National Non-governmental Organizations Research Articles

Begging for Knowledge in Senegal: Conflicting Understandings and Interests of the Dominant Anti-Trafficking Approach and Quranic Education

Diverse actors, including foreign and national states, international agencies, donors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and private ventures, demand, fund, and implement anti-trafficking activities worldwide. Bissau-Guinean Quran schoolboys begging in Senegalese cities are defined as victims of child trafficking, and their teachers as traffickers. This article aims to explore the Quran teachers’ understanding of begging and their response to being accused of child trafficking. It rests on data collected during anthropological fieldwork in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal since 2009, including interviews and participation in religious events. The Quran teachers, some of whom admit colleagues might exploit their students, highlight four aspects of begging: allowing poor populations economically to study the Quran; contributing to humbleness, humility, and empathy with underprivileged groups; redistributing resources across generations; and allowing the acquisition of knowledge, liberation, and power. They maintain that the NGOs are profiting from funds provided to “rescue” the students and act as real traffickers, and together with funders, they aim to eliminate Islam. Embedded in layers of coloniality, the Quran teachers keep their position as community leaders. Banning begging is bound to fail if the anti-trafficking NGOs ignore their understanding of meaningful suffering and begging, including the economic and religious aspects of alms-seeking and its reciprocal nature.

Volunteerism Addressing Environmental Disparities in Allergy (VAEDIA): The presidential initiative to combat environmental injustice in allergy and immunology—a Work Group Report of the AAAAI VAEDIA task force

Many vulnerable people lose their health or lives each year as a result of unhealthy environmental conditions that perpetuate medical conditions within the scope of allergy and immunology specialists' expertise. While detrimental environmental factors impact all humans globally, the effect is disproportionately more profound in impoverished neighborhoods. Environmental injustice is the inequitable exposure of disadvantaged populations to environmental hazards. Professional medical organizations such as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) are well positioned to engage and encourage community outreach volunteer programs to combat environmental justice. Here we discuss how environmental injustices and climate change impacts allergic diseases among vulnerable populations. We discuss pathways allergists/immunologists can use to contribute to addressing environmental determinants by providing volunteer clinical service, education, and advocacy. Furthermore, allergists/immunologists can play a role in building trust within these communities, partnering with other patient advocacy nonprofit stakeholders, and engaging with local, state, national, and international nongovernmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and governments. The AAAAI's Volunteerism Addressing Environmental Disparities in Allergy (VAEDIA) is the presidential task force aiming to promote volunteer initiatives by creating platforms for discussion and collaboration and by funding community-based projects to address environmental injustice.

Impact of Fine Sediment on Benthic Macroinvertebrates Communities of Freshwater Ecosystem: A Review

The freshwater environment in Ethiopia is exposed to severe human influence because of fast population growth and other factors. Anthropogenic activities in developing countries such as river regulation and pollution have a potentially negative cumulative impact on water quantity and quality of the rivers and wetlands, hence negatively impacting benthic invertebrates and fishes. This review aims to identify the impacts of fine sediment on the community of benthic macroinvertebrates, and freshwater food webs, and to assess the response of benthic invertebrates to fine sediment pollution. Literature review was used as a methodology. Fine segment load on the freshwater ecosystem from both point and nonpoint sources may directly/indirectly alter the macroinvertebrate communities. Organic and inorganic contaminants as well as other sediment variables (sediment grain size, total organic carbon, nutrients, etc.) were affecting the community composition of benthic invertebrates. However, habitat features like the number of supplements or the silt grain measure clarify the variation in macroinvertebrate indices and metrics. The impact of metals and, to a lesser extent, organic contaminants may also be significant. Benthic macroinvertebrates are commonly used indicators of river ecological conditions that can be adversely affected by fine sediment loads. Sedimentation can change the suitability of the substrate for some taxa, increase macroinvertebrate drift, and affect respiration and feeding. To conclude, excessive fine sediment severely alters the structure and function of macroinvertebrates. At the regional and national levels, different governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and policy makers are recommended to take responsibility for reducing sediment discharge to the freshwater ecosystem by applying different conservation measures of benthic macroinvertebrates.

