Global Social Rights

  Midterm elections in the Philippines suggest that dissatisfaction is growing — but largely benefits former President Rodrigo Duterte   Inside a rusting file cabinet belonging to a federation of small farmers living on Sicogon, a small island in the Philippines, are four letters that may offer more insight into the results of the country’s…

As President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s administration approaches its midpoint, the conditions for workers and the poor continue to deteriorate, while the quality of democracy remains in decline. One indicator of the deficits in democracy is the utter dominance of political dynasties in the upcoming midterm elections in May 2025. The elections represent a pivotal moment…

In 2024, Malaysia saw a continuation of previous negative trends under the Anwar Ibrahim administration, with few upsides to show for it.  High-level corruption persists as current and former figures from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) – the party of the former Prime Minister implicated in the infamous 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and…

The year 2024 was expected to be marked by high political tensions, shifting socio-political dynamics, and significant political change. With Indonesian President Joko Widodo (known as Jokowi) completing his second five -year term in October 2024, general elections were scheduled for February 2024 to elect a new president. However, the actual political landscape turned out…

Image by Vecteezy.com/Deni Prasetya   On 20 October 2024, businessman and former general Prabowo Subianto became the President of Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country. He took over from Joko Widodo after a landslide victory in the February election, in which he was supported by nine parties and won around 96.2 million votes, or…

The results of Malaysia’s November 2022 general elections evoked mixed reactions nationwide. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope), who presented himself as a reformist firebrand, formed a government in coalition with Zahid Hamidi, leader of the former dominant UMNO-BN (United Malays National Organisation-Barisan Nasional, National Front). Zahid’s repressive track record raised…