Asia Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization
professing a commitment to "development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region." The Foundation supports Asian initiatives to improve governance, law, and civil society; women’s empowerment; economic reform and development; sustainable development and the environment; and international relations. Founded in 1954, The Foundation claims nearly 60 years of experience in Asia and works with private and public partners in the areas of leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research. Starting January 1, 2011, David Arnold serves as president of the Foundation. The Foundation is governed by an eminent and well-known group of private sector trustees.
Sources of funding for the organization have included the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank
, the Asian Development Bank
, the United Nations Development Program, official development assistance agencies of Australia, Canada, Netherlands and the United Kingdom, an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress, and contributions from private corporations and foundations.
18 offices around the world. Besides its headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, D.C.
, it has a presence in the following Asian nations:
, and the private sector to improve governing institutions in order to help accelerate economic and social change, reduce corruption, manage conflict, and increase citizen participation. In the design of governance and democracy programs, our highly qualified, in-country staff work closely with local partners to assess local needs and conditions through survey research and to design and implement innovative, high-impact, and cost-effective programs. The following are just a few of the many projects and accomplishments from 2005.
“Books for Asia” is one of the many initiatives that have been put forth by TAF. Under this program, one million brand-new books are put into the hands of students, educators, and local and national leaders in 18 countries annually. The Asia Foundation recognizes that books change lives and help shape young people’s imaginations, critical thinking skills, and their understanding of the world. Therefore, they are recognized as powerful tools to combat poverty and inspire positive, long-lasting change.
The main objective of the program is to provide access to information through reading materials, and cultivating a culture of reading and literature and linking people together in today’s world. Under TAF, resources are made available for the people in Timor-Leste to enhance their mastery of English language; sharpen vocational and research skills, build knowledge in the business, legal and sciences professions. This enables people in Timor-Leste, regardless of their age, to equip themselves with more knowledge and skills through reading. This project also seeks to infuse children with an early love for reading, which is critical to increasing literacy rates.
Since TAF’s founding in 1954, 45 million books, software programs and other educational materials have been donated to tens of thousands of learning institutions. Each year, the Asia Foundation in Timor-Leste receives brand new, high quality books donated by prominent publishers in the U.S. These books are catalogued and distributed to the recipients in Timor-Leste based on requests as well as through book drives.
The Mobile Library Program also consistently extends the Books for Asia program and its outreach to a bigger community in Timor-Leste. Extensions of the program are achieved through routine visits to schools, libraries and universities in Timor-Leste. These materials will eventually improve the quality of educational institutions currently available in Timor-Leste.
Apart from the Books for Asia program, the Foundation also supports initiatives that spur literacy, promote understanding of democratic principles and strengthen civic participation. For example, the Foundation supported events jointly organized by Alieu Training and Resource Center (A resource center in the rural area of Timor-Leste) and the Ministry of Education that encourages children to continue schooling by recognizing the children’s accomplishments in their education. In 2007, the resource center conducted a speech contest for school children in the Aileu District; and in 2008 and 2009, reading contests for school children was held for the children in Aileu District
Today, the Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program in Timor-Leste has distributed 9,942 books to more than 40 public, school, university and local NGO libraries as well as government agencies. More than 3,000 of the books are allocated toward book fairs to help increase awareness about the important role of reading.
(CRS), was “an ostensibly private body . . . sanctioned by the National Security Council and, with the knowledge of congressional oversight committees, supported with covert indirect CIA funding” (CRS 1983). The Committee was composed primarily of California businessmen who hoped to combat the expansive efforts of the Kremlin and push back the new communist regimes in China and North Korea through Radio Free Asia
.
In 1954, when it became apparent that a more long-term strategy to promote democratic development was needed, the Committee reorganized itself into a public charity called The Asia Foundation. The CIA remained the primary source of funds, but the anticommunist rhetoric diminished and the programming began to focus on indigenous needs in Asia and initiatives on education, civil society, and international exchanges.
In 1967, the U.S. media revealed that the CIA was covertly funding a number of organizations, including The Asia Foundation, and all CIA funding ended. A commission authorized by President Johnson and led by Secretary of State Rusk determined that The Asia Foundation should be preserved. The Foundation began to restructure its programming, shifting away from its earlier goals of “building democratic institutions and encouraging the development of democratic leadership” toward an emphasis on Asian development as a whole (CRS 1983).
