Identify Policy Priorities Research Articles

Representing children and youth in global migration governance: mobilization, corporatist representation and partnerships

ABSTRACT While children and youth undeniably have a stake in and are affected by global migration governance, they have only recently gained recognition as a constituency in global multi-stakeholder dialogues around migration. In this article, we examine the ways in which the mobilization of young people has created new pathways for child and youth representation in the global governance of migration. Based on the analysis of policy documents, interviews and participant observations from the 13th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in 2021, we demonstrate how children and youth as a stakeholder group have established new processes to identify policy priorities, select representatives and build partnerships to offer solutions to pressing migration challenges. Although institutional trajectories limit the kinds of representation that become possible, the mobilization of young people has resulted in a tangible strengthening of their access, space and strategic position to represent themselves in global migration governance.

A Research of Identifying Policy Priorities for Urban Shrinkage Management: Focusing on the Delphi-AHP Approach Targeting Managers of Small and Medium-sized Cities in Northern and Northeastern Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

A Research of Identifying Policy Priorities for Urban Shrinkage Management: Focusing on the Delphi-AHP Approach Targeting Managers of Small and Medium-sized Cities in Northern and Northeastern Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Long-term trends and urban-rural disparities in the physical growth of children and adolescents in China: an analysis of five national school surveys over three decades.

China's rapid economic growth has brought opportunities for improved health and growth of children and adolescents. We sought to explore the long-term trends and urban-rural inequalities in physical growth (specifically height and BMI) among school-aged children and adolescents in China to identify policy priorities for a healthier generation. We used the 1985, 1995, 2005, 2014, and 2019 cycles of the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health from primary and secondary schools in 30 mainland provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. We analysed height and BMI data for 7, 12, and 18 year old children and adolescents of Han ethnicity. Children and adolescents who had complete data on age, sex, location, weight, and height were included. All surveys used a multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling method and were nationally representative. A univariate kernel density estimation was used to plot the distribution of height and BMI. Quantile regression was used to examine associations between urban and rural locations and the primary outcomes of height and BMI at specific quantiles of distribution (5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th). Across the five surveys (in 1985, 1995, 2005, 2014, and 2019), 313 973 children and adolescents were included. From 1985 to 2019, the height and BMI distribution curves shifted to the right for each age group and sex, with the BMI curve becoming more dispersed. Median height in adolescents aged 18 years increased by 3·8 cm (95% CI 3·4-4·1) in boys in urban areas and 5·7 cm (5·3-6·1) in boys in rural areas, and 2·7 cm (2·4-3·0) in girls in urban areas and 3·7 cm (3·4-4·0) in girls in rural areas. Children in urban areas were taller than those in rural areas at every quantile, but the magnitude of this disparity narrowed by 2019. In 2019, the median height of boys in urban areas were 1·4 cm (1·0-1·8) greater in those aged 7 years, 2·5 cm (1·9-3·1) greater in those aged 12 years, and 1·1 cm (0·6-1·5) greater in those aged 18 years than their rural counterparts, whereas the median height of girls in urban areas were 1·1 cm (0·7-1·4) greater in those aged 7 years, 1·6 cm (1·1-2·1) greater in those aged 12 years, and 1·1 cm (0·7-1·5) greater in those aged 18 years than rural girls. Over this period, urban-rural differences in BMI disappeared at the lowest quantile, but persisted at higher quantiles. In 2019, the urban-rural differences in BMI for boys aged 12 years were 0·6 kg/m2 (95% CI 0·3-0·8) at the median, 1·0 kg/m2 (0·6-1·4) at the 75th quantile, and 0·7 kg/m2 (0·1-1·3) at the 95th quantile; for girls aged 12 years, 0·3 kg/m2 (0·1-0·5) at the median, 0·5 kg/m2 (0·2-0·8) at the 75th quantile, and 0·9 kg/m2 (0·3-1·5) at the 95th quantile; for boys aged 18 years, 0·6 kg/m2 (0·4-0·8) at the median, 0·8 kg/m2 (0·5-1·2) at the 75th quantile, and 0.7 kg/m2 (0·0-1·5) at the 95th quantile; and for girls aged 18 years, 0·2 kg/m2 (0·1-0·4) at the median, 0·5 kg/m2 (0·3-0·8) at the 75th quantile, and 1·0 kg/m2 (0·5-1·5) at the 95th quantile. Across three decades, school-aged children and adolescents in China have increased in height and BMI, with less disparity between urban and rural locations. Investments are needed to improve the affordability of healthy foods to help children and adolescents in rural areas reach their potential maximum height. Meanwhile, these changes in BMI necessitate tailored strategies according to urban-rural settings to contain the increase in overweight and obesity and promote optimal growth for children and adolescents. Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research, and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Policy responses to diversity in early childhood education and care: Setting the agenda and meeting the challenges

