BULLETIN EMPOWERING NEPALI CITIZENS GRANTEE OF THE ASIA FOUNDATION AWARDED GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Transcription

1 BULLETIN SPRING 2007 EMPOWERING NEPALI CITIZENS THE ASIA FOUNDATION TO MANAGE THE COALITION FOR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY SUPPORT IN NEPAL Tsetsge Munkhbayar, founder of a mass citizen s movement to protect Mongolia s national waterways, receives a 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize. GRANTEE OF THE ASIA FOUNDATION AWARDED GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE ENVIRONMENTALIST WINS MAJOR PRIZE FOR PROTECTING PRECIOUS WATERWAYS IN MONGOLIA Tsetsge Munkhbayar of Mongolia, founder of a mass citizen s movement to protect Mongolia s national waterways, was awarded a 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize the largest accolade in the world for grassroots environmentalists. A current grantee of The Asia Foundation s Environment Program, Mr. Munkhbayar is the only Asian recipient, among five awardees. The $125,000 annual award recognizes outstanding individuals who are combating pressing environmental challenges, and was created to allow these people to continue their important work. See Goldman Environmental Prize, continued inside... photo: Goldman Environmental Prize The Asia Foundation is managing a groundbreaking, 18-month program to ensure that all Nepali citizens are informed and equipped to participate in building a new and durable constitution for Nepal. The Foundation will serve as manager for a project supporting the newly formed Coalition for Constituent Assembly Support, an alliance of several Nepali organizations, including the Center for Legal Research and Resource Development (CeLRRd), the Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro Public), the Forum for Women, Law, and Development (FWLD), and the Institute of Governance and Development (IGD). After a decade of civil war, Nepal's Parliament was reinstated and a peace agreement signed between the government and Maoist rebels in June Critical to sustaining the peace process is the drafting of a new constitution by an elected constituent assembly. The constituent assembly elections are scheduled for June 2007, and the Coalition is conducting outreach in all 75 districts of Nepal through broadcast media programs and more than 7,500 public meetings. Following the elections, the Coalition will engage elected constituent assembly members to ensure they are knowledgeable about constitutional issues and to strengthen their accountability. See Empowering Nepali Citizens, continued inside...

2 THE ASIA FOUNDATION EXPANDS PROGRAMS FOR MIGRANT WOMEN WORKERS TO BEIJING The Boeing Company has awarded a new grant to The Asia Foundation to expand its longstanding programs to support migrant women workers into Beijing, which is home to more than 4 million migrant workers, over 25 percent of the city's population. The one-year pilot program, "Enhancing Economic and Social Opportunities for Migrant Women Workers in Beijing," will create economic opportunities and social benefits for migrant workers in Beijing. The program will include training on establishing small businesses, provide seed funds for those interested in starting their own businesses, and create mutual-help groups for migrant workers. Since 1999, The Asia Foundation has supported migrant women workers in China's Pearl River Delta through a series of groundbreaking activities to address their The Foundation has helped provide legal, education, and health services to tens of thousands of migrant women workers in China. most critical needs: education and counseling, occupational health and safety Pearl River Delta. In 2006, The Asia ries in 22 cities and districts along China's training, HIV/AIDS awareness, legal Foundation began expanding its programs services, and vocational skills training. to Zhejiang and Jiangsu, in China's Lower Foundation programs have provided Yangtze River Valley. services for more than 700,000 migrant women workers in more than 200 facto- EMPOWERING NEPALI CITIZENS (CONTINUED FROM COVER) THE ASIA FOUNDATION RECEIVES FOUR-STAR RATING FROM CHARITY NAVIGATOR "The Coalition partners are uniquely suited to support this process through their experience and skills on issues of law and governance, knowledge of the on-the-ground reality in both urban and rural areas, and an extensive network of local partner organizations," said Nick Langton, Country Representative for The Asia Foundation in Nepal. We are pleased to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, The Asia Foundation has received Charity Navigator s highest rating of four stars for sound fiscal management. Charity Navigator is an independent evaluator of charities; only 12 percent of rated charities have received two or more consecutive four-star ratings. Each year, Charity Navigator releases its ratings to provide donors with information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make. More information is available on our website,

