Gaps In Policy Implementation Research Articles

Supporting Ageing Populations in Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis of Pension Schemes and Policy Insights

The rapid growth of the elderly population is a major global demographic and social issue. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of pension plans and social security programmes for this population in developing countries, which has severe consequences for their quality of life and well-being. In this article, we aim to better understand the pension systems in developing country contexts such as Ghana, Pakistan, and Myanmar by reviewing official government materials (for example, pension reports) and the published literature to suggest relevant policy recommendations. We observed several policy implementation gaps and inequities in pension schemes for older people, specifically for informal and private sector workers. Considering the size of formal versus informal economies and the level of development index of each country, we suggest a wide variety of options for pension policies, financing, designing cash benefits, and pension payments to cover all older citizens. This article addresses the unmet needs of the elderly and their wider economic sustainability to ensure social justice and resource utilisation. Governments in developing countries should embrace and establish unique, inclusive, and friendly policies encompassing the informal sector to warrant older adults’ functional and social well-being with dignity and honour.

Healthcare Waste Management Policy in a lower-middle-income country: A case for the adoption of the RADICAL framework

The COVID-19 pandemic raised the salience of Healthcare Waste Management (HCWM). Various studies have shown that the level of HCWM in lower-middle-income countries falls below international standards and global best practice, indicating that the national policy on HCWM is either non-existent or has not been embedded in practice. The renewed salience affords an opportunity to revisit, update and embed the national policy on HCWM. In seizing this opportunity, the elemental thinking must change from a linear model to the complex adaptive model that takes account of the inter-relationships and contextual factors that could impede or facilitate implementation of the policy. These complexities account for the ‘policy-implementation gap’ associated with policy failure. This paper presents a framework that could be applied in developing, implementing, and monitoring the national HCWM policy in a lower-middle-income country. The integrative framework, identified by the acronym RADICAL, comprises the following domains in an integrated grid: Raise awareness; Apply formal quality improvement methods; Design for quality and safety: Involve stakeholders; Collect and Analyse pertinent data; Learn from shared experience. The pertinence of each domain to HCWM is described.

Latin American immigration and refugee policies: a critical literature review

Against the background of remarkable policy liberalization and the subsequent steep increase of forced displacement in Latin America, the literature on immigration and refugee policy in the region has gained momentum. Although largely overlooked, this literature has the potential to provide a corrective to political migration theory from the Global South. In this article we carry out a systematic, critical review of the regional literature along three thematic axes: legal analyses, normative and explanatory studies. Based on the review of 108 journal articles, we describe the characteristics, main contributions and research gaps of each thematic area. By analyzing legal norms and policy implementation gaps, existing studies on Latin America provide an understanding of migration policy over time and offer important empirical evidence for the advancement of political migration theory, challenging some of the main assumptions attributed to policies in the Global South. However, the lack of engagement with the broader literature and the absence of systematic analyses of its determinants and effects significantly limit the potential of this body of work. We close by making concrete suggestions of how future studies could fill existing gaps both in theoretical and empirical terms, and which methodological approach should be employed.

Gap Implementasi Dalam Kebijakan Publik: Studi Kasus Implementasi Kebijakan Perpu Nomor 2 Tahun 2022 Klaster Ketenagakerjaan Tentang Pemanfaatan Pekerja Asing

Perppu number 2 of 2022 is a controversial regulation and has received a lot of resistance from the public, especially workers. Perppu number 2 of 2022 is considered to have the potential to facilitate the entry of foreign workers which threatens and creates new competition for local workers. However, Perppu Number 2 of 2022 shows the use of diction which emphasizes that the aim of the entry of foreign workers into Indonesia is to transfer skills and transfer technology. The research questions and things analyzed in this research are to see how the implementation of Perppu Number 2 of 2022 is and discuss what recommendations and things that can be improved in the implementation of Perppu Number 2 of 2022. This research is qualitative research using literature study data collection techniques. The results of this research show that there is an implementation gap between what is formulated in Perppu number 2 of 2022 and the implementation in the field which is caused by multidimensional factors. By using policy capacity theory and implementation gap theory, the recommendations that can be given for the implementation of Perppu Number 2 of 2022 are improvements in human resource capacity, both in qualitative and quantitative terms and empowerment of non-governmental institutions in overseeing the implementation of the policy. So it can be concluded that there is a large implementation gap between what policy makers formulated in Perppu Number 2 of 2022 and what is implemented in the field.

