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Dwindling Civic Spaces in Southeast Asia

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By TaiwanPlus

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Civic spaces are closing down across Southeast Asia in recent years, from the military coup disrupting democratic processes in Myanmar, to LGBTQ events being shut down in Indonesia. As one of the region’s most vibrant democracies, how can Taiwan support civil society in Southeast Asia? To answer this, Zoom In Zoom Out speaks with Leah Lin, the founder and CEO of Asia Citizen Future Association, a Taiwan-based NGO that connects Taiwan with civil societies in Southeast Asia. She explains why an open civic environment is crucial for democracy and how an asylum law in Taiwan could better support Southeast Asian NGOs.