Aid Policy Research Articles

Underprivileged Student Education Aid Policy: Issues, Challenges and Strategies

Underprivileged Student Education Aid Policy: Issues, Challenges and Strategies

U.S. global health aid policy and family planning in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Trump administration reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy (MCP) in 2017 as the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) policy, forbidding international organizations receiving all U.S. health assistance from promoting abortion. Existing evidence suggests that abortion rates rise under the MCP, but the direct effect of U.S. funding restrictions on supply and use of family planning has received less attention. By studying PLGHA's impact on health service delivery providers and women in eight sub-Saharan African countries, we are able to fill this gap. We find that health facilities provide fewer family planning services, including emergency contraception, and that women are less likely to use contraception and more likely to have given birth recently under the policy. These findings suggest that PLGHA has important unintended consequences that are detrimental to reproductive health and the autonomous decision-making of health service providers and women.

Continuity and change in Saudi Arabia’s development and humanitarian aid

This paper delves into the motivations and drivers behind Saudi Arabia’s foreign aid, shedding light on the interplay between geopolitics, religious affinity, and strategic objectives. Drawing on newly released empirical data from the Saudi Aid Platform (SAP) dataset, encompassing 47 years of aid delivery, the study seeks to answer the long-standing debate surrounding the factors shaping Saudi Arabia’s foreign aid decisions. The study focuses on two pivotal periods: the Bosnian War and the post-Arab Spring era. By examining Saudi aid allocations during these periods, we investigate the influence of foreign policy and geostrategic objectives versus the humanitarian needs of the recipients. Religious ideology, geopolitical interests, and strategic objectives drive Saudi Arabian aid. The study reveals that Saudi Arabia adopts a value-neutral strategic approach. The research contextualises these findings within geopolitical events, regional dynamics, and internal governance changes, providing insights into the factors influencing Saudi Arabia’s aid allocation decisions. By examining Saudi Arabian aid’s historical patterns and drivers, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of one of the world’s largest foreign aid providers. Additionally, it offers valuable insights for shaping effective aid strategies and policies in the future.

What do remote outer island populations in the Pacific think about foreign aid? Insights from Mauke, Cook Islands

AbstractMotivationPacific aid research has largely focused on national issues and social justice, rather than spatial justice and the development of remote outer islands. In particular, the perspectives of remote outer island populations on aid have not previously been assessed.PurposeThis study explores the experiences and views of the population of a remote Pacific outer island, Mauke in the Cook Islands, on the foreign aid they receive. By listening to and learning from local people living with aid on a remote outer island, this article seeks to address spatially insensitive Pacific aid research and policy. Based on these insights, the article derives policy implications for aid and development actors working on Mauke and other remote outer islands in the Pacific.Methods and approachEmploying a mixed‐methods approach, this article draws on field research conducted on Mauke, involving in‐depth semi‐structured interviews and a quantitative survey.FindingsThe people of Mauke are divided about whether the island should receive more or less aid. Those calling for more aid tend to be younger; they stress the need for infrastructure development. Those advocating for less aid tend to be older; they argue that aid has harmed Mauke by decreasing endogenous initiatives and creating social tensions, both of which reduce social cohesion among the remote island population.Policy implicationsRather than investing in “community‐based/−led development”—doing development with the community, aid to remote Pacific outer islands should focus more on “community development”—with the aim of enhancing social cohesion among peripheral islands. Donors, governments, and development partners must carefully reflect on the degree to which their interventions may harm social cohesion and the endogenous development potential of remote outer island populations. These implications matter given the persistence of uncritical (mis)representations and (mis)conceptions of remote Pacific outer island populations as harmonious and mutually supportive.

