Non-governmental Stakeholders Research Articles

Review of One Health in the Galápagos Islands (Part 1): historical perspective, invasive species, and emerging infectious diseases

The Galápagos archipelago is a vast reservoir of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, owing in large part to its relatively recent volcanic genesis and colonization by humans. This unique ecological system is particularly susceptible to human, animal, and environmental impacts. Climate change, globalization, and the blurring of human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces are poised to bring new threats and challenges to the region. A One Health perspective that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health is imperative in assessing and mitigating the challenges facing the Galápagos Islands. In Part I of this review, we provide the historical context for biodiversity in the archipelago; discuss the role of invasive species in habitat destruction, fragmentation, and competition with endemic species; and summarize the established and emerging infectious disease threats. We also discuss the imperative to implement research, surveillance, and preventative measures to identify and manage future threats from a One Health perspective, with a specific emphasis on implications for wildlife health. In Part II of this review, we outline the socioeconomic context of life in the Galápagos Islands, evaluate the current and predicted effects of climate change, and discuss direct anthropogenic factors affecting Galápagos biodiversity, such as tourism, fishing, pollution, and the illegal wildlife trade. We also examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. We build a cohesive picture of One Health in the Galápagos Islands by integrating past work, current needs, and emerging threats. We also consider overarching goals for conservation, ecosystem management, and socioeconomic sustainability that have been previously defined by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, and we identify discrete, implementable, and interdisciplinary recommendations that will facilitate achievement of those goals.

Cervical cancer screening service utilisation and related factors among women on antiretroviral therapy in public health facilities of Asella town, Ethiopia, cross-sectional study

BackgroundCervical cancer is the predominant form of cancer in Ethiopia, accounting for the majority of malignant cases. Women account for two-thirds of cancer-related deaths in the country. Cervical cancer screening (CCS) can help prevent disease development, but screening rates are unacceptably low. The greatest number of women were in the most vulnerable group, and the availability of wheal data on their use of CCSs was limited. This study aimed to evaluate the use of CCS and the factors that influence its use among HIV-positive women receiving antiretroviral therapy at public health facilities.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional study design. A total of 396 (97.5%) HIV-positive women participated in this study between March 10 and May 30, 2023. Participants enrolled in public health facilities in Asella town were selected through systematic random sampling, and data were collected through on-site interviews using a pretested, structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science, Version 26. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the determining factors.ResultsThe findings from this study indicated that 30.3% of individuals used cervical cancer screening services. Those women who had knowledge about cervical cancer had a 2.54 times greater likelihood of receiving CCS than those who were not informed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = (2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–4.56). Women with a history of sexually transmitted diseases were twice as likely to use CCS as those without such a history (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.13–3.73). Furthermore, women with a positive attitude towards CCS were found to be significant predictors of utilisation, showing a greater than threefold greater likelihood of using these services (AOR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.78–5.81).ConclusionsThe proportion of HIV-positive women who underwent cervical cancer screening (CCS) was significantly lower than the recommended guideline of 80%. To enhance the uptake of screening among women with HIV, healthcare professionals should focus on enhancing awareness about cervical cancer, improving attitudes towards CCS, and advancing knowledge about the disease. Healthcare providers’ collaboration with both government and nongovernmental stakeholders plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges of accessibility and attendance at screening services.

A Comparative Analysis of Business Models and their Impacts on Selected Indigenous Communities in Aklan, Philippines: Towards Sustainable Practices in Ancestral Domains

