Financial Contributions Research Articles

Closing the regulatory gap – answers (and new questions) from the Foreign Subsidies Regulation

This article discusses the way in which the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) attempts to close a regulatory gap left between EU State aid rules, WTO anti-subsidy rules and foreign direct investment (FDI) monitoring rules. In particular, it presents key similarities and differences in the substantive assessment undertaken by the Commission in State aid control, and that which it may be expected to apply under the FSR, from the economics perspective. While the Commission is likely to apply very similar tools to those of State aid control in order to determine whether a foreign financial contribution confers a benefit on an undertaking (i.e. the market economy operator principle), there are also a number of ways in which the assessment under the FSR may be expected to differ from State aid practice. Specifically, the FSR is likely to require a more in-depth assessment of the distortive effects of foreign subsidies. This will require a novel approach to developing and testing ‘theories of harm’, taking inspiration from State aid, trade defence and merger control. Finally, the broader scope of the ‘balancing test’ (weighing up positive and negative effects of subsidies) compared to State aid, while likely necessary to match the closer focus on distortive effects of the aid, raises new question on its application by the Commission in practice.

Assessing the sustainability of two independent voucher-based family planning programs in Pakistan: a 24-months post-intervention evaluation

IntroductionFamily planning vouchers have emerged as a promising approach to improve coverage of underserved groups or underutilized services. The current study was designed to measure the residual/longer-term impact of two-independent FP voucher programs on women’s practices beyond the program’s life program.MethodsA cross-sectional survey conducted, as part of the two-independent larger mixed-method studies, approximately 24 months after the close-down of Marie Stopes Society and Greenstar Social Marketing family planning voucher intervention programs in Punjab, Pakistan. Following necessary ethics approvals, 338 voucher MSS clients & 324 voucher GSM clients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire at the household level.ResultsCompared with end-line data, a significant decrease in the modern contraceptive uptake in both MSS (90% at endline to current (or post-endline) 52%) and GSM (from 84% to current 56%) intervention sites among the voucher clients was noted. Among MSS voucher clients, the highest decline in use was observed in IUCD (54% at endline versus to current 13%); however no change between the surveys was noted among GSM clients. In both projects, following closure of voucher intervention 34% of the discontinued users in MSS and 29% in GSM sites adopted/switched to a new modern contraceptive again. In the post-intervention survey, wealth-based inequality in GSM data depicts more pro-rich utility for modern methods, indicating pro-rich inequality, in contrast, the post-intervention survey in MSS found mixed results such as pro-poor inequality for any method and modern method use.ConclusionsThe prevalence for contraception in two-independent study sites, following closure of voucher intervention remained high than national average. This study provides evidence that family planning vouchers can bring about an enduring positive change in clients’ behaviours in using modern contraceptive methods among poor populations among both intervention models. These results are useful to design family planning programs that will sustain when the donor funding terminates.

The impact of government subsidy programs on equity in health financing

BackgroundIran government implemented the targeted subsidy plan in December 2010 to reduce energy consumption and inequality. In addition, the Health Transformation Plan was implemented by the Ministry of Health to reduce out-of-pocket payments. This study aimed to examine the impact of these two government subsidy programs on equity in health financing.MethodIn this study, data on 528,046 households were collected using household surveys during 14 years (2007–2020). The Fairness in Financial Contribution index and Catastrophic Health Expenditures index were calculated. Also, a Logistic regression model was performed by the applied software of Stata V.14 to examine the effects of the two mentioned policies and other socioeconomic characteristics of households on their exposure to Catastrophic Health Expenditures.ResultsThe FFC index was 0.829 and 0.795 respectively in 2007 and 2020. The trend analysis did not show significant changes in the FFC index between 2007 and 2020. TSP and HTP implementations do not reduce households’ exposure to CHE significantly. Crowded households with more elder people, belonging to low-income deciles, without houses, and living in rural areas and deprived provinces, are more likely to be at risk of CHE. Health insurance coverage did not protect households from CHE. Highly educated and employed households were exposed to less CHE.ConclusionThe government subsidy programs have not been effective in improving FFC and reducing CHE indices. None of them has been able to realize the goal of the 6th National Development Plan of reducing CHE to 1%. The government should devise support packages for target households (households with more elderly people, lower incomes, without private houses, crowded, rural, and inhabited in deprived provinces), so they can protect households against CHE. Modifying and improving the quality of insurance coverage is strongly recommended due to its inefficiency.