Evaluating Childhood Overweight- and Obesity-Related Food Marketing Policies in China Using the Food-Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI).

Addressing the increasing global health issue of childhood obesity, exacerbated by pervasive food marketing, this study critically evaluated China's food marketing policies in comparison with international best practices, aiming to uncover policy content and implementation gaps and inform policy enhancement strategies. Three key indicators were utilized from the Healthy Food-Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)'s food promotion domain. A panel of experts (n = 13) from academic institutions, China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the food industry assessed the Chinese government's policy scores and implementation levels concerning food marketing. Benchmarked against international best practices using the Food-EPI process, this evaluation encompassed context analysis, data collection, evidence-based policy action, government validation, policy rating, scoring, and results translation for government and stakeholders. The three chosen indicators specifically addressed childhood overweight- and obesity-related food marketing in broadcast media (Indicator 1), non-broadcast media (Indicator 2), and child gathering settings (Indicator 3). Specifically, Indicator 1, the Single Food Marketing Indicator Score was measured at 2.31 ± 0.38, with an accompanying Food Marketing Policy Implementation Percentage of 46.2%, and Low Implementation Level. For non-broadcast mediums (Indicator 2), these metrics were gauged at 1.77 ± 0.27, 35.4%, and Low Implementation Level, respectively. In child gathering settings (Indicator 3), for efforts curbing unhealthy food promotion, a score of 2.77 ± 0.27, an implementation percentage of 55.4%, and Medium Implementation Level was obtained. Cumulatively, the overarching efficacy of food marketing policy enforcement was determined to be suboptimal, with the consolidated figures being Total Food Marketing Score as 2.28 ± 0.97, Total Food Marketing Policy Implementation Percentage as 45.6%, and Total Food Marketing Policy Implementation Level as Low. Like many countries, China's food marketing policies and implementation have room for improvement when compared to international best practices. Recommendations include emphasizing nutritional legislation, fostering stakeholder collaboration, bolstering public health campaigns, and leveraging technology for stringent enforcement.

Informing National Climate Action with the Green Economy Model: A Technical Description of the Structures and Processes

National climate ambitions have been hampered by a lack of understanding of the impacts of the transition to a low-carbon economy as well as the consequences of inaction. Amid legitimate concerns regarding transitional impacts, financing needs, and the institutional and political constraints to low-carbon policy implementation, knowledge and analytical skill gaps prevent countries from increasing necessary ambition on climate and environmental targets consistent with global goals. In this Technical Note, we present the green economy model (GEM), which aims to simultaneously improve people’s understanding of complex climate, environmental, and socioeconomic linkages; equip decision-makers with adequate tools for policy development; and help close coordination gaps and build technical capacity for low-carbon policymaking. It is a practical guide for local policymakers, experts, and academics to understand the model structures and considerations for employing GEM for green economic policy analysis.

Including learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Voices of mainstream teachers

The global shift toward inclusive education is in pursuit of creating a more equal and just society. This has lead schools worldwide to experience an increase in the number of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering the general classroom. At the first level of contact, teachers play an important role in the implementation of inclusive education; it is therefore crucial to acknowledge their experiences. Their voices need to be heard since their experiences can contribute to doing justice to the existing policies on inclusive education. In search of teachers' subjective experiences, we framed this interpretive qualitative phenomenological research study in a social constructivist paradigm. Participants were purposefully selected from an international school in Cape Town, South Africa. We collected data through an online open-ended questionnaire, followed by an in-person focus group discussion at the school. The findings indicated that while teachers are in favour of inclusion, they experience many challenges that result in a policy-implementation gap.