This study investigates the impacts of various economic models on indigenous communities in Aklan, Philippines, with a special focus on sustainable practices within their ancestral lands. It examines the socio-economic, cultural, and environmental consequences of different business models. Additionally, it delves into the community members’ perspectives and aspirations regarding sustainable development, highlighting the primary challenges and opportunities they face. The study utilized a quantitative research approach, employing structured surveys to collect data from participants. The poll encompassed inquiries regarding demographic profiles, assessments of commercial effects, as well as the difficulties and possibilities encountered by the communities. A Pearson correlation analysis was performed to ascertain the association between demographic characteristics and perceived impacts. The study found that business models had a favorable effect on the socio-economic status, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation of indigenous groups. Diverse advantages were noted in the benefits offered by various business structures. Perceptions of these impacts were significantly related to age, educational background, career, and length of involvement in community activities. The main obstacles encompassed issues related to financial accessibility, infrastructure development, regulatory barriers, and educational deficiencies. Potential areas for development were recognized in eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, partnerships with non-governmental organizations, market demand for indigenous products, and technology. The findings highlight the capacity of business models to improve the socio-economic, cultural, and environmental welfare of indigenous communities. It is essential to have customized company strategies that take into account the demographic variety. To achieve the successful adoption of sustainable business models, it is crucial to tackle financial, infrastructural, and regulatory obstacles. It is advised to improve financial assistance by providing grants and microfinance, investing in infrastructure, streamlining regulatory procedures, and establishing education and training initiatives. It is crucial to promote eco-tourism, enhance partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and stakeholders, and utilize technology to implement sustainable practices. It is crucial to have policies that effectively combine economic growth with the preservation of culture and the sustainability of the environment. Keywords: Indigenous communities, sustainable development, business models, Aklan, socio-economic impacts

Illicit Drugs, Organised Crime, and Violent Extremism: Addressing the Nexus, Countermeasures, and Implications

This article explores how illicit drug traffickers, organised criminals, and violent extremists interact along intricate pathways to perpetrate their illegal activities and recommends how security agents, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) can better tackle the activities of illicit drug racketeers linked to organised criminal groups and violent extremists. Against this backdrop, the article provides an analysis of the association between illicit drugs, organised crime, and violent extremism. The study was an exploratory research design, carried out in Tsafe Area of Zamfara State. It was conducted using a Key Informant and In-depth Interview. The research was conducted using the snowballing sampling method. Findings revealed that while efforts to curtail the phenomenon are ongoing, the linkages are getting stronger daily. Therefore, to combat the increasing activities of these organised criminal groups, the article recommends a multi-sectoral and “whole systems” approach using modern technology, and synergy among agencies of government, as well as non-governmental stakeholders, who have the wherewithal to support actions being undertaken by the government.

Addressing emerging public health threats: the Noncommunicable Disease Capacity Assessment and Planning (N-CAP) Process.

The global epidemic of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing. Current assessments that monitor capacity to address NCDs are often externally led and do not facilitate country planning. The Noncommunicable Disease Capacity Assessment and Planning (N-CAP) Process assists ministries of health and other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to assess, prioritize, and plan how to address NCDs and other public health threats. This paper describes the development of this tool. Driven by ministries of health, the N-CAP Process engages new and existing stakeholders in three activities: Stakeholder Mapping; Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Workshop; and N-CAP Workshop that uses Discussion Guides to lead in-depth assessment and planning. Standard Operating Procedures, a library of Discussion Guides based on common NCD themes, and an open-access e-learning course are available. The N-CAP Process outcome is a prioritized plan of how to improve the country's public health functions. Adaptations to the tool were made after piloting in Jordan and Iraq. The N-CAP Process helps countries engage various stakeholders to identify gaps and create collaborative, country-specific strategies to effectively respond to NCDs, a leading public health threat. The pilots sparked interest from other countries and underscored its potential for broader implementation to combat the rising global burden of NCDs.

Isolating the Effect of Social Risk on MNEs’ CSR Reporting: A New Approach Based on China's Belt & Road Initiative

AbstractThis article highlights CSR disclosure as a strategic response of Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) to the social risk they face in host countries. Deviating from prior research that aims to directly measure social risk, we offer a new approach to isolate the effect of social risk by leveraging China's Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) as the research context, under which Chinese MNEs are largely protected from political risk in membership countries but are exposed to substantial social risk from local nongovernment stakeholders. Results from difference-in-differences analyses show that after the enactment of the BRI, Chinese MNEs investing in BRI countries significantly increases their likelihood of CSR disclosure than that of their counterparts investing in non-BRI countries. Further, such effects are more pronounced for state-owned MNEs and MNEs in natural resource industries. This research enriches the international business literature on the relationship between political risk and social risk, and that between corporate political actions and corporate social responsibility.