3 GRANTEE WINS GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE (CONTINUED FROM COVER) Mr. Munkhbayar, 40, successfully worked with 35 of 37 mining operations working in Mongolia s Onggi River basin a precious drinking water supply for rural Mongolians to implement responsible mining activities. Beginning in 2001, with a volunteer staff of more than 2,000 people, Mr. Munkhbayar s Onggi River Movement organized multi-province roundtable discussions and launched highprofile radio and television campaigns to build public awareness. Then, in 2006, he inspired the creation of the Mongolia Nature Protection Coalition a collective of eleven separate river movements in Mongolia actively fighting destructive mining, forestry, tourism, and agriculture activities. "Munkhbayar was chosen because of the huge impact he has had on the issue of responsible mining and water protection The Asia Foundation supported the creation of Mongolia Nature Protection Coalition a collective of eleven separate river move-- ments in Mongolia. in Mongolia," said Richard N. Goldman, founder of the prize. "His award acknowledges his vision and personal risk." As a grantee, Mr. Munkhbayar is emblematic of our long-standing commitment to empowering people and organizations on the grassroots-level to creating a healthful, prosperous Asia. We congratulate and commend him on this significant award and his lasting work, said Doug Bereuter, president of The Asia Foundation. Beginning in early 2006, The Asia Foundation supported the creation of the Mongolia Nature Protection Coalition with financial grants and technical assistance, such as workshops in organizational management. The Foundation s first grant to Mr. Munkhbayar and the Onggi River Movement was made in FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL WINS SKOLL FOUNDATION AWARD Friends International recently received a 2007 Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the Skoll Foundation. Established in Cambodia by Sebastien Marot as Mith Samlanh ( good friends ) in 1994, Friends currently operates throughout Asia and Latin America to rehabilitate and empower street children. Give2Asia, founded by The Asia Foundation to promote private philanthropy to Asia, helped identify social entrepreneurs for the Skoll Foundation. As a result, the Skoll Foundation chose Marot as one of Asia s leading social entrepreneurs and one of only 10 award recipients. Since 2002, Give2Asia has supported Friends International projects, including a restaurant run by street children in Cambodia and a cooking school in Laos. Friends International is a pioneer in working with street children, teaching vocational skills to get them off the streets and improve their lives. With the Skoll Foundation award of $1,015,000 over three years, Marot and Friends Sebastien Marot, founder of Friends International, a Give2Asia grantee, has received the Skoll Foundation's 2007 Award for Social Entrepreneurship. International plan to build a global network of partners to help 500,000 street children each year. To read more about Friends International, visit

4 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS THE ASIA FOUNDATION LAUNCHES NEW WEB LOG In March, The Asia Foundation launched In Asia, a weekly, in-depth, in-country resource for readers who want to stay abreast of significant events shaping Asia. Drawing on the first-hand insight of over 55 renowned experts in over 20 countries, In Asia delivers concentrated insight and analysis on issues affecting South, Southeast, and Northeast Asia, as well as Foundation-produced reports and public opinion polls in news-making countries like Afghanistan and Nepal. More and more readers are joining the distribution list and In Asia is already regarded as one of the Top 7 Foreign Policy blogs among the ranks of the Washington Post and Foreign Policy magazine by About.com. In Asia s weekly content includes In the News, an ongoing series of in-country perspectives of events, and Notes from the Field, feature stories on inroads made in governance, women s empowerment, economic reform, and international relations throughout Asia. New content is posted each Wednesday evening at and is accessible via an RSS feed or through weekly s. To subscribe or for questions and comments about In Asia can be sent to in-asia@asiafound.org. NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHES TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN VIETNAM The Office of the National Assembly (ONA) in Vietnam has invested in a new website to increase transparency of information and citizen participation in legislative drafting, with support of The Asia Foundation. The new site, duthaoonline.quochoi.vn, (in Vietnamese) includes the full text of draft laws and ordinances, and solicits public review and feedback on these drafts. The site was launched at an event in Hanoi, which was attended by more than 100 representatives of the ONA, National Assembly Deputies, legal departments of various ministries, mass organizations such as the Women's Union, and the press. ONA heads noted that the website represented Vietnam s efforts to fulfill its international commitments following WTO accession. The new website is the result of more than two years of work on a larger program of cooperation with The Asia Foundation to improve the public's participation in the lawmaking process. SRI LANKA: REDUCING EFFECTS AND INCIDENCES OF TORTURE This past year, The Asia Foundation supported the first systematic attempt in Sri Lanka to devise tools for measuring the effectiveness of psychosocial services for torture survivors. The Foundation helped its partners develop their own indicators for evaluating program impact based on their understanding of wellness in conflict-affected communities. These tools provide information about what constitutes effective assistance to torture survivors and are helping to assess program performance. The program s goal is to enable the counselors, clients, and communities that the Foundation s partners serve to take ownership of the monitoring and evaluation process, and to ensure that it reflects their priorities. LAST CHANCE FOR IRA ROLLOVER TAX BENEFIT The Asia Foundation has recently updated its How to Give section to include information about a unique philanthropic opportunity for donors who are 70½ years or older. Under the Pension Protection Act of 2006, an eligible donor can give directly from an IRA account to a public charity and in many cases the donation will be not be taxed as income. This benefit is currently available through the end of 2007; legislation is pending in Congress to make this permanent. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, we recommend that you contact a lawyer or tax adviser for additional information. To learn more about the Foundation and how you can support our work, please visit: or contact the Foundation s Resource Development staff at (415)