Student loans, spending, and parental transfers: Insights from a nudge in student loan policy in the Netherlands

This paper investigates the effect of student loans on students’ (financial) behavior. For causal identification, we exploit quasi-experimental evidence using a nudge in the take-up of student loans in higher education in the Netherlands. We estimate an instrumental variable (IV) model with a first-stage Difference-in-Differences design. We find that a decline in the default student loan reduced monthly student borrowing by 141 euros. A one-euro decline in student loans reduced students’ expenditures by 61 cents, but also led to a substantial increase of parental financial contributions (43 cents). Especially expenditures on leisure activities were affected. There is no evidence for increased labor earnings among students, on average. Self-reported indicators of academic performance do not worsen in response to the reform; students’ GPA even improves.

Chancensicherung für alle Kinder

Abstract The opportunities of children and young people in social and cultural life in Germany depend to a large extent on the disposable income of their parents. Against this background the question arises: What can be done for poor families to improve opportunities for all children? In addition to a basic guarantee of a family-friendly social infrastructure, the guaranteed child allowance (Kindergrundsicherung) was proposed as a financial contribution to securing opportunities for children. After one year of unfruitful political debate about the funding of the guaranteed child allowance, the support for the project is shrinking.

International Foundations, Agenda Setting and the Non-Profit Sector in South Africa

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Research on Regional Financial Risk Identification and Contribution Analysis Based on ANN-RBF Neural Network

Regional financial risk is an issue that cannot be ignored around the world today. Studying financial risk and analyzing the deep-seated influential factors is conducive to reducing the generation of financial crises. This paper aims to study the influencing factors of regional financial risk and their contribution. Firstly, we identify influential factors of regional risk in the three northeastern provinces of China, then based on the artificial neural network-radial basis function (ANN-RBF) algorithm, we collect data from the region for the past 20 years for analysis and calculate the contribution of different risk influential factors to regional risk. The results show that: (1) CPI dominates in influencing the regional financial risk in the three northeastern provinces of China, followed by the growth rate of import and export and the local public finance surplus. (2) When the neuron is 29, the accuracy of the algorithm converges at this point and the model reaches optimum. The research in this paper is conducive to uncovering the influential factors of regional financial risk and reducing the generation of financial crises.

Employers’ willingness to invest in the training of temporary versus permanent workers: A discrete choice experiment

Various studies have shown that temporary workers participate less in training than those on permanent contracts. This paper investigates whether there is a difference in employer willingness to provide training to temporary vs. permanent workers and estimates the size of these differences under different cost-benefit related conditions. Building on a theoretical framework for employers’ provision of training that includes the major potential sources of cost-benefit differences associated with training investments in employees with different types of employment contracts, we use a discrete choice experiment to estimate the elasticity of a training offer to three attributes affecting employers’ expected net benefits from training investments: (1) the transferability of the skills being trained, (2) the financial contribution of the employee to the training costs and (3) the repayment of training costs when the employee quits early. We find that the effect of the transferability of the training is small and not robust to alternative model specifications. Instead, employers’ lower likelihood of investing in temporary workers is affected by two attributes: a financial contribution to the training costs and a repayment of training costs in case of early quits. Employers’ willingness to invest in temporary workers will particularly increase when introducing a contract clause that workers will repay their training costs when they quit within a year after the training.

