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Focus on the Global South releases the 4th edition of Focus Newsletter, which tackles the issue of democracy in Asia and its different facets--elections, constitutions, (extreme) nationalism, populism, majoritarian rule, press freedom. Why democracy?

Tuesday, 2018 Aug 28th

Fishing workers, through the very nature of their work, are especially vulnerable to human trafficking as well as forced, bonded and slave labour, operating as they do in isolated and hazardous conditions.

Monday, 2018 Aug 20th

In commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Focus on the Global South, presents the video documentary, “Sulagad: Our Life, Our Future”

Sulagad is the indigenous concept on food sovereignty and agroecology realized by the Téduray and the Lambangian indigenous peoples of Mindanao.

Thursday, 2018 Aug 09th

Focus on the Global South Statement on the 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2018

Wednesday, 2018 Aug 01st

Save the Mekong, a coalition of non-government organizations, community-based groups and concerned citizens within the Mekong region, wish to express our shock and concern at the recent collapse of the Xe Pian - Xe Nam Noy hydropower project in Laos, and our deep condolences to communities affected by this

Saturday, 2018 Jul 28th

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is currently being negotiated between 16 countries in the Asia and Pacific regions. It includes China, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other key trading nations such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and India.

Thursday, 2018 Jul 26th

Intervention at the RCEP Stakeholder Engagement during the 23rd Round of RCEP negotiations in Bangkok, Thailand, 23 July 2018

Joseph Purugganan, Focus on the Global South

Wednesday, 2018 Jul 25th

On the 20th of July 2018, 25 civil society organizations in Thailand in the sectors of health, agriculture, fishery, environment, internet, labor rights, women rights and climate change convened a meeting on the impact of RCEP and CPTPP. We have several serious concerns over the both trade agreements.

Wednesday, 2018 Jul 25th

Focus on the Global South, the ETC Group and Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute (CUSRI) are organizing a Forum on Corporate Concentration in Food and Agriculture; Implications on Food Sovereignty in South East Asia on 24 July. 

Wednesday, 2018 Jul 11th

On the day of his birthday, 17th September, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar Dam, and dedicated this act to the nation.

farmers marching for agrarian reform

Malolos, Bulacan— Around 150 farmers, women, senior citizens, and children who were part of a "Lakbayan" (march) from Bataan to Malacanang to request President Rodrigo Duterte to help get the lands

Screengrab of webinar

Civil society organizations from Indonesia, Philippines, and Europe criticized the European Union’s Multilateral Investment Court proposal as an attempt to multilateralise the investor-State disput

Rubber plantation in Southern Lao PDR

On 21 March, the International Day of Forests, 200 organisations are

22 February 2017, Manila, Philippines - Civil society and grassroots organizations from across Asia gathered in Manila for a two-day strategy meeting, February 21 and 22, to discuss a global campai

Focus on the Global South releases the 4th edition of Focus Newsletter, which tackles the issue of democracy in Asia and its different facets--elections, constitutions, (extreme) nationalism, populism, majoritarian rule, press freedom. Why democracy?

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is currently being negotiated between 16 countries in the Asia and Pacific regions. It includes China, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other key trading nations such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and India.

"I feel unsafe. I always lose things, even clothes. Clothes get stolen when being dried. If we have money to buy good (valuable) things and keep them in the room, we have to be watchful."

New digital publication OUT NOW!!

This new publication compiles articles, songs, videos and visual contents created and gathered for the International Day of Peasants'Struggles 2018. 

To read it online, please click here.

This paper summarizes the discussions that took place in a meeting of representatives from peasant, fisher folk, indigenous peoples and rural women’s organizations, and civil society organizations (CSOs),  in Bangkok Thailand, 26-28 September 2017.

ឯកសារនេះបង្ហាញពីទិដ្ឋភាពទូទៅនៃនិន្នាការវិនិយោគនៅក្នុងតំបន់ទន្លេមេគង្គ ពីការផ្លាស់ប្តូរច្បាប់ និងគោលនយោបាយ ដែលបានធ្វើឡើងដើម្បីសម្របសម្រួលដល់ការវិនិយោគខ្នាតធំរបស់អន្តរជាតិ និងក្នុងស្រុក និងបង្ហាញពីផលប៉ះពាល់នៃការវិនិយោគបែបនេះ ទៅលើតំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេស (SEZs) ជាពិសេសទៅលើលក្ខខណ្ឌរស់នៅ និងលក្ខខណ្ឌការងាររបស់កម្មករ នៅក្នុងតំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេសទាំងនេះ។ ឯកសារនេះ ផ្តល់ជូននៅការវិភាគបែបស៊ីជម្រៅមួយទៅលើទំហំ និង

របាយការណ៍សិក្សាស្រាវជ្រាវស្តីពី "តំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេស (SEZs) និង​ការទាញយកតម្លៃពីតំបន់មេគង្គ ករណីសិក្សាមួយលើការគ្រប់គ្រង និងការកេងប្រវ័ញ្ចដីធ្លី និងកម្លាំងពលកម្មក្នុងតំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេសកម្ពុជា និងមីយ៉ាន់ម៉ាបានធ្វើការសិក្សាលើករណីសិក្សាចំនួនពីរលើតំបន់សេដ្ឋកិច្ចពិសេសក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា និងប្រទេសមីយ៉ាន់ម៉ាពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងការលើកទឹកចិត្ត និងការធានាដែលផ្

ECO -FRIENDLY PRINTABLE VERSION WITH NO PICTURES (text only)!

