In Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka, we work with 14 organizations. The countries we work with in this part of the world are Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Our focus in Southeast Asia and on Sri Lanka is to strengthen our partner organizations so that they can reach out widely with their knowledge. With roots in their respective communities, they work to reduce the harm of alcohol and other drugs, at the local, regional and national level. After many years of hard work in the region, we can see that our partner organizations now receive more hearing and support from authorities. In several countries, we have also succeeded in influencing the police and authorities to be trained in issues such as alcohol and drug prevention and men's violence against women. We see that both alcohol abuse and violence against women have decreased, for example in Sri Lanka.
Despite our good results, the progress of the alcohol industry's marketing is threatened. They sponsor sporting events and talent competitions for young people, offer scholarships, offer parties and distribute free alcohol to win new consumers. The alcohol industry actively opposes public health promotion laws. Asia's young people are exposed to massive alcohol advertising, and tourism in Thailand and Vietnam, for example, is also helping to normalize a harmful alcohol culture. We work for a responsible tourism that takes into account social conditions and local culture.
It is not uncommon for men in Cambodia, for example, to spend more than 50 percent of their family's income on alcohol on their way home from work. In Vietnam, there is the saying "a man without beer is like a sail without wind". Drinking alcohol is seen as an important part of the role of being a man in Southeast Asia, as in many other continents, which makes it difficult to reduce consumption. It is not enough just to reduce the opening hours of the bar. Norms and ideas about masculinity must be influenced in order to bring about sustainable change.
Due to the high alcohol consumption, many men have health problems. This also affects their ability to contribute to the family's livelihood. Therefore, women often have to bear the double burden of looking after the home and caring for the children on the one hand and providing for the family on the other. In Southeast Asia, economic development has been rapid. It is easy to get hold of both alcohol and other drugs, which means that public health problems are growing. Ethnic minorities and young people are particularly vulnerable groups.
Here you will find a list of our partner organizations in South and Southeast Asia.