Towards comprehensive clinical trials for new tuberculosis drug regimens: policy recommendations from a stakeholder analysis

BackgroundResearch and development (R&D) of new drugs and regimens against tuberculosis (TB) is evolving to meet new challenges and face limited investments in the sector. To effectively improve and fill...

Assessment of the feasibility of a community-based mental health training programme for persons with disabilities by non-specialists from different stakeholders’ perspectives in Bangladesh

IntroductionBangladesh is a developing country where 11% of the population has at least one disability, but no community-level mental health service is available. There is limited evidence of the burden of mental health issues and health-seeking behaviour among this population. This study assessed the feasibility of a training intervention for persons with disabilities, where peer support providers provided community-based disability-inclusive mental health services.MethodsFour stakeholder groups participated in this qualitative study: peer responders (trained persons with disabilities), trainers, representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities and disability-specific organisations, and officials of international and national non-governmental organisations. Two types of qualitative interviews were used to collect data, and thematic analysis techniques were utilised.ResultStakeholders perceived the peer responder training programme as acceptable for persons with disabilities to develop themselves as peer support providers, with potential benefits including increased mental health literacy, ensuring accessible mental health services, and improving the well-being of persons with disabilities. Potential challenges included receiving training and delivering services. Increased training duration, more fieldwork, supervision opportunities, and refresher training were recommended to mitigate training challenges. Financial support and formal community recognition were deemed necessary for training delivery.ConclusionThe peer responder training programme was feasible to ensure accessible mental health services for persons with disabilities, build a workforce to screen for mental health conditions, and provide appropriate referrals. A multi-sectoral collaboration of government and non-governmental institutions is recommended to policy advocates to expand the peer responder training programme in the mainstream mental healthcare system.

Europeanization as a hegemonic process: the counter-hegemonic coal phase-out struggle in Turkey

ABSTRACT The study examines how anti-coal groups – national and international environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) and influential think tanks – conduct a counter-hegemonic struggle to Europeanize the coal exit process in Turkey. By undertaking intellectual leadership in Turkey’s growing authoritarian political-economic space, anti-coal groups proactively have shaped the discourse on the coal phase-out debates within civil society. To delegitimize the official hegemonic frame promoting coal for energy independence, supply security, and rapid economic development, they have appealed to the European Green Deal as a powerful discursive tool to create necessary consent for a coal exit in Turkey. Based on the Europeanization perspective complemented with the Gramscian insights that enabled the consideration of the power relations and vested interests within energy transition, the study reveals that the anti-coal groups have conducted a counter-hegemonic discursive struggle for the Europeanization of Turkey’s policy of coal exit.

Situation, Risks and Prevention Strategies of Elder Abuse: A Lesson for Nepal

The purpose of this paper is to identify and summarize the body of research on elder abuse in order to offer a more thorough understanding of the topic. Specifically, the goal is to identify and discuss the situation, risks and preventive measures related to elder abuse in light of Nepal's aging population. This narrative review was conducted after searching the article databases including Google Scholar, PubMed and Nepjol. A total of twenty seven journal articles, four systematic review articles, five books, five reports, one dissertation, two national acts of Nepal, four webpage articles and one methodological journal article were reviewed during a period from September 2022 to June 2023. The narrative review in the area of elder abuse is reflected in this article. Studies have shown that several misuse hazards are higher for senior citizens. Elder abuse is any single or recurrent act that hurts or distresses an older person and takes place in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust. The aging populations of many nations, including Nepal, are growing quickly, as are the number of senior abuse incidents. There are numerous government organizations, international and national non-governmental organizations, and local bodies doing admirable work concerning the investigation of elder abuse and the provision of assistance to elder abuse victims through the sharing of research experiences and the practical implementation of various prevention strategies. However, much more needs to be done for this at-risk population group in our society. In addition to raising social security for all seniors, it is recommended that each municipality in Nepal build an Elderly Service Center.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL CAPACITY

