Conflict In Countries Research Articles

Women as an emerging actor in peace and security: The impact of UNSCR 1325 in Albania

Implementing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) on Women, Peace, and Security in practice is emerging as a priority for Albanian security politics , in which the Government of Albania is endeavouring to act by increasing compliance with the norms promoted by the Resolution. This article reflects on the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 by focusing on the discourse on mainstreaming the women, peace and security norms in Albanian society. It finds that the UNSCR 1325 contributed to the increase of gender-related content in Albanian political, academic and civil society elite discourse, albeit selectively. Albanian political, academic and civil society actors appear to have been less responsive to the responsibilities of the UNSCR 1325, predictably due to the fact that Albania is not a conflict or post-conflict country, the status of which the Resolution primarily addresses. In conditions that Albania has been more responsive, the focus has been more on issues of gender equality in general rather than being guided by the specific norms of the UNSCR 1325.

The restoration of monetary policy tools in armed conflict countries: the case of Yemen

Among the many problems facing Yemen, the disruption of the monetary policy tools remains paramount affecting millions of lives. This study aims to restore the monetary policy tools' functions in Yemen. This is done by first identifying the reasons behind the monetary policy tools' disruption, and then developing a new efficient monetary policies' management system (MPMS). Semi-structure interviews are used in two different stages: First, to identify the reasons behind monetary policy tools disruption; Second, to assess the efficacy of the developed MPMS. The study reveals that a high unpredictable inflation, a sharp fluctuation in the currency value, and a loss of trust in the central bank's functions are major reasons for the disruption of the country's monetary policy tools. Additionally, the developed MPMS received the satisfaction of the interviewee parties who include former T-bills investors, high-level officials in the Central Bank of Yemen, and the Minister of Finance. Thus, indicating efficacy achievement to the developed MPMS. Our results achieve a restoration to the disrupted monetary policy tools in armed conflict countries (i.e., Yemen).

The restoration of monetary policy tools in armed conflict countries: the case of Yemen

Among the many problems facing Yemen, the disruption of the monetary policy tools remains paramount affecting millions of lives. This study aims to restore the monetary policy tools' functions in Yemen. This is done by first identifying the reasons behind the monetary policy tools' disruption, and then developing a new efficient monetary policies' management system (MPMS). Semi-structure interviews are used in two different stages: First, to identify the reasons behind monetary policy tools disruption; Second, to assess the efficacy of the developed MPMS. The study reveals that a high unpredictable inflation, a sharp fluctuation in the currency value, and a loss of trust in the central bank's functions are major reasons for the disruption of the country's monetary policy tools. Additionally, the developed MPMS received the satisfaction of the interviewee parties who include former T-bills investors, high-level officials in the Central Bank of Yemen, and the Minister of Finance. Thus, indicating efficacy achievement to the developed MPMS. Our results achieve a restoration to the disrupted monetary policy tools in armed conflict countries (i.e., Yemen).

Readiness of the Polish Crisis Management System to Respond to Long-Term, Large-Scale Power Shortages and Failures (Blackouts)

Large-scale failures of electric power systems (blackouts) have been the subject of intensive research in most countries for several years. This research aims primarily at seeking solutions to improve the reliability of the operation of power systems and the development of effective strategies to protect critical infrastructure from the effects of energy shortages and power cuts. In contrast, systematic research on crisis management and civil protection under conditions of prolonged blackout has been undertaken in Europe only recently, and these extremely important aspects of energy security have been delayed by the COVID-19 crisis. The ability of the Polish crisis management system to cope with the consequences of long-term, large-scale shortages and interruptions in the supply of electricity, as well as the consequences of possible failures in this field, has not been systematically examined to date. This issue is of growing strategic importance, not only from the point of view of security and defence policy, but also economic cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland’s infrastructural security must be considered in a broad regional and supra-regional context. A long-term lack of electricity in a large area of Poland would undermine the stability of the entire national security system, destabilising the region and supranational security systems. Apart from objective reasons, intentional attacks on the links of such a chain cannot be ruled out. Poland is the leader of this region, a frontline country in the NATO-Russia conflict, as well as a liaison state that provides the Baltic states—being EU and NATO members—with a land connection to Western Europe. In view of the growing risk of blackout, the importance of the problem and the existence of a cognitive gap in this field, we evaluated the Polish crisis management system in terms of its ability to respond to the effects of a sudden, long-term, large-scale blackout. Methodologically, we adopted a systems approach to security management. In order to estimate the consequences of a blackout, we used analogue forecasting tools and scenario analysis. By analysing previous crisis situations caused by blackouts and local conditions of vulnerability to such events, we formulated basic preparedness requirements that a modern crisis management system should meet in the face of the growing risk of blackouts. A review of strategic documents and crisis planning processes in public administration allowed us to identify deficits and weaknesses in the Polish crisis management system. On this basis we formulated recommendations whose implementation shall improve the ability of the national security system to face such challenges in the future.

