Aid Recipients Research Articles

Making aid work: institutional thresholds and FDI

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the institutional threshold effects of foreign aid on foreign direct investment (FDI). Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a theoretical model from an extended Solow model that introduces the conductive effect of institutions in an aid recipient country towards the capacity of attracting FDI. This study evidences threshold effects with the most recent panel threshold models that consider endogeneity issues. The data on economic institutions and foreign aid are decomposed into disaggregated level to reveal the detailed threshold pattern. Several sample subsets are used for a heterogeneity analysis. Findings Conducting empirical research on a sample of 62 countries during the period 2003–2016, this study finds robust evidence of the existence of an institutional threshold in the aid–FDI nexus which a country must attain to reap the full attraction of FDI by foreign aid providing financial resources. Furthermore, foreign aid tends to promote FDI in institutions characterized by a right-sized government, a strengthened legal system and an appropriate regulatory environment. On the other hand, aid may crowd out FDI. The results are robust to regional combinations and a subset of low and lower-middle-income countries. In addition, this study finds that aid targeted at social infrastructure and services has a positive effect regardless of institutional threshold. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by introducing a non-linear and discontinuous effect of aid on FDI, i.e. a threshold effect, highlighting the relevance of legal systems and regulations and the possibility of a crowding-out effect on FDI for specific institutional regimes. The thresholds provide a guide for donor countries to ensure aid effectiveness at the risk of being counterproductive and for recipient countries to better assess the institutional dimensions that need to be improved.

Manos Unidas: Humanitarianism, Catholic Third Worldism, and Metropolitan Cultures of Decolonization in Spain, c. 1960-1980

Given the centrality of African empire to Spain’s history in the first half of the twentieth century, the process of decolonization which followed appeared to have little impact on the Spanish metropole. This article argues that humanitarianism, particularly Catholic humanitarianism, was one of the few ways in which the impact of decolonization was felt within Spain. A new generation of international humanitarian NGOs emerged at the end of the 1950s and grew rapidly throughout the 60s and 70s, including the organisation that came to be known as Manos Unidas. These NGOs sought to place the decolonized world at the heart of Spanish society. But Spanish humanitarians avoided, as far as possible, both Spain’s contested domestic politics and the messy contemporary realities of Spanish decolonization. Instead, Catholic humanitarianism offered a vision of the world, and Spain’s place within it, which could appeal across the political spectrum. It promoted a positive vision of Spain as a modern, developed country by contrasting the consumerist abundance of domestic society with the poverty of the Third World. No longer a semi-peripheral country or a recipient of aid, now Spain could define itself against the Third World; as modern, developed, and humane.

Navigating the Digital Technology Behavior for the Distribution of Humanitarian Cash-Based Assistance: Aid Recipients Experience

Cash-based assistance (CBA) programs have become an increasingly common approach as one modality for the provision of humanitarian aid. The use of disruptive and digital technologies (such as mobile money, and electronic vouchers) has provided benefits to the implementation of such programs in terms of for instance, cost-effectiveness, timeliness, coverage, safety, and financial inclusion. Despite the benefits, the digitalization of such programs is very context-dependent, including the needs and characteristics of affected populations as end recipients of the assistance. This research is aimed to investigate the contextual characteristics toward digital transformation addressing the end user’s experience. The series of interviews is conducted from humanitarian practitioners based in Uganda. The findings are yet to be analyzed, but some initial findings are discussed, and future research is addressed in the conclusion.

Experimental Estimates of College Coaching on Postsecondary Reenrollment

Abstract College attendance has increased significantly over the last few decades, but dropout rates remain high, with fewer than half of all adults ultimately obtaining a postsecondary credential. This project investigates whether one-on-one college coaching improves college attendance and completion outcomes for former income state aid recipients identified as low- and middle-income who attended college but left prior to earning a degree. We conducted a randomized control trial with approximately 8,000 former students in their early to mid 20s. Half of the participants assigned to the treatment group were offered the opportunity to receive coaching services from InsideTrack, with all communication done remotely via phone or video. Intent-to-treat analyses based on assignment to coaching show no impacts on college enrollment and we can rule out effects larger than a 2 percentage point (5 percent) increase in subsequent Fall enrollment.

