International Development Research Articles

Paternal Orphanhood, Parental Illness, and Child’s Biological Relationship to Household Head: Their Impact on Child Health in Nigeria

Abstract This research fills a hole in the literature by investigating whether, in Nigeria, differences exist in the health of paternal orphans or vulnerable children depending on whether they have a close biological relationship with the household head compared to a distant relationship when health is measured through diarrhea, fever, and cough. The research analyzes the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey Data and employs a multi-level logistic regression as the model estimation technique. The results show that, regardless of the measure of child health, among paternal orphans or vulnerable children there is no significant difference in the health of grandchildren or children who are relatives/non-relatives of their household head in contrast to biological children of the household head. Further, results indicate that, among non-orphans or non-vulnerable children, there is a positive and statistically significant difference only in the odds of diarrhea for grandchildren compared to biological children. The devotion of foreign aid in social and health services in 2011–2013 from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for only orphans and vulnerable children, alongside contributions from the Nigeria government and other organizations, alleviated poor health status among said children.

Lessons learned: establishing a CLIA-equivalent laboratory for targeted mass spectrometry assays - navigating the transition from research to clinical practice.

Mass spectrometry (MS) assays offer exceptional capabilities in high multiplexity, specificity, and throughput. As proteomics technologies continue advancements to identify new disease biomarkers, transition of these innovations from research settings to clinical applications becomes imperative. To meet the rigorous regulatory standards of clinical laboratories, development of a clinical protein MS assay necessitates adherence to stringent criteria. To illustrate the process, this project focused on using thyroglobulin (Tg) as a biomarker and an immuno-multiple reaction monitoring (iMRM) MS-based assay as a model for establishing a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) compliant laboratory within the Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University. The chosen example also illustrates the clinical utility of MS assays to complement conventional immunoassay-based methods, particularly in cases where the presence of autoantibodies in 10-30% of patients hinders accuracy. The laboratory design entails a comprehensive coordination in spatial layout, workflow organization, equipment selection, ventilation systems, plumbing, electrical infrastructure, documentation procedures, and communication protocols. Practical aspects of the transformation process, including preparing laboratory facilities, testing environments, instrument validation, assay development and validation, quality management, sample testing, and personnel competency, are discussed. Finally, concordant results in proficiency testing demonstrate the harmonization with the University of Washington Medical Center and the quality assurance of the CLIA-equivalent Tg-iMRM MS assay established in Taiwan. The realization of this model protein MS assay in Taiwan highlights the feasibility of international joint development and provides a detailed reference map to expedite the implementation of more MS-based protein assays in clinical laboratories for patient care.

Self-driven solutions and resilience adapted by people with drug-resistant tuberculosis and their caregivers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, India: a qualitative study

One-fifth of people with drug-resistance tuberculosis (DR-TB) who were initiated on newer shorter treatment regimen (with injection) had unfavourable treatment outcomes in India as on 2020. Evidence on self-driven solutions and resilience adapted by people with DR-TB (PwDR-TB) towards their multi-dimensional disease and treatment challenges are scarce globally, which we aimed to understand. In this qualitative study using positive deviance framework, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews among consenting adult PwDR-TB (7 women, 13 men) who completed shorter treatment regimen (including injections) with maximum treatment adherence. The study was conducted in the southern districts of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, India between June 2020 and December 2022. Caregivers (14 women, 6 men) and health providers (8 men, 2 women) of PwDR-TB were also interviewed. Interviews were conducted in local language (Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and Hindi) and inquired about practices, behaviours, experiences, perceptions and attributes which enabled maximum adherence and resilience of PwDR-TB. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated to English and coded for thematic analysis using inductive approach. Distinctive themes explanatory of the self-driven solutions and resilience exhibited by PwDR-TB and their caregivers were identified: (i) Self-adaptation towards the biological consequences of drugs, by personalised nutritional and adjuvant practices, which helped to improve drug ingestion and therapeutic effects. Also home remedies and self-plans for ameliorating injection pain. (ii) Perceptual adaptation towards drugs aversion and fatigue, by their mind diversion practices, routinisation and normalisation of drug intake process. and constant reinforcement and re-interpretation of bodily signs of disease recovery (iii) Family caregivers intense and participatory care for PwDR-TB, by aiding their essential life activities and ensuring survival, learning and fulfilling special nutritional needs and goal oriented actions to aid drug intake (iv) Health care providers care, marked by swift and timely risk mitigation of side-effects and crisis response (v) Acquired self-efficacy of PwDR-TB, by their decisive family concerns resulting in attitudinal change. Also being sensitised on the detrimental consequences of disease and being motivated through positive examples. Synthesised findings on self-driven solutions and resilience towards the multi-dimensional DR-TB challenges provides opportunity for developing and testing new interventions for its effectiveness in DR-TB care settings globally. Designing and testing personalised cognitive interventions for PwDR-TB: to inculcate attitudinal change and self-efficacy towards medication, developing cognitive reinforcements to address the perception burden of treatment, skill building and mainstreaming the role of family caregivers as therapeutic partners of PwDR-TB, curating self-adaptive behaviours and practices of PwDR-TB to normalise their drug consumptions experiences could be the way forward in building resilience towards DR-TB. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), Bengaluru, India.