The Process of Grouping Elementary School Students Receiving PIP Assistance uses the K-Means Algorithm

As part of receiving support from the Smart Indonesia Program (PIP), this study intends to analyze and apply the K-Means algorithm in the process of grouping elementary school students. PIP is a government initiative that attempts to give money to elementary school pupils from disadvantaged or weaker homes. The effective and fair distribution of aid monies depends on the proper grouping of the students. The K-Means approach was selected because it can cluster data, allowing the grouping of pupils based on pertinent traits. Numerous characteristics that can affect kids' financial needs are included in the data utilized in this study, including family income, parental education level, proximity to the school, and other social and economic issues. This study makes use of empirical data from a PIP-affiliated elementary school in an urban setting. The data includes a large number of pertinent features and thousands of pupils. Based on how similar their characteristics are, pupils are divided into numerous clusters using the K-Means technique. The findings of this study will help us better identify the traits of students who are eligible for PIP support. By doing this, the government can allocate funds more wisely and guarantee that aid is given where it is most needed. The PIP program can benefit children in need more by streamlining the process of grouping the students. In addition, this research has broader implications for social aid and education policy. To guarantee effectiveness and equity in resource allocation, the K-Means algorithm can be used in a variety of additional aid initiatives. Data mining-based strategies, like those employed in this study, are becoming more crucial to boost the effectiveness of aid programs like PIP. The findings of this study can help the government and educational institutions improve the efficacy of aid initiatives designed to boost Indonesian children's education

LESSONS FROM THE MARSHALL PLAN FOR UKRAINE’S POST-WAR RECOVERY

This article presents a comprehensive discourse analysis of the Marshall Plan’s administration, shedding light on a facet of history that has often been overlooked in favor of discussions on aid effectiveness and outcomes. Central to our inquiry is the hypothesis that the institutionalization of U.S. foreign aid, initiated with the Marshall Plan, played a critical role in its success and laid the foundation for future aid initiatives. By focusing on the administrative strategies and decision-making processes, the study offers novel insights into how these elements contributed to the Plan’s effectiveness and the overall evolution of U.S. foreign aid policy. The analysis draws on a variety of primary sources, including historical documents, speeches, and policy papers, to provide a detailed picture of the Plan’s implementation. In doing so, we unveil the complex dynamics and challenges of post-war recovery efforts and the strategic decisions that shaped them. The findings reveal the intricacies of the Marshall Plan’s administration and provide valuable lessons for contemporary policy discourse, particularly in the context of Ukraine’s ongoing recovery and its significance to Kyiv’s international partners. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by offering a nuanced understanding of the Marshall Plan’s legacy and its enduring impact on international development and foreign aid. It serves as a vital resource for policymakers, scholars, and practitioners engaged in shaping effective and sustainable foreign aid programs in the modern era. This study also examines the evolution of U.S. foreign aid from the mid-19th century technical missions to the modern era, highlighting key changes in aid administration and objectives. By tracing this evolution, it contextualizes the Marshall Plan within the broader narrative of U.S. international development policy. The role of the Truman administration in shaping the plan and its broader foreign policy implications, including containment of communism and promotion of democracy, are critically analyzed. This article thus fills a gap in the literature by offering a comprehensive view of the Marshall Plan’s administration and its lasting influence on U.S. foreign aid policy.

The race towards a more sustainable future: is current State aid policy fit for purpose?

Sustainability continues to gain traction as an important principle to be factored into competition law analysis, across antitrust, merger control and State aid. This article provides an overview of the mechanisms that are currently being introduced (and those already in place), to pursue sustainability objectives in the EU State aid framework. While the article focuses on the different aspects of the EU State aid rulebook, the analysis takes place against a broader international backdrop, with the US Inflation Reduction Act’s subsidies being a prime example of non-EU funding in the race to the ‘green transition’. As times have changed, so has the EU’s approach to State aid policy, and what comes out of the analysis of the constantly developing framework for sustainable State aid, is a gradual but clear convergence towards the incorporation of sustainability considerations into subsidies regulation, at the level of both legislative initiatives and judicial interpretation by the Court of Justice of the EU. While this is a development broadly in the right direction, the article points out the geopolitical risks associated with an inadvertent green subsidies war, as well as the risk – within the EU itself – of amplifying existing economic inequalities, due to the playing field being tilted in favour of Member States with deeper pockets.

Aid coordination through competition? Unintended consequences of China–Japan rivalry in foreign aid policy in Asia

Abstract The power struggle between China and Japan in Asia continues, with their political confrontations extending to foreign aid rivalry. While Japan used to dominate in foreign aid in the region, China has overtaken it with its infrastructure assistance. No formal regional aid and development framework has yet been developed here. However, this article argues that unintentional donor coordination between China and Japan has been realized. The aid provided by the two does not overlap as each country tends to focus on a limited number of recipients, and a natural division of labor originates. Why has their rivalry resulted in aid coordination? This article answers the question by examining the behaviors of Japanese and Chinese aid and finding that, ironically, it is their shared interest in economic infrastructure aid that creates such a situation.