The challenges of harmonising anti-doping policy implementation

ABSTRACT The policy-implementation gap conceptualises how policy intentions and outcomes often differ due to a failure to consider the realities of implementation. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) directs Olympic anti-doping policy, seeking to harmonise anti-doping policy globally; however, the realisation of consistent implementation has proven challenging. A major cause of inconsistent policy implementation is inter-signatory variation, but the mechanisms of variation are poorly understood. WADA provides an excellent example to explore why policy gaps occur in international sport governance. Consequently, we aimed to analyse the different types of inter-signatory variation in anti-doping policy and identify practical solutions to address inter-signatory variation in anti-doping. Data were collected from the Regional Anti-Doping Programme (RADO), a group of organisations tasked with increasing the capacity of NADOs globally. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 RADO staff and board members who were sampled as key informants to discuss how inter-signatory variation affects anti-doping policy compliance. Following reflexive thematic analysis, we identified four thematic categories explaining inter-signatory variation in anti-doping implementation: (1) socio-geographic, (2) political, (3) organisational, and (4) human resources. Based on our analysis, we theorise why the policy-implementation gap occurs and provide recommendations to improve anti-doping policy implementation.

Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in Western Balkans between aspirations and reality

Abstract This paper aims to discuss the current situation on GRB as a tool to make budgets gender-responsive and achieve gender equality in Western Balkans. Apart from exploring the gap between the aspiration in implementing the GRB instruments and tools from one side and the obstacles encountered which are bound to be specific for any country or region. The general method used is the conceptual analyses as well as content analyses will be starting points when scrutinizing policy-papers that policymakers as well as programs of UN, UN Woman, EU and other foreign agencies are trying to implement in WB. Despite numerous gender policies having been adopted in Western Balkans over the last few decades, significant gender inequalities are persisting and there are gender policy implementation gaps. The paper concludes that there is a need to have sound laws and policies that meet the equivalent demand to implement them. Integrated GRB initiatives with gender equality goals could provide the basis for better gender equality outcomes and ownership from the central and local government administration, which is crucial in the long term and sustainable gender equality.

Gendered Participation in Water Governance: Implications for Successful Communitybased Water Management and Women Empowerment

This article sought to analyse the gender dimensions in communally managed water schemes in rural Uganda. Taking two rural villages as empirical referents, the study used multi-methods of data collection and a gender-based analysis to interrogate the challenges to equitable access and decision-making in rural-based water schemes. The analysis reveals that, despite the existing policy and legislative regime, access to water for women is severely constrained, and their level of decision-making in communally managed water schemes is remarkably low. The article holds that women’s participation is critical for the much-needed collective action towards community-based water governance, gender equity, and empowerment. Consequently, the barriers to sustainable water access and effective women’s participation can be addressed through significant investments in systematic water institutional reforms, targeted capacity-building initiatives, and plugging existing policy monitoring and implementation gaps at all levels. There is a need to address the policy reality gap regarding ownership of productive resources for women as a key strand towards addressing the equity challenges at different levels of water governance.

Alley greening: a tool for enhancing community resilience?

ABSTRACT In many cities across the world alleys are transitioning from residual spaces to hybrid places providing the foundation for new functions, uses, and identities to take root and coincide through a process of “alley greening”. Such manifestations are transforming the relationship between people (local residents) and place (alleyway – local area), most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic when a new urgency for the provision, or repurposing, of safe, social spaces emerged. Yet, the potential of alley greening to affect people-place relationships and engender community resilience has been relatively unexplored. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, including questionnaires, interviews, and case study analyses, this paper critically investigates the experience and perspectives of green alleys from various place-based actors in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The findings reveal that, even in the absence of institutional and policy support, green alley projects have the potential to stimulate positive people-place relationships in various ways and enhance wider community resilience to shocks and stresses. However, barriers prevail, curtailing the reach and purpose of such projects both in Belfast and elsewhere. The paper considers how governance arrangements might best overcome such hurdles and strengthen pro-environmental and pro-social behaviours that are fundamental to community resilience. Key policy highlights Despite their integral form and function in the city, alleyways, nor their potential, are rarely recognised in the policy. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a policy-implementation gap in the provision of locally accessible greenspace. Policy inertia exacerbated this gap preventing the fulfilment of changing community needs. Alley greening emerged as a tactical urban response. A lack of place-based approaches within policy has polarised institutions from communities. People-place relationships, essential to resilience-building and green alley longevity, are subsequently inadequately engaged with and fostered. An opportunity exists for alley greening to be a place-based policy instrument to stimulate pro-social and pro-environmental behaviours for building community resilience.

