Policy Brief Research Articles

Researching the hard-to-reach: a scoping review protocol of digital health research in hidden, marginal and excluded populations

IntroductionThere is a significant growth in the use of digital technology and methods in health-related research, further driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has offered a potential to apply digital...

SDG 7 requires post-growth energy sufficiency

Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) aims to achieve “energy for all” by improving energy security for the world's poor while supporting a global transition toward low-carbon energy sources. The aim of this policy brief is to evaluate and propose energy sufficiency as a feasible policy response to negative interactions of SDG 7, for climate (SDG 13), the biophysical environment (SDG 14 and 15), and social equity (SDG 10), when linked to the pursuit of unending economic growth (SDG 8). Recommendations for SDG 7 target economy-wide absolute and per capita limits in overall energy use to precede adjustments in technology and behavior, thus shifting from energy excess for some to energy sufficiency for all.

The Relentless Times: Exploring Newspaper Discourses on Shecession and Gendered Inequalities

The multitude of societal disruptions caused by COVID-19 also includes large-scale unemployment. Both men and women have encountered job losses during the pandemic. However, the inequalities experienced by women in the workfront were intensified due to COVID-19, which led to a disproportionate negative impact on working women. According to International Labor Organization’s new policy brief, the number of employed women has decreased by 13 million from 2019 to 2021 (ILO, 2021). During the pandemic, women have faced a drop of 4.2% in employment, which amounts to 54 million job losses globally. Indeed, there are regional variations to this large-scale employment losses, with the Americas experiencing the worst (9.4%), followed by the Arab states (4.1%), Asia-Pacific (3.8%), Europe-Central Asia (2.5%), and Africa (1.9%). Building forward a fairer global society involves placing gender equality and exploring gender-responsive measures in the forefront of the pandemic recovery efforts. Hence the main aim of this article is to discuss the role of COVID-19 on the lives of working women. In particular, we are interested in exploring a contemporary phenomenon namely “shecession”. In the sections below, we provide a background of the role of working women in the labor market, followed by a discussion of shecession, social time, and intersectionality. In particular, our focus is on identifying the repertoires underlying shecession as well as on examining the role of social time as an agent in shecession. Our study thus contributes to the literature on time, gender, and business ethics by exploring how social time and gender play a role in accentuating inequalities in the labor market and thereby shaping shecession.

Transitioning to carbon neutrality in Bahrain: a policy brief

PurposeBahrain has set a national target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, with an interim goal of a 30% reduction in CO2e emissions by 2035. The aim of this policy brief is to provide insights on how carbon neutrality in Bahrain can be achieved.Design/methodology/approachA review of literature related to climate change mitigation in general, and that related to Bahrain in particular, was carried out.FindingsGiven that the carbon intensity of Bahrain's economy is relatively high, achieving carbon neutrality requires not only technologies for reducing CO2e emissions at the source and enhanced carbon sinks, but it also requires the introduction of a circular economy culture and efforts to foster pro-environmental behavior within the population. The involvement of different stakeholders in the journey toward carbon neutrality is critical, along with the formulation of requisite policies regulating the roles of technology, behavior and research.Originality/valuePathways to achieve carbon neutrality in Bahrain were explored, and areas for policy focus were recommended.

Biomass Recycling as a futuristic sector in Indian economy: policy brief

Biomass Recycling as a futuristic sector in Indian economy: policy brief

Effectiveness of Active Labour Market Policies in the EU Countries for the Young Unemployed People and Implications for the Post-pandemic Period

