Civil Society Participation Research Articles

Overcoming systemic and institutional challenges in policy implementation in South Africa's water sector

The water sector in South Africa is faced with numerous challenges, among which include; increased flooding and prolonged droughts caused by increased climate variability, rapid population growth, unsustainable water demands and withdrawals by various water users, deficiencies in institutional management and infrastructural maintenance, lack of political will with accompanying high levels of corruption and steady deteriorations in all sub-sectors of the economy. Other significant challenges include provision of water in rural communities, water pollution especially from poorly operated wastewater treatments works, acid mine drainage, nutrients from agriculture, siltation of dams. A combination of these factors has led to high levels of water scarcity and an immense burden on the water supply. However, it must be noted that in 1994, South Africa (SA) embarked on developing numerous policies and strategies to address water challenges. While some levels of success have been achieved in terms of policy formulation, there is, however, a lack of comprehensive coordination and synergy that cut across the broad objectives of these policies in meeting environmental, social and economic targets and aspirations. Additionally, the implementation of the policies and programmes is stalled by structural, systemic and institutional factors, coupled with new challenges arising from climatic variabilities. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods together with rapid appraisal of existing literature, we explore systemic and institutional factors impeding the implementation of policies and strategies designed to drive South Africa's water sector as envisaged within the National Development Plan of 2012. We argue that the water sector is faced with multifarious and interweaving challenges such as inadequate human capital, changes in climatic conditions, limited financial resources, infrastructural deficiencies largely linked to poor urban planning and rapid growth of informal settlements, rampant corruption and mismanagement, lack of stakeholders' involvement and compartmentalisation of institutions. This paper, therefore, recommends a community-based approach that enforces transparency and the participation of civil society, cross-sectoral cooperation and a broad range of stakeholders and decentralisation of policy implementation strategies.

Shaping the climate transition: Multistakeholder networks, elites, and sustainable finance policy in Europe

Abstract As sustainable finance has entered the mainstream, it has become an area of contestation among civil society, political and business. In response, policy makers seek to resolve stalemates and enhance legitimacy by utilising multistakeholder, consensus-driven approaches to policymaking. In this paper, we examine these emergent ‘cooperative’ structures from a network analytic perspective. Our structural analysis is based on six national and three EU policy spaces. We conduct compositional analyses to explore the makeup of the network(s) and use a range of centrality measures to capture emerging elites. We find an increase in civil society participation in these policy spaces over time; however, financial firms and pro-business voices remain dominant players. We also find a small cluster of elite actors from a range of stakeholder groups. We conclude that the increasing structural balance of stakeholder interests, however, does not translate into power for civil society to alter the direction of policymaking, but appears to serve enhancing the legitimacy of a policy process that departs from the priority and aspirations of civil society organisations.

The political process in nations: Civil society participation and income inequality

AbstractThis study delves into the influence of civil society participation on income inequality, a topic that has received limited scholarly attention. Civil society participation refers to the activities of citizens who organize into various groups, known as civil society organizations, to pursue common interests and goals. These organizations span a wide range, including interest groups, labor unions, spiritual bodies engaging in civic or political activities, social movements, professional associations, charities, and other nongovernmental entities. Our research utilizes an extensive panel dataset, encompassing a global sample of countries from 1975 to 2019. We aim to comprehensively analyze the direct effects of civil society participation on income inequality. Our findings reveal that higher levels of civil society participation are effective in reducing inequality over the short, medium, and long term. These results have significant implications for policymakers. They suggest that encouraging and facilitating civil society participation could be a viable strategy for addressing income inequality. By understanding the dynamics of how civil society engagement influences economic disparities, policymakers can better design and implement measures that promote more equitable economic outcomes. This research contributes to the broader discourse on economic inequality and the potential role of civil society in mitigating it.

