Protection Issues Research Articles

О недобросовестных коммерческих практиках профессиональных участников финансового рынка

The article analyses the reasons for the formation and application of unfair commercial practices of professional financial market participants, issues of protection against unfair practices. The author’s concept and signs of unfair commercial practices are proposed. The types of unfair commercial practices of professional participants in the financial market are investigated and their division into practices is proposed, — i.e. the practices aimed at 1) clients who are professional participants in the financial market, or who are able to understand complex financial issues, and 2) clients who purchase financial services for personal use, which requires to provide them with a better protection.

The Problem of Protecting the Rights and Legitimate Interests of the Child in the Family and Outside It

Abstract Protecting children's rights and interests, especially within families, is crucial globally. Effective laws and enforcement are needed to ensure their safety and prevent violence, both offline and online. Kazakhstan's efforts in this regard, including legal protection for motherhood and childhood, are important. All of the above allowed for formulating the general purpose of the study – a comprehensive systematic examination of the protection of the subjective rights and legitimate interests of the child in family legal relations and in surrounding society (using the example of the Republic of Kazakhstan). The results were obtained using the tools of theoretical and methodological research of publications devoted to the problems and issues of observance and protection of children's rights and freedoms at the national and global levels, methods of comparative legal and comparative political research, content analysis of official documents, etc. In the study, key issues regarding the protection of children's rights in Kazakhstan were identified, including violence, neglect, and juvenile delinquency. It highlighted the growing number of appeals for the protection of violated children's rights and emphasized the urgent need for improvement in the child protection system. Promising areas for development include enhancing social services, reducing violence in families and institutions, improving legal protection against sexual harassment, and promoting child-friendly activities in preschool education. The study is of both theoretical interest and practical importance for various stakeholders involved in child welfare and protection. The research has practical value and originality in posing individual questions; it is aimed at examining in-depth the most important problems of maternity, family, and childhood protection in modern Kazakhstan.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Information Technology Strategies in Cross-Border Payment Systems

This paper aims to explore the application of information technology in the implementation of anti-money laundering (AML) measures within cross-border payment systems, analyzing how it enhances the compliance of financial institutions and strengthens the effectiveness of financial regulation. By examining the use of information technologies such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain in the field of AML, this paper reveals how these technologies assist financial institutions in more effectively identifying and preventing money laundering activities. Additionally, the paper discusses the challenges that may be encountered in the implementation of these technologies, such as data privacy protection, technical compatibility, and security issues, and proposes corresponding countermeasures and suggestions. The research findings indicate that, despite challenges, the application of information technology is of great significance for improving the AML compliance and regulatory efficiency of cross-border payment systems, providing new perspectives and solutions for financial regulatory authorities and institutions.

Assessment of the Efficiency of the Financial Mechanism of Environmental Management

Abstract In recent decades, cataclysmic events, deterioration of air and water quality, and loss of biodiversity have forced us to look for ways to save nature. One of the ways to solve the problems is to ensure rational environmental management, which is possible by establishing an effective balance between consumption and compensation by creating an effective financial mechanism. The purpose of the study is to assess the efficiency of the current financial mechanism for environmental management in Ukraine and to determine the prospects for its improvement. The study uses analysis, synthesis, specification, systematization, and generalization. The graphical method was used to assess environmental taxes, and mathematical modelling was used to analyze the dependence of emissions on direct costs and capital investments in air protection and climate change. Environmental taxes in Ukraine are an ineffective instrument of the financial mechanism of environmental management. Their share in the structure of domestic GDP is lower than the share in the EU. The author suggests ways to improve them: to replace the CO2 tax with an energy tax; to cancel the tax-free limit of 500.000 tons of CO2 emissions per year; to change the structure of tax distribution; to introduce tax rebates. The correlation and regression analysis of the dependence of air pollutant emissions on current expenditures and capital investments in air protection and climate change issues showed the existence of a feedback loop. Investment support for environmental management should be provided from various sources in the following areas: national, local and international finances - primarily for the restoration of air, water and contaminated areas; own funds and international investments - for the modernization and greening of production.

