Migration
Child marriage in Southeast Asia: When a harmful practice becomes an international crime
Child marriage is a global problem that cuts across countries, cultures, and religions – and the ASEAN region is no exception. Child marriage is considered a form of forced…
Australians get the benefits of migration, even the doubters
Australians are back to thinking about migration in a fashion similar to how the country approached the issue before the borders closed for the Covid pandemic. Attitudes might be…
Invisible victims: How counter-trafficking efforts leave people with disability behind
Dao (not her real name) came to Thailand from Laos when she was 17. With her hearing impairment, she had struggled to find work in Laos. Dao’s aunt told her that she could find…
Reverse colonialism? India and Britain’s free trade agreements
As elections loom, India is in free trade agreement mode. Hot on the heels of announcing the signing of a “landmark” deal with a group of non-EU European countries, India has also…
A ring-fence around the Rohingya can’t last – Australia’s policy needs to change
Last year, I wrote in The Interpreter about the nightmare scenario unfolding for the Rohingya living in refugee camps in Bangladesh, where dwindling aid, a dependent population,…
Securing India’s cities
With India’s economy recording impressive growth, the country’s cities are emerging as pronounced markers of gains. With a concentrated push to improve infrastructure chalked up…
An Indian advantage abroad
A well-meaning Canadian acquaintance once asked me, “Why does Toronto feel like Delhi these days?” I chuckled. I did not have a spontaneous answer and resorted to a helpless grin…
Dying to work abroad: Why Nepalese migrants are fighting other people’s wars
Last month, on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, Nepal appealed to Russia “not to recruit Nepalese nationals into the country’s army and to help repatriate those…
Golden passports and visas: Two sides of the coin
Last week, Australia quietly axed a business visa scheme, which included a controversial Significant Investor category – colloquially known as a “golden visa” that targeted…
Visa-free travel: A chance to reignite the Pacific voyage
Voyaging is a fundamental part of the Pacific. It ties Pasifika peoples, cultures and economies together across thousands of years of history. The tradition of voyaging remains…