Social development
More Cambodian women trafficked to Saudi, officials say
The number of Cambodian women now thought to be caught in Saudi Arabia’s sex industry after being trafficked in the past year has risen to more than 20, officials said on August 24. However, the government remained tight-lipped about its efforts to rescue the women, while ...
Shan community groups want Salween dams scrapped
Representatives of Shan communities have expressed serious concerns on the ongoing plan to construct a series of hydropower dams on the Salween River, saying many areas are still plagued with ongoing fighting between minority groups and the government. Shan State Rivers Network’s coordinator Sai Khur Hseng ...
China promises to shore up border as foreign minister’s trip ends
Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has ended her five-day trip to China, returning to Yangon on August 21st. The visit, which came after an invitation from China’s Premier Li Keqiang, was Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s first major overseas trip since the National League ...
Chinese dams a threat to Lower Mekong River
One of the main issues facing nations in the Mekong River Commission, including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, is that China has refused to share information about the operations of its hydropower dams. As a result, the MRC countries are cautious about using their limited ...
WHO supports exclusive breastfeeding
A representative committee of the Ministry of Health and the WHO took part in the World Breastfeeding Week celebrations in Vientiane on August 21, which is celebrated every year in August. The Ministry of Health and the WHO are encouraging exclusive breastfeeding and improving babies’ ...
NSSF, ministries finalising health insurance scheme
The National Social Security Fund on August 18 said it’s gearing up to sign agreements with about 200 provincial referral hospitals and health centres to provide coverage to a wave of recently insured workers in the country. Ouk Samvithyea, executive director of the NSSF, said a workshop ...
Access to healthcare improving in Xekong
Xekong province is among the poorest in Laos, with an infant mortality rate of 70 per 1,000 live births and a maternal mortality ratio of 357 per 100,000 live births, according to 2015 statistics from the provincial health office. Xekong province was one of five provinces-targeted ...
US supports HIV/AIDS response in Vietnam
The US Agency for International Development has awarded a five-year grant to the Center for Promotion of Quality of Life in Vietnam to strengthen community-led approaches to HIV prevention, care and treatment.The USAID Enhanced Community HIV Link – Southern project, implemented in Ho Chi Minh City, ...
Vietnamese farmers indignant as Mekong Delta prays for flood waters to arrive
Fishermen in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta have been complaining about lower water levels and falling catches with experts blaming China’s construction of hydropower projects on the upper Mekong River. According to the experts, the dams have blocked fish from moving downstream and trapped sediment needed to enrich ...
New Mekong dams to affect millions in Vietnam
Building more dams along the Mekong River will destroy the livelihoods of millions of people, according to a report commissioned by the Vietnamese government. It also says plans to construct new dams will damage crops with salt water intrusion, particularly in the south where the Mekong ...
