As South Asia grapples with climate vulnerabilities, economic disparities, and historical animosities, initiatives like COVA’s video competition offer a beacon of hope.
As global conflicts multiply, nations like India, with its demographic dividend and growing global influence, have an opportunity to lead by example in fostering stability.
For Asia’s rice bowl, the coming months will be critical. Farmers, traders, and policymakers must prepare for a potentially volatile period that could test food security across the region.
The durability of this grassroots ceasefire remains highly precarious. Without structured incident management, formal counterterrorism cooperation, or official endorsement from military commanders in Kabul and Islamabad, the agreement is vulnerable to the slightest provocation.
For thousands of Bangladeshi fishermen and honey collectors, setting out onto the waters of the Sundarbans to earn a daily livelihood has abruptly devolved into a deadly gamble.
UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja emphasized that standard economic management measures will not suffice in this landscape.
Traffickers remain adaptable and profit-driven. Yet for the first time in years, the region’s enforcement community is not merely reacting – it is organising, training and collaborating at a scale designed to outpace the criminals.
Launched in 2023 amid the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic turmoil, Aswesuma represented a targeted overhaul of the country’s social protection system.
Street vendors embody the resilience of India’s informal economy. Their struggle highlights the need for policies that listen to the voices of the working poor rather than displacing them in the name of progress.
Launched in 2023 amid the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic turmoil, Aswesuma represented a targeted overhaul of the country’s social protection system.
Street vendors embody the resilience of India’s informal economy. Their struggle highlights the need for policies that listen to the voices of the working poor rather than displacing them in the name of progress.
The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2025 underscores that tobacco industry influence remains a formidable barrier to public health policy in Bangladesh and worldwide. While some countries demonstrate notable progress, Bangladesh’s mid-to-high interference score suggests that institutional reforms and stricter safeguards are urgently needed.