The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs continues to insist that recruitment will be completed “shortly.” Until then, 373 unpaid workers remain the thin line between Bangladesh’s formal commitment to protect survivors of rape and the practical reality of a system under severe strain.
Balancing genuine efforts to combat illicit finance with the protection of civic space remains a test that international standards – and international observers – will closely watch.
The developments in Nepal illustrate a familiar tension across many democracies: the challenge of establishing effective self-regulation and accountability mechanisms without creating tools that could be used to constrain critical reporting.
Balancing genuine efforts to combat illicit finance with the protection of civic space remains a test that international standards – and international observers – will closely watch.