On the 45th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, young activists in the Philippines urge their fellow Filipinos to fight against the tyrannical rule of Duterte and to defend the democratic rights of the people. 2017 September 21. Quezon City, Philippines.

In many countries in Asia, new forms of authoritarianism are on the rise. In the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte—a former mayor accused of organizing death squads and who promised to make the fish of Manila Bay grow fat from the bodies of drug dealers—won the presidential elections in 2016.

Agriculture has been the driving force for India’s economy. At one point farming was even considered to be one of the most respectable job an individual could have. However, with the shift from zero budget farming to the rapid commercialisation of agriculture, many farmers have found themselves displaced or stuck in a vicious circle of debt trap.

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Fishing workers, through the very nature of their work, are especially vulnerable to human trafficking as well as forced, bonded and slave labour, operating as they do in isolated and hazardous conditions.

Focus on the Global South Statement on the 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2018

Save the Mekong, a coalition of non-government organizations, community-based groups and concerned citizens within the Mekong region, wish to express our shock and concern at the recent collapse of the Xe Pian - Xe Nam Noy hydropower project in Laos, and ou

On the 20th of July 2018, 25 civil society organizations in Thailand in the sectors of health, agriculture, fishery, environment, internet, labor rights, women rights and climate change convened a meeting on the impact of RCEP and CPTPP.

Focus on the Global South, the ETC Group and Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute (CUSRI) are organizing a Forum on Corporate Concentration in Food and Agriculture; Implications on Food Sovere

 

The following open letter has been issued and signed by scholars, academics, and civil society members from across the world in support of the five academics and researchers who have been summoned by the military following the International Conference of Thai Studies (ICTS13), and to object to attempts by the state to control spaces of learning.

We the undersigned express our alarm and dismay at the Summons issued by Col Suebsakul Buarawong, deputy commander of the 33rd Military Circle in Chiang Mai, to Dr Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Pakawadee Veerapatpong, Chaipong Samnieng, Nontawat Machai, and Thiramon Bua-ngam. They are accused of violating the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief's Order No.3/2015, Thailand’s military regime's ban on political gatherings of five or more persons. Conviction on the charges issued against these five scholars carries a potential six months in prison.

Statement from iDEFEND on the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, the Philippines

On Tuesday night, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Martial Law on the entire Mindanao Island while on a state visit in Russia, following the fighting between the military and the Maute group.

It has to be clarified that the clashes were triggered by law enforcement operation in Marawi. This is a situation started by the government itself. Similarly, the Maute group is a local terrorist group, and not ISIS, even as the former tries to ally itself with ISIS.

 

It’s been over a year since the late afternoon on 16 April 2016 when Den Kamlae went missing on his way to collect forest items. Material evidence was later discovered between 23-25 March 2017. Today, these important materials are still under examination by forensic scientists and the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS).

On 14 March 2017, the International Day of Action for Rivers, we, the Save the Mekong Coalition along with civil society and community partners from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, make this statement to express our gratitude to the Mekong River and the way of life she supports. The Mekong is our mother river, home to unique biodiversity and a lifeline for millions of people throughout the river basin. We recognize the efforts of Mekong communities who are working to protect and preserve the unique ecosystems and resources of the river for future generations. 

 

Joint Organizations

July 11, 2016 - We, the undersigned Cambodian civil society groups, are outraged at the brutal murder of independent political analyst and grassroots organiser Kem Ley yesterday morning, and call for a prompt, thorough and independent inquiry into his death.

Kem Ley, 46, was shot twice, in his chest and his head, in a heavily-frequented Caltex petrol station cafe in central Phnom Penh shortly before 9.00 on Sunday morning.

Secretariat: c/o NFBM #1066-B, Emerald St., Taglesville Subd., Balanga City, Bataan

5th July 2016

Dear Friends,

5th July 2016

Translated from Filipino

Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KILUSAN) strongly condemns the treacherous murder of our comrade Gloria Capitan of Mariveles, Bataan!

Labor Day statement of Independent Senatorial Candidate Walden Bello

 Today, I march side by side with our workers to affirm their struggle for labor rights and continue the fight for dignity for our working class.

Labor day is a celebration of what the labor movement has won over decades of struggle.

Not many people know this but the fact that it is illegal to force workers to work for more than 8 hours and that they have to be paid more if they work beyond that is something that workers—through collective action—achieved.

You may sign this statement by clicking here

Suffering the brunt of the ongoing El Nino, more than 6 thousand farmers converged along a national highway in Kidapawan in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines on March 30 to demand 15,000 sacks of rice and financial subsidy promised to them six months earlier by the provincial government. They urgently need this assistance to tide them over until they are able to plant and harvest rice again.