Empowering women to make informed reproductive health decisions is an essential pathway to promoting gender equity and improving their health. However, cultural and socio-economic barriers are often limiting women's autonomy to make informed reproductive health choices. This study examined women empowerment in reproductive health decisions and midwifery -led interventions in Rivers State. Two objectives and two research questions guided the study. Two hypotheses were also tested. The study adopted cross-sectional mixed methods design. The population of this study consisted 799,792 women of reproductive age living in Rivers State during the study. A sample of 400 women of reproductive age living in the state provided data for the study. The instruments used to collect data were a validated questionnaire and an interview guide. The reliability coefficients of the questionnaire were established at 0.82, 0.81, 0.76, 0.86, 0.77 and 0.80. The quantitative data collected were analysed using percentage, mean, standard deviation and Chi-square, while qualitative data were analysed thematically and textually. The findings of the study revealed that 71.47% of women in Rivers State had a high level of awareness about midwifery-led interventions (x̄ = 2.92), and 55.71% rated the psychometric properties of the interventions highly (x̄ = 2.78). Furthermore, the participation of women in the interventions was substantial (x̄ = 2.90; 64.94%), resulting in a significant improvement in their reproductive health outcomes (x̄ = 2.85; 57.88%; χ² = 43.287, p = .000). The study recommended that Rivers State Ministry of Health should develop and implement a consistent and community-focused awareness campaigns about midwifery-led interventions. These campaigns should leverage local leaders, community radio, and religious organisations to disseminate information on reproductive health services, including antenatal care, and menstrual health management. Healthcare administrators should prioritise the deployment of more midwives to rural areas to ensure that reproductive health services are easily accessible.

ABSTRACT This study examines how religious organizations (ROs) manage identity multiplicity and navigate resulting identity tensions as they engage in social service and commercial roles alongside evangelism. We study Catholic missionary organizations in Uganda to explore how multiple role expectations are articulated and managed when sacred identity claims are treated as enduring and authoritative. Building on identity elasticity theory and a social constructionist view of organizational identity, we develop an account of how ROs constitute entrepreneurial roles through sacred meanings in practice. We identify infusion-based identity elasticity as an identity work mechanism through which ROs enact multiple identity roles, while maintaining an enduring sacred core identity. We also find that ROs employ mission-centric framing, balancing, and sacralizing strategies to infuse social and business roles with religious meanings, values, and moral codes, shifting identity work from integrating identity domains to enacting sacredness in practice. The study contributes to organizational religious entrepreneurship and identity elasticity research by clarifying how ROs enact entrepreneurial activities through sacred meanings under theological and institutional constraint, and it offers insight for research on multiple organizational identities by specifying how identity multiplicity is navigated through the enactment of multiple identity roles.

The television broadcasts of Ramadan are given significant space in the religious broadcasting industry in Pakistan to influence the religious knowledge, emotional feelings and daily experiences in the sacred month. The extant studies on the topic have executed religious broadcasting based on institutional and content-centred approaches; nevertheless, little focus has been made on the lived experiences of women as main spectators in the domestic context. This paper examines the nature of Pakistani women and their consumption of Ramadan television broadcasts, geared towards religious education, emotional stability, day-to-day activities, and trust in gender roles. The data was gathered with the help of a structured questionnaire following an exploratory qualitative process with the aid of descriptive analysis, simplifying the selection of women living in urban and semi-urban centres of Punjab and Sindh. The results show that Ramadan transmissions are available sources of religious information and emotional support, especially to women who have lower access to formal religious organisations. Meanwhile, the shows have a habit of supporting traditional gender roles within the household and ethical duties. Nevertheless, the research study shows that women do not passively receive televised religious content, but actively decode and bargain it. Through foregrounding the views held by women, this paper will make a contribution to the general discourse about media, religion, and gender and the necessity of making religious media practices more inclusive and gender-sensitive.