Rural infrastructure development in the context of seasonal employment in agriculture of the Russian Federation

The article examines the little-studied issue of seasonal employment in the agricultural economy as a vector of the employment category, the importance of which increases every year. In this regard, the purpose of the study is to develop proposals for improving state regulation of social protection issues for seasonal workers in agriculture. The long-overdue issues of regulating the labor relations of Russian agricultural producers with workers employed for seasonal work in terms of social guarantees require timely solutions. Also on the agenda are the acute problems of providing basic living conditions for the employees involved, especially with regard to housing conditions, transport and telecommunications infrastructure. As of the end of 2022, only 72 % of rural settlements have paved roads connected to the public road network, and the proportion of households in rural settlements with Internet access amounted to 81.2 %. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the development of specific measures of state participation in the development of basic rural infrastructure and the creation of favorable living conditions for seasonal workers in agricultural production. In particular, measures are proposed to stimulate the involvement of seasonal workers with the prospect of improving housing conditions. The use of the mechanism of concession agreements in terms of the development of transport infrastructure and the application of proven foreign practices in the development of telecommunications infrastructure, taking into account the consolidation at the legislative level, will allow the most effective use of the workforce of seasonal workers in the agricultural sector.

The Gig Economy Dilemma: Exploring Alternatives to Create Decent Work for Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Indonesia

GIG economy, or better known as the platform economy because of its use of technology, has become a world economic phenomenon that has developed rapidly in the last decade, including in Indonesia. It cannot be denied that the GIG economy has had a positive impact on increasing employment opportunities or at least suppressing the spike in unemployment amidst the current crisis. However, this economic model raises a new problem related to workers' protection issues. This research aims to present various alternatives that can be used to create decent work for ojol drivers in Indonesia. A literature review was conducted to capture existing solutions and then adapt them to the current Indonesian context. The results of the research suggest: 1) Ministry of Manpower initiates a testing process for the terminology "partner" or "worker" for ojol drivers so that their work relationship status becomes clear and the results of this test can become the basis for formulating further regulations, 2) Ministry of Manpower can expand the definition of three elements contained in an employment relationship are work, wages and orders, 3) utilizing the existence of a community or "paguyuban" of ojol drivers as a representative voice of ojol drivers and several other alternatives which can be found in this article.

Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Child Protection Practices in Pre-Primary Schools: A Case Study of Kira Municipality, Uganda

Child protection practices are measures and interventions intended to safeguard children against violence in school. These practices create safe environments that enable children to thrive. Some of these include the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Child protection agencies’ collaboration is a partnership that supports children’s well-being. This study investigated the contribution of child protection agencies’ collaboration on protection practices in Pre-primary schools in Kira Municipality, which has continued to be challenging. This study was informed by the social capital theory emphasizing the significance of social relationships, trust, and mutuality. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, and data was collected using quantitative and qualitative tools. These included document analysis checklists, interview guides, observation checklists, and questionnaires. The respondents included headteachers, Centre Management Committee members, parents, Local Council members, and Probation officers. The results indicated that schools rarely collaborated with child protection agencies to ensure that protection practices were implemented in pre-primary schools. In contrast, the probation officers reported that the schools didn’t involve them during the planning, though it was when they would know the areas for collaboration. Four significant recommendations for improving child protection practices are given. Child protection workers need to jointly develop plans that promote child safety and protection, train and build the capacity of educators on issues of child protection, increase resources and financial support to promote child safety and protection, and finally, advocate for laws and policies that promote children’s rights.

