International Governmental Organizations Research Articles

Digital transformation: A literature review in the context of international economies and finance

Purpose: The digitisation of economies and finance shows the importance of digital transformation (DT) in helping countries, markets and institutions to remain competitive. The changes brought about are not only technological in nature in certain market niches but affect the globality of a country’s institutions with environmental and social implications. For this reason, in recent years, DT has received increasing attention from researchers, and this study will show its evolution of DT and its components in the period 2012–2022.Design/methodology/approach: For this purpose, a literature review with bibliometric analysis is carried out, in order to evaluate DT and its components in emerging and developed economy countries. In the statistical work, the bibliometrix and biblioshiny software packages were used to perform data extraction and quantitative analysis of the research articles, obtained from the Web of Science databases.Findings/results: A total of 164 articles were selected for the research, which served to identify the most relevant publications on the case of DT in developing versus developed countries.Practical implications: Thus, this research is of great interest to academics and practitioners who can explore knowledge on DT in a global context and analyse the main trends and authors contributing to knowledge in this scientific field.Originality/value: The conclusions obtained refer both to the theoretical framework and to the implications for the management of both public administrations and international governmental organisations.

Decolonizing Transnational Feminism

Abstract This article analyzes the Afghan and Iranian feminist uprisings of the early 2020s spurred by #MahsaAmini’s death and the return of the Taliban, and their predecessors, #MyRedLine and #MyStealthyFreedom. It assesses why these movements, which gained international traction and a huge global online and offline presence, are no longer in the mainstream media spotlight. The article examines the efficacy and dangers of these feminist movements, which attempt to redress the tide of Islamist ideology in both countries by building solidarity with international governmental and nongovernmental human rights organizations. It also highlights how Afghan and Iranian women’s activism is selectively recognized and appropriated by neo-imperial agendas and provides strategies for decolonization. Finally, the article argues that #MahsaAmini and #MyRedLine are exemplary instances of feminist transnational collaboration and global mobilization for women’s rights, whereas #MyStealthyFreedom and the lack of coverage of the Afghan women’s right uprising since Taliban 2.0 fall into the paradigm of imperial feminism.

The sociology of global health: Inequality, disease‐related stigma, and the rise of nongovernmental organizations

AbstractThis article is a review of global health literature, emphasizing the evolution in health terminology in recent decades and noteworthy research areas of global health. This review identifies global inequality and disease‐related stigma as key social determinants of health and central problems improving health outcomes. Within global health, there is a growing discourse surrounding health disparities, particularly among the world's most disadvantaged populations. Additionally, the field notes an increase in global health nonprofits, international governmental organizations (IGOs), and regulatory bodies. As such, this paper examines the scope of empirical global health research with consideration of inequality and stigma as well as the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in health outcomes for the developing world. The review also discusses the role of IGOs and global health regulatory bodies in shaping development and health outcomes. A broad review of literature finds that although chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are currently the largest cause of poor health in the world's most impoverished nations, these are largely untargeted by NGO efforts, which may exacerbate the state of global inequality. However, the impact that NGOs could have on ameliorating the effects of NCDs remains understudied and is a promising direction for future scholarly efforts.

Negotiating international aviation: Analyzing the contribution of politics to the United States' open skies agreements through democratic peace theory

Operation of the civilian global aviation industry is a complex process that relies on intergovernmental collaboration while balancing issues of sovereignty. As such, the factors that drive the development of international air operations are more complicated than simply economics: international regimes must consider a variety of concerns when establishing diplomatic relationships. Bilateral and multilateral international Air Service Agreements (ASAs) have become more liberalized to reduce the extent of government interaction for establishing and maintaining international commercial operations with and between ASA partners, allowing a greater influence of basic market forces over government required mandates and limitations for airline operations. Utilizing Democratic Peace Theory (DPT) as a theoretical basis for driving Open Skies Agreement (OSA) development practices, a logistic regression was used to determine the likelihood of the US reaching an OSA with a partner State based on the democracy strength of the partner State, the ability to access the US through diplomatic international governmental organization (IGO) participation, and the frequency of aviation operations with the US. This study found that the United States was very likely to hold OSAs with more democratic governments compared to less democratic governments. In addition, mutual participation in IGOs moderated the relationship as less democratic governments sharing membership in fewer IGOs with the United States were more likely to sign an OSA than non-democratic governments sharing membership in many IGOs. Finally, total operations between the United States and its international aviation partners were also found to have moderating effects on the likelihood of an OSA. Implications of these effects are discussed.