Peran Lembaga Zakat dalam Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Penerima Zakat: Studi Kasus BAZNAS Kota Jogja dan BAZNAS DIY

This research aims to determine the role of zakat institutions in economic empowerment of zakat recipients, with a case study at BAZNAS Jogja City & BAZNAS DIY. This research uses descriptive qualitative methods. Data obtained through observation, interviews and documentation. There were seven informants in this research consisting of the Program Manager, Implementing Staff for zakat distribution, Program Facilitators and zakat recipients at each Zakat Institution studied. The research results concluded that BAZNAS Jogja City & BAZNAS DIY have played an optimal role in efforts to improve the economy of zakat recipients. The two zakat institutions have implemented several productive zakat programs aimed at empowering zakat recipients in the businesses they run. The strategy used is providing provisions to potential aid recipients, business training and providing business capital to zakat recipients. There are several obstacles faced by BAZNAS Jogja City & BAZNAS DIY in empowering the economy of zakat recipients, including zakat recipients not being optimal in running their businesses, especially in increasing sales. Thus, BAZNAS City and BAZNAS DIY need to provide assistance according to the problems experienced by zakat recipients to help and improve the businesses of zakat recipients. Keywords: Role of BAZNAS, Economic Empowerment, Zakat recipients.

Signing documents: Accountability politics and racialized suspicion in Africa's development audits

Signing documents: Accountability politics and racialized suspicion in Africa's development audits

Food insecurity and dietary diversity among food aid recipients in urban and rural areas at the covid‐19 outbreak: An exploratory study

AbstractThe covid‐19 pandemic has affected food aid. This paper reports an exploratory study to estimate the prevalence and degree of food insecurity, household dietary diversity score (HDDS), and the association with demographic, social, and economic characteristics of health status in a sample of food aid recipients in urban and rural areas of Catalonia, Spain. Cross‐sectional data on food insecurity, dietary diversity, household income, health, and sociodemographic characteristics were obtained from the survey taken at seven different food aid distribution points from urban and rural locations. Sixty‐six percent of the participants identified as new users since the covid‐19 crisis. Only 12.5% of the sample lived in households where all adults were unemployed, and 44.8% were employed. Almost a third of the sample (32.3%) reported having someone in their household who suffered from a diet‐related illness or disease. The prevalence of severe food insecurity was 52.1%, followed by 28.1% suffering moderate food insecurity. New food aid users due to covid‐19 pandemic showed a significantly higher prevalence of food insecurity. No significant differences were found in terms of HDDS. This paper provides evidence that much of the gap in food insecurity is related to dietary diversity and children in households considering different urban or rural areas.

The Evolution of Humanitarian Aid in Disasters: Ethical Implications and Future Challenges

Ethical dilemmas affect several essential elements of humanitarian aid, such as the adequate selection of crises to which to provide aid and a selection of beneficiaries based on needs and not political or geostrategic criteria. Other challenges encompass maintaining neutrality against aggressors, deciding whether to collaborate with governments that violate human rights, and managing the allocation and prioritization of limited resources. Additionally, issues arise concerning the safety and protection of aid recipients, the need for cultural and political sensitivity, and recognition of the importance of local knowledge, skills, and capacity. The appropriateness, sustainability, and long-term impact of actions; security risks for aid personnel; and the need for transparency and accountability are also crucial. Furthermore, humanitarian workers face the duty to report and engage in civil activism in response to human rights violations and the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law. Lastly, the rights of affected groups and local communities in the decision-making and implementation of humanitarian aid are vital. The traditional foundations and approaches of humanitarian aid appear insufficient in today’s landscape of disasters and crises, which are increasingly complex and divergent, marked by a diminished capacity and shifting roles of various actors in alleviating suffering. This article reviews the historical evolution of the conceptualization of humanitarian aid and addresses some of its ethical challenges and dilemmas.

THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND UNDER UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION 194

The United Nations has been concerned with the problem of Palestine refugees since its inception in 1948, especially after the resolution n°. 194. However, to what extent has this resolution been implemented, and what is the global stance regarding the Palestine refugee issue? The key issue that drives our research on this subject. It should be highlighted, however, that due to the particularities of the Palestinian refugee, the term "refugee" as used in international law did not apply to them. The definition of a "Palestinian refugee" as defined by UNRWA was developed with the intention of assessing eligibility for recipients of UNRWA aid, rather than being fixed on a single definition. Rather of focusing on the theoretical side, the many definitions of "Palestinian refugee" were intended to address a specific conflict. UNRWA's definition did not align with the definition often employed in international refugee law, nor did it encompass all refugees who were permitted to return to their homes as per General Assembly resolution 194. The 1948 and 1967 wars caused the Palestine refugees listed in resolution No. 194 to be uprooted from their homes and lands. The Israeli occupation authorities' refusal to acknowledge it as the source of the problem's emergence, however, is a contentious aspect of the problem itself. It also distinguishes between the 1967 war refugees, often known as displaced individuals, and the 1948 war refugees. Palestine refugees are still scattered throughout the globe even after the UN overwhelmingly decided to acknowledge their right of return. As long as the Palestinian refugee issue is still a topic for study, it will get worse and make it more difficult for many Palestinian people to flee their homes as a result of the direct conflict between Israel and Hamas that broke out on October 7, 2023. The Palestinian refugee issue remains a problem that is being studied.