Pedagogical Implications on Curriculum Support for Learner Progression

Part of enabling progressed learners’ successes is provision of adequate curriculum support to bridge content gap. Learner progression was introduced as an intervention for retention and to minimise school dropout. Dynamics around education policy implementation gaps seems to be obstacle between progression policy promises and outcomes. This is visible through the national grade 12 results which continue to decline amid learner progression. Within debates of progression policy derailing quality education, Covid19 disruptions unleashed inequalities in the education sector. For instance, learning losses and in turn pedagogical implications for progressed learners’ extended learning opportunities. This paper reports on curriculum support provided to progressed learners reflecting on Covid19 disruptions using Bandura’ Social Learning Theoretical lens. The study adopted a qualitative research approach placed within interpretivism paradigm and employed exploratory case study design. Six teachers were purposively selected from three secondary school in one district of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Thus, two grade twelve teachers per school whose subjects were directly affected by progression policy because the study focuses on progression from grade eleven to twelve. Data were collected through document analysis and interviews. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Findings revealed limitations to reach out to progressed learners’ due catch-up plans because of lockdown and rotational models. This study concluded on a fair compliance on policy stipulations yet limited specific intervention strategies. The unique contribution of this study is the reflection on three implementation gaps which had implications for progression policy outcomes.

A social innovation to empower community-led monitoring and mobilization for HIV prevention in rural Kenya: experimenting to reduce the HIV prevention policy-implementation gap.

Strong policy guidance has recently emerged identifying focal points at multiple levels and across sectors to end the persistent HIV pandemic and related inequities. Reducing the policy-implementation gap, as with the evidence-policy gap, requires strategic alignment between interventional research and policy realms. Global- and national-level HIV policy indicate a need for community-led efforts to reduce HIV stigma, and increase uptake of HIV prevention tools. This study assesses a process-driven approach to facilitating community-led efforts to reduce HIV stigma, and build a generative context for community-led HIV prevention. The study intervention combines an adapted group-based microfinance process, a novel psychological curriculum, and leadership development at a scale now involving over 10,000 rural Kenyans across 39 villages. Consistent with interventional goals, and current relevant psychosocial theories, we find collective emotion, and HIV stigma (blame and discrimination) significantly improve with more time participating in the in the program and novel curriculum. Further, HIV stigma predicts subsequent reporting of ever being tested for HIV, and the intervention led to the development of "HIV prevention resource committees" - groups of participants committed to undergo training to reduce HIV stigma and prevent HIV within their communities. Implications for further research to reduce the HIV policy-implementation gap are discussed, directly within this interventional context and more generally.

Parents' and teachers' perceptions of the Australian primary school food provision venues and food-related policies

PurposeThis study aims to gain an understanding from parents and teachers about the types of food provision practices and venues, and the food-related policies and rules in primary schools in Australia; and investigate any differences in the presence of policies and rules based on the school location and school type.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via two online surveys from August 2019 to March 2020. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse quantitative responses. Respondents' written responses to food-related policies were categorised into groups.FindingsThe two most common food provision services were canteen and lunch order services (mentioned by 72 and 55% of respondents, respectively). Of the 425 respondents whose schools had a canteen (parents and teachers together), 62% reported their school implements a healthy school canteen policy. Significantly more parents compared to teachers, and more respondents from government schools compared to non-government schools stated that their school had implemented such a policy. Approximately half of the respondents (47%) stated their school had implemented other food-related policies and/or rules. These policies or rules belonged to four categories: avoiding certain foods, avoiding food sharing, avoiding food packages and promoting healthy eating.Originality/valueThis study shows the disparities exist in implementing food-related policies among primary schools in Australia. Nutrition promoters and policy planners should consider these results and find the best mechanisms to minimise the gaps in policy implementation.