Do open government data (OGD) portals show signs of knowledge management (KM) practices?: an empirical investigation

ABSTRACT Open Government Data (OGD) is a build-up of the data accumulated in the government organisations pertaining to the structural and functional dimensions and it is imperative for OGD to be high-value for facilitating value creation and innovation. The present study purports to provide a launchpad to the aforementioned truism by advancing the concept of Open Government Data Capital (OGDC) resting on the principles of Knowledge Management (KM) given that the high-value OGD can result only with the engagement of the concerned administrative agencies in knowledge sharing for being made accessible for wider use via dedicated web portals. To drive home the arguments, an empirical investigation is conducted with four top-notch countries, viz., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, in terms of the quantitative evaluation of their OGD portals’ quality and inferences are drawn as to how OGDC may be furthered with the provision and maintenance of high-value datasets. Thus, it is shown that the Australian OGD portal is qualitatively robust and leads in terms of OGDC which may be beefed up with more integration of the KM practices in terms of the inter-governmental agencies’ coordination and the other countries are lagging behind in terms of the quality parameters.

Exploring the Effectiveness of International Organizations Interventions on Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The United Nations and MDecins Sans Frontieres as Examples

Womens bodies often bear the consequences of war and conflict. To safeguard womens dignity and health, international governmental organizations, represented by the UN, and international organizations, represented by Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF), have tried to prevent sexual violence through reforms and development interventions in countries in conflict. However, since the end of the civil conflict in 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to experience high levels of sexual violence. This paper uses case studies to provide a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the causes of the high prevalence of sexual violence and the reasons for the failure of two organisations interventions in the country. It also provides recommendations for future interventions by international organisations in the country. In particular, more realistic measures for the protection of victims and cooperation between international actors, not only focusing on conventional international actors but also taking into account cooperation with local NGOs and the media. As well as focusing more on how to change the deep-rooted gender inequalities. The intention is to fill the gap in how to address sexual violence from the perspective of international organisations.

Humanitarian response by grassroots associations during a military conflict

Purpose Conflict and violence are the main drivers of globally escalating humanitarian needs. Local grassroots initiatives are pivotal in distributing humanitarian supplies in the acute response phase until more established humanitarian aid organizations can enter. Nevertheless, scant research exists regarding the role of grassroots associations in providing humanitarian assistance during a military conflict. The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of grassroots associations and identify important themes for effective operations. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a case-study approach of three Ukrainian grassroots associations that began operating in the immediate days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The findings are based on analyzing primary sources, including interviews with Ukrainian volunteers, and are supported by secondary sources. Findings Grassroots associations have local contacts and a contextual understanding of population needs and can respond more rapidly and effectively than large intergovernmental agencies. Four critical themes regarding the operations of grassroots associations emerged: information management, inventory management, coordination and performance measurement. Grassroots humanitarian response operations during conflict are challenged by personal security risks, the unpredictability of unsolicited supplies, emerging volunteer roles, dynamic transportation routes and shifting demands. Originality/value Grassroots responses are central to humanitarian responses during the acute phase of a military conflict. By examining the operations of grassroots associations in the early months of the 2022 war in Ukraine, the authors provide a unique perspective on humanitarian logistics. Nonetheless, more inclusive models of humanitarian responses are needed to harness the capacities and resilience of grassroots operations in practice.