Society is one of the fundamental resources on which the organisation of national security is based. The activation of society in the field of national defence is based on programming, coor-dination and monitoring of cooperation between state institutions responsible for creating the desired dimension of national security and non-governmental organisations. These organizations have a particular capacity for social monitoring of non-military threats, especially for detection, warning and alerting. The effectiveness of government organisations – the armed forces, police, guards and inspections – in the field of state security depends to a large extent on their support. A society that is aware of its rights and duties towards the Homeland lays the foundation for actions taken for the proper functioning of the state and the organisation of national security. When assessing social capacity, attention should be paid to the issue of dissemination of safety knowledge. The preparation of citizens for the defence and development of the state is one of the main chal-lenges of security policy. Directly related to this issue is the ability of the institutions of political power to defend the state and protect its citizens

Impact of COVID-19 program adaptations on costs and cost-effectiveness of community management of acute malnutrition program in South Sudan.

We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the protocol adaptations on cost and cost-effectiveness of community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) program in South Sudan. Retrospective program expenditure-based analysis of non-governmental organisation (NGO) CMAM programs for COVID-19 period (April 2020-December 2021) in respect to pre-COVID period (January 2019-March 2020). Study was conducted as part of a bigger evaluation study in South Sudan. International and national NGOs operating CMAM programs under the nutrition cluster participated in the study. The average cost per child recovered from the programme declined by 20 % during COVID from $133 (range: $34-1174) pre-COVID to $107 (range: $20-333) during COVID. The cost per child recovered was negatively correlated with programme size (pre-COVID r-squared = 0·58; during COIVD r-squared = 0·50). Programmes with higher enrollment were cheaper compared with those with low enrolment. Salaries, ready to use food and community activities accounted for over two-thirds of the cost per recovery during both pre-COVID (69 %) and COVID (79 %) periods. While cost per child recovered decreased during COVID period, it did not negatively impact on the programme outcome. Enrolment increased by an average of 19·8 % and recovery rate by 4·6 % during COVID period. Costs reduced with no apparent negative implication on recovery rates after implementing the COVID CMAM protocol adaptations with a strong negative correlation between cost and programme size. This suggests that investing in capacity, screening and referral at existing CMAM sites to enable expansion of caseload maybe a preferable strategy to increasing the number of CMAM sites in South Sudan.

Challenges of Food Distribution Process for Internally Displaced Persons in Non-governmental Organizations: An Ethnographic Study

This ethnographic discourse highlights the problems and challenges of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as explores the food distribution procedure. At the same time, the study also exposes the intolerance of international and national NGO employees and workers because the rights of IDPs are not protected during the food distribution process. The real effort of the international agencies is to manage and rehabilitate the situation of ceasefire from conflict circumstance to the relief settlement. The study used an ethnographic inquiry method in district Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, depending upon two key consultants and one focus group interview as well as one focus group discussion with a total of twenty (n=20) participants. The interview guide was used for the data collection. The data were analyzed through NVivo 12 Plus software and also manually analyzed with inductive thematic analysis approach with open coding, noting repeated themes, keywords, and critical events interpreted into different categories. The study concludes that the IDPs were not satisfied with the aid/food distribution procedures of NGOs. It was recommended that the government should evaluate the role of NGOs with the help of district social welfare officers and conduct descriptive research regarding the food distribution process.