Prawo właściciela gruntu do zwykłego korzystania z wód w świetle przepisów Prawa wodnego

Water is one of the most important components of the environment, without which its proper functioning is impossible. To protect it, the Water Law Act of 20 July 2017 was adopted, which comprehensively regulates the issue of water management and protection. As part of water management, attention should be paid to the right to ordinary use of water, which is intended to allow the property owner to use water in small amounts for his own needs. However, the legislator formulated the provisions imprecisely, which led to several legal problems. By thoroughly analyzing the content of Article 33 of the Water Law, it can be stated that the group of persons entitled to ordinary use of water is not strictly limited to property owners. It can also be stated that not everyone conducting agricultural activity will be entitled to ordinary use of water. Moreover, the conditions of ordinary use of water arising from the provisions of the Water Law do not excessively and disproportionately violate property rights.

The Protection of Intra-EU Investments: Putting the EU’s Rule of Law to the Test

With the 2018 Achmea ruling, the European Court of Justice declared investment arbitration in the intra-EU setting to be inadmissible. As a result, the Member States have cancelled more than 190 bilateral investment protection treaties between themselves. Critics fear a high level of legal uncertainty for intra-EU investments. The EU Commission, on the other hand, believes that the existing law of the internal market provides ‘adequate and effective protection’ for such investments without further ado. Both sides invoke the rule of law. After an overview of the developments, individual elements of the protection of investments within the EU, namely the rights of investors, the balance between them and public interests, the legal means available and the question of compensation, are analysed comparatively. In the end, it emerges that both positions can lay claim to different elements of the rule of law. The rule of law does not require maintaining investment protection with bilateral treaties and investor- state arbitration. However, it is questionable whether the existing law in the internal market does adequately protect investments in the European Union. With the abolition of traditional international investment protection, the European Union faces major challenges with regard to the further improvement of the rule of law, the importance of which goes far beyond the issue of investment protection.

Current State and Prospects for the Introduction of Digital Technologies in the Activities of Prosecutors

The article analyzes the current state and prospects for the introduction of digital technologies into the activities of the prosecutor’s office. The main trends and challenges facing the prosecutor’s office in the field of digitalization are shown, the role of digital technologies in law enforcement is also explored, their impact on the effectiveness of prosecutors and interaction with other government agencies. The degree of legal regulation of the activities of the prosecutor’s office using digital technologies is assessed. The issues of security and protection of personal data in the context of the use of digital tools are also touched upon and the existing digital elements in the activities of the prosecutor’s office are analyzed. Examples of successful implementation of a number of existing information systems in the activities of the prosecutor’s offices of the subjects of the Russian Federation are given and foreign experience in this direction is evaluated.

Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Child Protection Practices in Pre-Primary Schools: A Case Study of Kira Municipality, Uganda

Child protection practices are measures and interventions intended to safeguard children against violence in school. These practices create safe environments that enable children to thrive. Some of these include the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Child protection agencies’ collaboration is a partnership that supports children’s well-being. This study investigated the contribution of child protection agencies’ collaboration on protection practices in Pre-primary schools in Kira Municipality, which has continued to be challenging. This study was informed by the social capital theory emphasizing the significance of social relationships, trust, and mutuality. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, and data was collected using quantitative and qualitative tools. These included document analysis checklists, interview guides, observation checklists, and questionnaires. The respondents included headteachers, Centre Management Committee members, parents, Local Council members, and Probation officers. The results indicated that schools rarely collaborated with child protection agencies to ensure that protection practices were implemented in pre-primary schools. In contrast, the probation officers reported that the schools didn’t involve them during the planning, though it was when they would know the areas for collaboration. Four significant recommendations for improving child protection practices are given. Child protection workers need to jointly develop plans that promote child safety and protection, train and build the capacity of educators on issues of child protection, increase resources and financial support to promote child safety and protection, and finally, advocate for laws and policies that promote children’s rights.