Clinical practice guideline recommendations for diagnosis and management of anxiety and depression in hospitalized adults with delirium: a systematic review

BackgroundDelirium commonly occurs in hospitalized adults. Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can co-occur with delirium, and can be recognized and managed by clinicians using recommendations found in methodological guiding statements called Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). The specific aims of this review were to: [1] synthesize CPG recommendations for the diagnosis and management of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in adults with delirium in acute care; and [2] identify recent published literature in addition to those identified and reported in a 2017 review on delirium CPG recommendations and quality.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and 21 sites on the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies listed in the Health Grey Matters Lite tool were searched from inception to February 12, 2021. Selected CPGs focused on delirium in acute care, were endorsed by an international scientific society or governmental organization, and contained at least one recommendation for the diagnosis or management of delirium. Two reviewers independently extracted data in duplicate and independently assessed CPG quality using the AGREE-II tool. Narrative synthesis of CPG recommendations was conducted.ResultsTitle and abstract screening was completed on 7611 records. Full-text review was performed on 197 CPGs. The final review included 27 CPGs of which 7 (26%) provided recommendations for anxiety (4/7, 57%), depression (5/7, 71%), and PTSD (1/7, 14%) in delirium. Twenty CPGs provided recommendations for delirium only (e.g., assess patient regularly, avoid use of benzodiazepines). Recommendations for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders with delirium included using evidence-based diagnostic criteria and standardized screening tools. Recommendations for the management of psychiatric disorders with delirium included pharmacological (e.g., anxiolytics, antidepressants) and non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., promoting patient orientation using clocks). Guideline quality varied: the lowest was Applicability (mean = 36%); the highest Clarity of Presentation (mean = 76%).ConclusionsThere are few available evidence-based CPGs to facilitate appropriate diagnosis and management of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in patients with delirium in acute care. Future guideline developers should incorporate evidence-based recommendations on the diagnosis and management of these psychiatric disorders in delirium.Systematic review registrationRegistration number: PROSPERO (CRD42021237056)

Documents without Borders: Beneath the Rubble

In my first few columns exploring the intricacies of international governmental information, I focused primarily on information provided by nations with strong institutions and long established international governmental organizations (IGOs). While I briefly mentioned potential flaws in information and data related to cultural preferences and willful misleading—I stayed away from discussing finding and evaluating information from nations with weak institutions. Government information specialists are well aware of the complexity of navigating a labyrinth of bureaucratic information that varies in how accessible it is, but what happens without even the assurance of that imperfect system? Nations that are mired in ongoing conflict, corruption, or whose institutions have been threatened by financial or climate crises face unique challenges in sharing or even preserving information. This column will look at examples of these situations, and strategies for accessing information that feels as though it is buried beneath the rubble.

International governmental organizations in the global health governance system: the leading role of the World Health Organization

Issues of human health protection have gradually been integrated into the agenda of specialized UN agencies and other international intergovernmental organizations in the context of ensuring the achievement of sustainable development goals, as well as the development of effective measures to curb the formation of threats to human and state security in the field of health care.Given the institutional changes in global health governance that have taken place over the past two decades and, accordingly, the impact of the changing conditions and context of international governmental organizations (IGOs) on their interaction with other actors and their performance of changed functions in the world, that is globalizing, there is an increase in the role of IGOs in the process of political globalization due to the growing relevance of political processes at the world level. However, due to the inflexibility of the organizational settings of many IMUs in general and the lack of leadership of more influential actors and their hesitant response to increasing epidemics, particularly in developing countries, there was an opportunity for actors who do not usually have much decision-making authority. and law, to set the agenda and influence global policy in this area. Civil society organizations (CSOs) operated in the discursive field of global health governance, as well as at relevant interfaces, and strengthened their discursive power through opportunities for access to medicines. This particular area of global governance was to some extent already «occupied» by the usually weak participants in the global power structure, when more powerful players – IGOs – re-entered this field.This article focuses on the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in global health governance, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and analyzes the interaction and the relationship between them, as well as with other relevant global health actors.