This article examines the contemporary Swedish policy responses to increased cultural and linguistic diversity in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC). More specifically, it explores how national authorities and organizations initiate collaborations, use and produce policy knowledge and identify priorities and challenges. The analysis draws on a review of policy texts and in-depth interviews with high-level policy actors who act as an epistemic community. Using the concepts of representations and problematization, this study connects the generation of policy knowledge on diversity with the identification of solutions to address cultural and linguistic diversity. The findings suggest a consensus over the definitions of priorities for diversity policies in ECEC within this epistemic community. A core priority is emphasizing the importance of the Swedish language within a wider multilingual approach linked to increased participation in preschools, and to discourses of school readiness and societal integration. Yet, there is a tension between identifying policy priorities and structural challenges at different levels. Unequal conditions, residential segregation and lack of educated preschool staff present difficulties that require a more comprehensive approach than those taken by the official policy frames.

Comparing income-related inequality on health service utilisation between older rural-to-urban migrant workers and older rural residents in China: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study quantifies income-related inequalities in health service utilisation of older rural-to-urban migrant workers, by comparison with older rural residents, and identify with factors giving rise to the inequalities.SettingNationally representative...

Identifying Policy Priorities for Asian Economies: A Growth Convergence and Transition Based Framework

Identifying Policy Priorities for Asian Economies: A Growth Convergence and Transition Based Framework

Global Population Exposure to Extreme Temperatures and Disease Burden.

The frequency and duration of extreme temperature events continues to increase worldwide. However, the scale of population exposure and its quantitative relationship with health risks remains unknown on a global scale, limiting our ability to identify policy priorities in response to climate change. Based on data from 171 countries between 2010 and 2019, this study estimated the exposure of vulnerable populations to extreme temperatures, and their contemporary and lag associations with disease burden attributed to non-optimal temperatures. Fixed-effects models and dynamic panel models were applied. Increased vulnerable population exposure to extreme temperatures had adverse contemporary effects on the burden of disease attributed to non-optimal temperature. Health risks stemming from extreme cold could accumulate to a greater extent, exhibiting a larger lag effect. Population exposure to extreme cold was mainly distributed in high-income countries, while extreme heat occurred more in low-income and middle-income countries. However, the association between population exposure to extreme cold and burden of disease was much stronger in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, whereas the effect size of population exposure to extreme heat was similar. Our study highlighted that differential strategies should be determined and implemented according to the characteristics in different countries.

Analysis of the digital platform economy around the world: A network DEA model for identifying policy priorities

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the quality of the digital platform economy at the global scale by employing a network model rooted in nonparametric linear techniques (data envelopment analysis) on a sample of 116 countries for 2019. The proposed model is in accordance with the geographic diversity (country heterogeneity) and the multilayered structure characterizing the interactions between system participants: governments, digital platforms, platform-dependent firms, and end users. The core findings indicate that the configuration of countries’ platform economy is very heterogeneous, which suggests that an informed, tailor-made approach to policy might produce more effective outcomes. Policies aimed at enhancing the digital platform economy should emerge from the analysis of its main factors if the development of a strategy seeking qualitative improvements in the system is the desired goal.

Novel approaches to identify and characterize young key population networks in southern Africa.

Novel approaches to identify and characterize young key population networks in southern Africa.