Bureaucratic Performance in the Distribution of Social Aid for the Family Hope Program (PKH) at the Social Services of Langkat District

This research aims to analyze the performance of the bureaucracy in distributing social assistance for the Family Hope Program (PKH) at the Langkat Regency Social Service. PKH social assistance is a program that aims to reduce poverty and improve community welfare by providing regular cash assistance to poor families. However, the effectiveness of this program is very dependent on the performance of the bureaucracy in organizing the distribution of this aid. Data analysis was carried out using a descriptive method to explain the performance of the bureaucracy in implementing the PKH program. The research results show that the bureaucratic performance in administering PKH social assistance in Langkat Regency has several weaknesses, including the slow process of distributing aid, a lack of coordination between related agencies, and irregularities in aid distribution. These factors hinder the effectiveness of the program and cause dissatisfaction among aid recipients. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the Langkat Regency Social Service improve coordination between related agencies, improve the aid distribution system, and increase supervision of the implementation of the PKH program. Necessary to strengthen the capacity of field officers through training and education related to social assistance management. This is expected to improve bureaucratic performance in implementing the PKH program so that the program's goal of reducing poverty can be achieved more optimally

Assessing the Effectiveness of Social Assistance Programs to Alleviating Poverty in Indonesia

Poverty in Indonesia is a fundamental problem that needs special attention. The government is trying to alleviate poverty by introducting various programs to people who are below the poverty line. One of these programs is the Social Assistance Program. This research aims to determine the extent of the impact of social assistance programs on poverty reduction in Indonesia. The method used is a quantitative method with analytical tools, namely R, to carry out regression analysis on the data. The data used include (1) data on poverty levels in Indonesia, (2) demographic data on the Indonesian population, (3) data on social assistance programs organized by the government or other institutions, (4) data on household or individual income, and (5) data related to the socio-economic conditions of social assistance recipients. The research results show that social assistance programs influence poverty reduction. Influence can be increased by (1) providing clear regulations and rules in implementing aid, (2) cross-checking target recipients of aid, and (3) carrying out regular monitoring and evaluation of aid program implementation.
 Keywords: policy evaluation, social assistance program, poverty, Indonesia

Predicting Food Distribution with Underlying Factors for a Hunger Relief Organization

ABSTRACT Hunger relief organizations often estimate food demand using food distribution data. Leveraging Visual Analytics (VA) and historical data, we examine how underlying factors like unemployment, poverty rate, and median household income affect forecasts for aid recipients’ food demand. Our study reveals that incorporating these factors enhances forecast accuracy. Visual Analytics empowers decision-makers to integrate field knowledge with computational insights, enabling more informed decisions. This innovative approach presents a valuable tool for charitable organizations to strategically improve forecasting precision in the dynamic landscape of hunger relief.

S.F. voters back measure mandating treatment for some aid recipients

Residents of San Francisco have joined city leaders in taking a decided turn toward a more punitive approach to combating the city's drug use crisis, convincingly approving a ballot measure that will link city welfare benefits to mandated drug screening and participation in treatment.

Worsening of health disparities across COVID-19 pandemic stages in Korea.