International legal documents aimed at preventing the concealment of offenses

In this article, an analysis is conducted of a range of international normative and legal instruments aimed at preventing the concealment of offenses. By scrutinizing international normative and legal acts and documents of international governmental organizations such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe and its Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), and others, the most influential and effective tools for preventing the concealment of offenses are identified. The analysis traces the trends in the development of international norms and their orientation towards addressing shortcomings and inadequate control mechanisms.The primary objective of this work is to emphasize the significance of implementing and effectively implementing international normative and legal acts to prevent the concealment of offenses in Ukraine. It is noted that technological advancements and increasing international connectivity necessitate enhanced cooperation between countries and the improvement of tools for detecting, investigating, and halting human rights violations, corruption, cybercrime, and other offenses.Within the scope of this article, the effectiveness and results of international normative and legal acts in preventing the concealment of offenses are examined at various levels: national, regional, and global. The influence of global political, economic, and socio-cultural factors on the effectiveness of monitoring and implementing these acts is highlighted. The role of civil organizations and activists in supporting and monitoring compliance with international norms is also investigated.Preventing the concealment of offenses is a process that requires joint efforts and the harmonization of legal systems in different countries. The article attempts to identify gaps in international normative and legal instruments and proposes measures for their further improvement. This work seeks to underscore the importance of cooperation among states, which will ensure the effectiveness of combating the concealment of offenses and promoting justice worldwide.

Shared sustainability: An analysis of the belt and road initiative agenda network of united nation news website

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global initiative that is gaining increasing attention, participation, and communication globally. However, most existing studies on BRI-related communication are based on BRI communication as the background. As an important theory of communication, network agenda-setting (NAS) theory is used to focus on an increasing number of objects that are rarely studied by international organizations. The United Nations (UN) news website, which is the official website of the largest international governmental organization, is available in nine languages (as of May 7, 2021), including Chinese, English, French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili, and Hindi, providing news reports based on audience research. Thus, this study analyzed the BRI agenda network of UN's nine languages web pages, calculates BRI-related elements and correlation strength, and forms a multidimensional matrix in conjunction with the NAS theory. Finally, based on the summary statistics of the BRI agenda network, the UN news website agenda network was summarized and formed. The correlation strength of nine languages and 26 content pieces was analyzed using statistical principal components and cluster analysis. The result showed that the BRI agenda network of the UN news website had a strong link with the UN's sustainable development goals. Note that the BRI agendas in different languages can influence each other, making sustainability a crucial element for both BRI and the UN. In addition, the NAS theory can work within the same organization. However, there is still room for improvement in BRI's sustainable global discourse communication, such as audience analysis, language-ability building, and diversification of communication bodies and methods.

Managed grazing and agroecological transformation in the Midwestern United States

A growing number of intergovernmental agencies, policymakers, scholars, and farmers are calling to transform the dominant food system so that it better supports farmers, communities, and the environment. The goal of this paper is to identify which actions that support managed livestock grazing and graziers can also promote agroecological transformation in the Midwestern U.S. We conducted 128 semi-structured interviews and 3 participatory workshops with farmers, civil society, and agricultural industry professionals focused on visions for the future and actions that could support managed grazing. We then applied a political agroecology framework to assess the transformative potential of specific actions. Action categories with high transformative potential include addressing industry consolidation and inequities in the distribution of land and capital; providing social supports for farm owners and workers; and shifting the social norms that support the dominant food system. Specific actions within these categories include supporting cooperative models of farming, marketing, and resource-sharing; providing healthcare, living wages, and retirement to farmers; supporting farmer-to-farmer networks; modifying crop insurance and anti-trust legislation; addressing farmland access and consolidation; expanding public education on agroecology; and enacting policies that dismantle and repair colonial and racial violence. The workshops revealed that a disproportionate share of attention within the Midwest sustainable agriculture movement is currently focused on strategies that support sustainable farming practices such as education and conservation assistance but do little to address governance structures that maintain the power of the current agricultural system. While these efforts are important, workshop participants and interviewees concluded that more systemic change is needed to build a food system that works better for people, communities, and the environment.