Monitoring and Evaluation Function of BPKN RI regarding Consumer Protection Issue in Housing Sector

The National Consumer Protection Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BPKN RI) is a bureaucratic body derived from the Ministry of Trade that focuses on handling consumer problems in Indonesia. The paper further examines what makes the housing sector have a high level of complaints at BPKN RI, what types of complaints are filed by consumers and how the form of monitoring and evaluation functions within the scope of BPKN RI in solving problems given by BPKN RI to consumers. This research uses a qualitative method by conducting direct interviews with staff of the Advocacy Division of BPKN RI. The findings obtained are that the monitoring and evaluation of BPKN RI is quite optimal, especially for problems in the housing sector. The number of incoming cases had shown a high number due to the pandemic situation. BPKN RI's evaluation function runs quite well with the achievement of BPKN RI's recommendations being able to become the main basis for the formation of PUPR Ministerial Regulations to protect consumer rights in Indonesia.

Особенности защиты прав собственников, владельцев и пользователей земельных участков в суде

The article considers a number of topical issues of judicial protection of land rights. The legal and socio-economic significance of the protection of land rights at the present stage is formulated. The role of the court in protecting the rights and legitimate interests of land rights holders is analyzed. The current positions of the higher courts on the issues of dispute resolution in connection with the self-made construction and placement of objects with an underground part are investigated.

Вопросы использования и охраны земель в стратегическом планировании недропользования на федеральном уровне

The directions of strategic planning of subsoil use were studied in their intersection with the tasks of land use and protection. Strategic planning documents at the federal level establish the basic provisions for strategic planning in the area. Only a few of them raise issues of land use and protection in connection with the implementation of subsoil use. The author classified such acts. The subsoil users’ actions on land are considered in such acts exclusively from the perspective of protecting the environment and lands as its component. Measures that could help alleviate the problem of timely and unimpeded receipt of lands and land plots for the use of subsoil are not formulated in the selected acts. It is advisable to apply the provisions of strategic planning documents that are more general in content, in particular on the rational and integrated use of natural resources, when determining a position on this issue.

Application and Development of Firefighting Technologies in Industrial Heritage: Experiences and Insights from Macau

Due to the irreversible nature of the consequences of fire, fire protection is a major challenge and source of problems for all types of built heritage. This study aims to establish sustainable fire protection technology strategies by generalizing fire prevention and control technologies and measures against extended burns. This study aims to explore Macau’s industrial heritage’s historical development and technological applications in the field of fire protection using literature analysis, field investigation, and spatial information visualization methods. It will be carried out using the industrial heritage of Macau as the object and systematic analyses from the screening and processing of fire protection historical data, fire risk assessment, and the migration of fire protection focus. The results show that (1) the fire protection of the industrial heritage of Macau has gone through a total of three phases: passive fire protection, transition of fire protection methods, and active fire protection, and the relied-upon fire protection technologies have been iterated and renewed continuously during this period. (2) When the fire load factors of industrial heritage increase, the fire vulnerability assessment substantially changes, and the center of gravity of heritage fire protection shifts from controlling the scope of disaster to reducing the fire risk. (3) The construction of a suitable and effective ecological model of fire protection technology can provide appropriate fire protection solutions for the preservation and reuse of Macau’s industrial heritage in a complex cultural context. Therefore, this study will help to solve the current dilemma of sustainable application and development of fire protection technology for industrial heritage. This study hopes to provide ideas and strategies for reference on industrial heritage fire protection issues in the development of similar world heritage cities.

Insights into critical urban pedestrian dynamics: an observational study spotlighting a small sample of blind pedestrians and electric vehicles

