HOME >> Foreign Correspondents >> 25th Foreign Correspondents

Foreign Correspondents

25th KFAW Foreign Correspondents (2015-2016)

Name Country Profile
Ms. Swapna MAJUMDAR India I am a Delhi based independent journalist for over 15 years, focusing on research-based articles on development issues and the role of women as agents of social change. In my writings, I have focused on India’s development policy and its impact on people, women in particular. I have received several awards and fellowships for the empathy and professionalism with which I have written on subjects such as health care, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, livelihoods, sanitation, education, environment and gender. I have covered several international conferences on development issues.
Ms. Turmunkh ODONTUYA Mongolia After graduating from the Department of Mongolian Language and Literature of the National University of Mongolia, I worked as a director in the Japanese Language Section of the International Broadcasting Department, Mongolian National Public Radio and Television. After that, I came to Japan and finished my master’s course at Graduate School of Social and Cultural Systems, Yamanashi University, and doctoral course at Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University. Specialized in cultural anthropology, I have conducted studies under the themes of gender role attitudes and their changes in transforming social systems in Mongolia, as well as analysis of various aspects of Mongolian women form a gender perspective. Then, I belonged to a research specialist at Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University. In 2014, my book titled Experience of socialist society: narratives of Mongolian women was awarded a publication grant for young researchers and published by Tohoku University Press. Also, I contributed a chapter “On Encouraging Mothers of Multiple Children through the Order of the Mother Glorious in Mongolia” to the book titled Rethinking Representations of Asian Women: Changes, Continuity, and Everyday Life” edited by Atsufumi Kato, et al., which is to be published by Palgrave Macmillan in November 2015. The major awards I have won include a special award in the project section of Tohoku University Gender Equality Promotion (“Sawayanagi”) Award in 2008.
Ms. Yojana POKHAREL Nepal I have MBA degree with key subjects such as management and marketing. Previously I worked as a coordinator at Ambe Murari Sewa Kendra (AMSK), a Not for profit organization and was in charge of coordinating, managing and reporting activities for donors. In addition I also act as resource person for yoga training for various clubs and organizations and help schools in developing yoga curriculum for primary and secondary level kids.
Mr. Saboor Ahmed KAKAR Pakistan I am from Balochistan, a deprived province in Pakistan. I got my MSc degree in gender studies with particular subjects: feminism, status of woman in Pakistan, gender and law, and gender and development. I am an education activist at Alif Ailaan. I am also a national youth leader at the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, and received the Presidential Award last year from the President of Pakistan in the category of the best volunteer. I have conducted numerous activities to advocate the rights of women and raise local people’s awareness of women’s rights. I am still struggling to protect human rights and help women earn equal status as men in Pakistan. I also put a lot of effort into delivering messages about the importance of education to those areas where there are no institutions for children, especially girls.
Ms. Aiko SHIMIZU The Philippines I am half-Filipino and half-Japanese, and was born and raised here in the Philippines. I graduated from Miriam College with a degree in International Studies with a major in development studies, a minor in gender studies in 2014, and authored an undergraduate thesis titled “His Side of the Story: Storylines, Speech-acts, and Positions of Husbands Who Have Experienced Spousal Abuse” with Ms. Arisa Junio. I previously worked for the Philippine Air Force as their researcher from June to December 2014. I am now an Outreach and Innovations Coordinator at Youth at Venture, an NGO that helps young Filipinos start business ventures.
Ms. Kanthi Hemamalee WIJETUNGE Sri Lanka I possess a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and have taken a one-year programme on gender studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA under Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programme. I have held several key positions in the public sector including the Director of Women’s Bureau, and the Secretary to the Ministry of National Heritage. Currently I am functioning as a member of the Public Service Commission of Sri Lanka which is the highest decision-making body with regard to the appointments, promotions and disciplinary matters of the public servants. I was appointed to this position as my long-term tenure of the public service as a member of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service has received recognition. I am the only female member of the 9-member commission and expected to bring gender concerns to the Commission and make decisions on an equal and fair basis. I have authored several publications and two books on women’s rights and gender issues. I intend to discuss several issues pertaining to gender equality in Sri Lanka in forthcoming issues of Asian Breeze magazine.



1st Reports



2nd Reports



3rd Reports