5 TRUSTEES STAFF SPOTLIGHT BOARD OF TRUSTEES William L. Ball, III, Chairman of the Board Michael H. Armacost, Vice Chairman of the Board Douglas Bereuter, President Susan J. Pharr, Secretary Paul S. Slawson, Treasurer Terrence B. Adamson David Michael Lampton David R. Andrews Chien Lee Mary Brown Bullock Chong-Moon Lee Alexander D. Calhoun, Esq. Lee Hong-Koo William H.C. Chang Janet A. McKinley Gina Lin Chu Surin Pitsuwan Scott D. Cook Milbrey Rennie Theodore L. Eliot, Jr. J. Stapleton Roy Thomas S. Foley Leslie Tang Schilling Jared Frost Robert A. Theleen Harry Harding Judith F. Wilbur Ta-lin Hsu Linda Tsao Yang James Andrew Kelly Alice Young Ellen Laipson TRUSTEES EMERITI: William S. Anderson A.W. Clausen Ernest M. Howell Lucian W. Pye Robert A. Scalapino Walter Shorenstein PRESIDENTS EMERITI: William P. Fuller Haydn Williams MOON CHUN SANG Program Officer, Korea Moon Chun Sang ( Chun ) joined The Asia Foundation s Korea office in 2001 as a program officer. In his current position he coordinates research projects, conducts investigative research, and organizes exchange programs focusing on North Korea, Korean politics, and regional economy and international affairs. He is a key player in organizing conferences where experts from various sectors and countries discuss the challenges posed by engagement with North Korea and new strategies to enhance peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. In 2002, Chun helped design and manage an innovative exchange program for the Boeing company, The Boeing Global Leadership Program a three-week training program for Boeing company executives. The leadership of Boeing worldwide visited Korea to learn about Korea s politics, business, and culture. Chun first became interested in The Asia Foundation because of its unique niche in promoting international exchanges and understanding through the funding of local initiatives. I ve always been interested in finding where the division of labor lies between government and the non-governmental sector in promoting public welfare, says Chun. With his early interest of promoting international exchanges coupled with the Foundation s work in engaging North Korea, Chun was easily convinced of where he wanted to work. After earning a master s degree from Columbia University s School of International & Public Affairs, Chun held a variety of research and policy positions, serving as a program officer with the Ilmin International Relations Institute at Korea University. In , he served as an assistant to former Korean Foreign Minister Han Sung-Joo in his role as U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Cyprus. With Chun s keen understanding and insight on the relationship between public opinion, politics, and foreign policy, he is an invaluable resource at the Foundation. I enjoy the challenge of building consensus between diverging opinions, and constantly pushing my ability to get people to work together, he says. Face to face meetings are most useful and The Asia Foundation s structure of having local branches is a wonderful system that helps these processes.

6 P.O. Box San Francisco, California PROGRAMS Afghanistan Bangladesh Cambodia China East Timor Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Korea Laos Malaysia Mongolia Nepal Pacific Island Nations Pakistan Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan* Thailand Vietnam OFFICES ASIA Bangkok Beijing Colombo Dhaka Dili Hanoi Hong Kong Islamabad Jakarta Kabul Kathmandu Kuala Lumpur Manila Phnom Penh Seoul Tokyo Ulaanbaatar UNITED STATES San Francisco Washington, D.C. * In Taiwan, The Asia Foundation operates through a partnership with the Asia Foundation in Taiwan, a locally incorporated non-governmental, non-profit organization. The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance, law, and civil society; women s empowerment; economic reform and development; and international relations. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research. With a network of 17 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level. In 2006, the Foundation provided more than $53 million in program support and distributed 920,000 books and educational materials valued at $30 million throughout Asia. For more information about The Asia Foundation, visit HEADQUARTERS 465 California Street, 9th Floor San Francisco, CA USA Tel: (415) Fax: (415) info@asiafound.org WASHINGTON, D.C Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 815 Washington, D.C USA Tel: (202) Fax: (202) info@asiafound-dc.org