Socioeconomic inequalities in lifestyle risk factors across low- and middle-income countries

BackgroundThe heavy and ever rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) warrants interventions to reduce their underlying risk factors, which are often linked to lifestyles. To effectively supplement nationwide policies with targeted interventions, it is important to know how these risk factors are distributed across socioeconomic segments of populations in LMICs. This study quantifies the prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in lifestyle risk factors in LMICs, to identify policy priorities conducive to the Sustainable Development Goal of a one third reduction in deaths from NCDs by 2030.MethodsData from 1,278,624 adult respondents to Demographic & Health Surveys across 22 LMICs between 2013 and 2018 are used to estimate crude prevalence rates and socioeconomic inequalities in tobacco use, overweight, harmful alcohol use and the clustering of these three in a household. Inequalities are measured by a concentration index and correlated with the percentage of GDP spent on health. We estimate a multilevel model to examine associations of individual characteristics with the different lifestyle risk factors.ResultsThe prevalence of tobacco use among men ranges from 59.6% (Armenia) to 6.6% (Nigeria). The highest level of overweight among women is 83.7% (Egypt) while this is less than 12% in Burundi, Chad and Timor-Leste. 82.5% of women in Burundi report that their partner is “often or sometimes drunk” compared to 1.3% in Gambia. Tobacco use is concentrated among the poor, except for the low share of men smoking in Nigeria. Overweight, however, is concentrated among the better off, especially in Tanzania and Zimbabwe (Erreygers Index (EI) 0.227 and 0.232). Harmful alcohol use is more concentrated among the better off in Nigeria (EI 0.127), while Chad, Rwanda and Togo show an unequal pro-poor distribution (EI respectively − 0.147, − 0.210, − 0.266). Cambodia exhibits the largest socioeconomic inequality in unhealthy household behaviour (EI − 0.253). The multilevel analyses confirm that in LMICs, tobacco and alcohol use are largely concentrated among the poor, while overweight is concentrated among the better-off. The associations between the share of GDP spent on health and the socioeconomical distribution of lifestyle factors are multidirectional.ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the importance of lifestyle risk factors in LMICs and the socioeconomic variation therein. Given the different socioeconomic patterns in lifestyle risk factors - overweight patters in LMICs differ considerably from those in high income countries- tailored interventions towards specific high-risk populations are warranted to supplement nationwide policies.

A Critical Review of Learning Environment Policy Discourse in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Ministry of Education is funding a significant building programme for primary and secondary classrooms across Aotearoa, New Zealand. In New Zealand there is an expectation that new or refurbished classrooms will be innovative, modern or flexible learning environments. This paper reports findings from a critical policy analysis of the discourse within Ministry of Education documents focusing on the design of learning environments published 2010–2019. Using a ‘what’s the problem’ approach (Bacchi in Women, policy and politics: the construction of policy problems, Sage, London, 1999), we examine the representation of the ‘problems’ which the policy documents relating to modern learning environments intend to address. We use an eight-stage process of analysis of these documents in order to identify policy priorities, ideologies, assumptions and potential outcomes in order to see how these are used to justify authority and action. This analysis revealed two larger ‘problems’ and a number of subthemes underpinning these documents. We suggest that the construction of these problems has conflated many aspects of both space and teaching and learning and relied on unquestioned assumptions about ‘modern’ learning and collaborative teaching. We conclude by considering the implications of this policy direction for New Zealand’s education system.

Active Ageing Index in Korea – Comparison with China and EU countries

AbstractThe evidence‐based policymaking relies on the use and robustness of the available data. Many conceptual and operational difficulties restrict this process, not least in making use of evidence to identify policy priorities. The Active Ageing Index (AAI), developed originally for the 28 European Union countries, offers a strong motivation in this respect. This paper reports on the development of the AAI for Korea, a country where speed and level of population aging is among the highest in the world. Drawing on the comparative analysis of the AAI results for Korea, China, and European countries, we find that Korea's AAI (35.3) is higher than the average of the AAI for all EU countries (33.9) but lower than China (37.3). Fitting Korea into the overall ranking with the EU countries and China (ranked 7), Korea is ranked 11, just behind Germany (10). The AAI results in Korea show that the employment domain performs extremely well compared with the EU countries, but other domains, especially “Social participation” and “Independent, healthy and secure living,” are achieving less favorable outcomes. High employment among the current cohorts of older workers in Korea can be attributed largely to the constraints of low pension income status.