Dynamics of Economic Factors Influencing Human Development in ASEAN-7

Abstract
 This study analyzes the relationship between economic factors and human development in the seven ASEAN countries using the panel data regression approach and Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA). The factors investigated include international trade (TRD), per capita GDP growth (GrGDPPC), inflation (INF), and economic freedom (EFI). Panel data covers seven ASEAN countries during the 2012–2020 time period. Based on the results of the panel data regression analysis, it was found that only the inflation variable did not have a significant effect on human development. Meanwhile, the results of the MRA analysis show that economic freedom acts as a quasi-moderation in the relationship between international trade and human development. Meanwhile, economic freedom also functions as an independent variable in influencing the growth of GDP per capita and inflation in human development. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the complexity of the interactions between economic factors shaping HDI achievement in ASEAN.
 Keywords: ASEAN, economic freedom, human development
 JEL: O15, F43, E31, I32

Community Forest Program and Women Empowerment: A Study Gorkha District

Globalization has had a powerful impact on individuals and societies. Some have argued that Nepal entered the age of globalization only in the 1980—after Nepal began to liberalize rules of international trade. Globalization however, also began to impact individuals and societies in Nepal because of the expanding presence of international development agencies there. One such expansion of international agencies was in the community forestry sector. This paper explores how the internationally driven community forestry program in the Gorkha District of Nepal and the associated Community Forest User Group (CFUG) there, is empowering local women. Although forest conservation programs started from 1960s, the initiation of the community forestry program in 1993 helped convert the nationalized forests into community forests that were handed over to local communities. The shift of the ownership and management responsibility of local forests to the local community (CFUG) also shifted the privilege and power to the locals. The initial intent of the program was to protect forest and wildlife and mitigate the hazards caused by deforestation. In time, however, the program was expanded to the holistic development of the community, including the empowerment of women within such community.

When waiting means trouble: an enquiry into the approach toward prevention against jihadism in Senegal

In the last decade, West Africa has experienced increased activities by Jihadist groups, especially after the fall of the Muammar Qaddafi regime in Libya in 2012. The activities of these groups have gradually spread in the region, with countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso experiencing continued attacks. Taking the current socio-economic, religious and political context of Senegal into consideration, this study interrogates the factors that have so far prevented attacks by Jihadist groups in Senegal, the role that women and youth could play in mitigating jihadism in Senegal, and how the existing social capital in the country, could be further mobilized to foster trust building and social cohesion, thereby enhancing the prevention of violent extremism in the country? Furthermore, the study explores the need for a regional approach in dealing with the existing and emerging threats posed by Jihadist activities in the region. Methodologically, this study uses interviews and Focus Group Discussions to collect primary data from government officials, academics, civil society and international development partners. Secondary data from a wide range of sources are used to analyze the case of Senegal.