Constitution Making and Enduring Challenges To Democracy in Turkey

AbstractSome observers expected that the 2023 general elections in Turkey would end the long rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while others anticipated his narrow victory. But it takes more than results at the ballot box for Turkish democracy to flourish in the medium term. Instead, we must focus on the underlying political structure, especially the constitution and its making. This study examines the social and political forces that have shaped Turkey's constitutions, from the Ottoman Empire through today. The analysis shows that top‐down constitutional processes only create advantages for the incumbent power, and they are symptomatic of weak democratic traditions. The most common use of constitutional revisions has been to serve the needs of the political elite at the time, without any long‐term objectives or broadly based political discourse among governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. Therefore, Turkey has not been able to break the cycle of authoritarianism, even through seemingly democratic constitutional revisions. The study concludes that the future of the constitution is not bright. Given Erdoğan's narrow victory in the 2023 elections and setbacks in the recent municipal voting, revisions in the near term will seek to shore up the power of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

Using a perception matrix to elicit farmers‘ perceptions towards stakeholders in the context of biodiversity-friendly farming

Farmers' pro-environmental action is substantially influenced by various stakeholders from their business and social environment. Recent studies recommend actively involving influential stakeholders in agri-environmental initiatives, information or media campaigns. While it has been argued that farmers' perceptions towards these stakeholders can help inform effective involvement, comprehensive assessments of these perceptions remain scarce, particularly in the context of biodiversity-friendly farming. To understand and compare farmers’ perceptions of these stakeholder quantitatively, we developed and applied a perception matrix. In an exploratory survey with 49 farmers across ten European countries, farmers rated twelve groups of stakeholders (e.g. government bodies, farm advisors and input suppliers) against eight perception constructs (e.g. trustworthiness, interest in protecting biodiversity). We found that perceptions differed significantly both between groups of stakeholders and between constructs. Whereas several stakeholders were, on average, perceived positively regarding their general characteristics, such as trustworthiness, reliability, understanding and support for farming, perceptions regarding their biodiversity-related behavior were significantly more negative. Our findings indicate potential to improve policy development and implementation of agri-environmental initiatives through the involvement of multiple, non-governmental, agricultural and non-agricultural stakeholders in biodiversity-friendly farming initiatives across the entire agri-food value chain. Such multi-stakeholder initiatives could help to not only reinforce biodiversity conservation action among the farming community, but across society as a whole as emphasized by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Further research is needed to confirm the observed trends on a larger, representative sample, for which the presented perception matrix is well suited.

Level of adherence to option B+ program and associated factors among HIV-positive women in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Despite policy initiatives and strategic measures highly focused on preventing mother-to-child transmission through the implementation of the Option B+ program, adherence to the treatment is still challenging. The level of adherence and determinants of Option B+ program utilization reported by different studies were highly inconsistent in Ethiopia. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of adherence to the Option B+ program and its predictors among HIV-positive women in Ethiopia. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, HINAR, Scopus, and Web of Sciences were searched for published articles from March 2010 to March 2022. The pooled prevalence of adherence was estimated using a weighted DerSimonian-Laird random effect model. The I2 statistics was used to identify the degree of heterogeneity. Publication bias was also assessed using the funnel plot and Egger's regression test. A total of 15 studies were included. The pooled estimate of the option B+ program among HIV-positive women in Ethiopia was 81.58% (95% CI: 77.33-85.84). Getting social and financial support (AOR = 3.73, 95% CI: 2.12, 6.58), disclosure of HIV status to partners (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.75, 2.41), time to reach a health facility (AOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.67), receiving counseling on drug side effects (AOR = 4.09, 95% CI: 2.74, 6.11), experience of drug side effects (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.36), and knowledge (AOR = 4.73, 95% CI: 2.62, 8.51) were significantly associated with adherence to the Option B+ program. This meta-analysis showed that the level of adherence to the Option B+ program in Ethiopia is lower than the 95% level of adherence planned to be achieved in 2020. Social and financial support, disclosure of HIV status, time to reach the health facility, counseling, drug side effects, and knowledge of PMTCT were significantly associated with option B+ adherence. The findings of this meta-analysis highlight that governmental, non-governmental, and other stakeholders need to design an effective strategy to scale up the level of disclosing one's own HIV status, access health facilities, improve knowledge of PMTCT, and counsel the potential side effects of Option B+ drugs, and advocate the program to reduce the multidimensional burden of HIV/AIDS. Prospero registration: CRD42022320947. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022320947.