The role of financial literacy on the growth outreach of South African microfinance institutions

With the increased emphasis on financial inclusion by developing countries, the emergence, impact and sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs) is considered topical. This paper assesses the influence that financial literacy has on the growth outreach of MFIs, from a South African context. Using an online questionnaire, we collected data from 44 respondents, representing various MFIs in Limpopo, South Africa. In addition, interviews were conducted with four subjects from the regulatory body, MFSA. We applied panel data fixed effects regression, with binary logit component to measure relationships and effects of the variables under study. According to the results, there was strong consensus that financial literacy of MFI clients, proxied by loan portfolio education, and financial budgeting and investment training offered to MFI clients, improves overall MFI growth outreach, and MFI sustainability in the long run. The contribution of this paper is that, since microfinance institutions by mandate, pursue socio-economic goals, many are not geared towards being financially sustainable. However, with the drying up of grants, donor funds, subsidies and other capital injections into MFIs, it is important for them to implement alternative measures to ensure that their borrowers meet their repayment obligations timeously, hence improving institutional growth and sustainability.

Efficiency and productivity of the Chilean public health system between 2010 and 2019.

In view of the strong increase in health expenditure, it is necessary to investigate whether proportional increases in healthcare production for the beneficiaries of the National Health Fund have corresponded to this increase. In this observational, descriptive, and retrospective longitudinal research, we estimate the technical efficiency of the National Health Services System through the average cost of production and average labor productivity in the period from 2010 to 2019. During the studied decade, production has increased by approximately 6% annually; the number of workers increased (mostly physicians) by 61%; spending on salaries increased by 106% in real terms; spending on consumer goods and services has increased by 25% in real terms; the efficiency of spending has decreased by 21%, and productivity is the least dynamic element of the system with an average annual growth rate of 0.6%. After subtracting the diagnostic tests component, this scenario worsens. The results show that higher health expenditure has not been matched by commensurate increases in output, translating into a fall in the efficiency of healthcare expenditure and meager increases or falls in productivity, depending on how the output is measured. This means that the public sector's growth strategy depends mainly on increases in the number of workers. This low productivity is a serious constraint to improving healthcare access for National Health Fund beneficiaries and contributes to increasing waiting lists. Special attention should be paid to average production costs and average labor productivity in a scenario of less dynamic growth in public health spending and health system reform.

The self-purchase of “freedom”, a reparative history of the abolition of Caribbean slavery, 1832–1833

ABSTRACT The discovery that loans for the payment of slave abolition compensation had not been repaid by British taxpayers until 2015 took many by surprise. But it is the financial contribution of British Afro-Caribbeans towards the emancipation of their own ancestors that is most significant, calling for a re-examination of abolition historiography. By using Jeremy Bentham and Edward Gibbon Wakefield as analytical constructs, each July 1832 to February 1833 Colonial Office abolition proposal can be analysed against the greatest good of the greatest number principle. The result involves re-conceptualising abolition as an exercise in administering distributive justice through maximising freedom within a community of enslaved, enslavers, and British taxpayers. Here, freedom is the product of policy choices over who would bear the cost of financing abolition. In addressing these issues, this essay is written as reparative history, drawing parallels between the exclusions of 1832/1833 and Afro-Caribbean historiographical diasporic exclusions within the British academy.

Reproductive Health in Health Polices of Punjab Province: Gaps and Challenges

Pakistan has to place a strong emphasis on reproduction as part of an inclusive healthcare strategy that would improve the general health of its population. The aim of this paper is to analyze the health policies of the Punjab Province post-18th Amendment by focusing on the area of reproductive health. For this purpose, health policies were analyzed thematically. After reviewing and analyzing policies, we identified areas of concern about reproductive health care, including the lack of infrastructure and human resources and the lack of evidence-based health-related data and research to respond to or design need-based initiatives. Additionally, reproductive health seems to revolve around special issues and target communities by taking international commitments to the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals as a guideline (maternal and child health and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases). It is also found that significant donor funds are only related to family planning and maternal and child care services. These findings indicate that reproductive health measures regulate the fertility and sexual behavior of the target community, along with focusing more on maternal health, which somehow reveals the prevailing gender norms regarding roles in society. Reproductive health issues among men, transgender people, and non-parents are ignored. It is hoped that the identified gaps might be helpful in planning and ensuring access, quality, and equity in reproductive health services.

Exploring system drivers of gender inequity in development assistance for health and opportunities for action.