Retrospective observational study of characteristics of persons with amputations accessing International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) rehabilitation centres in five conflict and postconflict countries

ObjectivesLimb amputation incidence is particularly high in fragile contexts due to conflict, accidents and poorly managed diabetes. The study aim was to analyse (1) demographic and amputation characteristics of persons...

Normalization Factors of Jordan's Diplomatic Relationship with Qatar: Dynamics Analysis of Area Security and National Identity

Jordan as a country that is flanked by several countries in conflict and does not have a wealth of natural resources, making alliances very important for the survival of the country. In meeting these needs, Jordan often allies with hegemonic actors for protective status as well as financial assistance. So in the scope of the Middle East, Jordan chose an alliance with the country of Saudi Arabia and its coalition in the Gulf region in the Gulf Cooperation Council. This alliance was continued until the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis, Jordan was forced to cut ties with Qatar so that the alliance with the Saudi kingdom would not be damaged. However, in 2019, Jordan normalized diplomatic relations with Qatar after their two-year stretch. This decision also came even though Saudi Arabia and its coalition had not normalized with Qatar itself, and could potentially jeopardize Jordan's existence if it did so because it was against the Saudi coalition. So the researcher tries to analyze this phenomenon using regional security theory and the level of national identity analysis. Researchers later found that the motive behind the decision was Qatar's support for the protective status of Jordan's Jerusalem.

Криза концепції «ліберального миру»

“Liberal peace” is a standardized practice of peacebuilding interventions in conflict countries, in which the development of social institutions in these countries is carried out according to the Western model. A number of scholarly works on the critique of liberal allow us to consider it as a kind of neoliberal ideology, when peacebuilding efforts to overcome the dynamics and consequences of armed conflict turn into the imposition of liberal norms, such as (rule of law, market economy, democracy), and even seen as a form of interference in the sovereignty of these countries. The crisis of the concept of liberal will be considered in the context of state-building and sovereignty of post-conflict countries. The concept of liberal often interprets peacekeeping intervention in negotiations as international, externally aimed at liberal norms, but internally at illiberal compromises with the ruling classes that use violence, armed non-governmental groups, and even victims of conflict. The calculation of the concept of liberal peace was based on the fact that rapid reforms in post-conflict countries towards an independent judiciary, various forms of economy and inclusive forms of involvement in the political process can create more stable configurations of and further peaceful coexistence. The technology of peacebuilding under the liberal scheme has been complicated by time constraints, in particular in the short-term budgeting and focus of international organizations on the rapid outcome of peacekeeping activities. The focus of the liberal measures was on the post-conflict reconstruction of states and the restoration of their sovereignty. The nature of the UN peacekeeping operations themselves, which have become more complex and multilateral, has also changed. In turn, the transformation of peacekeeping missions required a change in the conceptual basis of international interventions in conflict resolution and resolution. Researchers began to formulate concepts where peacebuilding takes into account not so much a liberal-oriented project of state building in post-conflict areas, as taking into account the socio-cultural context, local and traditional norms in peacemaking.

Most Crucial Factor Influencing Women Entrepreneurship Intentions in Iraq

Historically, women have little access to traditional forms of business ventures. Thus, women's unfair status compared to men, particularly in the Middle East, prevents women from becoming successful entrepreneurs than females in Western countries. This study responds to the recent call of several scholars recommended examining the obstacles facing women entrepreneurs before beginning their business. Therefore, this study aims to determine how significant is the influence of financial support factor on women entrepreneurship's intention to start their business in a conflict country like Iraq. The data were collected from 366 women entrepreneurs in Iraq using the Web-Based Questionnaire (WBQ). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v22) was used to test the hypothesis. The regression analysis was used to determine the most significant factors influencing Iraqi women's entrepreneurship intention. The research study's findings revealed that financial support is a significant factor motivating women entrepreneurs in Iraq to establish their business in a country with long suffered armed conflict. Given the Middle East culture and environment's unique context, the study discusses how this important finding can support women entrepreneurs in Iraq. Several recommendations are proposed from this study; first, it is necessary to develop a supporting institutional structure in conjunction with the ministry of commerce and industry to discover business possibilities that meet the women’s requirements in all sectors of the economy. Secondly, the government needs to continuously collect reliable information about the actual number of women entrepreneurship who have started a business. This type of data collecting can determine the number of successful start-up businesses and their operational challenges.

