Honolulu/Islamabad—A two-day virtual workshop was held on March 3 and March 4 to foster regional collaboration in South Asia along the lines of human rights, media ethics, culture and arts, and environment/conservation. Organized by Initiate Futures, a policy think tank on global affairs with support from the East-West Center, a Honolulu-based educational institution, the workshop welcomed participants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and Nepal.
Some key takeaways of the workshop included an absence of an effective regional human rights forum. One of the participants shared that The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been rather unsuccessful in developing a binding human rights framework as political tensions have only escalated between India and Pakistan that have prevented meaningful cooperation on a regional level. Additionally, judicial delays, governance challenges, corruption, lack of accountability, poverty and socioeconomic inequalities add to growing human rights crises in South Asia.
From a culture and arts perspective, documentary-style art forms were recommended as strategies to bring to the forefront voices of the silenced, disadvantaged communities, and to equally highlight health disparities faced by South Asian women, especially concerning their obstetrics and gynecological health. These efforts also highlight ongoing and existing sociocultural disparities, injustices and inequalities faced by women coming from rigid sociocultural environments like the Dalits, a marginalized, castigated social class in India.
Climate change was considered another pressing challenge facing South Asians, mainly fishermen and farmers. Flooding, water scarcity, waste management issues and respiratory problems resulting from transboundary pollution remain other climate bound issues in the region. There is a general lack of knowledge of the impact of the environment on the well-being of people that stands in the way of climate protection. Some measures to foster climate awareness included regional action plans and conventions where South Asian countries can collaborate with one another to forecast environmental concerns and devise air and marine pollution remedies.
From the lens of media and ethics, South Asia’s mainstream media channels were perceived as sensationalist, giving precedence to inflammatory stories rather than substantive reporting as a way of increasing TV ratings and social media viewership. Regional integration that can benefit South Asian countries overall requires in-depth analysis and constant coverage but that is too often overshadowed by dramatic, controversial stories and nationalistic narratives. Government’s interference in Pakistani and Indian mainstream media is another major challenge affecting journalistic ethics and authentic reporting.
“This workshop has benefited me immensely as it has given me an insight into the voices of South Asia and how we need a multilateral regional forum to focus on pressing transnational issues like environmental policies,” said Pranjal Ray, one of the participants of the workshop representing India who is currently a fellow at the nonprofit, Teach for India.
“I really enjoyed the workshop! It helped me to connect with my roots and understand our regional challenges from a different perspective,” said Marufa Akhter Bhuiyan, an Analog Astronaut representing Bangladesh.
Published Friday, March 7, 2025