Democracy & Human Rights

From September 2025 to January 2026, the LGBTQ+ political participation project RUN/OUT was conducted over four sessions, bringing together a total of 128 participants. Who took part in this project, and how do they perceive political participation? As the pilot program came to a close, we conducted a short survey. Drawing on the survey results and the RUN/OUT experience, we take an exploratory approach to examining how perceptions of LGBTQ+ politics are formed.

With the violation of international law in Venezuela by the US, the hegemonic ambitions of the Trump administration are impossible to ignore. The EU’s hesitant response has weakened the Union at a crucial moment. Where should Europe go from here?

What happens when a quiet observer steps into a global space? A journey from a “small-island mindset” to a more global sensibility. From unexpected moments of solidarity to discovering the power of simple connection, this reflection explores what it means to step beyond familiar borders and join a wider world.

A candid reflection from the Asia Democracy Assembly 2025—on Bangladesh, Japan, and Korea; the “masculinity of the state”; and the courage and solidarity found across Asia’s civil society.

A week in Bangkok offered a powerful glimpse into Asia’s diverse democratic struggles—from performative democracy and migration justice to Gen Z movements and transformative masculinities. Inspired to bring new ideas back to Korea.

The Power of Solidarity through the Film 'The Time of Our Lives'

South Korean men, trapped in the rigid ‘K-timeline’ from school to military to marriage, face endless pressure to prove their masculinity, fueling resentment toward women and radicalization. A transformation is needed, with care at its core.

Where do LGBTQ+ individuals stand in Korea’s political landscape? A groundbreaking project is working to change that. Introducing RUN/OUT, a project in Korea for and by the LGBTQ+ community.

On December 3, 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law dealt a profound shock to South Korean democracy. Yet in that moment of crisis, the square came alive once again—and at its center stood the youth. The lights, the flags, and the questions that followed have now been captured in a book. After the Square tells the story of young people who organized themselves to call for President Yoon’s resignation, created spaces for public dialogue, and put democratic values into action.

South Korea has seen has a notable progress in gender and human rights over the past two decades. Yet, in recent years, political polarization, anti-gender backlash, and stalled legislative efforts have complicated the landscape, leading to a fragmented and contested approach to equality and inclusion.

The documentary 'Edhi Alice: REVERSE', which intimately follows the lives of two transgender individuals, moves beyond questions of identity to become a cinematic act of sensing and witnessing existence itself. In a society where even its screening was rejected by some venues, the film confronts us with the very questions our society still chooses to turn away from.

South Korea’s presidential election on 3 June 2025 took place amid intense political upheaval and institutional crisis. Widespread public discontent over corruption scandals, executive-judiciary tensions, and democratic backsliding had dominated the pre-election atmosphere. Kristian Brakel, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung’s East Asia, answered 3 questions.

Every year on March 21, the United Nations designates the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, inspiring a global wave of anti-racism initiatives. As a sign of solidarity to this movement, an event hosted by migrant rights groups nationwide and supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation East Asia Office was held on March 16 at Seoul Station Square. To gain insight into the preparation process, representatives from the foundation visited the site, engaging directly with activists and listening to their powerful voices.

Katharina Klappheck examines AI’s intricate layers of power dynamics that leads to gender and racial invisibility, exclusion, and labour exploitation.

Aifric Campbell explores the future of love and intimacy as our attention to humans is seduced by machines.

This essay collection presents how rapid developments in human-machine interactions bring challenges in ethics, labour, gender equality, and intimacy.

1 February 2021: Almost everyone in the country woke up in horror to the mounting bad news. An internet blackout and the inability to withdraw cash from ATMs have sparked anger and anxiety nationwide, as most employees in different cities were supposed to get their salaries via the banking system on the first day of the month. But this angst has gone far beyond the first month of the military takeover in Myanmar. It has since become a permanent feature.

As the dust of the 2022 Philippine presidential election settles, the alliances, the compromises, and the policy trajectory become more visible under the Marcos-Duterte government.  The well-run campaign and the curated candidate branding must now give way to the real governance work, so as to address the pressing issues faced by the post-pandemic Philippines. 

In an interview, Hong Kong activist Kaspar Wan talks about his experience of becoming a transman and the transgender rights movement in the city.

Interfaith relations and marriages are fairly common in a multicultural society such as India. Long history of shared neighbourhoods and women’s rights movements made such unions easier in the last few decades. However, religious majoritarianism and bigotry are posing unprecedented challenges to interfaith marriages and, most importantly, the agency of women.