The pursuit of status: How fear, the law and social stigma are hindering the fight against HIV in Central Asia   26.05.2026   Article published on the anhor.uz website   At the end of last year, around 52,000 HIV sufferers were officially registered in Uzbekistan and over 13,000 in Tajikistan. These figures highlight a systematic …

Armenia is considering a new reverse mortgage system that would let pensioners receive monthly payments from banks while continuing to live in their homes. 20.05.2026 The proposal, now under discussion in parliament, was presented on May 18 by Nane Kazaryan, deputy head of the Cadastre Committee. It would apply to citizens aged 63 and older …

“What if I’d given birth to a third daughter back then….”: Sex-selective abortions in Central Asia: How traditions kill in the womb   20.05.2026   Article published on the azattyqasia.org website   Patriarchal traditions, combined with modern diagnostic technologies in medicine, have led to tens of thousands of girls not being born in Central Asia …

CSOs are being asked to report on problems regarding the provision of social services   19.05.2026   Article published on the miloserdie.ru website   The Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights is conducting a nationwide survey of organisations which provide social services.   The Council is launching a major exercise …

Living near uranium: Why does Tajikistan’s Sughd region have the highest cancer rates?   12.05.2026   Article published on the asiaplus.news website   Nearly one in two cancer patients in Tajikistan lives in the Sughd region where most of the country’s uranium legacy is concentrated. Many tailing ponds are situated close to populated areas. However, …

437 people have downloaded the social entrepreneur label for their products   12.05.2026   Article published on the ASI website   This special label has been created to raise the profile of social enterprises and build consumer confidence.   The label confirms that a business is officially addressing social issues, from the employment of disadvantaged …

More than 23,000 primary care doctors are providing mental health support for Ukrainians   11.05.2026   Article published on the moz.gov.ua website   More than 23,000 primary care doctors have been trained under the WHO’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), which provides basic knowledge on how to manage psychological disorders and enables physicians to …

Brussels needs to deliver a stronger, more decisive response to the spread of foreign agent laws across Europe, including in Georgia. 07.05.2026 World Press Freedom Day has passed by as attacks against independent journalism escalated at an unprecedented rate. From smear campaigns and digital threats, to vexatious lawsuits and physical attacks — and now, legal …

The case of a one-year-old boy beaten to death, allegedly by his stepmother, shocked Armenia last March. Though the case dominated headlines, tragedies like this are not uncommon for the country. 05.05.2026 In recent months, Armenian media have reported a string of abuse cases involving children. They were subjected to physical violence, neglect, and sexual …

The unemployment rate in Belarus has reached a new historic low – in the first quarter of 2026, it was only 2.3%. However, there’s no reason to rejoice, as this indicates serious problems in the economy and a labor shortage, BEROC expert Nastassia Luzhina said on Belsat TV. There’s a shortage of people in the …