Stories about South Asia
Unfreedom Monitor: Civic Media Observatory findings report
The Unfreedom Monitor is a project to analyse, document, and report on the growing phenomenon of the use of digital communications technology to advance authoritarian practices.
Sustainable innovations: Dang, Nepal turns dung into energy
Nearly 90 percent of the garbage in Dang district's semi-rural Ghorahi city is biomass that includes kitchen waste, farm residue and livestock dung that can be turned into flammable methane gas.
Permission to restore century-old houseboats in Kashmir's Dal Lake is a welcome move for tourism
The recent government decision to withdraw a five decade old ban on repairs, comprehensive facelifts and restorations of interiors of all the century-old houseboats in Kashmir was welcomed by all.
How India's Ho- and Santali-language content creators are holding space for Indigenous linguistic assertion
A 2022 study conducted in Ho and Santali, Indigenous languages from India, found that 70.4 percent of creators use their smartphones to create and upload content, though monetizing remains a major challenge.
Assam, India witnesses huge protests over rearranged constituencies
The opposition parties in the Indian state of Assam are protesting against a draft proposal that will redraw electoral constituencies, claiming that it will target communities predominantly populated by Muslims.
Funding for LGBTQ+ movements in South Asia
The LGBTQI+ movements in South Asia have to work with little to no funding support. As a consequence, the rights and issues of LGBTQ+ people are severely under-resourced.
Heavy rains return to Pakistan, raising concerns about flood preparedness
Dozens of people had been killed in different parts of Pakistan due to rain and floods in the last week of June there are alerts of more rain in July.
Himalayan icecap is melting faster than predicted
A newly published study predicts that Himalayan glaciers could lose up to 80 percent of their ice mass by this century, impacting two billion people living downstream in Asian countries.
Award winning environmentalist empowers women cotton pickers in Pakistan
Global Voices interviewed environmentalist Javed Hussain who received the prestigious ‘Gender Just Climate Solution Award’ for his work to secure the rights for women cotton pickers in Pakistan.
Sri Lanka's LGBTQ+ community holds Pride events demanding an end to discrimination
Civil society and LGBTQ+ activists in Sri Lanka arranged a series of vibrant and empowering Pride events advocating for equality and demanding an end to discrimination.
Punjabi Wikipedia for 21 years: Celebrating 50,000 articles and looking ahead
The entire volunteer community came together for Mission 50,000, a call-for-action to reach 50k articles, in order to celebrate the 21st birthday of Punjabi Wikipedia.
Nepal mountaineer rescues a Malaysian climber from the ‘Death Zone’ of Mount Everest
Gelje Sherpa, a professional mountaineer and guide from Nepal, accomplished a remarkable rescue operation on May 18th by saving a Malaysian climber on Mount Everest during his expedition.
Comedian and YouTube content creator arrested in Sri Lanka over satire on Buddhism
The recent arrests of stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya and social media activist Bruno Divakara have sparked new public debate about the issue of free expressions and the boundaries of comedy.
A journey through three continents: 150 years of Indian Caribbean migration to The Netherlands
With over 160,000 Indian Caribbeans in The Netherlands, they have become an indispensable population group. They have made a long journey, marked every year on June 5, as Prawas Din, or Immigration Day.
Pakistan invokes draconian Army Act to put protestors on trial
The political situation in Pakistan is escalating after the National Security Council decided to invoke the Army Act and Official Secrets Act to try civilian protestors.
‘Post at your own risk': An interview with Indian journalist Srishti Jaswal
Global Voices conducted a telephonic interview with Srishti Jaswal, an award-winning journalist from India who became the target of online harassment from right-wing trolls, receiving thousands of threats.
Pakistan faces nationwide internet blockage: A digital crisis unfolds
The internet blockade imposed in Pakistan amidst the arrest of Imran Khan raises serious concerns about the state of democracy, freedom of expression, and access to information in the country.
Controversies erupt in India over the film ‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the Bollywood movie "The Kerala Stories" explores the controversial notion of “love jihad” — a conspiracy theory that Muslim men convert Hindu women to Islam via romantic relationships.
The Supreme Court orders the government to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal
On May 2, 2023, same-sex marriage was finally legalised by Nepali by order of the Supreme court in Nepal after several years of legal disputes.
A Nepali man’s mission to document all the orchids found in Nepal
Global Voices interviewed Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti to talk about his journey from a Nepalese boy admiring orchids on his way to school, to an internationally renowned orchid expert and researcher.
Pakistan on edge: Protests continue as Imran Khan's arrest sparks outrage
Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested from a courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. The news of Khan's arrest has sparked heated demonstrations and raised concerns about political instability in Pakistan.