Existing evidence on the impact of changes in marine ecosystem structure and functioning on ecosystem service delivery: a systematic map

BackgroundThe current biodiversity crisis underscores the urgent need for sustainable management of the human uses of nature. In the context of sustainability management, adopting the ecosystem service (ES) concept, i.e., the benefits humans obtain from nature, can support decisions aimed at benefiting both nature and people. However, marine ecosystems in particular endure numerous direct drivers of change (i.e., habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and introduction of non-indigenous species) all of which threaten ecosystem structure, functioning, and the provision of ES. Marine ecosystems have received less attention than terrestrial ecosystems in ES literature, and knowledge on marine ES is hindered by the highly heterogeneous scientific literature with regard to the different types of marine ecosystem, ES, and their correlates. Here, we constructed a systematic map of the existing literature to highlight knowledge clusters and knowledge gaps on how changes in marine ecosystems influence the provision of marine ES.MethodWe searched for all evidence documenting how changes in structure and functioning of marine ecosystems affect the delivery of ES in academic and grey literature sources. In addition to Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, we searched 6 online databases from intergovernmental agencies, supranational or national organizations, and NGOs. We screened English-language documents using predefined inclusion criteria on titles, abstracts, and then full texts, without any geographic or temporal limitations. All qualifying literature was coded and metadata were extracted. No formal validity appraisal was undertaken. We identified knowledge clusters and gaps in terms of which ecosystem types, biodiversity components, or ES types have been studied and how these categories are linked.Review findingsOur searches identified 41 884 articles published since 1968 of which 12 140 were duplicates; 25 747 articles were excluded at the title-screening stage, then 2774 at the abstract stage. After full-text screening, a total of 653 articles—having met the eligibility criteria—were included in the final database, spanning from 1977 to July 2021. The number of studies was unevenly distributed across geographic boundaries, ecosystem types, ES, and types of pressure.The most studied ecosystems were pelagic ecosystems on continental shelves and intertidal ecosystems, and deep-sea habitats and ice-associated ecosystems were the least studied. Food provision was the major focus of ES articles across all types of marine ecosystem (67%), followed by climate regulation (28%), and recreation (14%). Biophysical values were assessed in 91% of the analysed articles, 30% assessed economic values, but only 3% assessed socio-cultural values. Regarding the type of impact on ecosystems, management effects were the most studied, followed by overexploitation and climate change (with increase in seawater temperature being the most commonly assessed climate change pressure). Lastly, the introduction of non-indigenous species and deoxygenation were the least studied.ConclusionsThis systematic map provides, in addition to a database, knowledge gaps and clusters on how marine ecosystem changes impact ES provision. The current lack of knowledge is a threat to the sustainability of human actions and knowledge-based nature conservation. The knowledge gaps and clusters highlighted here could guide future research and impact the beneficial development of policy and management practices.