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
professing a commitment to "development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region." The Foundation supports Asian initiatives to improve governance, law, and civil society; women’s empowerment; economic reform and development; sustainable development and the environment; and international relations. Founded in 1954, The Foundation claims nearly 60 years of experience in Asia and works with private and public partners in the areas of leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research. Starting January 1, 2011, David Arnold serves as president of the Foundation. The Foundation is governed by an eminent and well-known group of private sector trustees.
Sources of funding for the organization have included the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, the Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
, the United Nations Development Program, official development assistance agencies of Australia, Canada, Netherlands and the United Kingdom, an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress, and contributions from private corporations and foundations.
Global presence
The Asia Foundation addresses issues on both a country and regional level through a network of18 offices around the world. Besides its headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, it has a presence in the following Asian nations:
- AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
- BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
- CambodiaCambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
- ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
- East TimorEast TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
- Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
- IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
- JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
- LaosLaosLaos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
- Malaysia
- MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
- NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
- Pacific IslandsPacific IslandsThe Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
- PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
- The Philippines
- SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
- Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
- ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
- VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
Governance, Law, and Civil Society
The Asia Foundation's largest program area – Governance, Law, and Civil Society – develops and supports initiatives that build more effective and responsive governance in Asia. The Foundation cooperates with a broad network of partners in government, civil societyCivil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
, and the private sector to improve governing institutions in order to help accelerate economic and social change, reduce corruption, manage conflict, and increase citizen participation. In the design of governance and democracy programs, our highly qualified, in-country staff work closely with local partners to assess local needs and conditions through survey research and to design and implement innovative, high-impact, and cost-effective programs. The following are just a few of the many projects and accomplishments from 2005.
- Governance Reform and Conflict Management:
- The Foundation established an “early warning” program with local groups in the conflict-ridden eastern Sri Lanka to mobilize rapid community and government responses before tensions escalate into violence. In another example, the Foundation supported a long-standing partner in Cambodia, the Center for Advanced Study, to implement the first national survey of newly elected Commune Councils. The survey is helping to direct donor assistance for improving local governance reform and dispute resolution.
- Law and Justice:
- The Foundation's support to Zhengzhou Law School, in Henan Province, China, for example, was critical for establishment of the country’s first legal aid center focused exclusively on administrative cases filed by citizens. In Thailand, Foundation partners assisted thousands of tsunami victims with legal problems related to land titling and lost legal documents.
- Elections and Legislative Development:
- Building on decades of work to assist Afghanistan's development, The Asia Foundation was the largest international provider of technical assistance to the Afghan government, the United Nations Assistance Mission for AfghanistanUnited Nations Assistance Mission for AfghanistanThe United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is a political UN mission established at the request of the Government of Afghanistan to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development....
(UNAMA), and civil society groups. The Foundation supported voter education programs and international and local observers for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
- Building on decades of work to assist Afghanistan's development, The Asia Foundation was the largest international provider of technical assistance to the Afghan government, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan
Women's Empowerment
The Asia Foundation’s network of Asian staff identify partners and design strategic programs to empower women and address priority issues such as violence against women, trafficking in persons, education, vocational training, micro-credit, and legal rights. Throughout Asia, the Foundation's programs work within the local context and at the national level where possible, to advance women’s roles and participation in society.- In 2005, the Foundation’s senior program officer in Japan was instrumental in the formation of the country’s first anti-trafficking network, composed of lawyers, service providers, Diet members, and scholars.
- In Nepal, Foundation staff cooperated with local partners to reduce violence against women and to provide micro-credit for victims.
- In Bangladesh, the Foundation supported the first-ever specialty legal service clinic focusing on the rights of women garment workers.
- Working with the Chinese government and NGO partners, the Foundation initiated a legal education and legal aid program for migrant women workers. This model is now being used in the development of the government’s national labor education system. The Foundation also supports a girls’ scholarship program that has become a model for educating Cambodia’s poorest girls.
Economic Reform and Development
The Asia Foundation works with local partners to promote broad-based economic growth across Asia. Program activities focus on reducing regulatory barriers at both national and local levels that impede growth in order to create more competitive markets that foster entrepreneurship, attract investment, and generate jobs that raise people out of poverty.- After the December 2004 tsunami, immediate relief efforts provided food and shelter, but communities also needed to restart businesses to supply important goods and create employment. Through relationships with local business associations, the Foundation’s local staff disbursed the equivalent of disaster insurance payments to small businesses affected by the tsunami.