Background : Deep-rooted and widespread gender-based bias and discrimination threaten achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite evidence that addressing gender inequities contributes to better health and development outcomes, the resources for, and effectiveness of, such efforts in development assistance for health (DAH) have been insufficient. This paper explores systemic challenges in DAH that perpetuate or contribute to gender inequities, with a particular focus on the role of external donors and funders. Methods: We applied a co-creation system design process to map and analyze interactions between donors and recipient countries, and articulate drivers of gender inequities within the landscape of DAH. We conducted qualitative primary data collection and analysis in 2021 via virtual facilitated discussions and visual mapping exercises among a diverse set of 41 stakeholders, including representatives from donor institutions, country governments, academia, and civil society. Results: Six systemic challenges emerged as perpetuating or contributing to gender inequities in DAH: 1) insufficient input and leadership from groups affected by gender bias and discrimination; 2) decision-maker blind spots inhibit capacity to address gender inequities; 3) imbalanced power dynamics contribute to insufficient resources and attention to gender priorities; 4) donor funding structures limit efforts to effectively address gender inequities; 5) fragmented programming impedes coordinated attention to the root causes of gender inequities; and 6) data bias contributes to insufficient understanding of and attention to gender inequities. Conclusions : Many of the drivers impeding progress on gender equity in DAH are embedded in power dynamics that distance and disempower people affected by gender inequities. Overcoming these dynamics will require more than technical solutions. Groups affected by gender inequities must be centered in leadership and decision-making at micro and macro levels, with practices and structures that enable co-creation and mutual accountability in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health programs.

LAND REALLOCATION FOR AN UPGRADED URBAN DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN RWANDA: A CASE STUDY OF PLANNING FOR UPGRADING KABUYE PHASE II SITE/GASABO DISTRICT, KIGALI CITY

Land is required for development of basic public infrastructure. Compensation for current rights holders of such land must be negotiated. Also, the resulting subdivisions will thus be smaller than the original portions of land, and the parcellation exercise will mean that households do not hold the same portion of land they held originally. All of these aspects can lead to conflicts over land if not properly managed. Kigali City Master plan 2050 has its main objective of making a smart city particularly Kabuye Phase II site is rising growth trajectory requires rapidly expanding infrastructure facilities to support it with making detailed Physical planning as a key component of urban development initiatives and sets the boundaries that will help to have Access to affordable infrastructure services for consumption purposes serves to improve household welfare through resident initiative. The detailed topographic survey of the area was undertaken. Secondary data was obtained from the District level and other stakeholders. The Kigali City master plan provides useful information while the Google Earth Pro platform proved beneficial. Existing parcels were 2125 Parcels with informal planning having area of 156ha. The new plot and different land use have proposed as Residential with 1902 new plots, off-core commercial, Road, Pathway and 1252 Parcels have remained as Existing one but arranged referring to the planning and total cost of priorities activities within the site is 1,430,661,116Frw. Each plot will be contribute land at 23.84% and financial contribution in order to finalize this project will be 632,924frw by new one plot to be developed and 181,182frw/previously permitted and previously constructed plot. However, there are still some serious concerns evident in the newly readjusted area. These should be viewed as recommendations to be taken into account by future project implementers and partners, particularly the local government units overseeing the project sites. The most important emerging issues are the growing income disparity with the exclusion of the poorest from the development process.

The impact of donor transition on continuity of maternal and newborn health service delivery in Rwenzori sub-region of Uganda: a qualitative country case study analysis