A methodological approach to identify policy priorities of municipalities in Greece

This study introduces a proposed framework encompassing all pivotal sectors a municipality deals with contributing to sustainable development at a local level. This framework is tailor-made to fit into the Greek environment in which municipalities operate. Furthermore, by making use of an appropriate weighting method, considering the challenges of the working environment in Greek municipalities, the study proposes a specific methodology to better understand the policy priorities of municipalities. This information can be used to adjust and better align local policies with national strategies and with the needs and priorities of citizens.

River network saturation concept: factors influencing the balance of biogeochemical supply and demand of river networks

River networks modify material transfer from land to ocean. Understanding the factors regulating this function for different gaseous, dissolved, and particulate constituents is critical to quantify the local and global effects of climate and land use change. We propose the River Network Saturation (RNS) concept as a generalization of how river network regulation of material fluxes declines with increasing flows due to imbalances between supply and demand at network scales. River networks have a tendency to become saturated (supply ≫ demand) under higher flow conditions because supplies increase faster than sink processes. However, the flow thresholds under which saturation occurs depends on a variety of factors, including the inherent process rate for a given constituent and the abundance of lentic waters such as lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and fluvial wetlands within the river network. As supply increases, saturation at network scales is initially limited by previously unmet demand in downstream aquatic ecosystems. The RNS concept describes a general tendency of river network function that can be used to compare the fate of different constituents among river networks. New approaches using nested in situ high-frequency sensors and spatially extensive synoptic techniques offer the potential to test the RNS concept in different settings. Better understanding of when and where river networks saturate for different constituents will allow for the extrapolation of aquatic function to broader spatial scales and therefore provide information on the influence of river function on continental element cycles and help identify policy priorities.

Exploring the impacts of coal mining on host communities in Shanxi, China – using subjective data

The neglect of the welfare of host communities in the current mining practice is partly due to the lack of a defensible measurement of the impacts of coal mining on host communities. Subjective indicators, superior to the traditionally used objective indicators in terms of informing policy makers of public preference, are barely used in mining impact assessment. The objective of this study is to illustrate approaches to use subjective data to investigate the impacts of coal mining. It looks at how satisfied people are with multiple wellbeing factors, what matters most/least to people, and at their perception of the impact that coal mining has on these factors. Comparisons are made between location categories characterized with different intensities of coal mining. Two composite indices that blends responses to questions about satisfaction and importance/perceived impacts of coal mining are constructed to identify policy priorities. The general and pervasive message is that coal mining does not seem to improve subjective satisfaction with those wellbeing factors, instead, it has negative impacts on a wide range of wellbeing factors pertaining to the natural environment and the economy. This paper supplies references for public policy to improve local wellbeing, and demonstrates approaches to use subjective data.

Malaysian Affordability Housing Policies Revisited

Housing has always been a significant aspiration of family expression and distinctly priciest investment by household. It plays a momentous role in the country's economy and so central to the societal well-being that is emplaced in the United Nation Universal declaration of Human rights. Yet in developed and developing world alike, cities struggle to provide decent housing for lower and middle income population. The provision of affordable housing is a major policy concern around the world with Malaysia being no exception; rising income hardly keep pace with price hike of housing unit and housing interventions has majorly concentrated on demand side leading to a non-responsive supply sector. Therefore, this paper highlights affordable housing issues pertaining Malaysia. It formulates Malaysian Map of affordability and conducts an evaluation of global housing schemes to better identify policy priorities for Malaysia. It's significant to harmonize supply and demand side factors in the housing market to ensure that housing supply fits the needs of citizens based on the location, price and target group. In case of Malaysia supply oriented initiative are of urgency in short and medium run. This must be supported by long term demand side schemes in parallel. Convergence of these two factors is essential for a balanced equilibrium and obtaining affordability.