With the end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the health outcomes of this disease in Korea must be examined. We aimed to investigate health outcomes and disparities linked to socioeconomic status during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea and to identify risk factors for hospitalization and mortality. This nationwide retrospective study incorporated an analysis of individuals with and without COVID-19 in Korea between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2022. The study period was divided into 4 stages. Prevalence, hospitalization, mortality, and case-fatality rates were calculated per 100,000 population. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. Overall, the incidence rate was 40,601 per 100,000 population, the mortality rate was 105 per 100,000 population, and the case-fatality rate was 259 per 100,000 cases. A total of 12,577,367 new cases (24.5%) were recorded in stage 3 and 8,979,635 cases (17.5%) in stage 4. Medical Aid recipients displayed the lowest 3-year cumulative incidence rate (32,737 per 100,000) but the highest hospitalization (5,663 cases per 100,000), mortality (498 per 100,000), and case-fatality (1,521 per 100,000) rates. Male sex, older age, lower economic status, non-metropolitan area of residence, high Charlson comorbidity index, and disability were associated with higher risk of hospitalization and death. Vaccination was found to reduce mortality risk. As the pandemic progressed, surges were observed in incidence, hospitalization, and mortality, exacerbating disparities associated with economic status and disability. Nevertheless, Korea has maintained a low case-fatality rate across all economic groups.

“The Brains Are Frozen”: Precarious Subjectivities in the Humanitarian Aid Sector in Jordan

Under the influence of neoliberal policies and marketisation dynamics, the humanitarian sector’s labour conditions become increasingly insecure. Based on one year of fieldwork in Amman, Jordan, and interviews with 39 aid professionals, this article explores the experiences of these insecure and precarious labour conditions of national and international aid workers in Jordan. Precarity in the humanitarian field is often discussed concerning aid recipients, such as refugees. It is, however, understudied in connection to aid professionals and those providing aid and care, and there is a wider lack of research on university‐educated professionals’ experiences of precarity. In line with feminist and decolonial scholars, I understand labour as closely interconnected with other spheres of life and look at precarity through an emotional lens. I explore aid professionals’ emotions around their work conditions to come to a deeper understanding of precarious work and the difficulties of living in precarity. By taking emotions seriously, I show that they are an important yet understudied site of analysis to unravel what generates precarity for aid workers and precarity’s effects on aid workers’ lives and work. I argue that the structural conditions of their work produce precarious subjectivities, which are expressed in feelings such as frozenness, fatigue, and unsafety.

Mapping cooperation: insights into Colombia's humanitarian response to migration from Venezuela

IntroductionSince 2015, Colombia has faced a significant humanitarian challenge, receiving 2.9 million displaced Venezuelans. This study examines organizational cooperation in the humanitarian response to this migration crisis, aiming to understand the coordination dynamics among key organizations and actors.MethodsOur research combined interviews and web scraping to gather data on key actors and their relationships in the humanitarian response. We employed Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine these relationships and the collaborative strategies among entities, focusing on how they address the migration challenges.ResultsThe results indicate that cooperation occurred through mediated channels, where established NGOs collaborated via coordination mechanisms established by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), often involving diaspora volunteer-based organizations and through ad-hoc coordination. We also identified that organizations specializing in specific activities often exhibited limited coordination with others operating in the same sector. Lastly, the results suggest that coordination mechanisms played a crucial role in driving activities and facilitating the diversification of responses, partly through allocating financial resources.DiscussionThis study contributes to the humanitarian aid and migration literature, focusing on Colombia's migration response. It employs a mixed-methods approach, including Social Network Analysis (SNA), to explore the dynamics within humanitarian networks. It highlights the role of the Venezuelan diaspora NGOs, challenging the conventional view of migrants solely as aid recipients. The research uncovers the complex roles of intermediaries and coordination mechanisms, offering new insights into constructing effective humanitarian network structures. It advocates for a collaborative and inclusive approach to managing migration situations.

Preliminary evaluation of the effect of revised reimbursement scheme in outpatient hemodialysis for medical aid recipients in Korea.

South Korea has universal health coverage guaranteeing equitable healthcare for all. However, equity issues have been raised regarding hemodialysis reimbursement for medical aid recipients with chronic kidney disease. Physicians and civic groups demanded a revision of the discriminatory policy, and in response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare amended the hemodialysis case payment scheme. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the reform and detect any unintended policy outcomes. Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of Korea was used. All subjects were patients with chronic kidney disease who received outpatient hemodialysis and medical aid from April 2017 to March 2022. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, and the generalized estimation equation was used to control for covariates and identify policy effects. The reform of the case payment scheme in 2021 raised the compensation level per hemodialysis case, which was fixed for 7 years from 2014, by approximately 2,000 Korean won. There was no negative effect such as additional expenditure resulting from an unintentional increase in medical use. A year has passed since the implementation of the outpatient hemodialysis rate system reform for medical aid recipients. Our results indicate that the reform has gone smoothly, and we anticipate continuous efforts by the government to guarantee universal health coverage to medical aid recipients. Through such consistent endeavors to correct the discriminatory aspects of policies, South Korea will achieve true universal health coverage.

