Dimensions Of Security Research Articles

The drame of kalehe, DRC. Study of the interactions beteen climate change, public prevention and human safety in mounainous Kivu

The tragedy that occurred in Kalehe, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in May 2023, following torrential rains, highlights the urgent need to analyze the interactions between climate change, public prevention and human safety in the mountainous region of Kivu, also known as “Mountainous Kivu”. Mountainous Kivu, at the heart of the East African Rift Valley, is directly affected by the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events leading to flooding and landslides. Research points to an increase in extreme weather events, contributing to environmental instability and the vulnerability of local communities, most of whom depend on family farming. Weakly defined measures for adaptation and resilience to climatic disturbances, as well as gaps in public prevention policies, have amplified this vulnerability. This study explores the complex dimensions of the Kalehe tragedy, focusing on agrarian explanations. On the one hand, the study examines the dimensions of human security, considering socio-economic, political and environmental factors, in order to define measures to strengthen community resilience. Secondly, the study assesses existing public prevention policies in the region, identifying the strengths, weaknesses and gaps that contributed to the scale of the Kalehe tragedy. The methodology is based on data collection from documentary sources and unstructured interviews with resource persons in the field.

Water security in an Andean basin: an integrated socio-hydrological, multi-scenario and allocation assessment

ABSTRACT The concept of water security encompasses dynamic objectives in various socio-hydrologic contexts. This study examines the pressures on several dimensions of water security and water usage in an Andean basin utilizing an integrated water security index (IWS), the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP) model, and 10 composite scenarios for the period 2021–2099. The results show 60% of the scenarios result in a “fair” IWS score, with 40% classified as “good” trending towards “fair” coverage. Competition in terms of demand coverage for equal and different water usage priorities indicates that mining, thermoelectric, and service-related uses cover their needs, whereas other human uses are unable to cope with the demand, domestic use being the most affected. The findings highlight the difficulty of ensuring water security for all users and reveal that population dynamics and controlled human interventions and trade-offs will have a substantial impact on the provision of water services.

Cognitively testing Aotearoa’s food security questionnaire in the modern context

The eight well-known food security indicators were developed in 1997 using a stepwise process that involved five focus group interviews (one Māori, one Pakeha, two Pacific, and one mixed ethnicity) of 8-16 people, all of whom were either on a low income or were government beneficiaries(1). As part of the development of the tools and methods for a future New Zealand National Nutrition Survey, these eight indicators were considered for inclusion. The Māori and Technical Advisory Groups convened for the development of the National Nutrition Survey foresaw issues with the interpretation of some of the questions given the changes in the food environment and sources of food assistance in the last 25 years and recommended that cognitive testing should be conducted to see if changes were required. Participants were recruited through two community organisations, a local marae, and community Facebook pages. Participants were given the option of participating in a one-on-one interview or as part of a focus group. During each session, participants were asked five (three original and two new) questions relating to food security (running out of basics, use of food assistance, household food preparation and storage resources). After each question, the participants were asked a series of additional probing questions to ascertain whether they had interpreted the question as intended. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, and a qualitative analysis was performed on the transcripts to determine areas of concern with each question. A total of 46 participants completed the cognitive testing of the food security questions, including 26 aged 18-64 years, and 20 aged 65+ years. Participants also spanned a range of ethnicities including 8 Māori, 15 Pasifika, 15 Asian, and 8 New Zealand European or Other. Just over half of the participants (n=24) reported themselves to be financially secure, 16 participants reported that their financial security was borderline, 1 participant reported that they were not at all financially secure, and 5 participants declined to answer. Variable interpretations of terms by participants were found in all questions that were tested. Therefore, answers to the food security questions may have not reflected the actual experience of participants. This study also identified other dimensions of food security not assessed by the current eight indicators (e.g., lack of time, poor accessibility). These findings indicate that the food security questions need to be improved to ensure they are interpreted as intended and that new questions are needed that considers all dimensions of food insecurity (i.e., access, availability, utilisation, and stability). These new and amended questions should be cognitively tested in groups that are more likely to be experiencing food insecurity.

