Russia’s Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, orders a change to the rules governing payment of the Unified Child Benefit   13.03.2026   Article published on the ASI website   The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation has demanded an immediate adjustment to existing regulations that will allow families to retain the Unified Child Benefit, even if …

11 March 2026 The State Duma will legislate so legal challenges to military conscriptions will not be grounds for its suspension A group of Duma deputies lead by General Andrei Kartapolov has introduced for consideration bill No. 1170412-8, a white paper which will significantly weaken legal protections for army conscripts who have illnesses that impede …

Responding to criticism of the Istanbul Convention against gender-based violence by a far-right personality, Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze did not rule out that the government might ‘work’ on the issue. His remarks have raised questions about the possibility of the government withdrawing from the convention. 10.03.2026 The issue was raised on the pro-government TV Imedi by …

The total number of orphans in Russia has fallen to 317,000   05.03.2026   Article published on the ASI website   According to data from the Ministry of Education, the number of children left without parental care has fallen by 6.8% over the past year, while the number of cases of parental rights being withdrawn …

Ukraine is now my home: How migrants from Central Asia are helping a country that’s fighting military aggression 28.02.2026   Article published on the azattyqasia.org website   Kazakh “Yurts of Indestructibility”, Uzbek pilaf and humanitarian aid from the Tajik diaspora: People of Central Asian descent living in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities are extending …

CSOs to strengthen their partnership with the state by 2035, say experts   27.02.2026   Article published on the ASI website   Researchers believe that the most likely scenario for the growth of the non-profit sector is the expansion of grant programmes and the development of legislation.   A study to mark World CSO Day …

Twenty per cent of Russians are open to the idea of adoption, says a survey   25.02.2026   Article published on the ASI website   The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (PORC) has published a survey on how public attitudes to adoption are changing.`   Almost a quarter of Russians are considering the possibility of …

What CSOs receive to reward their honesty and how this can promote charity work   15.02.2026   Article published on the givingjournal.ru website   The Prichini Goda is a light-hearted annual prize awarded to recognise CSOs who have faced major challenges during the year and to create a space for an honest discussion of mistakes …

In 2024, roughly one in five Armenians could not afford minimum food and basic non-food items. 13.02.2026 Poverty is generally defined as the lack of enough financial resources to meet basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing, while also having limited access to essentials like healthcare, education, and clean water. Lilit Yezekyan, CEO of the …

Vladimir Putin confirms new measures to support families with children   12.02.2026   Article published on the ASI website   The President of the Russian Federation has approved a list of directives following a sitting of the Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy.   Vladimir Putin commissioned his Government to consider …