CICA and China’s soft balancing act towards the US

At the 2014 summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, Chinese President, Xi Jinping with New Asian Security Concept, announced the slogan of ‘Asia for Asians’ or ‘Asia belongs to Asians’, and he played a leading role in the reactivation of CICA. In this sense, it can be stated that China has aimed to play a more active role in shaping the existing regional security order in Asia-Pacific. Although the regional policies of the United States, starting with the ‘Pivot to Asia’ and continuing with the ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ strategy and the regional and international developments in China’s strategic environment have increased China’s need for CICA, it served as a kind of soft balancing act, rather than hard balancing act, that increased diplomatic maneuverability for China. In this regard, the article attempts to explain why CICA remains a soft balancing act in China’s regional security policies, taking into account a number of factors such as power parity/disparity, economic dependence/interdependence, threat perception and increasing institutionalization in the international system, and attempts to explore why CICA is becoming an increasingly important regional security institution for China.

Applying Self-Determination Theory to International Development and Humanitarian Organisations

International development and humanitarian organisations are increasingly focused on transitioning from top-down models of practice to ‘locally-led approaches’ that recognise local epistemologies, capabilities and visions of change. Despite this focus, there remains limited practical guidance to support organisations making this transition. In this article, we aim to suggest ways in which Self-Determination Theory, a well-known theoretical framework in psychology and education, could be applied in the context of development and humanitarian organisations to facilitate transitions to locally-led partnerships and ways of working. We provide an overview of Self-Determination Theory and where it has been used in the development and humanitarian contexts. We propose its feasibility as a framework for transition to locally-led partnerships and approaches in these contexts and suggest specific strategies under a Self-Determination Theory framework that organisations could employ to support both international and local staff members in organisational transitions to locally-led practice.

Relationship, governance, and upgrading opportunities in the Shea value Chain: a descriptive analysis from Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT This study explores the relationships between value chain actors in the shea sector in Northern Ghana, the governance mechanism that prevails, and the upgrading opportunities for upstream actors. The value chain analysis (VCA) framework was the main analytical tool employed for this assessment. Participating actors in the shea global value chain were shea kernel producers, shea butter processors, aggregators, and industrial processors and exporters of shea products. The results showed that, although women shea upstream actors (especially shea kernel producers) interface directly with aggregators, the relationship is weak and restricted to spot buying, and arms-length market governance relationship. Although the upstream actors are enthusiastic to upgrade their products, they are constrained by inadequate access to requisite assets, resources, capabilities, and skills. The shea upstream actors were confined to low value-adding segments and activities of the shea-GVC. Industrial processors and exporters appear reluctant to directly support upstream women processors to upgrade through offering credits, technology transfer and skills enhancement. Lowering barriers to upgrading opportunities in the value chain calls for intervention of the government, and support from international development organizations (NGOs), and midstream and downstream actors. Government must create an enabling policy environment that incentivize downstream actors to build capacities of upstream actors.

Towards a sustainable and responsible model for monitoring open science and research—analysis of the Finnish model for monitoring open science and research

Abstract Advancing and supporting the development of open science practices is of global interest, and subsequently also the monitoring of the ongoing developments is more and more on the agenda. In Finland, monitoring open science has a relatively long history, and the first evaluation of research performing and research funding organisations took place already in 2015. The system has evolved over the years, and in 2019 the responsibility for monitoring was transferred from the Ministry of Education and Culture to the research community. This article looks at the latest monitoring, conducted in Spring 2022 from the point of view of its compliance with the principles of responsible research assessment. To structure the analysis we have used the SCOPE framework designed to enable planning and conducting evaluations responsibly. As a conclusion we find there are four main challenges in the current model for monitoring open science in Finland: 1) the model leaves very little room for internal discussion or decision-making within organisations, 2) the model focuses too much on organizational developments and largely ignores national and international developments, 3) the model essentially reduces very complex issues into numbers, and 4) the organisations are monitored against a set of objectives without giving them enough time to realize expected reforms.