- The Foundation hosted a regional conference for representatives from government, business, and labor to discuss common challenges brought on by the elimination, under the World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, of most textile and garment quotas on January 1, 2005 and to consider alternative strategies. This change in international trade rules is having a significant impact on many countries in Asia, affecting their interaction with the global marketplace and impacting domestic industries. The workshop led to a project to help the domestic garment and textile industries in Bangladesh, CambodiaCambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, and Sri Lanka become more efficient and more competitive.
International Relations
For more than half a century, The Asia Foundation has acted as a trusted, independent bridge between the United States and Asia. The Foundation’s extensive, long-term local history, relationships, and programs provide extraordinary access to a wide range of Asian leaders. It has given a unique perspective from which to observe the dynamics within Asian societies and their implications on international affairs and U.S. foreign policy. The Foundation’s country representatives and International Relations program staff are increasingly called upon by international and domestic policymakers for their expertise on domestic developments in Asia and on U.S.-Asia relations.- In 2005 the Foundation awarded a fellowship to an Indian diplomat to conduct research in Washington, D.C. on energy security trends in Asia; brought a delegation of newly elected Korean legislators to meet counterparts and visit constituency offices in select U.S. cities; organized exchanges to foster dialogue between emerging leaders from the United States and Southeast Asia; and held conferences that examined U.S. bilateral relations with VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Malaysia, and MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
Books for Asia
Since 1954, Books for Asia has donated more than 40 million books to libraries in dozens of Asian countries, impacting the lives of millions of Asians. In 2006 alone, Books for Asia donated 920,000 books and educational materials valued at $30 million to schools and educational institutions in 15 countries. Books for Asia’s donations help inspire Asia’s students, citizens, and future leaders by enhancing English-language capacity, sharpening vocational and research skills, improving their knowledge about America, and giving the gift of enhanced literacy to children. The Asia Foundation's experienced local staff throughout Asia allows the Books for Asia program to work with librarians and educators to identify needs and appropriate materials, and to distribute requested books quickly and efficiently.- In 2005, Books for Asia’s donations had a special focus on communities affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004. Donations from publisher Scholastic, Inc., and a timely endorsement by the Association of American PublishersAssociation of American PublishersThe Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the American book publishing industry. AAP has more than 300 members, including most of the major commercial publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly...
, helped Books for Asia respond to the urgent need for books in schools and libraries in Sri Lanka and Thailand that were devastated by the disaster. As these communities rebuild, Books for Asia will continue to provide access to children’s books, with a total of more than 300,000 reaching affected schools by the end of 2006.
Books for Asia in Timor Leste
“Books for Asia” is one of the many initiatives that have been put forth by TAF. Under this program, one million brand-new books are put into the hands of students, educators, and local and national leaders in 18 countries annually. The Asia Foundation recognizes that books change lives and help shape young people’s imaginations, critical thinking skills, and their understanding of the world. Therefore, they are recognized as powerful tools to combat poverty and inspire positive, long-lasting change.
The main objective of the program is to provide access to information through reading materials, and cultivating a culture of reading and literature and linking people together in today’s world. Under TAF, resources are made available for the people in Timor-Leste to enhance their mastery of English language; sharpen vocational and research skills, build knowledge in the business, legal and sciences professions. This enables people in Timor-Leste, regardless of their age, to equip themselves with more knowledge and skills through reading. This project also seeks to infuse children with an early love for reading, which is critical to increasing literacy rates.
Since TAF’s founding in 1954, 45 million books, software programs and other educational materials have been donated to tens of thousands of learning institutions. Each year, the Asia Foundation in Timor-Leste receives brand new, high quality books donated by prominent publishers in the U.S. These books are catalogued and distributed to the recipients in Timor-Leste based on requests as well as through book drives.
The Mobile Library Program also consistently extends the Books for Asia program and its outreach to a bigger community in Timor-Leste. Extensions of the program are achieved through routine visits to schools, libraries and universities in Timor-Leste. These materials will eventually improve the quality of educational institutions currently available in Timor-Leste.
Apart from the Books for Asia program, the Foundation also supports initiatives that spur literacy, promote understanding of democratic principles and strengthen civic participation. For example, the Foundation supported events jointly organized by Alieu Training and Resource Center (A resource center in the rural area of Timor-Leste) and the Ministry of Education that encourages children to continue schooling by recognizing the children’s accomplishments in their education. In 2007, the resource center conducted a speech contest for school children in the Aileu District; and in 2008 and 2009, reading contests for school children was held for the children in Aileu District
Today, the Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program in Timor-Leste has distributed 9,942 books to more than 40 public, school, university and local NGO libraries as well as government agencies. More than 3,000 of the books are allocated toward book fairs to help increase awareness about the important role of reading.
