Peace for Asia interviews Ms Raghida Dergham, Founder and Executive Chairman, Beirut Institute on the recent developments in Iran. We  delve into finer details on myriad themes, mainly the prevailing political situation, Iran’s emerging role in the broader Middle East and its influence on regional and global geopolitical alignments.

The recent elections and the victory of Ebrahim Raisi marks a new phase in Iranian politics, both from the domestic and international perspective. Having won the elections with the blessings of the hardliners, it appears that the reformist perspectives have lost appeal in the high offices. Raisi’s controversial past speaks a lot about his political leanings and thus also about his expected policies. 

At present, Iran is embattled on multiple fronts, namely the protests in the Khuzestan region, the uncertainity surrounding the nuclear negotiations and the tense geopolitics in the Middle eastern region, particularly Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Peace for Asia speaks to Jason Tower, Country Director, Burma Program, United States Institute of Peace on the recent coup in Myanmar. The discussion touche on key themes surrounding the civil-military ties, Human Rights violations, responsibility of the international community and the interests of great powers.

Peace for Asia spoke with Knox Thames, Visiting Expert, United States Institute of Peace on his research on the Ahmedi community in Pakistan. The discussion focuses on the historical, institutional, and societal factors that embattle the minorities in Pakistan, with a specific focus on the Ahmedi community.

This podcast was conducted in partnership with The Counter-Terrorism Group. Katelyn Ferguson, Crime Assistant Team Leader at the CTG speaks to Alessandro Gagaridis, PACOM Team leader, CTG on the criminal networks and illicit markets in the Golden Triangle Region in Southeast Asia. 

Human trafficking is an international human rights violation that is partially ongoing due to the lack of awareness of what human trafficking actually is and looks like. The portrayal of trafficking in the media, whether it be by IGOs, law enforcement, the news, and even fictional shows and movies is problematic in that either they are not accurate depictions of human trafficking, or they act in a way to revictimize victims of trafficking. Many victims of trafficking do not understand the implications of their pictures being taken and used in order to depict trafficking, and once posted online they are never truly ‘removed’.

Join Katelyn Ferguson, Shandra Woworuntu and Annalisa Gibbs in their discussion on human trafficking and the portrayal of trafficking in the media. There will be a part two to this podcast soon! 

Peace for Asia is a not-for-profit research-based collective primarily focused on documenting and researching human rights violations taking place all over Asia. We aim to bring a more conscious attempt to how international and intergovernmental proceedings affect those who exist as minorities and stand to be adversely affected by policies and the currencies of a globalized world. In our first ever podcast, Zachary Skidmore, Research Assistant here at Peace for Asia has an interesting conversation with Heather Barr, Interim Co-Director, Women's Rights, Division, Human Rights Watch & Author, Marry before your house is swept away : Child marriage in Bangladesh & "Our Time to Sing and Play": Child Marriage in Nepal about the current state of women's rights in South and East Asia.