Collaborative Governance in Efforts to Protect Indonesian Migrant Workers

The issue of protecting Indonesian migrant workers is currently still completely dominated by the government's role in handling it. There is no involvement of non-governmental elements to synergize with each other. Apart from that, the protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers only focuses on Indonesian Migrant Workers who experience problems and has not yet touched on the realm of prevention or preventative action. This research will analyze and identify obstacles and supporting factors in collaborative governance in the context of protecting Indonesian Migrant Workers. Apart from that, it is also reviewing and constructing a collaborative governance model in order to handle the protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers more appropriately. The method used in this research uses ethnographic qualitative methods. Collaborative governance in the protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers can be studied comprehensively in terms of initial conditions, institutional design, leadership and collaboration processes. So it is important to carry out more in-depth research into existing phenomena from a collaborative governance perspective. The research method used by the researcher is a qualitative approach by conducting interviews with all informants related to Indonesian Migrant Worker affairs. The results of this research found that collaborative governance in protecting Indonesian Migrant Workers has not gone well, because of the presence of actors who have economic and political interests. Apart from that, cooperation that is not yet optimal and not in harmony is characterized by a lack of involvement of non-government stakeholders in the collaboration process.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Prevention Practices towards Common Zoonotic Diseases in and around Bahir Dar City, North Western Ethiopia

The problem of zoonoses diseases is a global public and veterinary health concern. Globally coordinated and well-established research efforts are essential to successfully fighting and reducing the health burden of zoonoses. In our study area, the interplay of intense livestock animals, agricultural activities, and poor health services characterized the high risks of zoonotic diseases. Thus, people suffer from easily preventable diseases with hygiene and good-quality food. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices of people handling farm animals and their products toward common zoonotic diseases; and (ii) estimate the associated risk factors influencing their knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to August 2022. A simple random sampling technique was followed to select respondents. Multivariable logistic regression model analysis was conducted using STATA version 14. The overall level of knowledge, attitude, and prevention practice for the major zoonotic disease was 52.5%, 68.6%, and 39.4%, respectively. Rabies, tuberculosis, taeniasis, anthrax, and brucellosis were the major zoonotic diseases selected by respondents in the study areas. The age of respondents, training status, educational status, and farm location were significantly (P <0.05) associated with the level of knowledge and prevention practice against zoonotic diseases. This study revealed that the level of knowledge, attitude, and prevention practices for major zoonotic diseases in Bahir Dar City were relatively poor. Therefore, a concerted effort among various government and nongovernment stakeholders, including veterinarians, public health officials, and environmental experts, is needed to create and raise awareness among livestock producers about the transmission and control methods and the economic and public health importance of zoonotic diseases.

Laying foundations for transformation: Insights from local government engagement on climate-resilient rural water services in Nepal