BackgroundThe transition of donor-supported health programmes to country ownership is gaining increasing attention due to reduced development assistance for health globally. It is further accelerated by the ineligibility of previously Low-Income Countries’ elevation into Middle-income status. Despite the increased attention, little is known about the long-term impact of this transition on the continuity of maternal and child health service provision. Hence, we conducted this study to explore the impact of donor transition on the continuity of maternal and newborn health service provision at the sub-national level in Uganda between 2012 and 2021.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative case study of the Rwenzori sub-region in mid-western Uganda which benefited from a USAID project to reduce maternal and newborn deaths between 2012 and 2016. We purposively sampled three districts. Data were collected between January and May 2022 among subnational key informants (n = 26), national level key informants at the Ministry of Health [3], national level donor representatives [3] and subnational level donor representatives [4] giving a total of 36 respondents. Thematic analysis was deductively conducted with findings structured along the WHO’s health systems building blocks (Governance, Human resources for health, Health financing, Health information systems, medical products, Vaccines and Technologies and service delivery) framework.ResultsOverall, continuity of maternal and newborn health service provision was to a greater extent maintained post-donor support. The process was characterised by a phased implementation approach. The embedded learning offered the opportunity to plough back lessons into intervention modification which reflected contextual adaptation. The availability of successor grants from other donors (such as Belgian ENABEL), counterpart funding from the government to bridge the gaps left behind, absorption of USAID-project salaried workforce (such as midwives) onto the public sector payroll, harmonisation of salary structures, the continued use of infrastructure (such as newborn intensive care units), and support for MCH services under PEPFAR support post-transition contributed to the maintenance of coverage. The demand creation for MCH services pre-transition ensured patient demand post-transition. Challenges to the maintenance of coverage were drug stockouts and sustainability of the private sector component among others.ConclusionA general perception of the continuity of maternal and newborn health service provision post-donor transition was observed with internal (government counterpart funding) and external enablers (successor donor funding) contributing to this performance. Opportunities for the continuity of maternal and newborn service delivery performance post-transition exist when harnessed well within the prevailing context. The ability to learn and adapt, the presence of government counterpart funding and commitment to carry on with implementation were major ingredients signalling a crucial role of government in the continuity of service provision post-transition.

The Synergy of the Three Pillars of Education in Early Childhood Character Education

Lack of communication, prejudice, and cooperation that occurs internally becomes an obstacle in building children's character. This study aims to inform about the synergy of the three pillars of education in building character education in early childhood. The research method uses inductive qualitative research. The subjects of this study included RA teachers, parents, and the community involved in activities. Data analysis uses source triangulation. The research results obtained that by increasing roles, strategies, and collaboration between schools, parents, and the community, such as starting good communication, fostering trust and collaboration, setting group norms with full awareness, supporting school programs by fulfilling children's rights, and actively and passively support and assist in the form of personnel, ideas, financial contributions, and materials and support learning activities.

Enrollment of Households in Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) in Ethiopia: The Case of the Aleltu District

In developing countries, people’s attitude about their health is very poor. People visit health institutions only when they are sick. This trend is especially common in rural areas. For the majority of people, health care is accessed and covered by money sourced from their existing funds or assets, which frequently results in citizens not using health care services. Poor health care financing remains a major challenge for the health system in Ethiopia. It leaves households vulnerable to impoverishment from high health expenditures and slows progress towards health improvements such as the Sustainable Development Goals, limiting access to essential health services among citizens with lower socio-economic status. Important barriers to improved health care financing include low government spending on the health sector, strong reliance on out-of-pocket expenditure, inefficient and inequitable utilization of resources, and poorly harmonized and unpredictable donor funding. Different studies illustrated that in developing countries the majority of people from poor families cover health care costs with out-of-pocket funding. As a result, many fall into debt, which aggravates the severe poverty conditions. This study revealed that all households (n=150) are aware. This awareness has positive contribution on enrollment and sustainability of the scheme by minimizing the drop out of the member. The major benefit the households experienced by enrolling in Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) is that it saves people from having unplanned health costs. Eighty percent of the respondents stated that their health status improved and that their families were insured. Currently, both premiums were paid and Poor members of the scheme are enrolling in the Aleltu district because they understand the advantages of being members of CBHI.

Assessment of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Noncommunicable Diseases in Urban Slum of Mysuru City

