The pandemic’s multiple effects are not fully understood in the region. There are still many unknowns, not least of which is the timeframe of virus’ spread and response. Decision-making is difficult in the absence of robust data. For example, policymakers should consider the impact of school closures on millions of students in East Asia and the Pacific.4 While many schools have been able to mitigate ...

In 2005, following the recommendations of the Mental Health Policy of 2005 - 2015, a cadre of Counseling Assistants (CAs) were introduced to the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Social Welfare. The Ministry portfolio has been revised many times since then, an important change being the breaking of the Ministry into two, and designated as “Social Services” and “Women’s and Child Affairs”. The two ...