Transformative change in how local governments support rural water services is required to accommodate the increasingly extreme effects of climate change on water service systems. This study explores the potential for contextualised soft systems thinking activities to prepare local government officials with responsibilities pertaining to rural water services in Nepal to shift towards more transformative thinking. First, the study presents the findings of focus group discussions in two rural districts of Nepal that identified common climate-related problems for rural water access including water shortages, contamination, and unequal burden of impacts. Second, we facilitated workshops with local government and non-government stakeholders, drawing on the focus group findings to frame the challenges for rural water linked to climate change that require local government response. We designed the workshops drawing on ‘transformative spaces’ concepts and included soft systems thinking activities to foster systemic perspectives. Participants learned about worldviews, leverage points, rich pictures, root cause analysis, and theory-of-change based action planning. Following the workshops, the study team participated in reflective sensemaking in which they deliberated on their experiences and notes from facilitating the workshops to assess the extent to which the participants demonstrated transformative thinking about rural water systems. The workshop approach showed promise in shifting how local government participants think about rural water services beyond technical fixes towards addressing deep-seated issues. However, further work is required to foster new relationships necessary to support transformation and grapple with ethical dilemmas pertaining to power dynamics at community and government levels. Nevertheless, the approach presented here is a replicable, low-cost way to prepare local government stakeholders in Nepal for transforming their thinking and systems to ways that enable sustainable rural water service delivery under threats of climate change.

Causes of preventable death among children of female sex worker mothers in low- and middle-income countries: A community knowledge approach investigation.

Female sex workers (FSW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are disproportionately vulnerable to poor health, social, and economic outcomes. The children of female sex workers (CFSW) experience health risks based on these challenging circumstances and the unique conditions to which they are exposed. Although country child mortality data exist, little is known about the causes of death among CFSW specifically, thereby severely limiting an effective public health response to the needs of this high-risk group of children. The Community Knowledge Approach (CKA) was employed between January and October 2019 to survey a criterion sample of 1280 FSW participants across 24 cities in eight LMIC countries. Participants meeting pre-determined criteria provided detailed reports of deaths among the CFSW within their community of peers. Newborn deaths were gleaned from FSW maternal death reports where the infants also died following birth. Of the 668 child deaths reported, 589 were included in the analysis. Nutritional deficiencies comprised the leading cause of mortality accounting for 20.7% of deaths, followed closely by accidents (20.0%), particularly house fires, overdoses (19.4%), communicable diseases (18.5%), and homicides (9.8%). Other reported causes of death included neonatal conditions, respiratory illnesses, and suicides. The causes of CFSW death in these eight countries are preventable with improved protections. Governments, intergovernmental organisations like the United Nations, nongovernmental stakeholder organisations (e.g. sex worker organisations), and funders can implement targeted policies and programmes to protect CFSW and assist vulnerable FSW who are pregnant and raising children. Further research is needed to identify effective child welfare safeguards for CFSW.

Empirical Research: Influence of domestic constituencies in the implementation of international tax standards and legitimacy of global tax governance

The intensification of global governance activities in the area of international taxation has raised the question of the democratic legitimacy of the process since decisions in multilateral institutions are typically made by members of the executive alone and predominantly those from developed countries. There are opportunities to influence discussions at the global level for non-state actors, but the capacity to do so is unequally distributed. Yet, the results of global standard-setting processes need to be implemented domestically which affords opportunities for a wider range of constituencies to influence the outcome, among them elected parliamentarians, businesses, and local civil society. On the one hand, this two-stage process mitigates the lack of inclusiveness in global governance; on the other hand, it may jeopardize the effectiveness of global standards in achieving harmonization. In practice, opportunities for stakeholders to influence the implementation process and the interest to actually do so vary across countries. The purpose of this article is to chart this variation and discuss what it means for the global governance process. This is sourced from interviews on the implementation of the BEPS project’s standards with different tax policy stakeholders in Australia, Colombia, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Senegal and Spain. With this data it is identified which non-governmental constituencies exist in each country, what are their interest vis-à-vis different elements of the BEPS Project, and what means they have at their disposal to influence the implementation process. The findings indicate variation across countries regarding the direction in which governmental and non-governmental stakeholders try to influence the outcomes as well as regarding their opportunities to effectively influence implementation processes. This entails that the level of implication of stakeholders will be context-dependent and so will be the answer to the question on whether the participation in the implementation process can ‘compensate’ for a lack of participation in standard setting processes. Global tax governance, democratic legitimacy, international taxation, domestic implementation, stakeholder inclusiveness, expert interviews

Financial Empowerment of Tribal Women: An Inquiry into Sustainable Economic Justice Initiatives and Pathways towards Inclusive Development