COVID-19 vaccine eligibility of pregnant and lactating women in Bangladesh: Gap between policy and policy interpretation among policymakers and healthcare workers

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of maternal and newborn morbidity and maternal death. Bangladesh confirmed its first COVID-19 case in March of 2020, and vaccination rollout started in January of 2021. In Bangladesh, pregnant women are allowed to receive COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy with qualifications while lactating women are permitted to receive COVID-19 vaccines with no qualifications as of October 2021. There is limited evidence on how vaccine policies are disseminated, interpreted, and implemented from the national level to the community level in Bangladesh. We conducted in-depth interviews from April-August 2022 with policymakers and healthcare workers in Bangladesh to understand how different stakeholders understood and implemented COVID-19 vaccination policies related to pregnant and lactating women. We interviewed policymakers at three levels: national, divisional, and district, and interviewed healthcare workers from one one urban and three rural communities within one division. We found a gap between policies related to COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant and lactating women and policy interpretation among policymakers and healthcare workers. Policymakers and healthcare workers’ perceptions differed related to policy dissemination, attitudes toward policies related to pregnant and lactating women, and eligibility of pregnant and lactating women. Our findings indicate the need for effective dissemination of and understanding of policies. Within the context of vaccine uptake and vaccine acceptance, policymakers play a critical role as they are charged with developing and disseminating policy related to vaccine eligibility. Healthcare workers rely on timely and accurate communication related to vaccine eligibility, including populations, timing, and locations. Efforts are needed to narrow the policy and policy implementation gap as doing so is crucial to controlling vaccine preventable disease.

Covid-19 pandemic: A necessary catalyst for e-learning adoption and application

The Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a grinding halt, adversely affecting almost every sector including the post school education and training (PSET) sector. The South African PSET sector is no exception. The academic enterprise was abruptly disrupted and led to a serious loss of teaching and learning time as the government passed new regulations discouraging movement and physical meetings of people. The state of disaster regulations and lockdown directives pronounced during March 2020 by the South African government presented an unprecedented way of operating since the formation of many higher education institutions (HEIs). This study assesses the state of e-learning before and after the first six weeks of lockdown regulations in two HEIs, using a theoretical framework of e-learning system readiness assessment and a participatory research approach. The study reveals a state of under-preparedness by HEIs to operate under the lockdown regulations, due to the adopted blended learning policy implementation gap. Based on these findings, the study concludes with an argument that the Covid-19 pandemic presented a great opportunity for HEIs not only to adopt e-learning at the policy level but also to adapt to the new e-learning methods and practices and thus prepare universities for times of uncertainty.

Crip-queer intimacy, alliance and activism: towards holistic sexuality education in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This study investigates the significance of sexuality education for individuals with disabilities in Taiwan. It highlights the importance of understanding sexuality as a fundamental aspect of identity, encompassing intimate relationships and connection to others. Since the implementation of the Gender Equity Education Act in 2004, Taiwan has made efforts to include comprehensive sexuality education in the school curriculum and integrate disabled students into mainstream education. However, disabled individuals still face barriers due to ableism and heteronormativity, which impede their access to sexual and reproductive health services, including sexuality education. To address this issue, we conducted a qualitative investigation using narrative and policy data, drawing on Scott’s phenomenology of nothingness and crip theory to explore the intersection of sexualities and disabilities in educational contexts. Our findings reveal that individuals with disabilities in Taiwan often rely on pornography and other erotic materials as informal sources of sex education. Hand Angels, a volunteer-based group established in 2013, has been actively promoting sexual rights within disability rights organisations, advocating for a comprehensive, sex-positive, pleasure-focused, and rights-based approach to sexuality education. However, there are still gaps in knowledge production and policy implementation, which systematically deny people with disabilities their right to sexual agency.