Lessons learned from co-production in public health research: the MAMAH case study involving underserved migrant mothers in the UK

BackgroundResearch suggests some migrant women are at increased risk of mortality and morbidity in the perinatal period; however, there is a gap in co-produced research to improve care. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) defines co-production as “an approach in which researchers, practitioners, and members of the public work together, sharing power and responsibility”. We summarise learnings from our study, which aimed to co-produce solutions to improve maternity care for migrant women in the UK, by working with women to identify the most important research priorities. MethodsWe recruited 18 underserved migrant women living in the UK who had given birth in the UK within the past 15 years to create a patient advisory panel. They were recruited via national and local non-governmental organisations and snowball sampling using purposive methods to ensure representation from a range of backgrounds, including those who were refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented. Underserved was defined as asylum seeking, refugee, undocumented, or low-income mothers (those who were experiencing homelessness or in receipt of welfare support). The women are involved in conceptualisation, analysis, and dissemination of the project. The project is a UK National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Doctoral Fellowship project lasting 3 years with a variety of research workstreams. FindingsThe research funding application process began in January, 2021, and the project was funded and began in November, 2022. The research team struggled to access comprehensive training on co-production, particularly in how to counter power dynamics. We appointed a Lead Patient Advisor who manages the relationship between the academics and the patient advisors. Additionally, we reimburse women's time, childcare, and travel. We have found that online meetings are preferable, as women do not need to travel or arrange childcare. We meet our patient advisory panel four times per year. Some women have been directly involved in research such as systematic review screening and qualitative interviewing and have been given research training. Our initial research priorities did not align with those of the women, and this helped us to reshape our work. Women said that having a Lead Patient Advisor made it easier to participate, particularly as some issues are traumatic. To mitigate this, we have offered support resources and debriefing. Using online interpreters has been challenging, and we have recently split into different language groups to maximise engagement. InterpretationOverall, as researchers, we have learned that taking a truly co-produced approach is time-consuming but has ensured our research prioritises the views of migrant women giving birth in the UK. FundingNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Critical Review of Theories of Staff Turnover Intentions and their Implications to Staff Turnover in National Non-governmental Organizations in South Sudan

An employee remains to be one of the most valuable resources of an organization. Unfortunately, high turnover rate in the national non-governmental organizations in South Sudan continues to be a concern for them and various stakeholders. This is because organizations spend a lot of resources in training and investing in their employees. The purpose of the study was to review the various theories that explain staff turnover with the aim of understanding their distinct views. The methodology involved the review of literature of turnover theories and models. The researcher was able to find six theories that helped to explain the phenomenon of staff turnover, and each provided distinct factors that when not addressed could lead to staff turnover. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which identified different human needs which if not met could lead to staff turnover. Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory revealed two factors that need to be addressed by an organization, namely, “motivation factors” and “hygiene factors”. The Social Exchange Theory explains that turnover intentions come because of non-compliance with the agreed rules by either the management or the staff. LMX Theory emphasized the importance of maintaining good relationships between leaders and members in different groups to promote better performance at work and minimize staff turnover. Keywords: Staff Turnover, Turnover intention theories, The Theory of organizational Equilibrium, Theory of job embeddedness and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory.

Effects of COVID-19 on sexual and reproductive health services access in the Asia-Pacific region: a qualitative study of expert and policymaker perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems globally, with governments imposing strict distancing and movement restrictions. Little is known about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This study examined perceived effects of COVID-19 on SRH service provision and use in the Asia-Pacific region. We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 28 purposively sampled SRH experts in 12 Asia-Pacific countries (e.g. United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations, ministries of health, academia) between November 2020 and January 2021. We analysed data using the six-stage thematic analysis approach proposed by Braun and Clarke (2019). Interviewees reported that COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as transport restrictions and those that decreased the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), reduced SRH service provision and use in most countries. SRH needs related to service barriers and gender-based violence increased. Systemic challenges included fragmented COVID-19 response plans and insufficient communication and collaboration, particularly between public and private sectors. SRH service-delivery challenges included COVID-19 response prioritisation, e.g. SRH staff task-shifting to COVID-19 screening and contact tracing, and lack of necessary supplies and equipment. Innovative SRH delivery responses included door-to-door antenatal care and family planning provision in the Philippines, online platforms for SRH education and outreach in Viet Nam, and increasing SRH service engagement through social media in Myanmar and Indonesia. To ensure continuation of SRH services during health emergencies, governments should earmark human and financial resources and prioritise frontline health-worker safety; work with communities and the private sector; and develop effective risk communications.

