The ‘Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia’ project currently being implemented by LIRNEasia is focused on the data policy ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia taking into account both formal and informal policy and practice. The project also aims to expend the community of practice of Asian Data for Development practitioners, and enhance the capacity of actors to participate in policy making processes and evidence-based policy influence related to data.

Documents

• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: South Korea Country Report

  This report on data protection in South Korea is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. This report presents a focused case study of South Korea’s evolving data protection framework and its efforts to balance strong privacy protections with data-driven innovation

• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Nepal Country Report

  This report on data governance in Nepal is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. The report provides an overview of Nepal’s constitutional and governance framework and examines the laws, policies, and institutional arrangements that shape the collection, processing, storage, access, and sharing of data.

• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: India Country Report

  This report on data governance in India is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. The report provides an overview of India’s constitutional and governance framework and examines the laws and policies that shape the collection, processing, storage, access, and sharing of data.

• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Pakistan Country Report

  This report on data governance in Pakistan is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. This report is also part of a broader comparative effort that includes case studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. The report provides an overview of Pakistan’s constitutional and governance framework and analyses the laws and policies that structure the collection, processing, storage, and sharing of data. The report also undertakes a detailed examination of key legislative instruments, including the draft Personal Data Protection Bill and the Right of Access to Information Act, assessing both their strengths and shortcomings. It explores institutional capacity constraints, fragmentation across regulatory frameworks, and procedural gaps in policy development that affect coherence and implementation. The Pakistan Country Report can be found below.

• Cybersecurity Policy Considerations for Sri Lanka

  As societies become increasingly reliant on digital systems, safeguarding information infrastructure is paramount for economic stability, public safety, and national security. LIRNEasia has been closely analysing Sri Lanka’s evolving cybersecurity policy landscape and was recently invited to participate in a closed-door dialogue between diplomats and policymakers to evaluate the country’s cybersecurity policy. This blog post distils the key high-level takeaways from that discussion. It reviews Sri Lanka’s current cybersecurity landscape, highlights relevant international good practices, and proposes four policy considerations for strengthening the country’s cybersecurity framework.

• LIRNEasia shares insights on how data-driven approaches can support democratic development at SATRC-26

  The 26th Meeting of the South Asian Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (SATRC-26) was held from 5–7 November 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Muhammad Aslam Hayat, Senior Policy Fellow at LIRNEasia and Pakistan country researcher, presented key findings from the Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia (D4D Asia) project during the session on “Sharing Best Practices and Regulatory Experiences by SATRC Members and Industry.”

• Indonesia Report Launch and Policy Dialogue on Data Governance

  The Indonesia Report launch and policy dialogue on “Indonesia’s Strategy for Safeguarding Cross-Border Personal Data Transfers to the United States Without Compromising Sovereignty or Data Protection” took place on 28 October 2025 at Hotel Ashley, Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta. The event was organized by LIRNEasia, together with Northbound Strategies (Indonesia), with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada). This timely discussion brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to examine how Indonesia can enable cross-border data flows while maintaining the principles of digital sovereignty and compliance with the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law. The event was conducted in both English and Bahasa Indonesia to ensure inclusive participation. The dialogue opened with a keynote address by Alfreno K. Ramadhan, Special Staff to the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) of the Republic of Indonesia. This was followed by presentations from Pranesh Prakash (LIRNEasia) and Ibrahim K. Rohman, PhD (University of Indonesia), who shared insights from national and regional research on cross-border data governance. A high-level panel discussion featured Hendri Samita Yuda (Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Indonesia), Brigitta Ratih E. Aryanti (Mastercard Indonesia), Ardhanti Nurwidya (Vriens & Partners), and Bhredipta Socarana (Centre […]

• Untangling Data Governance – Sri Lanka’s Way Forward

  “Untangling Data Governance – Sri Lanka’s Way Forward” was held on 13 November 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event formed part of the Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia (D4D Asia) project, with funding support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada.