Disaster resilience of flood in Kerala, India

Kerala, the southern state in the Indian peninsula, has been affected by floods for the last three consecutive years. Changing weather patterns leading to heavy monsoon and development without considering the ecological vulnerabilities of the region has been pointed out as the reasons for flooding. Displaced communities, the destruction of agricultural and industrial enterprises, and health concerns have made disaster management a challenge for communities and governments alike. Even though there were lots of difficulties, the way Keralites came out of all these miseries and their adaptation was really inexplicable and always provided scope for research in that area. This paper focuses on examining the flooding pattern and impact of floods in Kerala, India and assessing the resilience capacity of the affected community. Self-developed questionnaires were used to gather data from the flood-affected population in the most flood-affected districts in Kerala. To gauge the respondents’ opinions, the questionnaire used a five-point variable Likert scale. When all was said and done, 260 valid questionnaires were successfully retrieved. The study found that communities show resilience to flood with partnership and decentralised management of disasters. The study could help recognise the strategies for building resilient communities through policy intervention and civil society participation.

Lessons from Peru to reduce under-5 mortality: understanding program implementation and context

BackgroundHealth policymakers aiming to reduce under-5 mortality (U5M) often lack data regarding how successful interventions in other countries were implemented. The Exemplars in U5M Study identified countries that achieved significant reductions in amenable U5M. This case study in Peru used implementation research to explore the contextual factors and strategies that contributed to the successful implementation of key evidence-based interventions (EBIs).MethodsThis research utilized a hybrid implementation research framework and a mixed-methods approach to understand the factors associated with EBI implementation and the successful reduction of U5M between 2000–2015. A desk review of existing literature on EBIs and U5M in Peru was completed, and in-depth interviews were performed with key Peruvian informants to understand the implementation strategies employed and the contextual factors that facilitated or were barriers to success. For the purposes of this analysis, three EBIs were selected and evaluated: antenatal care visits (ANC), facility-based deliveries, and infant vaccination.ResultsBetween 2000–2015, the percent of mothers attending at least four antenatal care visits rose from 69% to 96.9%, and the percent of facility-based deliveries increased from 56 to 91%. Three doses of the tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis vaccine, widely acknowledged as a key global health indicator, reached 90% by 2015. Key informants noted that economic growth, financial reforms, strong national commitment to reduce poverty in Peru, and national prioritization of maternal and child health, were important contextual factors that contributed to the successful reduction of U5M. They noted key strategies that helped achieve success during the implementation of EBIs, including utilization of data for decision-making, adaptation driven by cultural sensitivity to address gaps in coverage, and a focus on equity and anti-poverty initiatives with the participation of government, civil society, and political parties to assure continuity of policies.ConclusionSeveral EBIs contributed to the successful reduction of U5M in Peru between 2000–2015. Strategies such as the focus on equity throughout the study period contributed to an increase in coverage of EBIs like ANC visits, facility-based deliveries and infant vaccination which worked to reduce U5M. Understanding how Peru successfully implemented programs that reduced preventable infant and child deaths could be useful to replicating this substantial public health success in other low- and middle-income countries.

Civil Society Participation in Global Food Security Governance: Deconstructing the Discourse of Evidence-based Policy Making

Food security has been described as a very tough problem, suggesting that there is no single or simple solution to the problem of food insecurity. Meanwhile, there is a growing body of academic literature on food security that proposes solutions. Global governance is marked by a participatory turn, meaning that there are increasing numbers of global governance processes working to develop processes and mechanisms to enhance the participation of non-state actors in governance and policy making processes. Given this trend, it is not surprising that participation in governance processes has become an interesting site of investigation for research. The result has been the development of a growing body of literature analysing diverse aspects of increased participation, which calls for evidence-based policy making are increasing evidence in global food security policy processes, and beyond. For example, the follow up and review process for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to be “rigorous and based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated” (UN General Assembly, 2015, paragraph. 74). Evidence-based policy has become pervasive as a universal recipe for transparency, accountability, and good governance. However, its declamatory pervasiveness within public policy buries conglomerate discourses, signification, and practices around what counts as evidence, how and by whom it is utilised, and what impact it has on scholars, researchers, and policy officers. This research furnishes an overview of comprehensive reviews of literature and analyzes special issues of global food security, and policy frameworks. The conquest of evidence-based policy as a discourse, highlighting its close relationship with food security policies, the political, cultural context of its initial emergence in the global world, and its discourses. Evidence-based policy is customarily articulated as a means of speaking truth to power, separating facts from their human contexts. Global discourses on the governance of food security span competing approaches. For example, a neoliberal approach advocates commercialized, industrial agriculture, while food sovereignty and resilience are part of an alternative discourse to food security that prioritizes locally-based agroecological food production. Understanding how global discourses play out locally and how they impact the environment and biodiversity is important to identify appropriate pathways towards sustainability. In addition to their effects on food security, different approaches could reinforce or impede the success of biodiversity conservation because of the strong interdependence of food security and ecosystems. I examined alternative approaches to food security and biodiversity conservation pursued by 30 stakeholders from local to national levels. Agricultural intensification, commercialization, and profit were widely considered important, while support for agroecology and resilience was largely restricted to non-governmental organizations. Except for supporters of the agroecology and resilience approach, biodiversity conservation was considered as a secondary goal. In conclusion, it is important to acknowledge plurality of food security approaches because local conditions are characterized by a multiplicity of stakeholder interests, and because food security is a complex problem that requires a multidimensional approach. However, major contradictions among existing approaches need to be reconciled, and the agroecology and resilience approach should be strengthened to ensure the sustainable achievement of food security and biodiversity conservation.