Implementasi JConnect Mobile Dalam Meningkatan Pelayanan Nasabah

With the advancement of technology in the 5.0 and modern era, effective and efficient communication continues to develop, hence the creation of the internet. The Internet is used by people and organizations to conduct business. For banking, one form of service implemented in the digital era is mobile banking. Bank Jatim Syari'ah launched the latest product in the digitalization era, namely JConnect Mobile with its various features. This study aims to determine the role of JConnect mobile in improving services to customers of Bank Jatim Syari'ah, this research uses qualitative research with library research methods and direct field studies, so not only from theory but going directly to the field to research. Jconnect mobile service quality through the dimensions of security, speed and accuracy has an important role in improving services to customers using JConnect mobile products.

Cognitive Warfare as a New Dimension of Security. A Fictional Concept or a Real Silent Threat?

Cognitive warfare is a new phenomenon that differs from any forms of action previously used in the information space aiming to affect the thinking of target groups. The main difference consists in the targeted and sophisticated use of scientific knowledge from neuroscience, with special attention on consciousness and perception of reality. This deeper understanding of how the human mind works has impacted distributed narratives and the choice of the most suitable technological platforms for their distribution to the target audience. This article presents a conceptual classification of cognitive warfare and defines its three core segments: neuroscience, technology and aspects of social science.

An In-depth Analysis of Human Security Dimensions and Challenges in Pakistan

An In-depth Analysis of Human Security Dimensions and Challenges in Pakistan

Food System vs. Sustainability: An Incompatible Relationship in Mexico

The Mexican food system has suffered deep transformations due to multiple technological advances and political and free trade agreements, transiting from a food system for self-consumption to a system based on exports and imports that has resulted in excessive agricultural activity intensification, leading to environmental deterioration. Our species’ survival will depend on our capacity to manage systems, considering all ecosystems, especially the climate and food systems. International organizations insist that sustainable food systems could be a useful strategy to address malnutrition and hunger while respecting the environment. However, the food system in Mexico needs to be connected to the environmental, social, health, and food security dimensions. Sustainability in Mexico synthesizes the contradictions of agriculture and the Mexican diet, not only in its economic and productive dimensions but also in the social and environmental ones. Public policies in all sectors of the country must be interconnected and organized to guarantee the sustainability of a system that benefits the environment and population health while respecting the related economic and social elements. This review aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the Mexican food system’s history and current situation and analyze proposals for its sustainability.

Measuring Housing Inequality with the Value of Freedom in the Capability Approach: Proposal and Demonstration

ABSTRACT An ongoing question in capability research is how to incorporate the value of freedom into the measurement of inequality. This article proposes an approach to answering this question in the housing domain and its operationalisation. The approach places an evaluation focus to the conditions constraining or expanding housing choices in the dimensions of opportunity, security, and ability. For operationalisation, the study designed a measurement of multidimensional housing disadvantages (MHDs) using the Alkire-Foster method and data from the Netherlands. Indicators include the entitlement to housing tenure options, vulnerability in housing cost payments, and ability to plan finance for housing. The measurement outcome demonstrates that the MHDs measurement can provide information on whose housing choices are more intensely constrained, thus having a lower capability for housing, and whose current housing situation is likely a result of coerced choices. The findings indicate that adults living with housemates or family (latent households), youths, and those with precarious jobs have a significantly lower capability for housing compared to other population groups. This article also compares the freedom-oriented measure of MHDs with functioning-oriented and other conventional measures and discusses its distinguishing properties. This comparison suggests a need to revisit current policy priorities in addressing housing inequality.

The Effect of Energy Security on Economic Growth in ASEAN During 2000–2020

Energy is an important input for economic growth. The increase in non-renewable energy consumption has an impact on energy insecurity. This study aims to calculate energy security and analyze its effect on ASEAN economic growth during the 2000–2020 period. The method used in this study is the Principal Component Analysis to calculate energy security and the Feasible Generalized Least Square panel data regression to analyze its effect on economic growth. The authors use four dimensions to build an energy security index, namely availability, accessibility, acceptability, and efficiency. Several variables are included in the model, are capital, labor, trade, and world oil price. The results of this study indicate that the index and dimensions of energy security have a positive influence on ASEAN economic growth, except for the efficiency dimension. Capital. employment, trade, and oil prices have a positive influence on ASEAN economic growth. Regional Governments need to reduce the gap in the electrification ratio in several countries and build energy infrastructure. The government also needs to increase the application of energy diversification, increase renewable energy production and the need to pay more attention to environmental policies in economic activities.

