Democracy

Increase in domestic violence, lay-offs, care responsibilities, restrictions on domestic and international movement, economic insecurities, psychological burdens - these are just a few of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in Asia in the last two years. The gendered nature of COVID-19 impacts is obvious and has sparked large feminist responses in the region.

Since there are many hot topics and interesting developments in and around Southeast Asia, hbs Southeast Asia Regional Office in Bangkok created a non-exhaustive list of a few informative podcasts. They cover different topics from current affairs, including politics and environment to deeper insights into history and culture. Happy listening.

Almost two years since the Philippines implemented lockdown measures to curb COVID-19 infections, some schools in the country have resumed face-to-face classes. In the capital Manila, however, physical classes in school due to recommence in January was suspended because of surging cases in late 2021. Most are the Omicron variant, which now brings total cases to over three million and more than 50,000 deaths.   

We are experiencing two very different pandemic realities between low-income and high-income countries. Unfortunately, instead of seeking a solidarity-based response, the international community has once again demonstrated its disunity in this health crisis. The task now is to regain credibility and rebuild trust.

Only Sajat, a successful entrepreneur and social media influencer in Malaysia, has been targeted by the government and the public for years - mostly because of her gender identity.

A brief report of Women’s Tribunal Malaysia, an inclusive public online forum, gathering 26 women from diverse backgrounds to offer testimonies on the discrimination they face in various aspects of their lives – with a spotlight on three fronts. Activists and lawyers acting as informal advocates and judges then offered recommended next steps to best effect change.

Maggie Tra, founder of SYS Sister Sounds and Hà Nội Community Radio, keeps pushing boundaries to give Vietnamese women more opportunities in the music industry. Navigating a path through DJ-ing in Hanoi, offering workshops and encouragement to others, she hopes the music sector will evolve to see more diverse participation and change perspectives of what women can do.

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.