Development assistance, donor–recipient dynamic, and domestic policy: a case study of two health interventions supported by World Bank–UK and Global Fund in China

BackgroundThis study views sustainability after the exit of development assistance for health (DAH) as a shared responsibility between donors and recipients and sees transitioning DAH-supported interventions into domestic health policy as a pathway to this sustainability. It aims to uncover and understand the reemergent aspects of the donor–recipient dynamic in DAH and how they contribute to formulating domestic health policy and post-DAH sustainability.MethodsWe conducted a case study on two DAH-supported interventions: medical financial assistance in the Basic Health Services Project supported by the World Bank and UK (1998–2007) and civil society engagement in the HIV/AIDS Rolling Continuation Channel supported by the Global Fund (2010–2013) in China. From December 2021 to December 2022, we analyzed 129 documents and interviewed 46 key informants. Our data collection and coding were guided by a conceptual framework based on Walt and Gilson’s health policy analysis model and the World Health Organization’s health system building blocks. We used process tracing for analysis.ResultsAccording to the collected data, our case study identified three reemergent, interrelated aspects of donor–recipient dynamics: different preferences and compromise, partnership dialogues, and responsiveness to the changing context. In the case of medical financial assistance, the dynamic was characterized by long-term commitment to addressing local needs, on-site mutual learning and understanding, and local expertise cultivation and knowledge generation, enabling proactive responses to the changing context. In contrast, the dynamic in the case of HIV/AIDS civil society engagement marginalized genuine civil society engagement, lacked sufficient dialogue, and exhibited a passive response to the context. These differences led to varying outcomes in transnational policy diffusion and sustainability of DAH-supported interventions between the cases.ConclusionsGiven the similarities in potential alternative factors observed in the two cases, we emphasize the significance of the donor–recipient dynamic in transnational policy diffusion through DAH. The study implies that achieving post-DAH sustainability requires a balance between donor priorities and recipient ownership to address local needs, partnership dialogues for mutual understanding and learning, and collaborative international–domestic expert partnerships to identify and respond to contextual enablers and barriers.

Contemporary Perspective on Terrorism: A Literature Review

Terrorism is taking on more and more varied forms, acts, and networks as a result of changes in worldwide, so that international organizations and civil society play a significant role in the battle against terrorism. Counterterrorism includes law enforcement, deradicalization efforts, and threat detection all done concurrently and collaboratively. As international organizations, the UN and Interpol prepared the legal framework, offered technical assistance, and supported the worldwide response. It is advised to use technology, cooperate across sectors, and reinforce deradicalization and preventative methods in order to maximize effectiveness. Global organizations must strengthen cross-border reactions and policy coordination in order to stop radicalization and boost civil society participation in educational initiatives. The role of financial institutions in preventing the funding of terrorism must also be considered. Governments and security agencies at both the national and international levels must enhance cyber security, keep an eye out for online content that encourages terrorism, and invest in the development of detection and monitoring technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), which functions as a virtual police force.

