Hate speech, often disseminated online, has surged following the COVID-19 pandemic. Asia Centre in its inaugural baseline study, Hate Speech in Southeast Asia, explains the background and the issues that lead to discrimination, violence and communal strife in the region. It examines the legal framework, in particular a slew of "harmony" bills aimed at securing […]
Journalism for an Equitable Asia Award Asia and Pacific showed the biggest billionaire wealth and growth in the world last year, now with 906 billionaires owning nearly 3 trillion dollars in wealth. In contrast, 1.2 billion Asians are struggling to make ends meet. Women and girls and other groups without a strong voice suffer the […]
Overview Across Asia hate speech based on fake news has led to an increase of violent incidents as disinformation divides communities during periods of political and communal tensions. With rising internet penetration and use of mobile devices, abusive and threatening remarks both in speech and writing are going viral over social media. Often such content […]
Overview Whereas one can trace India’s relations with Southeast Asia (SEA) through history, their interaction has reached unprecedented levels as India moved from its “Look East” policy of the early 1990s, to “Act East” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ‘Act East, adopted in 2014, represents a realignment of India’s foreign policy, which seeks to build […]
Since February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an “Infodemic” which has created a challenge for countries trying to tackle issues of disinformation, misinformation and too much information. A spike in COVID-19 related “fake news” is placing communities in very vulnerable positions resulting in risk to public health. In Thailand one challenge wrought by the […]
As ASEAN and Japan are economically, socially and politically inter-connected, this webinar will examine the shared implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for Japan and Southeast Asia. In particular, it will examine the challenges brought about the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the possible joint solutions to address the issue. Key Questions: What have been the impact […]
Theme: Inequality crisis and the pandemic Asia, just like the rest of the world, is grappling with COVID-19. Despite tremendous economic growth and advances in healthcare, technology, and elsewhere during the preceding decades, we are struggling to overcome the pandemic and the resultant economic and social fallouts. As of now, there’s no end in sight […]
Earlier this year, Asia Centre and Oxfam in Asia, announced the finalists for the Journalism for an Equitable Asia Award Ceremony. Due to the persisting pandemic, we will hold an online awarding event instead. We, at the Asia Centre and Oxfam in Asia, welcome journalists, media scholars and students, those actively working for an equal […]
On 9 December 2020, Asia Centre will release a baseline study that evaluates the state of democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. "COVID-19 and Democracy in Southeast Asia: Building Resilience, Fighting Authoritarianism" outlines how Southeast Asian governments have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to tighten their grip over their […]
Due to high demand for a COVID-19 vaccine, there have been a number of pre-purchase agreements being made between governments and vaccine manufacturers to secure and prioritise a country's needs before others. This is now commonly known as ‘vaccine nationalism’. As a range of vaccines are being developed and tested in numerous clinical trials globally, […]
Abstract Defending Freedom of Expression: Fake News Laws in East and Southeast Asia published by Asia Centre and the Council of Asia Liberals and Democrats (CALD) examines the existing and recently enacted laws and policies in the region which govern disinformation. The aim of the report is to provide a policy tool of ideas to […]
Law and Lawlessness: Myanmar Coup and Human Rights The February 2021 military coup in Myanmar, which sought to overturn the November 2021 free and fair election, flew in the face of the country’s own Constitutional provisions regarding public emergencies and respect for international human rights standards. The coup in Myanmar clearly defies constitutional commitments and […]
Asia Centre and Oxfam in Asia, welcome journalists, media scholars and students, those actively working for an equal society, and all interested people for the 2020-21 Journalism for an Equitable Asia Award Ceremony on 24 March 2021 at 2.00 PM (Bangkok Time, GMT+7) via Zoom Webinar. Hear from the journalists who wrote the 10 top […]
Around the world academic freedom is increasingly coming under attack. The core value of academic freedom and what it means for society at large is also gaining more attention. For scholars and students, it means not only the freedom to research and teach but freedom of academic exchange. The Academic Freedom Index (2020) lists also […]
Attacks on media freedoms have intensified since the coronavirus (COVID-19) became a global pandemic in late March 2020, as governments seek to fend off criticisms of their mismanagement of the public health emergency. In Southeast Asia, the attack on journalists, media organisations, and the internet is largely led by governments and sitting political regimes in […]