Gendered state violence and post-coup migration out of Turkey

Through a study of migration patterns out of Turkey since 2016, this paper examines how state-sponsored gendered violence contributes to international migration. While gender-based violence is acknowledged as a critical driver of migration, existing scholarship generally focuses on domestic violence and violence by non-state actors. This paper examines how gendered violence perpetrated or encouraged by the state can force migration. While women in Turkey have long experienced shifting approaches to women's rights, after the July 2016 coup attempt, state-led and state-sanctioned violence intensified and became visible as a tool to repress alleged dissidents, minorities, and LGBTQ individuals. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with recent migrants and an analysis of news articles and reports by international governmental and non-governmental organisations, the paper identifies gendered forms of violence perpetrated by the Turkish state that lead to decisions to migrate. In doing so, the paper draws attention to the role of state-sponsored gender-based violence as a cause of human mobility.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has now emerged as a chronic public health problem globally, with the forecast of 10 million deaths per year globally by 2050. AMR occurs when viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites do not respond to antimicrobial treatments in humans and animals, thus allowing the survival of the microorganism within the host. The prominent cause contributing to the current crisis remains to be the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials, particularly the inappropriate usage of antibiotics, increasing the global burden of antimicrobial resistance. The global consumption and usage of antibiotics are therefore closely monitored at all times. This review provides a current overview of the implications of strategies used by international governmental organisations, including the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to address the problem of antibiotic resistance, as well as the "One Health Approach," a system incorporating a multidisciplinary effort to achieve the best possible health outcome by acknowledging the clear connections between humans, animals and their shared environment. The importance of public awareness and health literacy of lay audiences still needs to be further emphasised as part of global and local action plans. Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a major global public health dilemma of the 21st century. Already this topic is receiving substantial political input from the G7 countries and continues to be on the agenda of numerous political conferences. The consequences of failure to adequately address AMR are profound, with estimations of a return to the pre-antibiotic era, where everyday infections relating to childbirth, surgery and open fractured limbs could be potentially life-threatening. AMR itself represents a microcosm of factors, including social anthropology, civil unrest/war, diasporas, ethnic displacement, political systems, healthcare, economics, societal behaviour both at a population and individual level, health literacy, geoclimatic events, global travel and pharmaceutical innovation and investment, thus finding a solution that adequately addresses AMR and which helps stem further AMR emergence is complicated. Success will involve individuals, communities and nations all working together to ensure that the world continues to possess a sufficient armamentarium of effective antimicrobials that will sustain human and animal health, both now and in the future.

National human rights institutions: independent actors in global human rights governance?

Abstract In an increasingly complex global human rights regime, international governmental organizations like the United Nations remain concerned with closing the human rights governance gap. In this context, national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are uniquely equipped regulatory intermediaries—they have the mandated powers to support and monitor national governments' human rights compliance, but require government cooperation to operate effectively. We argue that institutional independence is key for regulatory intermediaries like NHRIs to conduct their work effectively. At the same time, independence should not be solely a formal, de jure feature; it is essential for it to also manifest as de facto independence. We thus investigate the extent to which the de jure independence of NHRIs matches their de facto independence, and explain variation. We measure NHRIs' de jure independence by employing quantitative data on 187 NHRIs. To study their de facto independence, we collect survey data on the participation of Asia–Pacific NHRIs in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a peer-review mechanism monitoring states' human rights performance. We show that regulatory intermediaries like NHRIs can be successful even when they lack full de jure independence. De facto independence is key, and is facilitated by both NHRI- and UPR-related factors.

FROM THE KAZAKHSTAN CRISIS TO SEE HOW RUSSIA INVOLVED IN GLOBAL SECURITY GOVERNANCE

Although Russia is still weak in global governance in the economic field, we can observe that Russia is growing rapidly in its most advantageous field, security relevant issues.  The purpose of this article is to understand how Russia could play a greater role in global security governance via organization institution norms establishment, by reviewing the performance of CSTO led by the Russia during the turmoil in Kazakhstan. The article will discuss how CSTO realizes the organization institutionalization through the actions of Russia, the leading state, and look forward to the conceivable method that CSTO will cooperate with other international government organizations (IGOs) related with security issues based on the norms and business scope of CSTO.

Editorial introductions.

