Southeast Asia and Pacific
Deforestation

A legacy of destruction

Suharto era was devastating for Indonesian forests

Preserving forests

Cutting the losses

Deforestation in Indonesia has slowed considerably in recent years but more needs to be done to stop it entirely

Tuberculosis

Never disrupt treatment

To make the world TB free, funding must increase dramatically

Rohingya

Frozen repatriation

Rohingya are afraid to return to Myanmar while tensions with host communities in Bangladesh are rising

Sanitation

“A supportive environment”

Progress in promoting awareness of water sanitation and hygiene in Filipino schools

Vehicle density

Overburdened infrastructure

There are far more cars on Bangkok’s streets than its infrastructure can handle

Human rights

Battle cry “blasphemy”

Laws against “blasphemy”, “defamation of religion” and “apostasy” are incompatible with universal human rights

Regional integration

Borderline prosperity

Flourishing border trade is offering new opportunities in Mae Sot, Thailand, and Myawaddy, Myanmar

Ethno-religious identities

Tinged with racism

The brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former president, wants to be elected head of state and is wooing a radicalised Buddhist base

Press freedom

Pressure on journalists

The defamation clause of Indonesia’s internet law is misused to criminalise journalists

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Governance

Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals will require good governance – from the local to the global level.

Sustainability

The UN Sustainable Development Goals aim to transform economies in an environmentally sound manner, leaving no one behind.