Although Palestine ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2014 without reservations, women’s labour-force participation has remained largely stagnant over the past fifteen years, fluctuating between 16% and 20%, raising critical questions about the operational effectiveness of international gender-equality commitments. Focusing on Article 11 of CEDAW, this study adopts a mixed-methods design that integrates administrative labour-force statistics, a survey of 529 economically active women, and qualitative evidence from key-informant interviews, legal texts, and policy documents. Quantitative findings reveal a systematic divergence between symbolic awareness of CEDAW and actionable knowledge of Article 11, with substantially higher levels of informed awareness among respondents engaged through authoritative institutional or civil-society channels. Qualitative evidence further demonstrates that labour-market reforms associated with Article 11 have been uneven and selective, constrained by weak enforcement capacity, fragmented institutional coordination, and employer cost-avoidance practices, particularly in the private sector. Taken together, the findings indicate that CEDAW ratification in Palestine has functioned primarily as a normative anchor rather than as an operational driver of labour-market transformation. By situating these findings within the Sustainable Development Goals framework, the study contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work) by demonstrating how rights awareness and enforcement credibility condition women’s employment outcomes, while highlighting the central role of institutional coordination and civil-society mediation in line with SDG 17. The study advances debates on treaty implementation by showing that, in fragile governance contexts, progress toward gender-equality targets depends less on formal legal adoption and more on the institutional pathways through which rights are translated into practice.

The Reinvention of Ownership: The Embrace of Residential Zoning and the Modern Populist Reading of Property

ABSTRACTUnder the context of the climate change we assess the impact of EU's legislative initiative on European stock markets. Specifically, we focus on its impact on energy and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) sectors for equity returns and volatility for a representative basket of EU countries (participating also in Eurozone) as well as countries outside Eurozone/EU. We derive a cross‐country event analysis for the European green deal (willingness to implement and legal adoption on EU level as long‐term strategy) and national climate laws. Moreover, we assess the efficient market hypothesis (EMH). Second, we expect the announcement effect of the law implementation to have an impact on industry sectoral stock markets' volatility. The EMH is initially exhibited and announcement‐dependent; stock market is pricing announcements inefficiently. We find negative cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) both in the ESG, energy industry sector indexes. Abnormal return (AR) volatility is found per se at the announcement day. The magnitude and sign for abnormal returns as well as cumulative abnormal returns are announcement‐dependent. Heterogeneity is present since ESG (green index) appears to exhibit more statistically significant cumulative abnormal returns than the energy index.

Korea has yet to begin legally adopting the concept of coercive control, which poses a significant obstacle to the advancement of legal discourse on domestic violence. Carefully examining the trial and error experienced in England, Wales, and Scotland, and introducing the offense of coercive control into our legal system in a stable manner, is an urgent task not only for addressing the issue of abused women killing their husbands, but also for protecting domestic violence victims more broadly. Against this backdrop, this paper seeks to introduce how normative assessments of abused wives’ killings of abusive husbands are evolving in the UK, focusing on the concept of coercive control, and to explore ways to incorporate these developments harmoniously into the Korean criminal law system. In the UK, coercive control is legally defined as a form of domestic violence and is punishable as a criminal offense. Nevertheless, there has not yet been a case in which an abused woman who killed her abuser has been acquitted on grounds of self-defense. Rather, where coercive control victimization is acknowledged, it is treated as a statutory mitigating factor that reduces murder to manslaughter. In response, the academic community and women’s rights movements have increasingly argued that such cases should be recognized as self-defense. Viewed in this light, the situation may seem similar to that of Korea, where such matters are resolved primarily through sentencing mitigation. However, the Korean legal system’s failure to adopt the concept of coercive control means that situations which would be recognized as serious abuse in the UK or Australia may be misinterpreted as non-abusive. This is because the very definition of domestic violence (abuse) changes qualitatively depending on whether the coercive control paradigm is adopted. Thus, the legal adoption of the coercive control paradigm is necessary. However, because the concept has been developed in common law jurisdictions such as the UK, Australia, the United States, and Canada, there may be concerns about conflicts with Korea’s civil law tradition. Accordingly, an important task will be to harmoniously incorporate the coercive control paradigm—developed in common law jurisdictions—into Korean criminal law system. Addressing the issue in full breadth would be too vast for the present work, so this paper narrows its focus to the problem of abused women’s killings of abusive husbands and the legal doctrine of self-defense. In this regard, the paper revisits the 2016 work of Lee Yong-sik, who explored the possibility of recognizing such killings as self-defense by reinterpreting domestic violence through the lens of the concept of a continuing offense, and examines it in relation to coercive control theory to seek a breakthrough. Augmented by the coercive control paradigm, Lee’s continuing offense framework could be advanced with a stronger theoretical foundation, and could serve as an important doctrinal bridge in the process of integrating the concept of coercive control into the Korean legal system—not only in relation to the issue of abused women’s killings of abusive husbands, but also more broadly.