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care was launched in 1998. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The fields of clinical nutrition and metabolic care are divided into 15 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Mariëlle P.K.J. EngelenMariëlle P.K.J. EngelenDr Marië̈lle P.K.J. Engelen, PhD, is a Professor and Chancellor EDGES Fellow at Texas A&M University, College Station, USA. She currently serves as Co-Director and Head of Clinical Research for the Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity (CTRAL) at the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, and the Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine. She received her MSc in Health Sciences (Movement Sciences) at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. After her postdoctoral fellowships at the Depts of Respiratory Medicine and Surgery in Maastricht, she moved to the USA in 2006 and worked at the Dept. of Geriatrics, University Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA, and Arkansas Children's Hospital, USA before moving to Texas A&M University in College Station, TX in 2012. For over 25 years, she has conducted research in the field of clinical nutrition and metabolism in relation to functional performance during aging and in chronic (wasting) diseases and conditions associated with aging (i.e., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, congestive heart failure, mild cognitive impairment). Her research focuses on the (protein and amino acid) metabolic alterations underlying muscle wasting and dysfunction of the muscle, gut, and brain and involves the use of stable isotope methodologies. As such, she has conducted many acute mechanistic studies as well as nutritional intervention and exercise rehabilitation studies to restore metabolism, muscle mass, and improve physical and cognitive performance in these conditions. She has obtained several federal research grants (including NIH) and awards for her work, and has authored over 100 original research publications and four patents. She is Associate Editor for Clinical Nutrition and Section Editor of the Translational Research in Wasting Disease section in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Barbara van der MeijBarbara van der MeijDr Barbara S. van der Meij, PhD, is a senior researcher at HAN University of Applied Sciences and at Wageningen University and Research, based in Nijmegen and Wageningen, the Netherlands. She obtained her BSc in nutrition and dietetics at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands, and her MSc in Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University and Research. From 2002, she worked as a clinical research dietitian at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre, the Netherlands, and obtained her PhD on the impact of fish oil on clinical parameters and quality of life in patients with cancer in 2013. After obtaining her PhD, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the VU University in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and at Texas A&M University, Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the Department of Health and Kinesiology in College Station, USA. In 2016 she moved to Brisbane, Australia to work as a conjoint senior research dietitian at Mater Health Services, Australia, and Bond University, Australia. In this position, she served as a linking pin between the hospital and the university, responsible for nutrition and dietetics research, implementation of evidence-based practice, quality improvements and teaching of Master courses on nutrition and dietetics research and evidence-based practice. In 2020 she moved back to the Netherlands. As a senior researcher at HAN University of Applied Sciences and Wageningen University and Research, she leads practice-based research on nutrition and lifestyle in cancer, aging and chronic diseases, and serves as a guest lecturer on clinical nutrition and body composition assessment. She obtained several research grants for her work and has authored over 35 original research publications. Barbara van der Meij is an active member of the faculty-wide working group on Aging and Chronic diseases at the HAN, of the academic board of the Dutch nutrition journal Voeding en Visie, and has been appointed as innovator for the HAN Center of Expertise ‘Sneller Herstel’, a collaboration between HAN University of Applied Sciences and Radboudumc in Nijmegen. Berthold KoletzkoBerthold KoletzkoDr Bert Koletzko is the Else Kröner-Seniorprofessor of Paediatrics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany, and at the Department of Paediatrics at Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospitals, Germany. He was trained in paediatrics at Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg-Soweto, South Africa; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, Moshi, Tanzania; and the Children's Hospitals of the Universities of Düsseldorf, Germany and Toronto, Canada. A focus of his work is on metabolic and nutritional modulators of child health and disease prevention. Bert has authored 1,117 scientific journal articles (times cited 31,716, H-index 90), 246 book chapters, and 45 books/monographies. His research funding exceeded 20 million euros during the last decade and was provided by the European Union (EU) Framework Research Programmes, EU Research Council, EU Erasmus+ Programmes, EU Joint Programming Initiative, German Research Council, German Federal Ministry Education and Research, German Ministry of Health, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, US National Institutes of Health, German Academic Exchange Service, Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation, Family Larsson Rosenquist Foundation, and other funding bodies. Bert was rated a World Expert in research on breast milk and milk (higher than top 0.01% researchers worldwide based on publications in the last decade, Expertscape 2021), and the world's top rated in the areas “infant nutritional physiological phenomena”, “child nutritional physiological phenomena” and “child nutrition science”. Bert currently serves as: President of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation; Strategic Advisor on Nutrition