Differences in the composition of the crime provided for by art. 201-2 (illegal use of humanitarian aid) from related elements of crime

In connection with the increase in the scale of humanitarian aid and persons who cynically profit from charitable activities, disregarding the norms of morality, the Criminal Code of Ukraine was supplemented with a new Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which establishes criminal liability for the illegal use of humanitarian aid, charitable donations or free aid for other purposes than the intended purpose, namely for profit or personal enrichment, where the object of the encroachment will be public relations in the field of use of humanitarian aid goods, charitable donations or free aid. The above has actualized the need to consider the differences between the corpus delicti under Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and some related corpus delicti. The author establishes that the main criterion for distinction is the subject matter, namely, humanitarian aid, charitable donations and free-of-charge assistance. In addition, the object and the objective side are also distinguished. The object of a criminal offense under Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is relations in the field of economic activity, unlike crimes with a similar objective party, in which the object is the right of ownership as a legally protected interest, which is expressed in the possession, use and disposal of property. At the same time, since the object of Art. 201­2 of the CC is relations in the sphere of economic activity, the main criterion for measuring the gravity of a criminal offense is the total cost of items that should be received by recipients of humanitarian aid, charitable donations, free assistance, and, for example, under Art. 192 of the CC - the amount of property damage to the owner of property caused by the illegal use of such property. At the same time, the illegal use of humanitarian aid is different from the crime under Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine in the context of the sale of humanitarian aid, which means the paid transfer of property by one person to another person, since the embezzlement of another’s property requires the free transfer of another’s property in favor of another person. It is concluded that the acts prohibited by Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in its absence, would be covered by criminal offenses against property.

Prosedur Permohonan Bantuan Dana Hibah untuk Pembangunan Tempat Peribadatan di Atas 200 Juta di Biro Kesejahteraan Rakyat Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi Jawa Timur

The People's Welfare Bureau was formed with the aim of carrying out activities held by the Pusa Government in the form of grant assistance to educational institutions, community groups and places of worship. The Provincial Regional Government as the provincial government administrator can provide social assistance and grants based on Minister of Home Affairs Regulation Number 32 of 2011 (Permendagri Number 32 of 2011) concerning Guidelines for Providing Grants and Social Assistance sourced from the APBD. The People's Welfare Bureau is a distributor of grant aid for institutions or agencies that have applied. However, in real terms, there are still several related institutions or agencies that are still having problems in their administrative processes. The research method used is a qualitative method which aims to determine the role of the Eastern People's Welfare Bureau for national development in Indonesia, especially the construction of selected places of worship and completing procedures in accordance with the existing system. By using indicators of the characteristics of providing social assistance as stated in East Java Governor Regulation No. 44 of 2021 article 30, namely: selective, meeting the requirements for aid recipients and being temporary and not continuous, unless in certain circumstances it can be sustainable, and in accordance with the intended use. The aim of this research is to explain the procedures and flow of grant application from the initial to the final stages.

KEGIATAN SOSIALISASI TUKANG KEGIATAN REHABILITASI RUMAH TIDAK LAYAK HUNI KECAMATAN BALARAJA KABUPATEN TANGERANG

The construction of the Gebrak Pakumis House is part of the commitment of the Tangerang Regency Government which is managed by the Tangerang Regency Housing and Settlement Service in the renovation program for uninhabitable houses belonging to poor residents. Balaraja District, Tangerang Regency, which borders directly with DKI Jakarta Province, is one of the many destinations for migrants outside the residential areas of residents who work around the area. Residential land is getting narrower day by day because most of the area is used as residential areas, causing slum settlements to form. The Uninhabitable House Rehabilitation Activity involves builders who will carry out house construction activities. The builders still have high hopes that this Uninhabitable House Rehabilitation Activity can fully assist in renovating uninhabitable houses into habitable houses that meet the requirements. Location of outreach activities Providing information to builders about the implementation of Rehabilitation construction for Uninhabitable Houses. Preparation method, coordination, identification and verification of residents' houses included in the list of potential aid recipients (CPB), making planning drawings, socializing craftsmen, discussions. In socialization activities, more time is needed because many craftsmen still have minimal understanding of construction, although some craftsmen already have quite a lot of experience. As a result of this socialization, craftsmen understand more about implementation drawings, which in previous activities relied on experience. With the results obtained from this socialization, craftsmen need technical guidance to increase the knowledge and competence of craftsmen to ensure the implementation of Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2023