Peacebuilding in Mali through photovoice

ABSTRACT What began in 2004 as a peace education program anchored in the Ciwara community school in the town of Kati just outside the capitol city of Bamako has become a longer-term peacebuilding project now located in camps for internally displaced persons in Mali. This project has been led by students and faculty from the Institut Universitaire pour Technologie of the Université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako, in partnership with students and faculty in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities of Michigan State University. Together they have created Cours Collaboratifs Éducation à la Paix whose primary activity thus far has been a peace building project through photovoice. The project in these camps for internally displaced persons is designed to empower Malian university student mentors and their young mentees. Mentors and mentees are assisted by professional Malian photographers, staff from several national and international non-governmental organizations, and Michigan State University students and faculty using a video conferencing software. This essay describes the evolution of the CCÉP photovoice project, some of the ethical and political challenges we have encountered, and its potential for future everyday peacebuilding dialogs.

Staff Turnover in National Non-governmental Organizations (NNGOs) in South Sudan: 2011-2021

The high turnover of staff is unhealthy for the smooth running of institutions since it affects the growth, profitability, beneficiary satisfaction and general reputation of the institution whenever it occurs in the workplace. This study focused on studying staff turnover in national non-governmental organizations in South Sudan. This was a qualitative study which adopted descriptive survey research design, which allowed the researcher to use semi-structured questionnaires when collecting the data. The survey method used in this study because the target population only composed of 30 employees from 30 organizations in South Sudan. The study employed purposive, sampling and convenience sampling techniques. A high response rate of 100% obtained. The study revealed that, poor renumerations and lack or inadequate fringe benefits, autocratic leadership style in which the manager retaining as much power and decision-making authority is more prevalent in NNGOs leading to staff turnover and poor working conditions contributed to staff turnover in national non-governmental organizations in South Sudan. The recommendations for this study are based on the observation of the data as reflected in the histograms, pie charts and tables under each research objective. The study therefore recommended that the management should improve the working conditions for the employees by ensuring a hazard free and safe environment, improving salaries, which also enhances efficiency and productivity. Management of national non-governmental organizations should improve their leadership styles by embracing transformational leadership. Keywords: Staff Turnover, Salary & Fringe benefits, Leadership styles, Poor working Conditions.

Accountability enablers? The role of transnational activism in the use of the multilateral development bank grievance mechanisms

Abstract The proliferation of concerns over the transparency, accountability, and democracy of international organizations has contributed to an increase in accountability mechanisms to hold global governors to account, by both state and non-state actors. Much of the scholarly focus on this subject has been on how levers of accountability can improve global governance for Member States and actors seeking to improve decision-making, and thus outputs. This article instead examines how individuals and communities, or neglected publics, are using accountability mechanisms designed to provide them with recourse for environmental and social harm. It probes the use of the grievance mechanisms for the multilateral development banks to examine what kinds of actors use them (e.g., international nongovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, or project-affected people [PAP]) and to what effect. To explore these questions, we analyze 500 complaints submitted to the grievance mechanisms of the World Bank Group; the Asian, African, and Inter-American Development Banks; and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The results demonstrate that claims for recourse come from a range of primarily local actors, but that PAP in developing countries will more often achieve positive outcomes from the grievance mechanism process if they receive assistance from international and national nongovernmental organizations. These findings therefore demonstrate that transnational activists can fulfill a facilitating role as “accountability enablers” and that domestic representatives are especially effective in problem-solving processes, while international representatives are especially effective in compliance processes.

Protocol for scoping review to identify and characterise surgery, obstetric, trauma and anaesthesia care in Ugandan health policy databases

IntroductionDiseases addressed by surgical, obstetric, trauma and anaesthesia (SOTA) care are rising globally due to an anticipated rise in the burden of non-communicable diseases and road traffic accidents. Low- and...

