.
Pushing the Boundaries for Women
Fifteen years ago I was working for a nongovernment organization (NGO) in Bangladesh documenting stories of training and economic empowerment of communities. A common recurring theme in virtually all the communities was the gender stereotyping in skills training programs.