Over the past decades, governments worldwide have promoted accrual-based accounting reforms inspired by the New Public Financial Management (NPFM) agenda, seeking to strengthen fiscal transparency and managerial accountability. Yet, in many jurisdictions, particularly in developing countries and late adopters, the promised outcomes have remained largely unfulfilled. This study raises a key question: why do public sector accounting reforms consistently fail to deliver genuine improvements in transparency and accountability, despite formal convergence with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)? Using a qualitative, multi-method design, the paper explores the institutional and operational dynamics shaping the outcomes of these reforms. Comparative case studies from Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Italy reveal that legal adoption of accrual standards often conceals symbolic compliance and persistent fiscal manipulation. Three main insights emerge: (i) legal alignment with IPSAS is necessary but insufficient to enhance fiscal governance; (ii) enforcement institutions and real-time reconciliation mechanisms are decisive in mediating reform results; and (iii) despite abundant accrual data, its integration into decision-making remains limited by institutional inertia and reporting complexity. The study concludes that meaningful reform requires not only technical adoption, but also embedding accrual information into managerial routines, developing user-centered dissemination strategies, and fostering a robust ecosystem of accountability. These findings contribute to public financial management literature by providing a governance-centered explanation for the persistent gap between accounting sophistication and practical accountability.

In Pakistan, there are no formal adoption laws, which has posed a major problem in terms of welfare and legal awareness of abandoned and orphaned children. Rather, cultures of Kafalah (sponsorship) and Islamic law and statutory guardianship are the major mechanisms of childcare. Although these systems are in tandem with the religious and cultural values, they raise very important questions on identity, inheritance, and entitlement of the child to be integrated into the family. Another legal avenue to caretaking is guardianship under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890, which does not offer inheritance and lineage rights but does offer a legal avenue to caretaking. The paper is a critical analysis of the intricacies of Kafalah, guardianship, and policy vacuum in formal adoption laws in Pakistan. The article holds that, whereas Islamic jurisprudence supports the safety of children, it does not have a well-developed legal adoption system to ensure that Pakistan meets the global standards of child rights. Policy reforms are also discussed and provided.

Child adoption is a practice that has long been known in Indonesian culture, including in the city of Medan. This tradition is carried out for various purposes, such as providing protection for children, meeting the needs of couples who do not have children, or other social and economic reasons. Even though Indonesia has regulated adoption procedures through Law Number 23 of 2002 concerning Child Protection and other implementing regulations, many adoption practices in the field are not officially recorded. This can have a negative impact on adopted children, such as unclear status. This community service program aims to increase the role of social workers in the child adoption process in Medan City. Using a participatory and collaborative approach, this activity involves seven stages: approach, assessment, plan preparation, plan formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and termination. Assistance is provided to help prospective adoptive parents (COTA) understand and undergo legal procedures. The program results show that social worker assistance increases COTA's understanding and confidence in undergoing the adoption process according to regulations. Even though there are obstacles, such as limited access to information, this program proves the important role of social workers in supporting the success of child adoption. It is estimated that collaboration between social workers, Social Services and related parties can strengthen the implementation of legal adoption and provide optimal benefits for children who need protection.

Adoption is the legal adoption of a child into a family. A child as a relative acguires whether son or daughter all rights and obligations. Parents thereby acguire the highest responsibility for the child and his full development. The article talks about the importance of the institution of adoption, that in our state great attention is paid to the priority of family education, and for children who have fallen into care, such an educational facility can only be provided by the institute of adoption. At the same time, the adoption of children is always a very complicated legal procedure. This is due to the fact that this issue is very important and, depending on the child's prospects, places great responsibility on the state and parents. A number of problems in the process of adoption about the peculiarities of the adoption of Kazakhstani children by foreign adoptive parents, including from same-sex families is described by the authors. The difficulties of monitoring adopted children, especially those adopted by foreign citizens, are described. Therefore, it is concluded that main task is the protection of children's rights. The issues of adoption of disabled children, protection of their rights is also touched upon. Keywords: law; family; orphan; Constitution; convention.