Malaysian Affordability Housing Policies Revisited

Housing has always been a significant aspiration of family expression and distinctly priciest investment by household. It plays a momentous role in the country's economy and so central to the societal well-being that is emplaced in the United Nation Universal declaration of Human rights. Yet in developed and developing world alike, cities struggle to provide decent housing for lower and middle income population. The provision of affordable housing is a major policy concern around the world with Malaysia being no exception; rising income hardly keep pace with price hike of housing unit and housing interventions has majorly concentrated on demand side leading to a non- responsive supply sector. Therefore, this paper highlights affordable housing issues pertaining Malaysia. It formulates Malaysian Map of affordability and conducts an evaluation of global housing schemes to better identify policy priorities for Malaysia. It's significant to harmonize supply and demand side factors in the housing market to ensure that housing supply fits the needs of citizens based on the location, price and target group. In case of Malaysia supply oriented initiative are of urgency in short and medium run. This must be supported by long term demand side schemes in parallel. Convergence of these two factors is essential for a balanced equilibrium and obtaining affordability.

From armed conflict to disaster vulnerability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to estimate the effect of armed conflict on the vulnerability to natural hazards. Design/methodology/approach – The authors employ panel estimates of disaster deaths on a lagged indicator of the presence of armed conflict. Findings – Disaster deaths following armed conflict are on average 40 percent higher compared to disasters that are chronologically detached from armed conflict events; a legacy of armed conflict accounts for roughly 14 percent of the approximately five million disaster deaths between 1961 and 2010. Practical implications – A global estimate of the relationship between armed conflict and disaster vulnerability can help disaster management planners identify policy priorities associated with disaster prevention and management. Originality/value – The analysis reinforces the findings in previous qualitative studies of a causal link between armed conflict and increased disaster vulnerability and provides a quantitative estimate of the average magnitude of this relationship.

American Heart Association and Nonprofit Advocacy: Past, Present, and Future

Influencing public policy through advocacy is an essential strategy used by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) to achieve its health impact goals and programmatic objectives, which include helping all Americans lead healthier lives and reducing the incidence and consequences of cardiovascular disease and stroke. This advocacy work involves and engages the association's national officers, researchers, volunteer advocates, staff, and the general public and is a core strategy and key work process of the AHA/ASA. The organization's strategic approach to influencing public policy and leveraging its science and evidence base is not well known. This article provides the historical context of AHA advocacy, the organizational and legal structure under which these activities are carried out, the process used to develop the association's public policy positions and goals, the approaches used to achieve these goals, and the methods that have been developed to evaluate progress. This statement also examines the various tools and tactics that advocacy organizations use to influence public policy and specifically how the AHA/ASA conducts policy research, legislative and regulatory lobbying, coalition building and grassroots mobilization, and media advocacy. Finally, the ways that AHA/ASA evaluates the impact of its advocacy efforts are discussed, highlighting specific case studies and a brief summary of the association's 2010 to 2013 public policy agenda. The AHA's efforts to translate the science of cardiovascular disease and stroke into meaningful public policy began in earnest in the early 1980s. The association established a full-time office in Washington, DC, in early 1981 that was initially focused on increasing federal research funding administered by the National Institutes of Health.1 Other early policy priorities included tobacco control and support for programs that increased access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), new clinical preventive benefits in the Medicare program, and nutrition policy. The commitment and involvement of …

Jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts: Understanding and Remedying the Causes of Low Resident Employment Rates

As part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s commitment to supporting efforts to revitalize the economy of Springfield, Massachusetts, this paper explores the causes of and potential remedies for the city’s low resident employment rates. When compared to the state as a whole and to other midsize New England cities, the share of employed city residents is low, particularly for residents of downtown Springfield and its nearby neighborhoods. By analyzing the availability of jobs across Springfield’s various neighborhoods and in nearby towns and cities, this paper’s goal is to learn why so few Springfield residents are employed, and thus to identify policy priorities to increase employment. This study finds that solving Springfield’s low resident employment rates will require a combination of new job creation, improved informational and physical access to jobs, and strengthening the citizenry’s job skills.