Drug overdose deaths in the United States remain a leading cause of preventable mortality. Existing data systems, such as vital statistics and hospital records, often suffer from reporting delays and limited geographic resolution, hindering timely public health responses. To identify high-risk locations for overdose-related emergency calls in Detroit, Michigan, using Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) and publicly available 911 call data from 2022 to 2024. A retrospective geospatial analysis using RTM was conducted to evaluate the spatial relationship between overdose incidents and built environment features. City of Detroit, Michigan, USA. Emergency call data for overdose-related incidents (N=18034) were analyzed. No individual-level data were used. No intervention was implemented. The study employed RTM as a geospatial method to identify environmental risk factors and predict high-risk locations for overdose events. Relative Risk Scores (RRS) generated from RTM to quantify overdose risk across 250 × 250 m grid cells in Detroit. Overdose-related emergency calls were spatially concentrated. RTM identified 8 significant risk factors, including ATMs, retail locations, and religious organizations. Relative Risk Scores ranged from 1 to 142.5 (mean=9.77, SD=8.55), with 2.7% of locations classified as very high risk. RTM applied to 911 call data offers a timely, place-based approach to identifying overdose risk. Public health agencies may use this method to prioritize harm reduction strategies and allocate resources more effectively.

This study aims to examine the implementation of the Jam’iyyah Mudarasatil Qur’an Lil Ḥāfiẓāt (JMQH) program in enhancing motivation and the quality of Qur’anic memorization among female memorizers (ḥāfiẓāt) in Jombang District. A qualitative research approach with a case study design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation involving JMQH administrators and active members. Data analysis was conducted using an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, supported by source and technique triangulation to ensure data credibility. The findings indicate that the JMQH program is implemented through well-structured routine activities, including monthly mudarasah, tartil-based recitation, peer listening (simāʿ), and spiritual development sessions conducted alternately at members’ residences. The program significantly enhances members’ motivation by fostering peer support, collective commitment, and a supportive religious environment. Furthermore, improvements in memorization quality are evident in increased fluency, accuracy, and adherence to tajwīd rules. Key supporting factors include strong religious awareness, a sense of community belonging, and a positive social environment, while inhibiting factors involve domestic responsibilities and initial feelings of insecurity. This study concludes that community-based religious organizations such as JMQH play a vital role in sustaining Qur’anic memorization among adult female memorizers beyond formal educational institutions

Bolshevik Terror and Religious Organizations in Georgia in the 1920s–1930s

This study analyzes differential crisis response patterns between religious and non-religious philanthropic organizations in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a longitudinal quantitative approach with panel data from 10 philanthropic organizations registered with the Indonesian Philanthropy Association from 2015-2024, we calculated annual revenue growth rates yielding 90 observations (45 per group). Mann-Whitney U Test results showed no statistically significant difference in average growth rates (U = 992.500; p = 0.872; r = 0.017). However, critical findings emerged from descriptive and temporal analyses: religious organizations maintained positive growth during the pandemic peak (8.78% in 2020; 5.41% in 2021) while non-religious organizations experienced contraction (-4.01% in 2021). Religious organizations demonstrated substantially lower volatility (SD = 18.57%) compared to non-religious counterparts (SD = 69.51%), indicating superior revenue predictability. Post-pandemic inverse correlation patterns (2022-2024) revealed qualitatively distinct recovery trajectories. Integrating Resource Dependence Theory and Institutional Theory, we argue that normative-religious funding bases (ZISWAF: Zakat, Infaq, Sadaqah, Waqf) create unique revenue stabilization mechanisms through obligatory giving structures and religious institutional legitimacy. These findings challenge conventional assumptions about revenue diversification and stability, demonstrating that funding source concentration can enhance resilience when grounded in normative-religious obligations. The study contributes theoretical nuance to organizational resource dependence literature and provides practical implications for philanthropic sector resilience strategies in crisis contexts.

The Church, alongside the state, has always been considered an influential actor in the socio-political process, shaping public opinion, defining moral values, and setting the ideological benchmarks for society. Currently, in the Russian Federation, the Russian Orthodox Church is successfully adapting to new realities, including digi-talization and globalization. Modern transformational processes are reflected in the interaction between the state and the Russian Orthodox Church, particularly in the area of protecting traditional values and countering ideas of westernization. State authorities are interested in building long-term, close relations with this religious organization, as it actively supports the political course of the ruling class in both domestic and foreign poli-cy. Representatives of the church play an important role in making socio-political decisions and in promoting ideas of patriotism.