Xhosa culture has a strong aversion to breaking familial relationships by placing children in non-parental settings or orphanages, which may lead to limited legal adoption procedures in this cultural context. Their cultural values may also have a significant impact on the adoption process. This study, conducted in Mthatha in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, sought to describe Xhosa cultural attitudes in relation to adoption. The article used a two-pronged sampling approach, combining convenience sampling to easily access respondents and purposeful sampling to deliberately select individuals who met specific criteria relevant to the research objectives, using a cross-sectional descriptive design and a quantitative approach. A closed-ended paper-based questionnaire was used to assess the attitudes of the population to adoption. Descriptive statistics and mean scores were used to analyse the variable distribution and associated demographic characteristics. The article indicated a markedly positive attitude towards adoption among the Xhosa in Mthatha. Keywords: adoption, attitude, culture, Xhosa

Abstract This paper focuses on the legal adoption and possible implications of the proposed per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) restriction. In the case of PFAS, this restriction puts value on the regulatory efforts to implement far-reaching and ambitious targets amid a high level of scientific uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to present a report rather than conducting an in-depth analysis of the mentioned field. Overall, the paper argues that such a daring decision might be justified by the precautionary principle. However, the implementation might raise opposition from the stakeholders’ side and might take longer than initially anticipated, most likely with additional derogations concerning essential goods that do not currently have safe alternatives.

Intercountry adoption offers a family-based care option for children in need of care and protection. It allows them to find loving and permanent homes outside their birth country, providing them with stability, support, and a sense of belonging essential for their well-being. The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption 1993 (Hague Convention 1993) serves as the primary international legal instrument governing intercountry adoption. Despite its importance, intercountry adoption remains relatively uncommon in Malaysia, as the country lacks specific statutory provisions and is not a signatory to the Hague Convention 1993. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of intercountry adoption in Malaysia and Morocco and explore the viability of intercountry adoption as a child protection measure. The study involves interviews with relevant departments and an examination of Malaysia's current adoption laws. Additionally, the study analyses the international legal framework, including the Hague Convention 1993 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the context surrounding intercountry adoption. Furthermore, this paper offers a comparative analysis of Morocco's intercountry kafalah system, which recognises kafalah as an alternative to legal adoption based on Islamic law. The findings of this study will offer valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing Malaysia's approach to intercountry adoption. By considering best practices and international standards, this research seeks to ensure the well-being and protection of children in need of care and protection, promoting their access to a stable and nurturing family environment.

The article describes the concept and content of the legal adoption of Ukrainian citizens by foreigners from the point of view of both national and international legislation, defines the procedure and legal regulation of the adoption of Ukrainian citizens by foreigners at the international level. The author states that protecting the rights and interests of the child is one of the most important tasks of our state. Adoption is the most effective and favorable form of raising orphans. An adopted child is more protected not only from a legal point of view, but also from a psychological and social point of view. The specified procedure and conditions for the adoption of Ukrainian citizens by foreigners. Disadvantages and advantages of such adoption are highlighted. It has been established that the adoption of citizens of Ukraine by citizens of other states is a complex procedure from a legal point of view.

In historical and legal retrospective, many issues in Russian law are just as relevant as its legacy transferred to the present. The problems of reception, legal adoption of the East-West geopolitical orientation, the ideological nature thatpermeates legal realities-for history of law, all of the above are not simply phenomena from specific eras of statehood, but characteristicfeatures of domestic legal reality from the distant past and to this day. In other words, it is a stable archetype inherent in a certain legal ethos, a type of legal relationship and legal consciousness formed in a specific space that has changed names and contours, but retained its main features, attributes, and identity.

Infertility clinics and providers in the United States have made efforts to become LGBTQ-inclusive, yet patients in same-sex partnerships continue to face disproportionate barriers to accessing fertility services when pursuing parenthood. This narrative case study of a same-sex couple’s “labor to conceive” illustrates some of the structural barriers to family building that lesbian mothers face when seeking fertility care, including insurance coverage of fertility treatments, federal regulations for sperm donation, and legal definitions of parenthood. Exclusionary medical and legal systems are discussed, as are the informal strategies that this same-sex couple utilized to negotiate and circumvent these barriers. A patient-centered model of advocacy that facilitates access to and protection of same-sex partners seeking (in)fertility services is presented. Intervention points at the (1) Logistical and (2) Societal levels are considered with respect to three domains of same-sex reproduction: (A) insurance; (B) sperm donation; (C) legal adoption.