Observational studies, whether conducted on-site or through simulation, are practical options for investigating and comprehending pedestrian behaviour and validating the findings of similar studies that have already taken place on the same subject. Although they present difficulties in demographic characterisation and personal context, observation represents the adoption of actual behaviour, highlighting the different scenarios, contexts and characteristics of the environment and infrastructure in urban areas. However, with the growth in simulators, surveys, and data protection issues in Europe, field observation is less considered, and several studies have been left aside. Based on observation, this study answers behavioural and demographic questions, namely age and gender, using the data of six pedestrian crossings in Coimbra, Portugal. This experience occurred on different days of the week (the week before lockdown), registering blind (and non-blind) pedestrians' behaviour facing the electric vehicle in 6 crosswalks, 30 min in each crosswalk, morning or afternoon, with favourable weather conditions outside peak hours In total 180 (30*6) minutes were filmed and evaluated. The relationships between responsibility (when one pedestrian is guided by another) and group action in decision-making and crossing behaviour were also investigated. Another relevant aspect studied was the relationship between pedestrians and electric vehicles in different contexts. During the research, an electric vehicle was inserted in the observational experience, circulating in the streets to observe the pedestrians' reaction to the absence of noise. In this context, blind pedestrians were invited to perform crossings in these areas and identify the presence of the electric vehicle, to identify some differences in the behaviour of blind pedestrians and non-blind pedestrians. The results indicate that blind pedestrians tend to be more cautious than non-blind pedestrians, that younger and elderly pedestrians tend to have more dangerous and less calculated behaviours than other road users and that the differences are more perceptible in age than gender. It should be noted that when in a group, especially adolescents, they commit more traffic errors. Furthermore, regarding the absence of noise associated with the electric vehicle, in moments of pedestrian distraction, if the driver is not attentive, there is an increase in the risk of accidents.

Nepali Media in Fulfilling Social Responsibility for Child Rights

News stories on child protection, including child trafficking, prepared by a group of reporters who participated in training on the same theme, resulted in 141 articles in 62 media outlets, both in print and online versions. The study reveals that among the total published news stories, 30.5 percent are related to child sex abuse, follow ed by orientations and awareness programs on child protection issues at 24.8 percent, and trafficking in persons at 10.6 percent (7.1 percent child trafficking, 3.5 percent adult trafficking). One of the issues concerning child protection that has been widely reported, even by reporters who did not participate in the above-mentioned training, is orphanage trafficking. The analysis of selected content from the media outlets, focus group discussions with the reporters who wrote the news, and key informant interviews with their editors reveal that they are willing to collaborate with CSOs and child rights organizations. They consider expert sources and fellowships or grants for story cultivation to be acceptable. However, they stress the need for transparency and the absence of personal interests on both sides during the collaboration. The study also found that there is a practice of providing editorial instructions on reporting issues of child protection. However, almost all media outlets lack written editorial guidelines in this regard.

Effects of Paddy Rain-Flood Storage on Rice Growth Physiological Indices and Nitrogen Leaching under Organic Planting in Erhai Lake Basin.

In order to address the increasingly prominent issues of water resource protection and agricultural non-point source pollution in the Erhai Lake Basin, this study conducted a two-year field experiment in Gusheng Village, located in the Erhai Lake Basin. In 2022, two irrigation treatments were set up: conventional flooding irrigation (CK) and controlled irrigation (C), with three replicates for each treatment. In 2023, aiming to enhance the utilization rate of rainwater resources and reduce the direct discharge of dry-farming tailwater from upstream into Erhai Lake. The paddy field was used as an ecological storage basin, and the water storage depth of the paddy field was increased compared to the depth of 2022. Combined with the deep storage of rainwater, the dry-farming tailwater was recharged into the paddy field to reduce the drainage. In 2023, two water treatments, flooding irrigation with deep storage and controlled drainage (CKCD) and water-saving irrigation with deep storage and controlled drainage (CCD) were set up, and each treatment was set up with three replicates. The growth and physiological index of rice at various stages were observed. Nitrogen leaching of paddy field in surface water, soil water, and groundwater under different water treatments after tillering fertilizer were observed. The research results show that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers under organic planting can provide more reasonable nutrient supply for rice, promote dry matter accumulation and other indices, and also reduce the concentration of NH4+-N in surface water. Compared with CK, the yield, 1000-grain weight, root-to-shoot ratio, and leaf area index of C are increased by 4.8%, 4.1%, 20.9%, and 9.7%, respectively. Compared with CKCD, the yield, 1000-grain weight, root-to-shoot ratio, and leaf area index of CCD are increased by 6.5%, 3.8%, 19.6%, and 21.9%, respectively. The yield in 2023 is 19% higher than that in 2022. Treatment C can increase the growth indicators and reduce the net photosynthetic rate to a certain extent, while CCD rain-flood storage can alleviate the inhibition of low irrigation lower limit on the net photosynthetic rate of rice. Both C and CCD can reduce nitrogen loss and irrigation amount in paddy fields. CCD can reduce the tailwater in the Gusheng area of the Erhai Lake Basin to Erhai Lake, and also can make full use of N, P, and other nutrients in the tailwater to promote the formation and development of rice. In conclusion, the paddy field rain-flood storage methodology in the Erhai Lake Basin can promote various growth and physiological indicators of rice, improve water resource utilization efficiency, reduce direct discharge of tailwater into Erhai Lake, and decrease the risk of agricultural non-point source pollution.