The current discussion on development emphasises the importance of empowering marginalised people in order to alleviate socioeconomic inequities and promote inclusive growth. This study aims to explore the financial empowerment of indigenous women, evaluating the complex relationship between economic justice programmes and sustainable approaches to achieve inclusive development. In this context, the research aims to explore the many aspects of financial empowerment programmes specifically designed for tribal women. Its goal is to contribute to the continuing discussion on promoting economic equality and long-term social change. This inquiry aims to examine the complex processes of financial inclusion and highlight the possibility for enabling indigenous women to achieve economic justice. By doing so, it envisions a future that is more egalitarian and resilient for these communities. In the backdrop of India's developmental discourse, this study delves into the imperative realm of financial empowerment for tribal women. Focused on unravelling the intricate relationship between economic justice initiatives and sustainable pathways toward inclusive development, our research aims to shed light on the challenges hindering the financial autonomy of indigenous women. Our investigation centers on the nuanced landscape of financial empowerment programs tailored specifically for tribal women, seeking to contribute substantively to the ongoing dialogue on economic equality and enduring societal transformation. By navigating the complexities of financial inclusion processes, our inquiry envisions a future where indigenous women not only achieve economic justice but also actively participate in reshaping a more equitable and resilient society. It is identified that to demolish patriarchal systems, there are need to expand educational possibilities, close income gaps, promote financial literacy, and combat prejudiced cultural viewpoints. Further, targeted interventions include microfinance programs, village savings and loans, direct cash transfers, and government schemes. Collective efforts from governmental, non-governmental, and community stakeholders are needed to create a more egalitarian society that empowers tribal women economically, socially, psychologically, and politically

Actors' Cooperation in Overcoming Street Children

This qualitative field research aimed to determine the synergy of actors in handling street children in Sidoarjo District, Indonesia. The study found that the implementation process of the policy for handling street children involved various stakeholders, both government and non-government, and was incorporated in a special coordination team called the Street Children Outreach Team. The team had a clear division of roles, and the stakeholders negotiated to avoid domination of one another's roles. The indicators and objectives that must be met by stakeholders in working together include the 4R approach, namely rights, responsibilities, revenues, and relationships. The study implies that effective collaboration among stakeholders is crucial in handling street children, and a clear division of roles can prevent conflicts and ensure the success of the program. Highlight : The study emphasizes the importance of a clear division of roles among stakeholders in handling street children. The Street Children Outreach Team in Sidoarjo District involves various government and non-government stakeholders, working together with a 4R approach (rights, responsibilities, revenues, and relationships). Effective collaboration among stakeholders is crucial in handling street children, and it can be achieved through the negotiation to avoid the domination of one another's roles. Keywords: Synergy of actors, Street children, Stakeholders, Sidoarjo District, Indonesia

Exploring the socio-economic impacts of community based rehabilitated watersheds: an experience from Wera district, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT In developing countries, research evidence on the socio-economic impact is a crucial issue in motivating and encouraging community-based restoration of degraded watershed ecosystems. This paper focuses on exploring the socio-economic impacts of rehabilitating a watershed area in two villages (kebeles) using two independently pooled cross-sectional data sets. 240 households were selected at random to provide the data. Half of the households (120) were randomly chosen from the records of the rural land and agricultural development office in 2007 and the other half (120) were randomly selected and interviewed in 2022 using semi-structured questionnaires. Our results show that the contribution of the restored area to the economy of the local communities dramatically increased between 2007 and 2022. The main economic activities encountered in the restored area are fuelwood collection, the harvesting of construction wood, collecting grasses, and harvesting fodder, which are practiced by 75%, 68%, 59% and 41% of sampled households in 2022, respectively, while the same activities were practiced by 5%, 0%, 0%, and 2.5% households in 2007, respectively. Rehabilitation intervention also created job opportunities, and strengthened social networking among local households. These findings can help government and non-government stakeholders those implement ecosystem restoration by enhancing community-based rehabilitation of watersheds.

