INDONESIA: Aceh Laws Discriminate Against Women

Earlier this year, Sharia police arrested a 20-year-old college student and her boyfriend for indecency; they had been spending time together even though they were not legally married. Her boyfriend was released, but she was detained and then allegedly...

South Asia Wildlife Experts Back New Enforcement Network

Experts from seven countries have laid the foundation for a South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) as a coordinated regional response to combat illegal poaching and trafficking. This week, experts from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,...

Dogs Being Used to Find Out the State of Vietnam’s Critically Endangered Rhinos

Highly trained detection dogs are being used help to determine the population status of the Javan rhino in Vietnam, in an attempt to save one of the world’s rarest mammals from extinction.

Ben Tre Clam Fishery in Vietnam Receives Marine Stewardship Council Certification

The Ben Tre clam fishery in Vietnam has received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, becoming the first fishery in Southeast Asia to meet the organization’s sustainability and management standards.

“Floating Toilets” Offer Hope for Cambodia’s River Communities

A toilet is being developed which could improve the health of thousands living in Cambodia’s impoverished river communities. River communities’ homes are typically built on floating platforms and moved seasonally, and rarely have proper latrines....

Regional Approach to be Tried in Asia for Rohingya Boat People

Southeast Asian leaders have agreed to use the regional mechanism, known as the “Bali process”, to try to solve the problem of the minority Muslim Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) made the decision...

U.N. Report Claims East Asians Trafficked Far And Wide

East Asia is a major source of human trafficking, with victims dispersed in more than 20 countries, sometimes as far away as South Africa, a UN report has found.

Seized Pangolins And Pangolin Scales Might have Returned to the Illegal Market

Wildlife trade monitors say they are alarmed by the possibility that seized pangolins and pangolin scales went back on the illegal market soon after they were auctioned in Vietnam. In December, Vietnamese customs officials in Cai Lan seaport, Quang Ninh,...

Over 1000 New Species Discovered in Greater Mekong During the Last Decade

Over a thousand new species have been discovered in the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia in just the last decade, according to a new report launched by WWF.