Analysis of International Human Rights Court Rulings Against Member States: A Review of Compliance and Its Consequences

The international human rights framework requires cooperation and compliance from member states. Despite various mechanisms offering human rights protection, challenges persist in ensuring compliance and responding to human rights violations worldwide. In this research phase, a systematic literature review was conducted, employing an approach that referenced various sources available in various research databases. The research findings indicate that in analyzing the compliance of member states with international human rights court decisions, it can be concluded that the implementation of decisions involves a complex process and entails various factors. The mechanisms for implementing decisions at the national level require the involvement of legal institutions, civil society participation, collaboration with relevant parties, and education for law enforcement agencies

EFFECTIVENESS OF MECHANISMS OF ANTI-CORRUPTION MANAGEMENT IN MODERN CONDITIONS

The relevance of the issue of anti-corruption management in the modern world cannot be overestimated. Corruption has a direct impact on economic development, political stability and social justice in different countries, creating obstacles to effective governance and undermining public trust in state institutions. The development and implementation of effective anti-corruption strategies is a key factor in strengthening democracy and supporting sustainable development, and it plays an important role in preventing economic and social losses related to corrupt practices. The research results emphasize that the effectiveness of anti-corruption management to a large extent depends on the implementation and adherence to key principles such as transparency, responsibility and active participation of civil society. These principles contribute to the creation of trust and openness in government, which is essential for combating corruption. The cultural features of each country are crucial in the development of effective anti-corruption strategies since they determine the perception and reaction of society to corrupt practices. The academic paper also draws attention to the need to strike a balance between strict anti-corruption measures and ensuring respect for human rights, emphasizing that the effectiveness of the fight against corruption should not be at the expense of fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms.

ROLE OF MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN SHAPING PUBLIC POLICY

Public policy is an ever-evolving process influenced by a multitude of actors, with media and civil society playing pivotal roles. This research scrutinizes the intricate interplay between media, civil society, and public policy, emphasizing the hurdles posed by sensationalism, manipulation, and the rampant dissemination of unverified information in todays media environment. Through meticulous examination of case studies, this paper illuminates numerous instances where media outlets and civil society organizations have wielded substantial influence over the formulation and execution of public policies. These case studies serve as compelling illustrations of how media narratives and grassroots movements can shape policy agendas, foster societal change, and drive legislative reforms. By scrutinizing these examples, this paper aims to deepen our understanding of the complex dynamics at play in contemporary governance. Moreover, it underscores the imperative of addressing the challenges posed by media manipulation and disinformation while harnessing the transformative potential of civil society engagement in shaping more transparent, inclusive, and responsive policymaking processes.

Breaking the iron triangle around nuclear safety regulation: The cases of France, Japan, and India

AbstractThe International Atomic Energy Agency asserts that the regulation of the safety of civil nuclear power requires national regulatory agencies to be effectively independent. However, in the early years of national civil nuclear power programs national nuclear industries were dominated by iron triangles or subgovernments of powerful actors with an interest in promoting the industry. The creation of an independent safety regulator requires a radical restructuring of the national governance framework. Windows of opportunity or critical junctures for such reform occur only occasionally. This paper examines the cases of France, Japan, and India to identify the factors that determine the degree of success in attempts to break the power of nuclear iron triangles or subgovernments and create an effectively independent regulator. This analysis shows a serious nuclear accident can create the opportunity to dismantle an iron triangle. The extent and speed with which reforms can be implemented depend greatly on pre‐existing and prevailing conditions. Key determinants include the power structures and attitudes toward nuclear power in elite politics, the degree of engagement of civil society, and pressures from international organizations. Of these, the first, elite politics, appears to be the most important in these three cases.