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Events

• LIRNEasia Policy Fellow Ashwini Natesan Participates in South Asian Regional Dialogue on AI Governance
  LIRNEasia Policy Fellow Ashwini Natesan participated as a panellist at the Regional Dialogue on AI in Governance held on 19 February 2025 in New Delhi, India.
• Ashwini Natesan at Factum’s ‘Case for and against the Online Safety Act’ panel discussion
  On February 26, Factum, with the support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), officially launched a policy report titled “Online Safety’s Impact on Human Rights and Digital Governance.
• Gayani Hurulle at UNESCAP workshop on Cross-Border Data Sharing for Digital Public Service Innovation
  Gayani Hurulle (Senior Research Manager, LIRNEasia) was invited to conduct a session on the current state and challenges associated with cross-border data sharing at a regional capacity-building workshop on ‘Cross-Border Data Sharing for Digital Public Service Innovation’.
• LIRNEasia shares insights on how data-driven approaches can support democratic development at SATRC-26
  The 26th Meeting of the South Asian Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (SATRC-26) was held from 5–7 November 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya at UNDP conference on New Ways of Governing
  LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya attended UNDP’s New Ways of Governing Conference in Oslo on 28–29 October 2025, contributing to discussions on AI and data governance.

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People

Sachini Ranasinghe

Ashwini Natesan

Muhammad Aslam Hayat

Helani Galpaya

Chiranthi Rajapakse

Blogs and Updates

• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: South Korea Country Report
  This report on data protection in South Korea is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices.
• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Nepal Country Report
  This report on data governance in Nepal is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices.
• LIRNEasia Policy Fellow Ashwini Natesan Participates in South Asian Regional Dialogue on AI Governance
  LIRNEasia Policy Fellow Ashwini Natesan participated as a panellist at the Regional Dialogue on AI in Governance held on 19 February 2025 in New Delhi, India.
• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: India Country Report
  This report on data governance in India is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices.
• LIRNEasia’s Data Governance Research Gains Policy Traction in Pakistan
  We are pleased to see the Government of Pakistan taking an important step toward strengthening data governance and public-sector transparency through the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for the “Design, Development, Implementation and Support of the National Open Data Ecosystem (NODE).
• Sri Lanka’s AI ambitions need a strong data governance foundation
  As Sri Lanka pushes forward with the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors to drive development and innovation, a critical foundational question must first be addressed.
• Missed opportunities in Philippine data governance
  Even though the Constitution of the Philippines protects citizens’ right to access official records and research data used in policymaking, the absence of a comprehensive right-to-information law has left implementation subject to executive discretion.
• Nepal’s digital crossroads: building a transparent data governance framework
  Nepal’s evolving digital landscape highlights a growing tension between constitutional guarantees of privacy and access to information, and a fragmented, outdated data governance framework.
• Ashwini Natesan at Factum’s ‘Case for and against the Online Safety Act’ panel discussion
  On February 26, Factum, with the support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), officially launched a policy report titled “Online Safety’s Impact on Human Rights and Digital Governance.
• Pakistan’s AI ambitions require strong data governance
  Pakistan’s Indus AI Week reflects a growing shift in how the country is approaching artificial intelligence, not simply as a technological trend, but as a strategic tool for economic growth, public sector reform, and national competitiveness.
• Balancing privacy and transparency: Thailand’s data governance at a crossroads
  In an op-ed article published on 20 February 2026 in the Bangkok Post, Jompon Pitaksantayothin, Country Researcher for Thailand for LIRNEasia’s D4D Asia project, discusses the growing tensions within Thailand’s data governance framework following the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
• Can Copyright Law still serve the public interest in the age of AI?
  The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence is reshaping debates around copyright, accessibility, and innovation.
• Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia: Pakistan Country Report
  This report on data governance in Pakistan is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices.
• LIRNEasia expertise contributes to Sri Lanka’s first National Policy on Archives and Records Management
  Archives and records management is a critical foundation of any society, but especially in information societies that are emerging now.
• Data governance in Pakistan is no longer a technical issue; it is a democratic one
  In an article published on 26 January 2026 in The News Pakistan, LIRNEasia Senior Policy Fellow Muhammad Aslam Hayat highlights how data has become a powerful instrument of governance in Pakistan, yet the frameworks governing data remain fragmented and heavily skewed in favour of state control rather than citizen rights.
• Cybersecurity Policy Considerations for Sri Lanka
  As societies become increasingly reliant on digital systems, safeguarding information infrastructure is paramount for economic stability, public safety, and national security.
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