Abstract Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and disability globally, and the burden is expected to grow rapidly in developing countries. In the absence of health insurance, public provisioning, and donor funds, the management and treatment of NCDs such as hypertension and diabetes might result in very large out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPEs) for households. Objectives: The objectives were as follows: to estimate OOPE and to study the association between sociodemographic characteristics and OOPE among patients suffering from NCDs. Materials and Methods: The sample size was estimated based on a mean OOPE of 63.5 Indian rupees (INR), with a standard deviation (SD) of 110 INR, a sample size of 464 was obtained, and individuals with NCDs were interviewed. Results: Of the total 464 participants, 325 (70%) were female and 139 (30%) were male, with a mean (SD) age of 55.78 ± 13.204. Three hundred and two (65.1%) participants were having hypertension and 232 (50%) were having diabetes. The mean total OOPE was 1173.0603 (INR), with a SD of 1424.54108 (INR), and the mean direct cost incurred was 1141.03. The mean (SD) direct cost spent for medication was 895.61 ± 1100.32, for the laboratory was 148.38 ± 440.7, and for consultation was 97.04 ± 113.86. Only 34 (7.7%) participants were having health insurance. There was an association between the OOPE and sociodemographic profiles such as occupation, educational status, and economic status where the P (<0.05) was noted as P = 0.004, P = 0.024, and P < 0.001, respectively. Conclusion: Knowledge and awareness about health insurance scheme and their benefits help in reducing the OOPE.

Policing the Pueblo: Vagrancy and Indigenous Citizenship in Oaxaca, 1848–1876

Abstract This article explores the politics of citizenship in Zapotec communities in nineteenth-century Oaxaca, Mexico. Several studies discuss how Indigenous peoples were incorporated into the Mexican nation-state during this period, but few have examined how state law and Indigenous customs meshed to produce modern Mexican citizenship. This study examines the construction of Mexican citizenship through Zapotec people’s experiences with vagrancy laws. For Indigenous peoples, two forms of citizenship existed: a republican citizenship that was reserved for all adult males and upheld by Mexican law, and an unwritten Indigenous citizenship that included both adult males and females. Based on close readings of criminal records, government reports, and correspondence between state officials and local Zapotec authorities in the Tlacolula Valley, this article demonstrates that, unlike Mexican citizenship, membership in Indigenous communities, which the author calls “Indigenous citizenship,” rested on members’ payment of state taxes and provision of financial and labor contributions for the pueblo (community). Those who refused to pay their state taxes or rejected the gendered customs of their pueblo were punished by the community: females were punished by the patriarchs of the family while males were punished through state institutions. As the state’s repressive institutions expanded throughout the course of the nineteenth century, Indigenous leaders found more recourse to punish males who failed to live “honorably” as members of Indigenous communities. Considering the interplay between Mexican and Indigenous citizenship, this article explores how Zapotec communities utilized vagrancy laws, in particular, to police and criminalize males who threatened Indigenous social life by behaving in dishonorable ways.

Growing old in China in socioeconomic and epidemiological context: systematic review of social care policy for older people

BackgroundFrom 2020 to 2050, China’s population aged ≥65 years old is estimated to more than double from 172 million (12·0%) to 366 million (26·0%). Some 10 million have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, to approach 40 million by 2050. Critically, the population is ageing fast while China is still a middle-income country.MethodsUsing official and population-level statistics, we summarise China’s demographic and epidemiological trends relevant to ageing and health from 1970 to present, before examining key determinants of China’s improving population health in a socioecological framework. We then explore how China is responding to the care needs of its older population by carrying out a systematic review to answer the question: ‘what are the key policy challenges to China achieving an equitable nationwide long-term care system for older people?’. Databases were screened for records published between 1st June 2020 and 1st June 2022 in Mandarin Chinese or English, reflecting our focus on evidence published since introduction of China’s second long-term care insurance pilot phase in 2020.ResultsRapid economic development and improved access to education has led to widescale internal migration. Changing fertility policies and household structures also pose considerable challenges to the traditional family care model. To deal with increasing need, China has piloted 49 alternative long-term care insurance systems. Our findings from 42 studies (n = 16 in Mandarin) highlight significant challenges in the provision of quality and quantity of care which suits the preference of users, varying eligibility for long-term care insurance and an inequitable distribution of cost burden. Key recommendations include increasing salaries to attract and retain staff, introduction of mandatory financial contributions from employees and a unified standard of disability with regular assessment. Strengthening support for family caregivers and improving smart old age care capacity can also support preferences to age at home.ConclusionsChina has yet to establish a sustainable funding mechanism, standardised eligibility criteria and a high-quality service delivery system. Its long-term care insurance pilot studies provide useful lessons for other middle-income countries facing similar challenges in terms of meeting the long-term care needs of their rapidly growing older populations.