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerability of young people in the labour market. Young people are faced with risks and an uncertain future, as well as changing the nature of labour markets. Active labour market policies are addressed as the main instrument to improve employment possibilities of young people in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic situation and its aftermath. This paper analyses the effectiveness of active labour market policies in reducing youth unemployment for the EU-26 Member States using aggregate data. Based on dynamic generalised methods of moments-GMM panel data approach, we find that active labour market policies do not support reduction of youth unemployment. Moreover, unfavourable prospects in the formal sector push young people into the informal sector. Considering the multiple shocks with which young people are being faced with, and the long-term pandemic impact, it suggests the scarring effect for young people. The analysis of the effectiveness of active labour market policy in reducing youth unemployment is of particular policy relevance, as the negative effects of the pandemic COVID-19 crisis are imminent, and the labour market situation is expected to worsen due to the fall in economic activity. Different measures of success would bring societal benefits not only from the public health perspective, but also from the perspective of well-being of young people. Moreover, OECD & European Commission (2022), in their joint policy brief, argue that investing in the growth sectors such as the circular economy, digital economy and the green economy would have the potential to employ young job seekers.

Deliberation as a Collective Decision-Making Mechanism in Multicultural Communities

In this policy brief, the potential that deliberative democracy as a decision-making process has for enhancing the inter-cultural dialogue and dealing with the issues present in multicultural communities is examined. Besides analyzing the advantages of deliberation and its operationalization in reality, in the final part of the policy brief, I offer some possible paths for improving the deliberative process in fostering intercultural communication and problem-solving.

Cultural Diplomacy: The Case of France

Cultural diplomacy has been evolved as a powerful and effective tool in order to ameliorate a country’s image to the international audience. Consequently, it gives the opportunity for countries to promote foreign policy’s goals and to achieve a standing in the international system. The present paper, after attempting to define the notion of cultural diplomacy, focuses on the case of France. In fact, some important actors that are part of the French cultural network are mentioned. In particular, actors related to the fields of language, education, cinema and media are explored in this policy brief. It is concluded that France has followed a successful cultural diplomacy policy that can inspire other countries.

Policy learning For education in a pandemic and post-pandemic world: the ARC Education Project

The aim of this policy brief is to summarize the key priorities and recommendations made by ARC delegates and thought leaders who came together virtually between March 2020 and November 2021 to find ways to support students, parents, teachers, and school leaders in their respective educational communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO urges countries to include MH support in climate crisis response

Climate change poses serious risks to mental health and well‐being, concludes a new policy brief from the World Health Organization (WHO), released June 3 at the Stockholm+50 conference. The WHO is urging countries to include mental health support in their response to the climate crisis, citing examples where a few pioneering countries have done so effectively. The findings are in line with a report published in February by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report revealed that rapidly increasing climate change poses an increasing threat to mental health and psychosocial well‐being, contributing to emotional distress, anxiety, depression, grief and suicidal behavior. The mental health impacts of climate change are unequally distributed among certain groups that are disproportionately affected depending on factors such as socioeconomic status, gender and age. However, it is clear that climate change affects many of the social determinants that are already leading to massive mental health burdens globally. A 2021 WHO survey of 95 countries found that only nine have thus far included mental health and psychosocial support in their national health and climate change plans.

The Chinese System of Community Care for Older Adults.

China is increasingly turning to community care (CC) to fill the growing gap between the care needs of older adults and availability of that care. The specific application of this concept in China takes two forms: state cash-for-care programs and a market-oriented operational approach. State cash-for-care programs offer cash payments or vouchers, and older adults have a statutory entitlement to apply for the relief of CC charges. The market-oriented operational model comprises urban community care service "supermarkets," where older adults can buy services according to their needs. Even with these two programs, CC still has many shortcomings. Deficits include lack of national standards for individual services and personnel development, and absence of an independent department or systems to oversee supervision and quality assessment. This policy brief offers key recommendations for government investment through supportive social policies and improvements to the quantity and quality of the care workforce. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(6), 7-11.].

Organismic Health in Planetary Emergency Health Situations: A Transdisciplinary Salutogenic Approach

The topic of the health as a planetary affair is returned dramatically to the limelight in the public debate due to the current COVID-19 emergency. The lockdowns imposed almost worldwide have undoubtedly had the beneficial effect of limiting infections, but at the same time generating a civilizational collapse. This Policy brief is an invitation to action addressed to policy makers and health professionals to improve the physical, mental and spiritual (systemic) vitality of the person (salutogenesis) through the application of the Health Circles and + Immunity method, an approach inspired by Integrative-Systemic Medicine and salutogenic transdisciplinary approach.