Research on DC Electric Shock Protection Method Based on Sliding Curvature Accumulation Quantity

To address the limitations of current DC residual current protection methods, which primarily rely on the amplitude of DC residual current for fault detection and fail to safeguard against electric shocks at two points on the same side in DC Isolated Terra (IT) System systems, this paper introduces a novel protection method based on DC electric shock features. This paper first analyzes the sliding curvature accumulation and peak rise time features of DC basic residual current, load mutation current, and animal body electric shock current under multi-factor conditions. The analysis shows that sliding curvature accumulation in the range of 0.1 ≤ K ≤ 1 and a peak rise time of Δt ≥ 20 ms can effectively distinguish animal body electric shock. Then, based on this electric shock’s distinctive characteristics, an approach for identifying types of electric shock is developed. Finally, a DC residual current protective device (DC-RCD) is designed. The prototype test results demonstrate that the DC-RCD has an action time of ts < 70 ms. The proposed method accurately provides protection against electric shocks and effectively addresses the issue of inadequate protection when two fault points occur on the same side within an IT system. This approach holds significant reference value for the development of next-generation DC-RCDs.

Facilitators and barriers to implementing successful exclusion among children with shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a qualitative analysis of public health case management records

BackgroundShiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are a significant public health concern as they can cause serious illness and outbreaks. In England, STEC incidence is highest among children and guidance recommends that children under six diagnosed with STEC are excluded from childcare until two consecutive stool cultures are negative. We aimed to describe the barriers and facilitators to implementing exclusion and the impact of exclusion policies on young children and their families.MethodsIndividual level data was obtained from a wider study focusing on shedding duration among STEC cases aged < 6 years between March 2018 – March 2022. Data was extracted from England’s public health case management system. The case management system includes notes on telephone conversations, email correspondence and meeting minutes relating to the case. Collected data consisted of free text in three forms: (1) quotes from parents, either direct or indirect, (2) direct quotes from the case record by health protection practitioners or environmental health officers, and (3) summaries by the data collector after reviewing the entire case record. We analysed free text comments linked to 136 cases using thematic analysis with a framework approach.ResultsThe median age of included cases was 3 years (IQR 1.5-5), with males accounting for 49%. Nine key themes were identified. Five themes focused on barriers to managing exclusion, including (i) financial losses, (ii) challenges with communication, engagement and collaboration, (iii) issues with sampling, processing, and results, (iv) adverse impact on children and their families and (v) conflicting exclusion advice. Four themes related to facilitators to exclusion, including (i) good communication with parents and childcare settings, (ii) support with childcare, (iii) improvements to sampling, testing, and reporting of results, and (iv) provision of supervised control measures.ConclusionsQualitative analysis of public health case records can provide evidence-based insights around complex health protection issues to inform public health guidelines. Our analysis highlights the importance of considering wider social and economic consequences of exclusion when developing policies and practices for the management of STEC in children.