The Role and Challenges of A Mediator To Resolve The International Conflict in The Digital Era (Case Study: The Role of OANA)

The digital era has been born from the influence of globalization. In this digital era, international relations are beginning to be affected by the existence of various new ways to do diplomacy. Where diplomacy carried out by each country feels easier than in previous eras, communication can also be carried out without having to take a long time, especially when delivering meeting appointments or being willing to attend a meeting. Along with the development of this digital era, the role of third parties in resolving a conflict will also become easier, especially from mediators who are often the liaison between the two countries in conflict. This research was conducted to reveal perspectives related to the role and challenges for mediators in carrying out international conflict resolution in the digital era that continues to progress. The method used is a qualitative research method by presenting secondary data. The results show that the role of the mediator in resolving conflicts will be significantly more challenging because of digital factors that can take conflict actions online or provide fake news and can be widely spread throughout the country in an instant with ease.

1373Severe acute respiratory infection with high mortality rate in Sana'a city, 2018-2019 Yemen

Abstract Background The burden of influenza and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in conflict countries such as Yemen is exacerbated due to limited resources and the collapse of the health system. The aims are to describe epidemiology of SARI, determine influenza detection and case fatality rates among SARI patients. Methods We used a descriptive analytical study design. All SARI patients who meet WHO case definition during 2018-2019 from Sana'a city were included. Nasopharyngeal samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction. A soft copy of data that collected by surveillance staff was obtained from the National Influenza Control Program (NICP). Case fatality rate and detection rate were calculated and P value < 0.05 used for statistical significant. Results 1447 SARI patients were reported: 73% males, 54% aged 15- < 50 years. Comorbidity was among 27% (387) of them: (57% cardio-vascular diseases and 50% diabetes). Samples of 934 (64%) SARI patients were tested and influenza viruses were detected in 141 (15%) patients (13% type A and 2% type B). Higher influenza viruses were detected in winter months (November – February) (17% vs 9%, P < 0.001). Overall SARI fatality rate was 19% (276), significantly higher among patients with comorbidity (26% vs 16%, P < 0.001) confirmed influenza (30% Vs 15%, P value < 0.001) and not receiving antiviral (51% vs 17%, P < 0.001) than relevant groups. Conclusions SARI patients in Yemen had a high case-fatality rate particularly SARI patients with confirmed influenza. Introduce influenza vaccination for the risk group should be considered. Key messages Influenza and SARI cases are high in Yemen and progress to death.

A typology of substitution: weather, armed conflict, and maritime piracy

AbstractHow do rebels choose among available tactics during civil war? How do they substitute one tactic for another? Although previous studies address these questions, they narrowly focus on the presence or absence of substitution. Differentiating the varieties of substitution, however, is critical. How rebels respond to their tactical environment—including weather conditions—depends on the type of substitution. I formally derive three types of substitution and test them by exploiting weather-induced exogenous variation in rebels' tactical costs for ground and marine violent activities. The analysis of daily panel data in 31 coastal conflict countries indicates that rebels substitute violent ground activities for maritime piracy but not vice versa. This asymmetry cannot be explained without differentiating substitution types.

Spinal and cranio-cervical mycetoma: A difficult surgery, with poor prognosis

BackgroundFew central nervous systems (CNS) cases of actinomycetoma have been recorded in the literature, and most were reported in tropical and subtropical regions. The management of this invasive infection is difficult, especially when it affects the spine and the cranio-cervical regions. CaseWe report an unusual case of a cranio-cervical junction actinomycetoma, in a patient presenting a cerebellar syndrome from brainstem compression. The CT scan showed a compressive solid osteolytic lesion in the cranio-cervical junction. The patient underwent cranio-cervical decompression and lesion resection. The diagnosis of actinomycetoma was confirmed on immune-histochemistry and molecular analysis. At 4 months’ follow-up, the patient presented a fatal recurrence disseminating within the cerebellum and the spine. ConclusionThe surgical treatment of CNS actinomycetoma presented poor prognosis and a disseminating recurrence. We believe that clinicians and surgeons must be informed about these “new” infectious pathologies that are so difficult to treat, especially with the arrival of migrant patients from endemic countries in conflict.