Leveraging new emerging technologies to enhance the anticorruption arsenal: Assimilating India's experiential insights into Uzbekistan's criminoverse

Corruption looms large throughout Uzbekistan's sociopolitical landscape, stifling economic growth and social harmony. To combat this formidable challenge, Uzbekistan seeks to draw upon India's extensive experience in harnessing new emerging technologies (NETs), such as the Digital India mission and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), for effective anticorruption measures. This paper conducts a comprehensive exploration of Uzbekistan's corruption landscape, unveiling the historical, cultural, and institutional factors that fuel this pervasive issue. This paper also delves into the severe consequences of corruption for Uzbekistan's economy, governance, and society, emphasizing the critical need for robust anticorruption strategies. Leveraging India's proven insights, it meticulously dissects successful strategies tailored to the Indian context. This includes strengthening anticorruption laws, empowering anticorruption agencies, fostering transparency, promoting accountability, and engaging civil society. Recognizing that combating corruption demands a multidimensional approach, this paper advocates a holistic strategy encompassing legal, institutional, societal, and cultural dimensions. Through comparative analysis, this paper offers recommendations for Uzbekistan's anticorruption arsenal. These include establishing specialized anticorruption agencies, enacting comprehensive legislation criminalizing all forms of corruption, promoting transparency and accountability via digital platforms, and nurturing a culture of integrity through educational and awareness initiatives. Acknowledging the disparities between Uzbekistan and India, this paper underscores the importance of adapting strategies to the local context. This study highlights the significance of institutional capacity building, international collaboration, and civil society engagement in anticorruption endeavors. Furthermore, unwavering political commitment and leadership are stressed as pivotal elements in the fight against corruption. In conclusion, the integration of India's experiential insights and the strategic utilization of new emerging technologies provide Uzbekistan with a unique opportunity to confront and overcome its pervasive corruption challenges. By embracing these recommendations and tailoring them to their specific context, Uzbekistan can aspire to become a more transparent, accountable, and corruption-free society. This transformation holds the promise of sustainable development, good governance, and social justice for its citizens.

ШЛЯХИ ПІДВИЩЕННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ФУНКЦІОНУВАННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ В УМОВАХ ВІЙНИ

Background . War is one of the most serious challenges for any state. It significantly changes the conditions for the functioning of the state apparatus and requires it to quickly adapt to new realities. National security, defense, humanitarian aid, and infrastructure restoration come to the fore. This leads to a redistribution of budgetary funds and a change in the focus of government agencies. War creates an additional burden on government agencies related to resource mobilization, coordination of various agencies, ensuring public safety, etc. In emergency situations, there is often an increase in the centralization of power, which may be accompanied by restrictions on the rights and freedoms of citizens. This creates additional opportunities for corruption related to the distribution of humanitarian aid, procurement for the army and infrastructure restoration, leads to the depletion of resources, both material and human, and complicates planning and decision-making. Methods . To obtain the scientific results, the method of system analysis was used, which allowed us to consider public administration as a complex system consisting of interconnected elements (government, civil society, business, etc.), to analyze the interaction of these elements and to identify bottlenecks in the management system. The retrospective analysis was applied to study the evolution of public administration in Ukraine, in particular, in the context of previous crises. This allowed us to identify patterns of public administration development and predict possible scenarios in the future. Functional analysis allowed us to analyze individual functions of public administration (policy making, resource management, service delivery), identify problems and shortcomings in the performance of specific functions. Results . The full-scale war has become not only a challenge for national security, but also a powerful incentive for reforms in the public administration system. It has accelerated the processes of decentralization, digital transformation, and the role of civil society. Decentralization has proved to be an effective tool for ensuring the state's resilience in times of crisis. Communities have demonstrated the ability to respond quickly to the needs of the population and provide the necessary services. The war also emphasized the need to invest in human capital development. Upskilling civil servants, adapting educational programs, and developing the skills necessary to work in a crisis are priority tasks. The introduction of e-services has made it possible to ensure the continuity of administrative services, increase their accessibility, and simplify the interaction of citizens with government agencies. Ensuring social stability and providing assistance to war victims is one of the key tasks of the state. The role of social workers in overcoming the consequences of the armed conflict is irreplaceable. Despite the results achieved, the public administration system in Ukraine still faces a number of challenges, such as corruption, bureaucracy, insufficient funding, and lack of public trust in state institutions. Therefore, to further develop the public administration system, it is necessary to: continue the decentralization reform, intensify the fight against corruption, improve the level of professional training of civil servants, develop e-governance, ensure social protection of the population, and engage civil society in the decision-making process. Conclusions . Effective governance in a time of war requires prompt decision-making, optimal resource allocation, and ensuring the stability of state institutions. To achieve this, it is necessary to decentralize power, introduce digital technologies, engage civil society, improve the skills of civil servants, and fight corruption. The transfer of powers to the local level allows for a faster response to local needs, the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process increases the legitimacy of the government and the effectiveness of governance, and the introduction of digital technologies allows for greater transparency, efficiency, and accessibility of public services. In addition, providing civil servants with the necessary knowledge and skills increases their efficiency.