Rich Nation, Liberal International: Ideology and Action in Japanese Foreign Aid Policy

Abstract Characterizations of foreign aid donors neglect the overarching importance of ideas in determining policy. This article explores Japan’s ideological criteria for foreign aid decision-making, differentiated both between goals and the instruments to achieve them, as well as between ideas in the specific foreground and the general background. Japan continues to operate with a recognizable postwar ideology, which synthesized aspects of an earlier militarist and economic nationalism paradigm with liberal internationalism. In recent years, the perception of a growing threat from China and other changes have catalyzed a shift in Japan’s ODA toward greater securitization and liberal value-orientation; however, aid policy still remains situated within this “Rich Nation, Liberal International” paradigm.

Should foreign aid consider inter‐Pacific Islands migration in the context of climate change? Evidence from Fiji

AbstractMotivationThis research brings a Pacific Islands‐centred perspective into the discussion of foreign aid and climate mobility. Climate‐related migration is a crucial issue in Oceania as climate change is increasingly affecting Pacific Islanders. In this context, the Pacific Islands are typically seen as migrant‐sending countries to places outside the region. Inter‐Pacific Islands migration (IPIM) is barely recognized.PurposeShould foreign aid consider climate‐related IPIM? This article focuses on Fiji to: (1) assess current knowledge on migration between the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and Fiji's role therein; (2) maps aid‐funded climate mobility initiatives in the Pacific Islands; and (3) explores Fiji's national polices and local Fijian perspectives on regional climate‐related immigration to Fiji.Methods and approachThis study draws on a combination of statistical analysis, policy document analysis, expert interviews, and semi‐structured interviews and an in‐depth online survey involving local Fijians. Additionally, it incorporates the author's personal work experience as a Pacific Islander and a Fijian traversing climate mobility aid and policy spaces relating to Oceania.FindingsCurrent aid policies and initiatives addressing climate mobility have insufficiently considered IPIM. Migration from other PICTs to Fiji is significant, both in terms of numbers and in its current and potential impacts on local Fijians. Neither research, nor Fiji's national policies, nor donors have sufficiently considered this issue to date.Policy implicationsAid policies and initiatives targeting climate‐related migration in PICTs need to be refocused to give more attention to IPIM. Donors must expand their support to migrant‐receiving communities in PICTs such as Fiji. By recognizing and investing in IPIM, donors can foster mutual benefits for Fiji, other PICTs, and donor countries.

Making universal education a priority for sustainable development: The EU, Vietnam and education

AbstractThis article highlights the need to bring education to the forefront of EU policies to promote sustainable development in Vietnam. The EU is increasingly concerned with promoting sustainable development worldwide. It does this in its aid policies, and since 2010, it has included in its trade agreements provisions on labour, environmental and gender rights. But what about education rights? This article analyses the role of the EU and the Vietnamese government in the field of education. It argues that both actors could pay more attention to education, and in particular to the problem of unequal access to education for poor and minority children in Vietnam. To improve educational opportunity, both direct funding for the system and contextual support for students are needed. In remote and poor areas, Vietnam and the EU should provide increased salaries for teachers to reduce corruption, funding to support families, local social enterprises and improved local infrastructure. The article ‘double‐decenters’ the study of European foreign policy by (1) focusing first on education policy issues in the targeted state and then on EU policy and (2) listening not only to the government but also the citizens of Vietnam.

The Interactive Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic, Political Cost, and Executive Compensation on Earnings Management

This study investigates whether the COVID-19 pandemic, government Covid aids and incentive policies, and executive compensation affected the quality of the reported earnings in the leisure and hospitality industry. The pattern of changes in the Discretionary Accrual, DACC, was used as a proxy for the quality of reported earnings. It was examined whether this pattern changed during COVID-19 and was affected by government aid policies and executive compensation. An empirical analysis of 324 American leisure and travel industry data was conducted using multiple regression analysis for the pre-Pandemic period of 2018-2019 and the Pandemic period of 2020-2021. The results indicate that the pattern of DACC changed during the Pandemic period, and firms engaged in income-decreasing earnings management (EM). Furthermore, the change in the pattern was significantly affected by government aid and incentives policies and executive compensation.

