Human Rights in Asia

At times of change, start-up organizations should ask themselves what they want to become. If you want to remain independent, what is your future plan?  Do you eventually want to be absorbed into a larger organization?  Will you shut down once the need you're serving is met?  NGOs should know how to shape their own future before others make the decision for them. 

by Li Man

李曼

China's population is aging, and the pressures of dealing with an aging population are becoming apparent. Today, according to a new report from the Work Committee on the Elderly, 134 million Chinese were over the age of 60, representing around 11% of the population. The report finds that of those between the ages of 66 and 71, 90% of men continued to have an interest in sex, versus 50% of women. In the range of 86-90 year olds, 51% of men had an interest in sex.

中国已开始进入老年化，老龄化对中国社会的压力正逐步显现。目前，中国60岁以上的老年人口为1.34亿，占总人口的11%左右，这是中国老龄工作委员会根据一项最新调得出的结果。资料表明在66--71岁的年龄段内，对性有兴趣的男性为90%、女性为50%，就是在86--90岁的年龄层中对性有兴趣的男性也有51%。

By Ricky Gunawan

The story of Rose - the first drug user sentenced by Indonesian courts to rehabilitation instead of prison - continued this month, with some dramatic twists and turns that highlight obstacles to implementing Indonesia's newly improved policy.

Rose was transferred from Pondok Bambu Detention Center to Cibubur Drug Dependence Hospital (RSKO Cibubur), on Monday, February 8, 2010. As I wrote in December, it took months after her July sentence for the corrupt detention system to actually move her to the hospital. During that time, Rose suffered from withdrawal symptoms without any medication. But even once the transfer was finally completed, it seemed the drama had only begun.

By Greg Denham

I have worked in the law enforcement field for over twenty five years, and a significant part of my work has been in the drug policy area. I have come to the conclusion that harm reduction services, particularly needle and syringe programs, are an essential component of a comprehensive strategy designed to reduce drug related harm in communities.

This view, however, is not always shared openly by other police. Privately, while many police officers accept that harm reduction services are important, their attitude is more likely to condemn than condone.

中国性工作者网络青岛培训有感

By Zhang Lan and Li Man

From January 14-16, 2010, the Chinese Sex Workers' Network held its second national training workshop for sex work NGOs in Qingdao. The purpose was to help build the capacity of staff at sex work NGOs, as well as targeted training for staff on project management, institution building, project expansion, and so on.

2010年1月14日---16日，中国性工作者网络在青岛举行了全国性工作者机构的第二次培训，这是对机构工作人员的能力建设，同时也有针对性的培训工作人员一些关于项目管理/机构建设/拓展项目/法律问题等等。

By Ricky Gunawan

Up through 2009, Indonesia suffered a tremendous blow from the so-called "judicial mafia", the corrupt network that controls the criminal justice system. Every sector of Indonesia's legal system has been paralyzed by this judicial mafia. It is made up of middlemen who, for a fee, can broker deals between police, prosecutors and judges. In a late response to this dismal situation, in late 2009 President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono established a task force to "eradicate the judicial mafia in the first 100 days" of his administration.

Last week, the task force conducted a surprise visit to Pondok Bambu Detention Facility, Jakarta. This visit revealed shocking - yet, to those in the know, all too predictable -- findings. Arthalyta Suryani, a high-class criminal convicted of bribery, is imprisoned in luxurious conditions. Her "cell" is an 8x8 meter room with a refrigerator, flat TV with home theatre, air conditioner, and other facilities such as dining tables, maids and a Blackberry.