Generating Political Priority for the Health Needs of the 21st Century: A Qualitative Policy Analysis on the Prioritization of Rehabilitation Services in Uganda.

Few low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) have prioritized the expansion of rehabilitation services. Existing scholarship has identified that problem definition, governance, and structural factors are influential in the prioritization of rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to identify the factors influencing the prioritization and implementation of rehabilitation services in Uganda. A case study design was utilized. The Prioritization of Rehabilitation in National Health Systems framework guided the study. Data sources included 33 key informant interviews (KIIs) with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders and peer-reviewed and grey literature on rehabilitation in Uganda. A thematic content analysis and concept map were conducted to analyze the data. Rehabilitation is an unfunded priority in Uganda, garnering political attention but failing to receive adequate financial or human resource allocation. The national legacy of rehabilitation as a social program, instead of a health program, has influenced its present-day prioritization trajectory. These include a fragmented governance system, a weak advocacy coalition without a unified objective or champion, and a lack of integration into existing health systems structures that makes it challenging to scale-up service provision. Our findings highlight the interactive influences of structural, governance, and framing factors on prioritization and the importance of historical context in understanding both prioritization and implementation. Our findings demonstrate challenges in prioritizing emerging, multi-sectoral health areas like rehabilitation. Strategic considerations for elevating rehabilitation on Uganda's policy agenda include generating credible indicators to quantify the nature and extent of the population's need and uniting governmental and non-governmental actors around a common vision for rehabilitation's expansion. We present opportunities for strengthening rehabilitation, both in Uganda and in similar contexts grappling with many health sector priorities and limited resources.

Digital Technology’s Impact on Socio-Cultural Inclusion of Sri Lankan Indigenous Communities: A Case Study of the Vedda People

The advent of e-communication and digital technology has notably influenced the socio-cultural inclusion of indigenous communities, particularly the Vedda people of Sri Lanka. The objectives of this study are to explore how digital technology and e-communication influence the cultural, educational, and social empowerment of Veda communities; to investigate the potential challenges these communities face in embracing modern technology; and to propose strategies to enhance inclusion. A rigorous methodological approach was employed, including an extensive epistemological literature review that facilitated a deep understanding of the socio-cultural contexts. The study also included a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 articles using the PRISMA framework, allowing for an unbiased and comprehensive synthesis of existing knowledge. The findings reveal that while digital technology has fostered a level of inclusion, barriers such as digital literacy, infrastructure, and cultural resistance remain. The conclusions, based on the analyzed articles, call for a coordinated effort involving governmental, non-governmental, and community stakeholders to facilitate inclusion through tailored interventions that respect the unique cultural identity of the Veda People. The research contributes significantly to the understanding of technology-driven inclusion, forming a strong base for future policy-making and action.

From Terrorism to Peaceful Tourism: Status of Sustainable Tourism in Cotabato Province

Exploring Cotabato Province's shift from conflict to a sustainable tourism hub has noticeable changes over time. Sustainable tourism is one of the dimensions of peace. This study aimed to assess the status of sustainable tourism. Using a phenomenological approach, insights were collected from interviews and focus groups in three municipalities in Cotabato Province. Results show significant strides in peacebuilding and economic empowerment, driven by community-engaging sustainable tourism initiatives. Conflicts created massive displacement, persistent conflict, economic failure, and discrimination. Inter-government and non-government stakeholders offered initiatives to address the existing conflicts. These initiatives are further anchored in peacebuilding, economy, and security. In addition, formalizing the negotiation and peace agreement between stakeholders fostered culture-to-culture and people-to-people toward the development of peace and tourism. The status of sustainable tourism provided women empowerment in the community in promoting tourism. It allowed them to engage in the economic recovery of the locality. The findings highlight sustainable tourism as a key driver for peace and development, providing a replicable model for post-conflict regions. It reversed the perception of the tourists about areas. The newly discovered status in creating sustainable tourism provides a springboard for promoting tourism development policies and standards. This study encourages the exploration of the business tourism aspect in the promotion of peace and sustainable tourism in other provinces.