Developing context-specific water, sanitation and hygiene guidance for National Cholera Plans: Qualitative inputs

Globally, cholera continues to cause morbidity and mortality, and the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) works with countries affected by cholera to develop National Cholera Plans (NCPs). Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) can prevent and/or control cholera. However, WASH program success varies, and is not necessarily replicable across contexts. Thus, guidance needs to be developed to assist countries in appropriately designing WASH programming in NCPs. The objective of this project was to develop guidelines for selecting context-specific WASH for cholera response. For that, a literature review of WASH interventions in cholera was completed, a Working Group was convened to collaboratively develop the guidelines, and we conducted key informant interviews (KII) with Working Group experts, representing international and national non-governmental organizations, donors, international organizations and health authorities. Inductive qualitative content analysis of KIIs was completed. KIIs were conducted with 18 informants, and data was coded into 26 subcategories, categorized under: 1) intervention objectives; 2) decision factors; 3) intervention circumstances; 4) influencing factors; and, 5) WASH activities. Based on these categories, we developed guidelines with the following steps: 1) define the disease objective (control, prevention, or elimination); 2) understand and define the broad context (including existing WASH infrastructure and population habits, available funding, outbreak sources and transmission pathways, stakeholder capacity, and access difficulties); and, 3) focus on monitoring of activities, multi-sectoral coordination (including WASH and health), and targeted approaches, both for implementation and future research. Overall, while building upon previous research and guidance, our results expand to include specific guidance for countries incorporating WASH into their NCPs, and highlight the necessity of a broad contextual understanding to select the most appropriate and successful WASH for cholera programming. These results have been used, with GTFCC, to develop a guidance document for including context-specific WASH in NCPs.

Semantic Challenges of Business Translation with Reference to English and Arabic: A Product-Oriented Approach

This study aims to investigate the various types of challenges and limitations at semantic levels that translators face in the business and economic translation products of tenders and bids from English into Arabic. To achieve the objectives of the study, a sample of four tenders of business documents was collected from a variety of national and international non-governmental organizations such as the bilingual specialized texts that were published between 2019 and 2020 in Iraq, specifically in Erbil, Kurdistan Region. The study relies on Holmes’ map (1988) of descriptive translation studies, developed by Toury (1995). To answer the research questions: how does a translator deal with specialised terminologies and expressions in translating business tenders and bids and what effect and role do semantic changes play in business and economic translation products? The study employs the analytical-descriptive translation methodology in analysing business texts. The analysis of business and economic texts has revealed that inaccurate synonyms at the semantic level, such as using different synonyms and translating semantic collocations, appear more frequently than other issues in translating business texts in the target language. The findings of the study have indicated that business and economic terms may have more than one accurate and faithful translation. Nevertheless, one translation can be appropriate and accurate. The study has concluded that cultural phenomena rarely appear in business and economic tenders and bids in comparison with other areas of economic and business texts, e.g., metaphors and idioms in general business texts.

Types of nostalgia and its causes

This study aims to investigate the various types of challenges and limitations at semantic levels that translators face in the business and economic translation products of tenders and bids from English into Arabic. To achieve the objectives of the study, a sample of four tenders of business documents was collected from a variety of national and international non-governmental organizations such as the bilingual specialized texts that were published between 2019 and 2020 in Iraq, specifically in Erbil, Kurdistan Region. The study relies on Holmes’ map (1988) of descriptive translation studies, developed by Toury (1995). To answer the research questions: how does a translator deal with specialised terminologies and expressions in translating business tenders and bids and what effect and role do semantic changes play in business and economic translation products? The study employs the analytical-descriptive translation methodology in analysing business texts. The analysis of business and economic texts has revealed that inaccurate synonyms at the semantic level, such as using different synonyms and translating semantic collocations, appear more frequently than other issues in translating business texts in the target language. The findings of the study have indicated that business and economic terms may have more than one accurate and faithful translation. Nevertheless, one translation can be appropriate and accurate. The study has concluded that cultural phenomena rarely appear in business and economic tenders and bids in comparison with other areas of economic and business texts, e.g., metaphors and idioms in general business texts.