The philanthropy's crucial role in alleviating stunting in Southeast Asian countries through research funding: a policy brief

Background: Developing countries need funding for researchers to maximize the evidence base, especially in stunting research. This short policy is expected to provide opportunities for Southeast Asian countries to receive more research funding to stunt philanthropists. Policy and implications: Multi-sector cooperation is arguably the leading player in acceleration programs to reduce growth delays. The Stunted Reduction Acceleration Program, complemented by higher research and development expenditures (RDEs) and open policies to support philanthropic activities in Indonesia, will help improve the efficiency of stunted stunt reduction through adequate funding and investment. As evidenced by Singapore and Thailand, the increase in government budgets focused on research and development (R&D) and supportive environments, as shown by Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI), prove that evidence-based and practical researches can lead to the reduction of estimated prevalence of stunting rather than innovation-stage research. Recommendations: Attention should be paid to proposing major changes to the allocation of R&D expenses and creating an environment that supports philanthropy. The challenges associated with these issues are: (1) stunted research and innovation are still left behind. (2) The availability of data and the lack of transparency. (3) Subpar performance in relation to philanthropists. (4) Inconsistent legal definitions and a lack of industry-specific guidelines. (5) Inadequate law enforcement. (6) Local leaders must engage in evidence-based advocacy. (7) Philanthropists have few opportunities to learn.

Strengthening health system's capacity for pre-exposure prophylaxis for adolescent girls and young women and adolescent boys and young men in South Africa (SHeS'Cap-PrEP): Protocol for a mixed methods study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective prevention intervention that can be used to control HIV incidence especially among people who are at increased risk for HIV such as adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and adolescent boys and young men (ABYM). In South Africa, various approaches of delivering PrEP have been adopted at different service delivery points (facility-based only, school-based only, community-based only and hybrid school-facility and community-facility models) to overcome challenges associated with individual, structural, and health systems related barriers that may hinder access to and uptake of PrEP among these populations. However, little is known about how to optimize PrEP implementation and operational strategies to achieve high sustained uptake of good quality services for AGYW and ABYM. This study aims to identify effective and feasible PrEP models of care for improving PrEP uptake, continuation, and adherence among AGYW and ABYM. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study will be conducted in 22 service delivery points (SDPs) in uMgungundlovu district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We will recruit 600 HIV negative, sexually active, high risk, AGYW (aged 15-24 years) and ABYM (aged 15-35 years). Enrolled participants will be followed up at 1-, 4- and 7-months to determine continuation and adherence to PrEP. We will conduct two focus group discussions (with 8 participants in each group) across four groups (i. Initiated PrEP within 1 month, ii. Did not initiate PrEP within 1 month, iii. Continued PrEP at 4/7 months and iv. Did not continue PrEP at 4/7 months) and 48 in-depth interviews from each of the four groups (12 per group). Twelve key informant interviews with stakeholders working in HIV programs will also be conducted. Associations between demographic characteristics stratified by PrEP initiation and by various service-delivery models will be assessed using Chi-square/Fishers exact tests or t-test/Mann Whitney test. A general inductive approach will be used to analyze the qualitative data. The protocol was approved by the South African Medical Research Council Health Research Ethics Committee (EC051-11/2020). Findings from the study will be communicated to the study population and results will be presented to stakeholders and at appropriate local and international conferences. Outputs will also include a policy brief, peer-reviewed journal articles and research capacity building through research degrees.