The Legal Significance of Trade and Sustainability Chapters in EU Free Trade Agreements

The article recalls the evolution and content of Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) Chapters in EU Free Trade Agreements. They usually contain commitments of both parties to exercise their domestic law without undermining labour and environmental standards. Moreover, parties commit to respect their international obligations in the field and create joint bodies with participation of civil society. Comparing the panel reports on South Korea (2021) and on Ukraine (2020), the authors argue that their practical effect does not depend so much on their legal status, but more on the political will to implement them. The article also tackles the question of whether a breach of TSD commitments by one party can justify trade sanctions by the other. While TSD dispute settlement provisions create a special mechanism for ordinary breaches, recourse to trade sanctions is possible under Article 60 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties in case of material breaches on core labour rights or important environmental obligations. Finally, the authors sketch the policy change of the European Commission of 2022, according to which the Paris Agreement on Climate Change should become an essential element of EU FTAs, so that also breaches of that instrument may be enforced by trade sanctions.

Entre conselhos e conferências: as arenas deliberativas sobre direitos humanos em Minas Gerais

ABSTRACT Introduction: The academic literature on deliberative systems suggests exploring the connections between deliberative forums and other components of the political system and society. This article investigates the participation of governmental actors and civil society in councils and conferences addressing public policies on human rights in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The objectives are twofold: to propose a theoretical framework for examining deliberative subsystems and to identify the connectors in a multilevel network consisting of human rights councils and conferences. Materials and methods: We adopted a methodology centered on subsystem theory, prioritizing the dynamics of deliberation arenas and the synergy between councils at local and state levels. We reinterpreted the concept of subsystem to develop an empirical model that incorporates its thematic dimension. To examine the interconnections between councils and conferences, we employed an analytical approach known as two mode network analysis, also referred to as affiliation network analysis, situated in the domain of Social Network Analysis. Results: Our findings suggest a high level of integration within the subsystem. In contrast to prior studies, we found that civil society actors, alongside governmental agents, significantly contribute to interconnecting various arenas within the subsystem. This finding underlines the functional specialization of liaison agents within the context of the deliberation system. Discussion: Our findings offer a twofold contribution to the existing literature. Firstly, we present an innovative theoretical model for analyzing deliberative systems. Secondly, we recommend the use of multilevel network analysis as a robust tool for identifying connections between multiple arenas.

ЭВОЛЮЦИЯ ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЙ О СУЩНОСТИ МЕСТНОГО САМОУПРАВЛЕНИЯ В ОБЩЕСТВЕННО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОМ ДИСКУРСЕ

The article analyzes the socio-political discourse of local self-government in the post-Soviet period of Russia’s development. The aim was to study the transformation of ideas about the functions of local government in the socio-political discourse of 2014-2023. The research method was quantitative and qualitative content analysis of texts. As it turned out, in the associative series with the concept of “local self-government”, word forms associated with the meanings of local democracy, civil society, democracy, and political participation of citizens were least used. To a much greater extent, the concept of local self-government turned out to be associated with concepts describing it as local public administration related to the performance of the function of providing services to the population, solving socio-economic problems. As a result of the study, the hypothesis was confirmed that the idea of transforming local self-government is the lowest link in the system of public power has support in political discourse. In the public consciousness, the function of this institution as a “school of democracy” was almost completely replaced by the idea of it as a “grassroots” management unit, engaged mainly in providing services to the population and solving socio-economic problems. Such a painless rejection of the democratic component in a broader context confirms the hypothesis that the formation of local self-government in the first half of the 1990s was not democratic, but politically situational in nature, associated with the interests of a relatively small number of actors, the lack of formation of local communities in the post-Soviet period, and the weakness of the “middle class”, therefore unable to become social the base of local government. This gave rise to the objective inevitability of the subsequent evolution of the institute of local self-government into the “lower floor” of the regional public administration system, bringing the “superstructure” institute of political management in line with its basic basis.