فاعلية برنامج إثرائي في تعزيز الوعي الأمني لدى طلبة الصف العاشر الأساسي في سلطنة عمان

هدفت الدراسة إلى الكشف عن فاعلية برنامج إثرائي مقترح في ضوء أبعاد الأمن المجتمعي في تعزيز الوعي الأمني لدى طلبة الصف العاشر الأساسي في سلطنة عمان واتجاهاتهم نحوه، وقد استخدم الباحثون المنهج شبه التجريبي، وصمموا البرنامجَ الإثرائي، إضافة إلى مقياس للوعي الأمني، ومقياسًا لاتجاهات الطلبة، وبعد التأكد من صدق أدوات الدراسة وثباتها، طُبقت الأدوات على عينة الدراسة في المجموعتين الضابطة والتجريبية، وبعد ذلك أُجريت المعالجات الإحصائية لاستجابات الطلبة على المقياسَين، وأظهرت النتائج وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في التطبيق البعدي لمقياس الوعي الأمني، لصالح المجموعة التجريبية، وكذلك وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين التطبيقين القبلي والبعدي للمجموعة التجريبية لصالح التطبيق البعدي، مما يعني فاعلية البرنامج الإثرائي في تعزيز الوعي الأمني لدى طلبة المجموعة التجريبية، كما أظهرت النتائج ارتفاع اتجاهات طلبة المجموعة التجريبية نحو البرنامج الإثرائي؛ إذ بلغ المتوسط الحسابي لاستجاباتهم على المقياس (4.48)، وفي ضوء ذلك أوصت الدراسة بالاستفادة مما تضمنه البرنامج الإثرائي في تطوير مناهج التربية الإسلامية، وتعزيزها بأبعاد الأمن المجتمعي، والاستفادة من البرنامج المقترح في تعزيز الوعي الأمني لدى طلبة الصف العاشر.

Patients’ sense of security from clinical factors in Iran: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOne of the clinical responsibilities and goals of hospitals is to provide patients with comfort and security. The present study aims to assess patients’ sense of security among patients in Iranian hospitals.MethodsThe present research employed a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 830 patients visiting public, private, and social security hospitals in Mazandaran in the North of Iran. The required data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher of this study.This questionnaire consisted of 4 dimensions:nursing, medical, advanced facilities and patient rights. The participants were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and ANOVA were used for data analysis using SPSS version 22.ResultsThe mean scores of patients’ sense of security in social security, private, and public hospitals were 4.16 ± 0.89, 3.78 ± 0.67, and 3.60 ± 0.89, respectively. Medical factors with a mean and standard deviation of 3.92 ± 0.76, advanced facilities and equipment with 3.89 ± 0.89, nursing factors with 3.87 ± 0.73, and patient rights with 3.71 ± 0.90 were the highest to the lowest scores, respectively. The results showed that the type of hospital significantly affected the mean dimensions of security (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe study revealed variations in the sense of securityacross the sampled hospitals. Particularly, the sense of security attributed to the patient rights factors was lower than other factors. Therefore, to enhance the sense of security for patients, it is recommended to focus on staff training and fostering a culturethat emphasizes obtaining informed consent, demonstrating respect for the patient, and introducing the medical team to the patient before initiating any treatment.

Challenges arising from cyber security in the dimension of modern global security (on the example of the Russia-Ukraine war)