Artificial Intelligence Policies to Enhance Urban Mobility in Southeast Asia

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool for technological progress with profound impacts on governments, industries, universities, and societies. In Southeast Asia, AI has presented both opportunities and challenges. Local governments are increasingly experimenting and piloting AI technology to create smart, sustainable, and inclusive cities. Nevertheless, the adoption of artificial intelligence in cities requires proper planning, management, and implementation. Consequently, there is a need for a concerted effort to establish collaboration between industries, governments, academics, and societies in Southeast Asia. This policy brief aims to provide an overview of how artificial intelligence can be implemented to enhance urban mobility in Southeast Asia. To maximize the relevance of the policy brief, experts from various fields have been consulted in its preparation.

China Revamping Decades-Old Fisheries Law to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing: Stimulating the Intersection of Law, Technology, and Markets

As the world’s leading fish producer, exporter and consumer State, China must act decisively to eradicate national and international commerce in wild-capture species derived from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In 2019 China launched an overhaul of its 1986 Fisheries Law with a draft statute subject to the deliberation of the National People’s Congress. In this policy brief, we argue that China should not miss the opportunity but proactively align with the global paradigm shift toward responsible and sustainable fisheries management. To amend the patchy legal framework and implement the rule of law ahead, we suggest technology-enabled traceability and market-responsive solutions to help the country mitigate illicit capturing, processing, and transaction events infiltrating from bait to plate.

Creating Choice and Building Consensus

According to a recent study by the Brookings Institution (Reeves & Krause, 2016), vasectomies are safer, more effective, and less expensive than most other voluntary sterilization methods. While the procedure has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly in the United Kingdom and Canada, it is much less common in the United States. This discrepancy can be attributed to both social (a perception that contraception is “women’s work”) and policy-­based factors (lack of coverage under the Affordable Care Act). This paper examines the role and extent to which invitational rhetoric could be a useful communicative lens for both partners and providers considering vasectomies, thus increasing access to and utilization of the safe, effective, and affordable procedure. In this policy brief, we suggest strategies for incorporating invitational rhetoric into health professions education curricula, patient counseling literature, and policy language in order to address some of the social stigma around the procedure.

A lost opportunity of a grand bargain: Security architecture between NATO and Russia

Ukraine is existential to Russia, but peripheral to American interests. The “escalation dominance” advantage is with Moscow, and no amount of military aid or economic coercion, short of an actual war, will deter Moscow, given the asymmetry of interests and differing threat perceptions. American public opinion remains firmly opposed to risking a potential great power war. That said, a Ukraine—if it exists as a state after the war—at peace with its neighbours is in everyone’s interest, as is a decreased risk of a great power conflict. This policy brief identifies some confidence-building measures that might, in a similar situation in the future, result in a more realist grand bargain. A potential war might be a short punitive campaign by Russia, in which case the central thesis of this policy brief, a neutral zone in Ukraine, will remain intact. It might also be a war of occupation and conquest, in which case this paper might be considered a study in a counterfactual history of what could have been.

Interventions for adapting health care providers to new situations in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review for developing a policy brief.

The rapid change in the conditions of health care centers following the sudden onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic led to work challenges and role changes and the transfer of staff to new and unfamiliar workplaces. This study aimed to develop policy interventions to adapt health care providers to the new situation in the workplace during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A systematic literature review was carried out using international databases to identify English‐language studies to identify policy interventions. The viewpoints resulting from the observations of the research team and seven health system experts were used to categorize the interventions. Three main policy interventions were identified: creating a flexible and efficient system through modifying personnel roles, adequate training of health care personnel about work conditions when treating COVID‐19 patients, and creating a supportive and motivating work environment.

Voices from ethnic minorities: policy brief of a participatory community broadcasting programme in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT This policy brief introduces the Community Involvement Broadcasting Service (CIBS) provided by Radio Television Hong Kong, the public broadcaster of the city, as a platform through which ethnic minorities can participate in media production and communicate with their community members as well as the larger public. The essay discusses the situation facing ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, especially the challenges of media representation and participation. It then discusses the origin of CIBS and examines the characteristics of ethnic minority programming through the service. The essay also discusses the challenges facing the endeavour and the ways to evaluate the performance of the programme.