The best way in an effort to manage investment is by transplanting, adopting laws, harmonization by making breakthroughs to existing regulations, such as in the case of implementing the Job Creation Law. The Omnibus Law offered by the government as a “practical and pragmatic” solution is a political and legal policy to cut various regulatory barriers, to simplify bureaucracy, to accelerate services, to increase efficiency, to increase competitiveness, and to prevent opportunities for corrupt behavior. The government must evaluate this law (Job Creation) where there is still overlap without regard to regulations. The statement of the problem in this scientific paper is why there is a conflict of interest and regulations that are not in accordance with the laws and regulations? As normative juridical research, this research is based on an analysis of legal norms. The Omnibus Law is a political product. In the process of its discussion, the law resulted from a political process. The government must evaluate this law (Job Creation) where in the process of making it there is still overlap without regard to regulations.

The article analyzes the issues of the practice of legal adoption by the states of the post-socialist space of Western experience in the field of legal regulation, especially in the legal and public sphere, an attempt is made to analyze and generalize the various views of scientists about this legal phenomenon and its features. It is emphasized that despite the many definitions of this phenomenon, unfortunately, the theory of reception, adoptionof foreign experience in legal regulation has not yet been developed. The idea is argued that adoption someone else’s legal experience and methods of legal regulation is a very responsible and often quite risky process that requires a meaningful, scientific approach, and in-depth analysis and effective forecasting of its consequences. Based on the practice of modern legal development, the specifics of adoption, reception in the field of public law are analyzed, well-grounded proposals and recommendations are put forward to improve this process in Uzbekistan in the future.

International adoption of Indonesian child is a part of International Private Law matter, such as there was a case that is done by a white person who discovered by the police while taking 9 babies (one untul three months old) in the Airport of Kemayoran, Jakarta, which is suspected as babies trafficking. Or, there was the desire to do an Indonesian child legal adoption of wealthy Singaporean couple without knowing the procedure. The member of Babies trafficking fenomenont has been increasing since the economic crisis happened in July 1997 and the globalization era of free trade, where the border among States lessen (boarderless state). Due to the International Private Law, the writer tried to elaborate whether the Indonesian Child can be adopted by foreigners. If it is possible, which law may be used? Is it The Adoptant Law or the Adoptandus Law? If the Indonesian child may be adopted by the foreigners, what are the requirements? Considering the different law systems of international adoption between States, then how is the international community fort to handle the problem? And how does Indonesia handle this International Private Law problem?

The article is devoted to the issues related to the implementation of criminal procedural guarantees in the provision / receipt of international legal assistance and adoption proceedings. Emphasis is placed on the fact that in the scientific doctrine there is no established definition of criminal procedural guarantees in the provision / receipt of international legal assistance and in the implementation of proceedings by the way of adoption. It is proposed to understand them as a set of legally established methods and means (general and special), which ensure the effective implementation of the tasks of criminal proceedings, as well as prevent violations of procedural rights of persons involved, as well as their fundamental rights, freedoms and legitimate interests. The position of scholars on the separation of the following constituent elements in the system of criminal procedural guarantees is supported: criminal procedural form; general principles of criminal proceedings; procedural status of a person; criminal procedural mechanism for exercising the rights of the subjects of the criminal proceedings related to the provision / receipt of international legal assistance and the transfer of proceedings from the competent authorities of a foreign state. The disclosure of the content of criminal procedural guarantees, which are implemented in the studied procedural forms of international cooperation in criminal proceedings is through the prism of these interconnected and interdependent elements

We argue that environmental legislation and regulation of more developed countries reflects significantly their moral values, but in less developed countries it differs significantly from their moral values. We examined this topic by using the keywords “sustainability” and “sustainable development”, studying web pages and articles published between 1974 to 2018 in Web of Science, Scopus and Google. Australia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda were ranked as the top three countries in the number of Google searches for sustainability. The top five cities that appeared in sustainability searches through Google are all from Africa. In terms of academic publications, China, India, and Brazil record among the largest numbers of sustainability and sustainable development articles in Scopus. Six out of the ten top productive institutions publishing sustainable development articles indexed in Scopus were located in developing countries, indicating that developing countries are well aware of the issues surrounding sustainable development. Our results show that when environmental law reflects moral values for betterment, legal adoption is more likely to be successful, which usually happens in well-developed regions. In less-developed states, environmental law differs significantly from moral values, such that changes in moral values are necessary for successful legal implementation. Our study has important implications for the development of policies and cultures, together with the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in all countries.

Editorial Introduction: Exploring policy diffusion, collaborative governance, and policy conflict