Tackling China's local environmental policy implementation gap: An evolutionary game analysis of China's environmental protection inspection system

Despite China's stringent environmental regulations, there has been a persistent policy implementation gap at local level, specifically due to local protectionism and inadequate enforcement measures. To address this issue, the Central Environmental Protection Inspection (CEPI) initiative was launched in 2016, replacing the Regional Environmental Protection Inspection (REPI) system. This study examines why the REPI failed to tackle the implementation gap and how the CEPI works. This is achieved by constructing a tripartite evolutionary game (EG) model consisting of the central government, local governments, and polluting enterprises. Using system dynamics (SD), the study simulates and analyzes the behavior and strategies of the three game players in two scenarios, namely weak and strong negative incentives. Then, this study analyzes the evolutionary process of environmental protection inspection (EPI) by means of a case study. The results show that: (1) the strategy adopted by polluting enterprises depends on the actual signal conveyed by the local governments. In addition, whether the strong regulatory signal of the central government can be effectively transmitted to polluting enterprises mainly depends on the attitude of the local governments. (2) The CEPI conveys a reliable commitment and provides effective external stimuli that adjust the incentive structure of local governments. Meanwhile, the REPI lacked significant punishment measures, which made it difficult for the central government's environmental regulatory signals to reach polluting enterprises in an effective manner. This study contributes to a better understanding of the evolutionary process and causes of the EPI system, as well as how the Chinese government tackles the local environmental policy implementation gap.

Nature-inclusive urban development: lessons learned in three real estate projects in Dutch cities

ABSTRACTAn increasing number of real estate actors appear to be searching for ways to incorporate nature and biodiversity in urban development projects. In this article, we study three Dutch urban development projects with high biodiversity ambitions in order to learn how they came to fruition. We combine transition theory with practice theory and identify key barriers and drivers on the basis of these approaches. We highlight that incorporating biodiversity in urban development projects requires considerable knowledge development, implies a higher entrepreneurial risk and asks for various pragmatic solutions to overcome barriers. We identify four key recommendations for promoting nature-inclusive urban development: (1) facilitate knowledge development and exchange; (2) incorporate and reward biodiversity in environmental certification schemes and tender criteria; (3) translate a strategic vision on biodiversity into concrete regulations to bridge the policy implementation gap; (4) stimulate the uptake of nature-inclusive urban development in corporate visions.

How Summer Students Perceive the Closed Summer Program: In the Case of Jimma University

The purpose of this study was to explore how the summer students perceived the closed summer education program at Jimma University. The research study was a phenomenological case study approach. Eleven participants were selected using purposeful sampling among the summer students. The information was gathered using a semi-structured, in-depth interview that was recorded. Data were transcribed, translated, coded, categorized, and thematically analyzed. Data quality was used as a code book. The study of summer education programs for in-service training found that they were not sufficient to acquaint teachers with subject matter knowledge, and summer programs were blamed for affecting the quality of education due to the lack of in-depth teaching. The absence of monitoring and control of summer education programs leads to additional factors directly affecting the quality of summer education, with students being overcrowded and experiencing content overload. Policy implementation gap that affects the process of implementing summer education programs within the given time. It was also stated that the problems with the summer education program started with the registration period and that the scope of content and lesson time are disproportionate. It was difficult to assess all students and have enough time to practice with the shortness of time and the large number of students in the class. As a result of the summer graduates, primary and secondary teachers struggle to express themselves in English and lack of ICT abilities, which impacts summer students. The results confirmed that it can be saved to card games and completely blocked the game of figures. That’s why summer education turns into a regular program. The research also analyzed the trustworthiness of the data using phenomenological incense. Finally, the study's findings addressed the conceptual framework of the diagram from the findings of the study's discussion, conclusions, and implications, which were investigated.