Oversight Hearings, Stakeholder Engagement, and Compliance in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

AbstractThis paper introduces the concept of dialogic oversight, a process by which judicial bodies monitor compliance through a combination of mandated state reporting, third-party engagement, and supervision hearings. To assess the effectiveness of this strategy in the international arena, we evaluate the supervision hearings conducted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. We employ propensity-score matching, difference-in-difference estimators, and event-history models to analyze compliance with 1,878 reparation measures ordered by the Court between 1989 and 2019. We find that dialogic oversight has moderate but positive effects, increasing the probability of state compliance by about 3 percent per year (a substantial effect compared to the baseline rate of implementation). However, it requires the engagement of civil society to yield positive outcomes. Our framework connects related findings in distant literatures on constitutional law and international organizations.

Plano estadual de educação de São Paulo (2016-2026): debates e embates

Abstract This study aims to analyze the participation of civil society and political society and the construction of hegemony in the process of elaborating and approving the State Education Plan (PEE-SP 2016-2016). This qualitative research involved semi-structured interviews and documental analysis. The analysis of the construction process of the São Paulo education plan suggests that its Department of Education was effectively uninterested in discussing the São Paulo education policy in a forum that gathered a group of entities that were excluded from educational decisions in the previous two decades, mainly because its interlocutors included sectors of civil society that were linked to capital. In view of this, little progress has been made in educational planning with the PEE-SP 2016-2026.

Виклики та перспективи забезпечення інформаційної прозорості в умовах цифровізації освіти та економіки

This article examines the challenges and prospects of ensuring information transparency in the context of digitalization of education and the economy. The paper explores key aspects of information transparency, its significance, and impact on the development of the educational sector and digital economy in modern conditions. The benefits of transparency in online education are analyzed, particularly in the development of learning materials, student assessment, and determination of teacher qualifications. Research demonstrating the positive impact of transparency on increasing student trust in the quality of online courses and ensuring fair treatment of all participants in the educational process is considered. Special attention is paid to issues of academic integrity in the digital age. Challenges related to preventing plagiarism, copyright infringement, and other violations of academic ethics are discussed. A comprehensive approach is proposed, combining technological solutions, educational measures, and clear procedures to ensure transparency and academic integrity in the digital educational environment. Problems of confidentiality and protection of student data as a key aspect of information transparency in education are examined. Challenges associated with balancing the need for transparency in educational processes and protecting students' personal data are analyzed. The importance of developing clear privacy policies, implementing data protection technologies, and raising awareness among all participants in the educational process about potential risks and security measures is emphasized. In the context of the digital economy, the advantages and challenges of ensuring transparency in the creation, dissemination, and use of open educational resources are considered. Necessary procedures for peer review, evaluation, and attribution of authorship to improve the quality and trust in open educational materials are discussed. Challenges related to data bias that can lead to inaccurate or false conclusions and decisions are analyzed. Sources and consequences of data bias, such as lack of representativeness, inaccuracies in data collection, and algorithmic biases, are examined. Approaches to detecting and minimizing bias are proposed, and the importance of transparency in data processing methods is emphasized. Significant attention is given to the role of digital literacy in ensuring information transparency. Aspects of user perception and interpretation of data, as well as information providers' understanding of audience needs and expectations, are considered. The need for continuous learning and skill enhancement to bridge the digital divide and ensure effective use of transparent information is emphasized. The article also analyzes successful initiatives in ensuring information transparency in various fields, including public administration, the corporate sector, and education. Success factors such as political will, active civil society participation, and the use of innovative technologies are examined. The work emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to ensuring information transparency that would consider issues of security, confidentiality, and data protection. The need to develop effective technological solutions and policies that would ensure proper data protection in combination with a high level of transparency is emphasized. The conclusions state that information transparency is an integral component of the effective functioning of educational processes and the digital economy. It contributes to improving quality, accountability, trust, and innovation, while requiring a balanced approach and consideration of security and privacy issues. Ensuring an appropriate level of transparency requires close cooperation among all stakeholders, implementation of advanced technological solutions, and improvement of the regulatory framework.