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.
The Meek Shall not Inherit the Earth - Gender Equality and Access to Land
Land is power – immutable and unyielding. It provides succor and sustenance. Unfortunately, there is an overwhelming gender gap in land ownership, reinforcing the gender discrimination women face in other spheres.
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?
Where are the Women Leaders in Public Administration?
While the corporate sector has been subject to scrutiny on the dearth of women at senior and board levels, there is still silence, or at best only whispers, about women in the top echelons of the public sector.
Getting Ready for the Post-2015 SDGs: Join the E-Dialogue
The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are expected to bring a stronger focus on longer-term durability of development gains as opposed to the current approach which sees decision-making targeted at the shorter term. At present, businesses main focus is annual balance sheets; for development organizations it is annual results reporting; and for democracies there's cyclical elections.
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.
Indonesia’s Nutritional ‘Double Burden’ Weighs on Economy
Indonesia has made impressive gains in poverty reduction in recent years, but some unfavorable childhood nutrition figures bode ill for the economy and the country’s achievement of a key Millennium Development Goal (MDG).
Women’s Participation: Why Quality Counts More Than Numbers
Nana lives in a remote village. She is married with three children. Both she and her husband are farmers. Nana went to school up to grade 3. Every now and then, the households in her community are asked to attend a meeting. One day, the village leader requested her to attend a meeting the next day.
Let’s Talk Incentives: Toilets, Girls, and Violence
Access to household toilets is often seen as just a water and sanitation issue or a public health concern. But the recent murders of two young Indian girls have highlighted another aspect – women’s safety and security.