مقاصد الانتخابات في دول ما بعد النزاعات الاثنية

Elections in post-ethnic conflict countries have goals that they seek to achieve and limit the effects of violent extremism against an ethnically different one. Establishing the foundations for peaceful coexistence between social components, achieving political stability, and the peaceful rotation of power are the purposes of the electoral mechanism in countries that suffer from conflicts on ethnic grounds. The post-conflict phase needs new mechanisms to remove all causes of conflict or limit their effects, and in this case we need fair elections, independent administration and transparent mechanisms that limit the conflict of ethnic identities, sectarian polarizations and atonement. From all this the research aims to analyze the purposes of the elections and determine the most important ones to reach to the peaceful coexistence of social components to build sustainable peace in Iraq

Leveraging a matrix of stakeholders to facilitate access to chemotherapy for women's cancers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

BackgroundCancer incidence is increasing worldwide. Over the next 20 years, the growing proportion of cases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will account for an estimated 70% of all cancers diagnosed. The vast majority of cancer patients in LMICs will require chemotherapy, due to the advanced stage of their disease at the time of initial presentation. Unfortunately, the availability of cancer drugs in these environments is sparse, resulting in premature death and years of life lost. In an effort to lay a foundation for women’s cancer control in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we implemented a programme which combined workforce development, infrastructure creation and cancer drug access. This manuscript reports on our experience with the latter.MethodsA private sector healthcare facility was selected as the programme implementation site. Workforce capacity was developed through a south–south partnership with an African national cancer centre. Cancer drugs were procured through a global cancer medicine access initiative.ResultsA new chemotherapy infusion unit was successfully established at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa, DRC. A team of Congolese healthcare providers was trained at the Cancer Disease Hospital in Zambia to safely and effectively administer chemotherapy for breast and cervical cancer. Over 100 breast and cervical cancer patients have been treated with 337 courses of chemotherapy, without any serious adverse events.ConclusionCommon barriers to cancer drug access and its administration can be eliminated using regional educational resources to build oncologic workforce capacity, private sector healthcare facilities for infrastructure support and pharmaceutical consortiums to procure low-cost cancer medicines. By leveraging a matrix of global, regional and local stakeholders, the prevailing status quo of very limited access to chemotherapy for women’s cancers was creatively disrupted in DRC, Africa’s largest fragile, conflict and violence-affected country.

Was a forced lockdown adequate for a country in conflict? A psychological perspective from the Syrian population.

Background: Syria has suffered for nine years from a conflict that left over 11.1 million inhabitants in need of humanitarian assistance and over 80% in poverty. A ten-week-long full lockdown was enforced in Syria and successfully minimized the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to estimate the occurrence of mental health disorders after lockdown termination among the citizens of war-torn Syria.Methods: Online questionnaires, which included demographic and war-related questions, Dimensions of Anger Reactions 5 (DAR-5) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were distributed to different social media groups.Results: This study recruited 1445 participants, of which 515 (35.6%) were males, the mean age was 24.8 ± 6.3 years, 38% had problematic anger, 64% had moderate to very severe depression, 42.9% had moderate to severe anxiety and 39.7% had moderate to severe stress. Increased living expenses, not being able to go out and a reduced ability to earn income and provide food were significantly associated with the psychological burden after the lockdown (p < 0.05). The association of war variables with mental disorders was weaker than the effect of the deteriorating economy. Other healthcare workers had more severe distress than doctors, who themselves were found to have less distress than the general population (p < 0.05). Anger scores were approximately equal, regardless of the type of work. Finally, shisha smoking was associated with worse mental health (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The psychological burden of the damaged economy surpassed the direct damage due to COVID-19 and the effect of years of conflict. Urgent interventions are required, as this burden may continue for years, if not for decades. A full lockdown in countries with fragile economies may delay the spread of the virus, but it will severely damage the economy, which will lead to a deterioration of the mental health of their citizens.