At the 2021 Gwangju Democracy Forum, the panel will highlight how freedom of expression has become important in the struggle to enlarge the democratic space in Southeast Asia. Throughout 2020 and into early 2021, most countries in Southeast Asia have seen a steady decrease in their freedom of expression. Actions taken by governments and political […]
Across Southeast Asia freedoms of expression have been backsliding, Timor-Leste has not escaped this regression. While the Constitution has rights guarantees, national laws however are inconsistent with the Constitution and the international standards to which it subscribes. With gaps that may lead to litigation or censorship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has proposed a […]
SIGN UP HERE: https://bit.ly/3vYuXYl Abstract: Timor-Leste: Internet Freedoms Under Threat analyses the state of internet freedoms against the background of emerging national legislation pertaining to online content and privacy of data. With the rise in internet and social media usage, the scrutiny of government figures on the digital platforms has resulted in a push for […]
On 20 August 2021, Asia Centre will release a baseline study, "Infodemic" and SDGs: Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia, that evaluates the progress made towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 9.C (Access and Affordability of Internet) and SDG 16.10 (Fundamental Freedoms and Access to Information) and its impact on internet freedoms. The study […]
Abstract Cambodia’s plan for a “National Internet Gateway” (NIG) in 2021, is the apex of internet censorship legislation. It is a “firewall” that observes internet traffic nationwide. The NIG would provide the government with the ability to effectively monitor and control all domestic information and communications in the nation through a single choke-point. Over the […]
Overview COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, following the first infections detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Since then, the number of infected cases and death rates have increased exponentially. Governments have introduced emergency and temporary laws, placed their citizens and residents within their jurisdictions under lockdowns, implemented stay-at-home orders, enforced […]
Abstract On 31st of July, following the LAWAN demonstration held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the police released a series of photos asking the public to share any information they had on these individuals in the pictures. One veteran journalist who worked the crime desk of a prominent local daily participated in sharing that information. The […]
Abstract: Governments in Southeast Asia often proclaim that they promote and protect racial and religious harmony through their domestic laws. On occasions they even insist that these laws are aligned with international standards. However, in reality, evidence from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and Committee on Racial Discrimination (CERD) suggests otherwise. When challenged, government representatives […]
About the Event: Oxfam International and Asia Centre are bringing together experts from Asia and elsewhere to explore how vaccine inequality is worsening and fuelling other forms of inequality in Asia. The webinar is part of Oxfam International and Asia Centre’s Journalism for an Equitable Asia project, which aims to increase public awareness and support […]
OverviewHuman Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, as the date marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDH) in 1948. The UNDR stipulates a certain set of basic human rights for all people to be protected and promoted. These rights are as relevant to us today as they were […]
OverviewAs of 2021, in Southeast Asia, Thailand is the only country that has published the national action plans (NAPs) on business and human rights; while Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines have either expressed their intention or have undertaken necessary steps to develop their NAPs. This event, convened to mark the launch of a new report, will […]
As COVID-19 spread across Asia, harrowing scenes of overflowing hospitals and queues for funeral services in some of the region’s most populous countries shocked the world. However, even before the massive uptake in COVID-19 deaths in Asia in 2021, the 1.2 billion Asians struggling in or on the brink of poverty were grappling with an […]
Hear from the journalists who wrote the 10 top stories selected by the panel judges from 150 submissions from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand and Vietnam. These journalists delivered high-quality articles on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives and livelihoods of disadvantaged groups including women, ethnic, religious and gender minorities, migrants, and informal workers.
Social media has become an important campaign tool in the 2022 Philippines Presidential Elections. Despite the campaign only officially kicking off on 8 February 2022, social media was already used in the run up to nominations in late 2021. Just days before the kick-off, on 3 February 2022, Philippines lawmakers approved the ‘Subscriber Identity Module […]
Date: 17 June 2022Time: 8.30 AM – 5:45 PM (Bangkok, Thailand GMT+7)Venue: Radisson Blu Plaza BangkokSign up here: https://forms.gle/kYMA4JDs6e99TxrUAContact: contact@asiacentre.org The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) elevated their relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” in 2020. Since then, the Corona and other major challenges have arisen, most notably the war in Ukraine and […]