In some Cambodian communities, the importance of education is not fully realised. Children follow their parents into the status quos of rice farming, building or begging that have been the only vocational options for generations gone by.
In the Philippines the incidence of poverty is 50% for those who do not complete primary school, and less than 2% for those with a college degree. Within urban poor settlements situations at home are rarely conducive to study due to noisy and crowded spaces, obligation for family responsibilities, lack of affordable tuition, and extensive unhealthy eating habits.
Casteism leaves no respite within Indian spheres of education. The ‘untouchables’ are without rights and frequently subject to abuse and neglect from castes above. Whilst growing international awareness has led to some positive intervention, it is from this group of people that the bulk of India’s unskilled and uneducated still come.
In Timor-Leste, many families are too poor to invest in their child’s education. The combined cost of books, stationary, uniform, transport and school fees are prohibitive yet education is key to many of the nation’s development needs. By upskilling the next generation with the opportunity to go to school or university, the path is laid for a brighter future of youth engagement and employability.
Since Syria was hit with the ‘Arab Spring’ riots, protests and civil unrest, security has been severely depressed. Despite rigorous political efforts and international pressure to end the crisis in Syria, violence across all 14 governorates of the country continues unabated.
Relapse back into the ‘underground’ is common amongst Mongolian ex-prisoners. Quite literally, they plunge beneath the surface through purpose-built manholes into a labyrinth of heating pipes and tunnels.
Cambodia is a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking. Every year, thousands of men, women and children are sold by organized crime syndicates in Karaoke bars, massage parlours, street vendors, brick factories and brothels.
For years Thailand has unofficially been labeled the sex tourism capital of Asia, with Pattaya its most notorious hotspot, closely followed by the red-light districts of Bangkok and an assortment of nightclubs in Phuket.
Although the Indian family as a social institution is well known for the emotional and physical support that it provides to its extended members, it sometimes fails to respond to the needs of women, especially for women in difficult circumstances.
Due to a history of violence and a compromised capacity for law and order, issues of commercial sexual exploitation, rape and gender inequality run rampant in Cambodia. ‘Bauk’ (premeditated gang rape) is on the rise and recent studies show that 1 in 5 Cambodian men aged 18-49 have admitted to sexual abuse.
Having been through three relentless decades of war, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman. Unstable and corrupted systems of governance have led to ongoing human rights abuses, high maternal mortality rates and discrimination in education and employment.
Gender stereotypes are systemic within the Cambodian job market. Female unemployment in the formal sector is widespread as restrictive social norms dictate unequal opportunity. Men are encouraged to undertake vocational training programs in trades such as mechanics, electronics and IT, whilst women are commonly limited to sewing, cooking and hospitality.
In the Northwest of China, abandoned, impoverished and disabled children are denied their most basic needs for love and affection. Whilst state funding covers some infrastructure, staffing and operational costs of orphanages and foster care services, its reach is limited and many gaps remain.
In rural Nepal, tertiary institutions are hard to come by. Opportunities for higher education is mostly limited to those who are wealthy and live in the metropolitan centres.
China’s fast changing country context is characterised by rapid industrialisation, rural-urban migration, wealth disparities, epidemiological transition and an ageing population. With a highly diverse population of 1.4 billion people scattered over a vast landscape of hard-to-reach mountains and plains, China faces a variety of health and development challenges.