Exchanges
For more than 50 years, The Asia Foundation has provided opportunities for thousands of individuals and organizations in Asia to exchange views with counterparts in other regions of the world. The Foundation’s ability to offer professional study programs and fellowship opportunities has long been a hallmark of its contribution to mutual understanding, improved communication, and capacity-building throughout Asia. Examples from 2005 include a U.S. observation program for a group of Korean journalists, who gained exposure to the role of media interaction with government, and the consultancy of an American political scientist to help strengthen the American Studies curriculum at Vietnam National University. The Foundation's ongoing Freeman Fellows program promotes greater dialogue between emerging leaders from America and Southeast Asia through study tours focused on current issues in public policy from both societies.- The Foundation's Asian Perspectives Series and Emerging Issues Series brought Asian civil society leaders and policymakers to Washington, D.C. to discuss vital issues across the region.
- The Foundation’s Ellsworth BunkerEllsworth BunkerEllsworth F. Bunker was an American businessman and diplomat...
Asian Ambassadors Series, also organized by the Foundation's Washington office, brought together ambassadors from Asia and select U.S. government, business, policy, and media leaders. - The Asia Foundation also continued its 30-year partnership with the Henry Luce Foundation to administer an internship program for young Americans with leadership potential. Since 1974, The Asia Foundation has developed and overseen placements for more than 500 Luce Scholars in East and Southeast Asia, including 15 scholars in 2005.
Environment
To help protect Asia’s vital ecological systems, and support the more effective management of Asia's natural resources, The Asia Foundation brings together diverse institutions, sectors, and perspectives to address a wide range of environmental issues at the local level. Programs aim to improve governance, increase citizen participation in environmental management and decision-making, and strengthen Asia’s capacity to help stabilize and restore their natural ecosystems.- In India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, the Foundation is helping municipalities and local water authorities provide water and sanitation through a seven-year, USAID-funded, Environmental Cooperation–Asia (ECO–Asia) program.
Information and Communication Technology
Through the innovative use of information and communication technology (ICT), The Asia Foundation addresses long-standing problems of development in Asia and contributes to governance reform, economic growth, and social development. Recent programs include:- Increasing transparency in the law-making process in Mongolia through a web site providing public information on draft laws and opportunities for public participation.
- In the Philippines, a Foundation-led program strengthened legal institutions and facilitated legal reform via an eLearning program for judges.
- In Nepal, the Foundation worked to promote transparency and reduce corruption in the regulatory environment for eProcurement in order to increase small and medium enterprises' opportunities for government supply contracts.
Philanthropy
In 2006, The Asia Foundation provided more than $53 million in program support and distributed 920,000 books and educational materials valued at $30 million throughout Asia.Origins
The Asia Foundation began in 1951 as the Committee for Free Asia, which, according to the Congressional Research ServiceCongressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service , known as "Congress's think tank", is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a...
(CRS), was “an ostensibly private body . . . sanctioned by the National Security Council and, with the knowledge of congressional oversight committees, supported with covert indirect CIA funding” (CRS 1983). The Committee was composed primarily of California businessmen who hoped to combat the expansive efforts of the Kremlin and push back the new communist regimes in China and North Korea through Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation that operates a radio station and Internet news service. RFA was founded by an act of the US Congress and is operated by the Broadcasting Board of Governors . The RFA is supported in part by grants from the federal government of the United States...
.
In 1954, when it became apparent that a more long-term strategy to promote democratic development was needed, the Committee reorganized itself into a public charity called The Asia Foundation. The CIA remained the primary source of funds, but the anticommunist rhetoric diminished and the programming began to focus on indigenous needs in Asia and initiatives on education, civil society, and international exchanges.
In 1967, the U.S. media revealed that the CIA was covertly funding a number of organizations, including The Asia Foundation, and all CIA funding ended. A commission authorized by President Johnson and led by Secretary of State Rusk determined that The Asia Foundation should be preserved. The Foundation began to restructure its programming, shifting away from its earlier goals of “building democratic institutions and encouraging the development of democratic leadership” toward an emphasis on Asian development as a whole (CRS 1983).