차이나메디컬보드(CMB)와 한국 의학연구 지원체계의 변화

Foreign aid has had critical impact on the development of Korean medicine since liberation in 1945. In particular, U.S. aid to Korean medical education, represented by the Minnesota Project, is often marked as a major turning point from Japanese-style to American-style medical education in Korea. However, there has been limited analysis of research, which has been a key function of medical schools and their affiliated hospitals. This paper examines the establishment of a system of medical research support in South Korea in the 1970s, focusing on the case of the China Medical Board (CMB). It explores how donor agencies transferred responsibility and authority to Korean counterparts through policy called matching-fund, and how this exit strategy affected the funding and utilization of medical research in Korea. As a backdrop to this policy shift, this study also examine the geopolitical context of U.S. aid policy shifts in the 1970s to show how aid was not only introduced but also exited in shaping the Korean medical research system. The case of the China Medical Board shows how a private aid organization formulated and implemented an exit strategy in the macro geopolitical context of the Nixon Doctrine and changes in U.S. foreign aid policy, and in the process shaped the Korean medical research funding system and its own efforts to secure funding. Rather than a binary narrative of aid versus post-aid, examining the accumulation and manifestation of Korean actors’ own experiences in foreign donor-driven decision-making provides an opportunity to look more critically at the process of shaping the contemporary Korean medical research funding system.

A Comparison of the EU and China's Aid Policies in Africa

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the rise of African power has become a major factor influencing the international political situation, but Africa itself is still objectively lagging most parts of the world in terms of its level of development. China and the European Union, in conjunction with the UN's development programme, have become important players in supporting Africa's rise. As a long-established political and economic phenomenon in state relations, foreign aid policy is also an extension of the internal political economy of national alliances or organizations of states and is one of the most important means by which each state can safeguard its economic interests and achieve its strategic objectives. China and the EU differ in their aid policies towards Africa and have many features that can be learned from each other. By starting from the aid policies of China and the EU towards Africa and using comparative regionalism as a theoretical guide, this paper summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the aid policies of the two parties towards Africa and will propose constructive ideas for the establishment of a new inter-aid international structure and the promotion of closer cooperation between China, the EU and Africa.

China’s aid policy approach to poverty alleviation in the recipient country: a case study of the Republic of Guinea

China’s aid policy approach to poverty alleviation in the recipient country: a case study of the Republic of Guinea

Pendampingan Pos Bantuan Hukum (POSBAKUM) Kepada Masyarakat Kurang Mampu Dalam Konteks Equality Before The Law Di Pengadilan Agama Kabupaten Jember

The presence of the Legal Aid Post (Posbakum) is generally referred to as a major invasion, representing a development of the previous government's legal aid policies. Its existence reflects Indonesia's lawful state responsibilities. The Supreme Court (MA) established Posbakum in all courts of first instance that provide legal aid services, including General Courts, Religious Courts, and State Administrative Courts. This service activity was carried out at the Jember Religious Court with the goal of providing knowledge and understanding to the people of Jember Regency, particularly the less fortunate, so that they are more aware of the Jember Religious Court's legal aid facilities, which can assist in filing or handling cases and ensuring equality before the law.

Chinas and Japans Foreign Aid Policies towards Ethiopia2010-2020

The phenomenon of Asia-African relations has received considerable attention since the start of the 21st century. As China and Japan are two leading Asian donors of Africa, their foreign aid policies are worth analyzing and comparing. Among African countries, Ethiopia is located in the horn of Africa, whose strategic position is relatively significant. In addition, Ethiopia has not been colonized in the history, which makes this case more meaningful. Most of the previous studies have concentrated on either one specific aspect like economic or certain countrys foreign aid policies towards Ethiopia. This research aims to analyze and compare Chinas and Japans multifaceted foreign aid policies towards Africa and Ethiopia in particular. For this purpose, the primary data and materials have been collected from the official websites, official reports, and previous studies. The result shows that their differences involve political, economic and societal aspects. The Japanese government has tended to design detailed policies, guide companies to invest in Ethiopia and cooperate with the NGOs. On the contrary, Chinas policies towards Ethiopia are more general, and the Chinese government has played a leading role in economic aiding than the Japanese government. In terms of the societal aspect, the Chinese government is more tending to cooperate with the Ethiopian government instead of the NGOs.