and Standing Committee Member, International Pediatric Association; Chair, Secondary-Tertiary Care Council and Executive Committee Member, European Academy of Paediatrics; Chair, Committee Nutrition, German Society Pediatrics; Board of Directors Member, Biomedical Alliance in Europe; and Treasurer, United European Gastroenterology. He served as member of the grant review board for medicine, German Research Council (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), and as Chair and Deputy Chair of their Clinical Trial grant review board. He is Past President of Federation of International Societies of Paediatric, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (FISPGHAN) and of European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (ESPGHAN). Dr Koletzko is the Editor-in-Chief of Annuals of Nutrition and Metabolism and of World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Associate Editor of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care and Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde. He has been acting as Scientific Advisor to the German Federal Government, the Innovation Initiative of the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, and other national and international governmental bodies and organizations. Raanan ShamirRaanan ShamirRaanan Shamir is Professor of Pediatrics, the Lea and Arieh Pickel Chair for Pediatric Research and Chair, Eduarda and Dr. Moshe Ishay Institute for the Study of the Effects of Natural Food on Quality of Life and Human Health at the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel, and Chairman of the Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases at Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel. Raanan Shamir received his MD degree at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and was trained in pediatrics at Beilinson Medical Center in Petach Tikva, Israel. In the early 90 s, he was a fellow at the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA, and came back to Israel to serve as the Head of the Department of Nutrition at the Israel Ministry of Health. Following this, he held the position of Head of the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at Meyer Children's Hospital in Haifa, Israel. Prof. Shamir has published more than 500 original papers, reviews and comments, book chapters and guidelines (times cited 34,419; H index:86, January 4, 2023). His research has been supported by prestigious funds such as the European Community Framework Funds and the Israel Science Foundation. His current research areas include pediatric nutrition, nutrition and growth, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and childhood hyperlipidemia. Current appointments include: Member the National Academy of medical Sciences, Member of the National Council on Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Member of the ESPEN (European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism) Advisory Board, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Nutrition and Growth Network, Member of the UEG (United European Gastroenterology) Research Committee, Member of the Steering Committee of the ESPGHAN (European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition) Coeliac Special Interest Group, Member of the Standing Committee of IPA (International Pediatric Association) and Member of the Sustainable Nutrition Scientific Board. Prof. Shamir serves as an Editor for the pediatric section of Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism and was the Senior Associate Editor (2010–2013) and Acting Editor in Chief (2013–2014) of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN). He served as the ESPGHAN Chair of the publication committee of JPGN between 2019–2022. Prof. Shamir serves as a reviewer for multiple journals in the fields of pediatrics, nutrition, gastroenterology, and atherosclerosis. Past committee appointments include: President of ESPGHAN (2016–2019), Council Member, FISPGHAN (Federation of International Societies for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition), President of the Israel Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Chairman of the Scientific Committee on Milk and Human Health at the Israel Ministry of Health, Chief Scientist Office, Member of the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition, (ESPGHAN CoN), 2004–2012, ESPGHAN Council Member, 2005–2009, Council Member of the Israel Pediatric Association, 2008–2012, Chairman of ESPGHAN CoN, 2008–2012, Member of the General Assembly, Upper Gastrointestinal Section, Scientific Committee of the UEGF (United European Gastroenterology Federation) 2010–2013, ESPGHAN Council Member as the President of the 2014 Annual Meeting and Chairman of the Governmental Supreme Committee on Food, Israel Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Commerce and Environment (2010–2014), Chairman of the Nutrition Committee of the Israel Pediatric Association (1996–2017), Member of the Scientific Committee of ESPEN (European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, 2013–2017).

The potential and obstacles of Malaysia’s Halal Certification towards global halal standard

The frailty to produce a global halal standard has become one of the reasons why the halal industry cannot grow faster, despite increased demand for halal products around the world. Moreover, the industry welcomes the idea of creating a global halal standard. Numerous sectors including inter-governmental agencies and small businesses have recognised the necessity for a global halal standard recognised by all trade in countries. The methodology used in this article is qualitative, which involves secondary analysis with reference to academic materials to describe the potential and challenges of halal standard. In response to this demand and awareness, this article assessed the potential of the Malaysian Halal Standard to be accepted globally. The finding in this article has highlighted the halal industry has become one of the fastest-growing economies, and Malaysia has the potential to be a global hub for the halal food industry. Secondly, Malaysia’s halal standard has been accepted at the international level and is the leading halal standard among Islamic countries.