Search

At a roundtable hosted by International IDEA and the United Nations Development Program in Bangkok, Thailand, Indigenous advocates and experts came together to discuss their shared efforts in the fight for recognition and rights in the region. Despite being home to the largest number of Indigenous People’s (IPs), Asia has some of the most exclusionary practices towards IPs in the world.

August 15 marked the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul and the insurgency of the Taliban regime. The Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan’s capital in 2021 marked the end of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a government established 20 years ago following the post-9/11 United States invasion of the country.

The 2008 Constitution marked a new era of governance in the Maldives, paving the way for the country’s first multiparty elections, separation of powers, protections for human rights and stronger accountability institutions. Sixteen years later, however, there is a concern that the 2008 Constitution has not lived up to its promise, with signs of democratic decline, expanding executive power and the politicisation of independent institutions.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court is expected to deliver its long-anticipated verdict on 7 August 2024, which may result in the disbandment of the Move Forward Party (MFP) and the banning of its executives from standing for elections for an extended period. Such a decision would undermine democratic principles and represent a significant setback for democratic development in Thailand. 

In July, a series of workshops on public hearings were organized for the newly elected members of Bhutan's National Assembly, their staff, and Civil Society Organizations (CSO).

Identity and ethnicity have long been central to Myanmar’s extended political crisis and are key factors in the quest to build an inclusive federal democratic system. 

Mongolia's electoral reforms have significantly transformed the political landscape, ushering a record number of women into Parliament. This change follows the May 2023 constitutional amendment, which expanded parliamentary seats from 76 to 126 and introduced a mandatory 30 per cent candidate quota for women. As a result, the number of female MPs has increased dramatically, from 13 to 32.

Samoa’s political landscape has seen a significant shift with the rise of the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party, ending the four-decade dominance of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). This change in leadership brings with it new energy and a fresh perspective on the country’s pressing challenges.

As part of the implementation phase of the "Protecting Elections" project, International IDEA conducted a mission to Sri Lanka from 1 to 6 June 2024.

The Eighth Melbourne Forum on Constitution Building in Asia and the Pacific brought together scholars and practitioners to Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan) to examine the defining global challenge of our time - climate change - from a constitutional perspective. Our region is highly affected by a changing climate, posing risks to the livelihoods of peoples and in some cases, the very existence of states.

A new resource aims to boost inclusion in democratic processes and institutions

National elections are massively complex events with immense logistical challenges. They are frequently described as the largest peacetime activities ever undertaken within a nation. Election periods are also characterized by the campaign events organized by political parties and candidates that, at times, spend millions of dollars (US) on advertising and materials.

In early May 2024, Suva hosted the two-day Roadmap Workshop, which aimed to empower local stakeholders in Fiji to effectively inform about threats surrounding elections.

India, the world’s largest democracy, has in recent years witnessed a significant transformation in political campaigning, particularly following the advent of digital media. Since 2014, there has been a noticeable surge in the use of social media for electoral campaigning and its appeal has continued to grow.

International IDEA’s Anna Dziedzic spoke to Dr Yu Jie Chen to hear her reflections on the 2024 Taiwanese elections. They discuss the implications of the new status quo – in which neither of the two major parties hold a majority of legislature seats – and the increasingly sophisticated ways that Beijing seeks to influence Taiwan’s elections.

International IDEA’s Anna Dziedzic spoke to Dr Yu Jie Chen to hear her reflections on the 2024 Taiwanese elections. They discuss the implications of the new status quo – in which neither of the two major parties hold a majority of legislature seats – and the increasingly sophisticated ways that Beijing seeks to influence Taiwan’s elections.

According to a 2019 survey, 12.8 per cent of Myanmar’s 54.38 million population (an estimated 5.9 million people) live with disabilities. In a survey conducted for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in 2022

International IDEA spoke to artist Chuu Wai (chuuwai.com) on the occasion of International Women’s Day about her perspectives on the role of women in art and resistance and about the impact of traditional culture on men and women in Myanmar.