In the context of the search for new models of regional development that are not associated with the extensive exploitation of natural resources, the use of unique cultural and historical heritage is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of this study is to assess the cultural potential of rural areas in the Penza Region as a basis for their sustainable socio-economic development, primarily through the development of specialized forms of tourism. The study uses methods of spatial analysis, statistical data processing (Rosstat, registers of religious and ethno-cultural organizations), and cartographic and comparative approaches. It has been established that the cultural landscape of the region is characterized by a deep multi-ethnic and multi-religious diversity, which is materialized in the specific location of heritage sites (584 temples and 59 mosques). A close correlation (Pearson coefficient of 0.65) has been identified between the location of these sites and the ethno-demographic structure of the population. Based on the analysis,

Peerla Panduga, the local Telugu term for Muharram, occupies a distinct role in Deccan India. Unlike the Shia traditions of Muharram, which centre on mourning rituals, it unfolds as a carnival, except on Ashura day. Based on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in a village in Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh, India, this study employs participant observation, casual conversations and semi-structured interviews to examine the belief systems surrounding Peerla Panduga through the framework of ‘collective memory’. The findings reveal how this particular festival has been instrumental in bringing communities together and fostering a composite culture, albeit temporarily, while comprising a diversity of practices and contestations. These religious experiences also challenge and negotiate with the textual doctrines promoted by religious reformist organisations.

The article examines systemic constraints that impede the effective integration of the region’s religious and confessional heritage into processes of socio-economic and cultural development. The relevance of the study stems from the growing emphasis on domestic tourism as a key priority of national policy, as well as from the unique confessional diversity of the Penza Region, where Orthodoxy, Islam, Old Belief, Catholicism, and Lutheranism have coexisted for centuries. Despite the presence of 199 officially registered cultural heritage sites—predominantly of religious character—their potential remains largely underutilized, necessitating the identification and analysis of persistent institutional and financial barriers. The research is based on an interdisciplinary approach that combines methods from economic geography, sociology, religious studies, and regional economics. Primary data sources include official documents—particularly the Penza Region’s State Program “Development of Culture and Tourism in the Penza Region”—as well as the Wikimedia platform’s database on cultural heritage. The study identifies three key institutional and financial barriers. First, there is a clear prioritization of formal procedures—such as the delineation of protected zones and technical inspections—over activities aimed at restoration, functional adaptation, and promotion of heritage sites. Second, since 2023, subsidies to non-governmental organizations for the reconstruction of the historical appearance of cultural heritage sites have been entirely discontinued—a particularly critical issue for rural areas, where NGOs serve as the main initiators of monument preservation. Third, there is no coherent strategy for integrating cultural heritage into tourism products: ethno-confessional routes have not been developed, digital interpretation of sites is lacking, and religious organizations remain minimally involved. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a significant gap between the declared objectives of the state program—such as increasing tourist numbers and tourism revenues—and the actual allocation of budgetary funds, which are predominantly directed toward administrative and managerial functions rather than practical development.

Cognability across adulthood: A qualitative investigation of neighborhoods and cognitive health behaviors.

Leadership is a fundamental concept in human nature that involves an individual’s ability to guide and motivate others toward the achievement of common goals (Nueva Escuela Mexicana, n.d.). One of the missions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to involve young people in its ministries in order to develop new leaders, through the wide range of programs offered by the religious organization (Seventh-day Adventist Church, South American Division, 2014). However, leadership can generate a certain degree of burnout due to constant demands, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment at work (Badia, 2024). Therefore, this study investigated workload, burnout syndrome, and motivation among 55 youth leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Zone (Guerrero and Morelos). The results showed that, among the three burnout dimensions (Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment), 47.7% of participants presented Emotional Exhaustion, 70.91% presented Depersonalization, and 49.09% reported a low sense of Personal Accomplishment. Additionally, 43.64% of Adventist youth leaders perceived their workload as heavy, while only 12.73% (7) considered it light. Faith and communication with a higher being emerged as the main motivational factor to cope with this workload and to carry out leadership responsibilities, reported by up to 74.55% of participants. Finally, a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.51) was found between workload and the presence of burnout syndrome.