Effect of changes in the hearing aid subsidy on the prevalence of hearing loss in South Korea.

South Korea's National Health Insurance has provided hearing aids to registered individuals with hearing disabilities since 1989. In 2015, hearing aid subsidies increased to approximately US$1,000. This study aimed to understand hearing loss categories in Korea by analyzing patients between 2010 and 2020 and the effect of the 2015 hearing aid policy change on the prevalence of hearing loss. The participants were patients registered on the National Health Insurance Service database from 2010 to 2020 with hearing loss. A total of 5,784,429 patients were included in this study. Hearing loss was classified into conductive, sensorineural, and other categories. Patients with hearing loss were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases diagnostic code. Disability diagnosis and hearing aid prescription were defined using the National Health Insurance Disability and Hearing Aid Code. The increase in hearing aid prescriptions and hearing disability registrations following the subsidy increase impacts hearing loss prevalence. Hearing aid prescription and hearing disability were found to have an effect on increasing hearing loss prevalence in univariate and multivariate analyses. The r-value of each analysis exceeded 0.95. Other hearing losses increased rapidly after the increased subsidy. A hearing-impaired individual must be diagnosed with a hearing disability and prescribed a hearing aid to receive the subsidy. The prevalence of hearing loss was affected by increased hearing disabilities following changes in the hearing aid subsidy and the number of people prescribed hearing aids. Therefore, caution should be exercised when studying hearing loss prevalence over mid-long-term periods.

Categorization of Foreign Aid Donors into Traditional and (Re)Emerging: A Critical Review of the Criteria in Light of China's Reemergence as a Donor

Abstract: Over the past several decades, the dichotomy between traditional and emerging donors has been based upon the notion that emerging donors (such as China) support authoritarian regimes and use foreign aid to pursue their economic interests at the expense of the poor in the recipient countries. Accordingly, Western donors, media, and scholars portray Chinese aid as non-poverty-focused. This study aims to review and analyze whether the dichotomy between traditional and emerging donors is still relevant in the current aid system and to propose a new and rigorous criterion for recategorizing donors. In terms of methodology, this study relies on secondary data, including scholarly works on traditional and emerging donors and foreign aid policy documents. Conclusions based on the research indicate that the divide between traditional donors and (re)emerging donors is becoming more ambiguous. The literature review indicates that the two donors' aids had a mixed impact and that their approaches were similar. This paper highlights the importance of developing different recategorization criteria depending on the impact of aid.

Experience of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by healthcare professionals in emergency departments: A descriptive phenomenological study

BackgroundEmergency department healthcare professionals have the most contact with patients in cardiac arrest, and their physical and mental state has a significant impact on the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patient outcomes. However, there is limited research discussing the experience of resuscitation by emergency department healthcare professionals. AimTo explore the experiences of emergency department healthcare professionals in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. MethodsA descriptive phenomenological study. The study used purposive sampling and selected 9 nurses and 6 physicians from the emergency departments of four general hospitals of different levels in western China between May 2022 and October 2022. Semi-structured interview guides and face-to-face interviews were used to collect information. Colaizzi analysis was used to analyze the data. ResultsThe study identified 3 themes and 11 sub-themes. These themes and sub-themes include 1) emotional experience (A sense of achievement, A sense of powerlessness and trauma, Stress, Empathy, Psychological resilience strengthens), 2) cognitive growth (Understanding CPR rationally, Increasing concern for personal and family health, Mastering self-relaxation methods), and 3) the desire for continued development (Seeking professional development, Hoping for professional psychological assistance, Strengthening team support). ConclusionsThe experience of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation by healthcare professionals in emergency departments is dynamic, with changes in mood and cognitive growth. Managers in hospitals should pay attention to their experiences and need at different stages of career development and actively carry out targeted cognitive guidance, skills training, and psychological support to help them achieve professional development and physical and mental health. At the same time, to promote the development of CPR for all, it is recommended that the authorities actively improve the public infrastructure for first aid and related policy protection.