Linking science with policy: the importance of incorporating clear roles for knowledge brokers into research-for-development organizations

Agriculture and food systems research and international development work will not proceed at the necessary speed without clear attention to the role of knowledge brokers within science-policy-practice interfaces. For research to be taken up and incorporated in policy frameworks, knowledge brokering is essential. Scaling of research for development findings will happen through other impact pathways as well, such as development of business models with the private sector, but development and implementation of robust and coherent policies informed by credible evidence is necessary for institutionalizing the work of agriculture and food systems research. Such policies are needed at multiple levels, and knowledge brokers are needed at these different levels as well. Examples of the importance of knowledge brokers in agricultural research for development from the livestock sector and its interaction with the climate change arena are used to illustrate this call for more attention to knowledge brokering.

AI for social good and the corporate capture of global development

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the AI for Social Good (AI4SG) movement, which aims to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It argues that, through AI4SG, Big Tech is attempting to advance AI-driven technosolutionism within the development policy and scholarly space creating new opportunities for rent extraction. The article situates AI4SG, within the history of ICT4D. It also highlights the contiguity of AI4SG with the so-called 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), a framework that places AI and other digital innovations at the center of national and international development and industrial policy agendas. By exploring how Big Tech has attempted to depoliticize datafication, we thus suggest that AI4SG and 4IR are mutually reinforcing discourses that serve the purpose of depoliticizing the development arena by bestowing legitimacy and authority to Big Tech to reshape policy spaces and epistemic infrastructures while inserting themselves, to an unprecedented degree, between the citizen (data) and the state (development and policy).

Development and validation of quantitative PCR assays for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa: a diagnostic accuracy study

HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis is the second leading cause of AIDS-related deaths, with a 10-week mortality rate of 25-30%. Fungal load assessed by colony-forming unit (CFU) counts is used as a prognostic marker andto monitor response to treatment in research studies. PCR-based assessment of fungal load could be quicker andless labour-intensive. We sought to design, optimise, and validate quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for the detection, identification, and quantification of Cryptococcus infections in patients with cryptococcal meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. We developed and validated species-specific qPCR assays based on DNA amplification of QSP1 (QSP1A specific to Cryptococcus neoformans, QSP1B/C specific to Cryptococcus deneoformans, and QSP1D specific to Cryptococcus gattii species) and a pan-Cryptococcus assay based on a multicopy 28S rRNA gene. This was a longitudinal study that validated the designed assays on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 209 patients with cryptococcal meningitis at baseline (day 0) and during anti-fungal therapy (day 7 and day 14), from the AMBITION-cm trial in Botswana and Malawi (2018-21). Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older and presenting with a first case of cryptococcal meningitis. When compared with quantitative cryptococcal culture as the reference, the sensitivity of the 28S rRNA was 98·2% (95% CI 95·1-99·5) and of the QSP1 assay was 90·4% (85·2-94·0) in CSF at day 0. Quantification of the fungal load with QSP1 and 28S rRNA qPCR correlated with quantitative cryptococcal culture (R2=0·73 and R2=0·78, respectively). Both Botswana and Malawi had a predominant C neoformans prevalence of 67% (95% CI 55-75) and 68% (57-73), respectively, and lower C gattii rates of 21% (14-31) and 8% (4-14), respectively. We identified ten patients that, after 14 days of treatment, harboured viable but non-culturable yeasts based on QSP1 RNA detection (without any positive CFU in CSF culture). QSP1 and 28S rRNA assays are useful in identifying Cryptococcus species. qPCR results correlate well with baseline quantitative cryptococcal culture and show a similar decline in fungal load during induction therapy. These assays could be a faster alternative to quantitative cryptococcal culture to determine fungal load clearance. The clinical implications of the possible detection of viable but non-culturable cells in CSF during induction therapy remain unclear. European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership; Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency; Wellcome Trust/UK Medical Research Council/UKAID Joint Global Health Trials; and UKNational Institute for Health Research.