The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 posed significant challenges to religious organizations, including the restriction on physical gatherings. In response, many adopted social media and developed online communities to ensure the continuity of religious services. In the post-pandemic landscape, many religious organizations have shifted their focus back to physical activities while continuing to manage their online communities. Most Buddhist organizations use online activities as a supplement to their offline religious activities. This study examines the implications of this shift for Malaysian Buddhist young adults aged 18 to 26, a digitally literate and socially connected demographic. Using semi-structured online interviews, the research explores how authority and authenticity were negotiated across online and offline spaces. Findings reveal that, unlike other digital services that have seamlessly integrated into their daily lives, online Buddhist activities have not been fully integrated. Participants regarded online platforms as functional tools for communication but affirmed that authentic religious experience and legitimate authority remained anchored in the temple and its leaders. Consequently, the return to physical gatherings was broadly welcomed, with young adults perceiving face-to-face interactions, sacred spaces, and guidance from Venerables as central to their spiritual growth.

The increasing divorce rate in Indonesia over the past decade indicates growing vulnerabilities in family resilience shaped by changes in social, economic, and cultural structures. This article aims to analyze the relevance of the Muhammadiyah concept of Keluarga Sakinah in responding to contemporary divorce trends through a socio-religious approach based on community data. This study employs a non-field research design relying on secondary data analysis, including official Muhammadiyah documents, reports on Muhammadiyah community programs, and divorce statistics issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) and the Supreme Court of Indonesia. Therefore, this study concludes that the relevance of the Muhammadiyah concept of Keluarga Sakinah is contextual in nature and requires synergy among religious organizations, the state, and civil society to strengthen family resilience in Indonesia

Abstract This study examines how the public perceives the role of Islamic education in fostering peace and social cohesion in post-conflict Afghanistan. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with five carefully chosen participants, comprising educators, community leaders, and civil society representatives, utilizing a qualitative approach. Thematic analysis was conducted on the responses to uncover significant values and issues of Islamic teachings and their relevance in Afghan society. Our results show that Islamic education is fundamentally seen as moral education (that is, education that helps participants suppress violence, choose cooperation, and behave properly), based on Qur'anic principles of sulh (peace), ukhuwwah (brotherhood), and adl (justice). Participants articulated the significance of having religious leaders and educators who will provide direction for their communities. Participants evidenced alarm that religious education piece could be utilized for political exploitation and extremism. The results suggest that Islamic education could serve as an important tool to enhance the notion of peace and national unity, provided it is implemented inclusively and without ideological influences. The results provide useful guidance to educators, policy and decision makers, and religious organizations in their efforts to transform Islamic education to foster a more peaceful Afghan society.

The social-religious gap between the Langgar and pesantren education systems within the context of colonial education policy was one of the reasons for the emergence of the movement to establish Arabic schools in south-Central Java during the first half of the 20th century. This research aims to explain the social-religious movement of organizational and non-organizational actors fighting for the right to religious education for children of primary school age in several districts and subdistrict centers in south-Central Java. Using the historical method, this research collected data from archives and scholarly works on religious social movements, focusing on movement actors, mobilization, and religious social change. The results indicated that the Arab school movement actors in South-Central Java were religious social organization activists, religious officials, and educational figures who mobilized their internal networks to construct new meanings and identities as religious social change unfolded. The study concludes that the Arab school movement has succeeded in transforming the new collective religious social identity in South-Central Java by enabling Arab school alumni to become an autonomous group alongside alumni of Islamic boarding schools and graduates of hegemonic colonial schools. They succeeded in becoming village officials who guided the religious-social community in south-Central Jva to follow the flow of religion.

ABSTRACT Background Religious leaders have been involved in health promotion campaigns for many years across West Africa, such as their engagement in the HIV/AIDS pandemic response. This involvement in public health campaigns has indicated varied results in the past and therefore a critical approach is required when engaging them in the outbreak response. Little is known about religious leaders’ perceptions of their role in communicating Ebola risks during the 2014–2016 outbreak in Sierra Leone. Objectives To better understand religious leader’s perceptions of their roles communicating risk during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. Methods In this qualitative study, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with religious leaders in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Five Christian and Islamic leaders were recruited from multiple national religious organizations including male and female leaders. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three themes were developed from the data that illustrated the different strategies religious leaders used when establishing public confidence in their role communicating risk and the messages they communicated during the outbreak. Religious leaders described how they established themselves as non-political actors in the outbreak response. Religious leaders both adapted pre-existing roles, including offering community support during crises, and assumed new responsibilities, such as fostering interreligious collaboration to develop Ebola-specific risk communication strategies. Conclusions Religious leaders were pragmatic in their approach to risk communication, leveraging political distrust and collaborating with other actors to strengthen their position. Interreligious unity and scripturally supported messaging helped to establish confidence in the public health emergency response.