Scaling Up Digital Health In Conflict Countries

Scaling Up Digital Health In Conflict Countries

Availability of Essential Medicines in a Country in Conflict: A Quantitative Insight from Yemen

Background: Medicine and medical supplies are often in short supply in countries suffering from the scourge of conflict. Effective medicine supply policies are lacking in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly during conflict. This study aimed to assess the availability of essential medicines in both the public and private healthcare sectors. Methods: The study was conducted by administering a survey from November 2017 to February 2018 using the World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) guidelines and methodology. Thirty healthcare facilities in thirteen districts from three governorates in Yemen were included in the assessment of thirty essential medicines. The results were reported as frequencies and percentages of outlets with available medicines on the day of data collection. Results: A set of 30 vital and essential medicines were selected from the list of essential medicines that are used in healthcare centers in Yemen to treat prevalent diseases. In general, only 52.8% of the selected medicines were available in public and private healthcare settings. The distribution and availability of medicines in the three governorates were approximately equal. The availability of medicines was better in the private healthcare settings, specifically 73.3% in private hospitals and approximately 79.7% in private pharmacies. Conclusions: The availability of essential medicines during this state of conflict in three governorates in Yemen is low, in both public and private hospitals and healthcare centers. Many of the medications that were not available are used to treat chronic illnesses.

Conflict Resilience of Water and Energy Supply Infrastructure: Insights from Yemen

Political instability and conflicts are contemporary problems across the Middle East. They threaten not only basic security, but also infrastructure performance. Supply infrastructure, providing basic services such as water and electricity, has been subjected to damage, capacity deterioration, and the bankruptcy of public providers. Often, in conflict countries such as Yemen, the continuity of basic supply is only possible thanks to adaptation efforts on the community and household levels. This paper examines the conflict resilience of water and energy supply infrastructure in Yemen during the armed conflict 2015–today. It contributes to resilience studies by linking knowledge on state fragility and conflicts, humanitarian aid, and infrastructure resilience. The paper presents adaptation responses of communities and public entities in the water and energy sectors in Yemen and critically evaluates these responses from the perspective of conflict resilience of infrastructure. The gained insights reaffirm the notion about the remarkable adaptive capacities of communities during conflicts and the importance of incorporating community-level adaptation responses into larger efforts to enhance the conflict resilience of infrastructure systems.

Questioning The Existence Of Asean Political Security Community In South China Sea Conflict

South China sea conflicts continue to escalate and increase the significance of the countries in Southeast Asia. This potentially have an impact on the stability of regional security systemically. Asean Political Security Community (APSC) as an important part of regional governance certainly needs to take a role. However, ASEAN member countries tend to still use their own methods, and have not optimally used the APSC as a means to increasing their bargaining position over the ongoing conflict. The use of the constructivism approach in this paper will try to explore how APSC should be able to play a more operational role and positioning itself as the only security community in the region. Qualitative research methods are used to interpret any phenomena that occur related to the involvement of Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea conflict. This paper questioning the existence ofAPSC with its formality in responding various kinds of issues and the latest security dynamics in Southeast Asia, especially the South China Sea Conflict. The underlying causes for APSC's nongrounded policy direction will be part of the conclusion of this paper.

A micro-level analysis of the contagion effect: Evidence from the Kurdish conflict

The unit of analysis in almost all large-N studies on conflict contagion and diffusion is collective actors, such as states and ethnic groups or movements. Thus, contagion dynamics and processes at the individual level have been neglected. Using original data derived from a public opinion survey, this study examines the micro-level dynamics of contagion in the context of Turkey’s Kurdish conflict. The study suggests that transnational ethnic ties, and in particular, cross-border familial bonds and interactions, facilitate conflict contagion through several strategic and ideational mechanisms. First, transborder familial ties and interactions amplify the demonstration effect of ethnic-kin achievements in contiguous conflict countries. Second, cross-border familial bonds facilitate collaboration between cross-border co-ethnics. Finally, such ties to conflict zones with ethnic kin groups empower pan-ethnic identities. The empirical findings show that Kurds living in Turkey who have close relatives in nearby countries hosting conflicting ethnic-kin groups (i.e. Syria, Iraq, and Iran) have stronger ethnonationalist orientations and claims against the center. However, having close relatives elsewhere (e.g. Europe) does not generate the same impact. The Kurdish case evidences that contagion processes and dynamics might vary substantially across the members of a particular ethnic group. Hence, it is necessary to broaden the conventional focus on collective actors in conflict contagion research and pay greater attention to micro-level variables and factors.