We are queer and the struggle is here! Visibility at the intersection of LGBT+ rights, post-coloniality, and development cooperation in Uganda

This article unpacks different meanings of visibility and adds to a more complex and nuanced understanding of visibility and its role in LGBT + activism in Uganda, a widely discussed case of political homophobia. Public visibility has a central, although contested, role here. The study aims to explore how visibility is understood and navigated by local LGBT + activists, unaffiliated people with same-sex desires, as well as international development partners. Interviews conducted in Kampala from December 2021–January 2022 reveal different and complex narratives surrounding visibility. Local unaffiliated individuals and activists agreed on the importance of making the LGBT + rights struggle more visible. This, however, did not translate into a wish to “come out” themselves. International development actors expressed a need for caution regarding their own visibility, mindful that explicit and visual support may generate accusations of neo-imperialism.

University Work Experiences in International Development: Expanding Locations, Spaces and Pathways

How can university work experiences contribute to reframing International Development from expert saviourism rooted in colonial legacies into a project of social justice and global solidarity? In this article, I propose the design of work-experiential pedagogies that integrate practical work experiences with critical theoretical teaching and an emphasis on students’ experiential knowledge. Such pedagogies call for an expansion of the forms of university work experiences, challenging students to reflect on their manifold personal and institutional locations, to explore the diverse spaces in which work experiences can take place and to experiment with multiple pathways for change. My proposal draws on teaching examples and student journeys at my home university in the UK.

Book Review: Gender, communications, and reproductive health in international development by Matos, C.

Book Review: <i>Gender, communications, and reproductive health in international development</i> by Matos, C.

How SMEs Develop International Markets

With the acceleration of the globalization process and the intensification of market competition, SMEs are gradually realizing that the development of international markets is crucial to their future development. However, due to their relatively limited capabilities, SMEs face many challenges in the process of international market development, including financial and resource constraints, asymmetric market information, legal and policy barriers, cultural differences and language barriers. In response to these challenges, SMEs' internationalization requires identifying suitable international markets, customizing product and marketing strategies, ensuring product quality and compliance, cross-border cooperation and resource integration, and establishing reliable logistics and supply chain systems.

Funding of Special Education in a Depressed Economy: Sociological Perspective

Funding is very critical for the sustainability of special education. Funding aids in the realization of special educational objectives. Funding of special education is affected under depressed economy. This paper looked at the concept of funding, concept of depressed economics and the concept of alternatives sources. This paper also discussed various alternatives sources of funding options available for special education in a depressed economy. Relying on secondary data that were collected from print and online publications, the paper identified public private partnerships (PPPs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international development agencies, community partnership, donations from individuals and charitable organisations, endowment funds, old boy association partnership as some of the alternatives sources of funding available for funding of special education in a depressed economy. Based on this, the paper recommended that special education managers should embrace public private partnerships (PPPs) model, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) strategy, international development agencies strategy, community partnership strategy, donations from individuals and charitable organisations strategy, endowment funds strategy and old boy association partnership strategy to raise more fund to administer the special education institutions in the economy depressed era.

International Training and Development

It is widely accepted that effective management of human resources will bring about increased organizational and employee performance. Based on this, the area of international human resource management (IHRM) has gained increased interest, especially with the continued growth of multinational corporations and globalization. Many IHRM practices and theories have been developed since the emergence of international business. The boundaries of IHRM are established within the concepts of MNC management across diverse cultural work practices as well as comparative international HRM among organisations. In this paper, I will reflect on these concepts as applicable in the practices of international training and development and performance management and compensation. My reflective essay will explore these topics with a key interest in expatriates who are affected greatly

乡村建设行动的国际经验与发展趋势研究

实施乡村建设行动是落实乡村振兴战略的重要任务，也是国家现代化建设的重要内容，但现阶段我国乡村建设水平在基础设施、人居环境、公共服务等方面仍有待提升。本文结合日、韩、德、美4个国家的乡村建设历程，搭建了面向“宜居”“宜业”“和美”三大目标维度，基于“立法保障”“政策制度”“财政行动”“社会动员”4类政府行政工具的分析框架，以城市化进程为脉络，总结了4个国家在城市化水平与我国相似时期和当前时期乡村建设的重点，进一步总结出乡村建设的共性趋势，为我国乡村建设行动提供经验启示。