To fully understand the demographic processes in contemporary Russian society and make accurate scientific predictions in the field of demographics and migration, we need to take into account a complex set of factors, including religious and ethnic-confessional ones. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the possible influence of the religious aspect on emigration intentions among Russian citizens. We used data from surveys conducted by the IDR FCTAS RAS (2019, 2004) among Moscow residents and students. The study focused on examining the relationship between religious and nonreligious views of respondents with varying levels of emigration tendencies. This was done using a method based on constructing two typologies based on ideological (religious/secular) and migrational (settled/projective) characteristics. Sociological research was conducted through a comparative analysis of assessments and attitudes of representatives from these groups towards socio-political, economic, cultural, and ethnic-religious processes. Findings indicate that religious beliefs and secularization are important factors in analyzing the characteristics of typological groups. Religious beliefs and related traditions often coincide with “settled” groups, demonstrating structural similarities, while the “secular” group overlaps significantly with potential emigrant groups. Socio-political and economic positions, as well as value systems, of “settled groups” demonstrate a positive assessment of state policies and religious organizations, a civic stance and optimism about the future of unification around Russia and restoration of its international status. “Patriotism”, “national pride”, “social justice”, and “security” are prominent in these groups’ ideas and values that contribute to national consensus. Non-religious and projective emigrant groups share similar positions and values but are more concerned about socio-economic and political matters. They have less pride in Russian society, are skeptical about unifying around Russia, and believe in radical change to the political system. Their key values include “freedom”, “human rights”, “justice”, and creativity. Ideology and patriotism do not play a central role in their priorities. Overall, it can be concluded that a religious worldview based on traditional values contributes to social stability and reduces emigration, while a secular one promotes potential emigration through greater openness to change.

The article examines early modern necropolises in the microregion of the middle Styr River basin, emphasizing their value as archaeological and historical sources for reconstructing social structures, religious affiliations, and cultural practices of the sixteenth to eighteenth century communities in Volhynia. Although burials of this period are widespread, they have rarely been subjected to focused archaeological study, with discoveries typically occurring as part of investigations of fortified sites or religious complexes. The authors aim to identify spatial patterns in cemetery placement and assess the current research landscape to facilitate future landscape reconstructions and more targeted searches for burial sites. The analysis synthesizes data from several excavated necropolises. Rural cemeteries, such as those at Horodyshche Druhe and Buyany, were commonly situated on elevated promontories above river floodplains and at some distance from contemporary settlements. These burial grounds predominantly feature extended inhumations oriented westward, often accompanied by coins and modest grave goods. The Rovantsi site is notable for its large size and density of human remains, suggesting a cemetery serving not only the local population but possibly residents of nearby Lutsk, particularly lower social strata. Individual isolated burials, such as in Lavriv, demonstrate that not all funerary practices conformed to established burial grounds. Urban contexts present a different picture. Within Lutsk, crypt burials beneath churches and monastic buildings dominate, including those associated with the Order of Saint Basil the Great, Jesuit and Dominican monasteries, and parish churches. These structures reflect elite funerary traditions shaped by religious and spatial organization of the early modern city. The discovery of brick-built empty tombs at Zhydychyn likely linked to a short-lived women’s monastery underscores the diversity of burial customs and the complexity of interpreting incomplete archaeological evidence. Overall, the study highlights strong correlations between burial placement and settlement hierarchy, while revealing the fragmentary state of research. The authors argue that many rural necropolises remain undiscovered, especially those once surrounding wooden churches. Their findings form a foundation for future archaeological surveys, improving understanding of cultural landscapes and mortuary traditions in early modern Volhynia.