Asia

The Heinrich Böll Foundation is represented in Asia with six offices in Bangkok, New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Yangon and Phnom Penh. From there we promote partner projects in the countries of the region. Our Afghanistan program is implemented by a local partner organization. Here you will find our articles, publications and events.

Team and offices abroad

Recent articles

Eine Deponie voller Plastikmüll in Ayutthayas Bang Ban District

Thailand’s Plastic Waste Conundrum

Analysis

Despite the Thai government’s ban of four more types of single-use plastics in 2022, up to 250,000 tonnes of imported plastic waste from other nations continues to flow into the country annually through the international plastic waste trade. Thailand is trying to stay the course with further efforts to mitigate plastic pollution, but there are still challenges in waste sorting and collection on the ground.

By Pratch Rujivanarom

Ambiguously Democratic: Parties, Coalitions, and Candidates in the 2022 Philippine Elections

Article

Elections in the Philippines is a time of alliances, pundits, politicking within and across party lines. A range of candidates have put themselves forward for the upcoming 2022 elections, though their agendas and positions may still be too cloudy for voters to make a clear bet. Persistent problems around politics are present, although reform via the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is slowly taking place. There’s still plenty of time ahead for unpredictability, by prospective candidates and the voting population.

By Cleo Calimbahin

The AIIB Fails on Public Access to Information

Background

Starting from October 2021, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will begin using a newly revised but still problematic environmental and social framework. This framework contains the right words and appears to tick all the boxes, but it includes too many loopholes and caveats that undermine early disclosure of environmental and social risks.

By Korinna Horta and Wawa Wang

All articles on Asia

Publications

Perspectives Asia #10: Fabrics of Society

The 10th issue of Perspectives Asia takes a look at how the pandemic is reshaping state/society relationships in different Asian countries; it also shares down-to-earth Covid-19 experiences from different regions and cultures, on issues as diverse as trust in government institutions, the situation of migrant workers, and gender relationships.

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Sharing life. The Ecopolitics of Reciprocity

Book/E-Book

Evolving around the main essay “Sharing life. The Ecopolitics of Reciprocity”, all contributions to this assemblage reflect a common understanding that ecology and biodiversity needs to be reclaimed – and constantly generated – as a process of lived and living realities in a system of reciprocal relationships.

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Perspectives Asa: Cover of the 9th issue

Perspectives Asia: Two Sides of the Medals

This issue of Perspectives Asia examines intersections of sports and politics. We look at how, through sports, identities are shaped, myths and heroes are born, and unconventional truths are buried.

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Publication series

Analyzes & comments

All issues

Our Asia Update informs at least once a month about topics, dossiers and events about the region.

All publications on Asia

Videos

The short film "The Sharp Edge of Peace", supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, accompanies and portrays Fatima Gailani, Fawzia Koofi, Habiba Sarabi, and Sharifa Zurmati, the only female members of the Afghan government delegation to the intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Doha, which began in September 2020. The short-film highlights the important role of these four women in defending women's rights, human rights, and an inclusive society in Afghanistan as part of the negotiations with the Taliban.

Democracy in Southeast Asia: In the four years since the coup in Thailand, the military junta has consistently consolidated its power. In neighboring Malaysia, on the other hand, the parliamentary elections in May 2018 saw a democratic change of power for more than 50 years. What do these developments mean for Southeast Asia? A discussion with Bernice Chauly, author, Malaysia; Prabda Yoon, author, Thailand; Moderation: Manfred Hornung, Office Manager, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Southeast Asia.