The challenges and threats from cyber security are increasing every day in the world. All this has a significant impact on international relations. When we are dealing with such a revolutionary development of technology as in the 21st century, it is already necessary for all states to have high-standard cyber security systems. This is not an easy issue to solve, because cyber security requires quite a lot of finances, human resources, and also specially trained professionals. Threats emanating from cyberspace need a proper response, in this case we have no choice, the whole world is facing danger. Cybercrime and the damage caused by it are increasing year by year. Also, all this affects a person psychologically and leaves a feeling of insecurity. The biggest problem is that aggressive states, terrorist organizations, non-state groups, large corporations, etc. are mostly involved in this virtual war (as in the real one). As an example, we can cite such an aggressor state as Russia, which carries out major cyber attacks against Ukraine, Georgia and other states whose cyber security systems are less protected. The transition of political, military, social or criminal processes into cyberspace has made cyber security one of the main segments of state security. Countries with developed cyber-offensive potential, primarily Russia, successfully use cyberspace both during war and conflict, as well as in peacetime, to gain geopolitical advantage. This article discusses the challenges and threats associated with the development of modern cyber and information technologies, analyzes the threats associated with the new information security capabilities of modern states, including cybersecurity. The aim of the paper is to present the role of cyber security in the Russia-Ukraine war and the threats arising from it. The following methods are used in the paper: methods of historical-descriptive, policy research and comparative analysis. The paper uses the theories of balance of power and securitization.

The strategic significance of Ethiopia's hydroelectric energy exports on Horn of Africa regional integration

ABSTRACT This article seeks to explore the compelling strategic impact of Ethiopia's hydroelectric energy exports on the regional integration of the Horn of Africa. The study employed a qualitative research approach that impeccably integrated primary and secondary data sources. The study shades light on the extensive implications of Ethiopia’s energy exports on socio-economic, political, and security dimensions. Economically, these exports foster a sense of mutual reliance among neighboring states, pooling resources for collective development, expanding regional markets, and driving industrialization. Socially, the initiative cultivates invaluable people-to-people relationships among communities with interconnected fates and destinies. From a security standpoint, it actively engages in diplomatic strategies to avert water-related tensions and emphasizes cooperative approaches. Politically, the exportation of hydroelectric energy is poised to significantly redefine the existing power dynamics in the Horn of Africa, sparking transformative collaboration and integration at a regional level. Furthermore, Ethiopia's hydroelectric energy will decisively reshape the competitive landscape related to shared water resources in the Nile River basin. However, the realization of these initiatives hinges on effective reservoir management and responsible hydroelectric energy exports.

Finding climate smart agriculture in civil-society initiatives

International civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) play a role in implementing agricultural projects, which contribute to the mitigation, adaptation, and food security dimensions of climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Despite the growth of CSA, it remains unclear how CSA is designed, conceptualised, and embedded into agricultural development projects led and implemented by NGOs, creating a lack of clarity as to the direction of future of agricultural development interventions. This paper examines the extent to which development programmes from the NGO sector actively incorporate CSA principles to benefit smallholder farmers under the major pillars of CSA. Drawing from six projects’ documentation since 2009, we conducted a thematic analysis to reveal the alignment of projects with the pillars of CSA and discuss the extent to which CSA allows for localised adaptability given the diverse agricultural contexts in which civil society and NGOs work. We find that despite a lack of clarity in CSA definition and focus, the agricultural practices in the six projects make heterogenous contributions to the adoption of CSA principles. We illustrate the diversity of ways in which CSA is ‘done’ by a global NGO across six areas: greening and forests, practices and knowledge exchange, markets, policy and institutions, nutrition, carbon and climate, and gender. We discuss the need for balance in contextual adaptability across the three pillars of CSA with explicit consideration of trade-offs to reduce unintended outcomes from CSA initiatives. We conclude with reflections on the role of civil society and NGOs as boundary agents in the agricultural development sector.

Food Security and Weather Events: A Multidimensional Analysis in the West African Sahel for 2001–2017

This paper analyzes the climatic factors that affected food security in the West African Sahel in 2001–2017. We estimate the impact of droughts and floods on the four dimensions of food security defined by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, based on a panel data model controlling for socioeconomic and political factors. Droughts and floods negatively affect food security with floods causing more damage. Since socioeconomic and political factors, especially conflicts, also play an important role, food security in the West African Sahel cannot be explained only by climatic problems, so that coordinated policies must be based on the four dimensions of food security.

Impacts of urbanization on food security in Ethiopia. A review with empirical evidence

Currently, the globe is challenged by various problems, such as war/conflict, poverty, climate change, and urbanization. Among them, Urbanization become the main problem. It has a disproportionate impact on developed and developing countries. One of the main problems of urbanization is the inability to ensure food security in urban areas. This situation is also evident in Ethiopia. This happened due to reductions in arable land and its productivity, dumping huge waste into the environment, depleting biodiversity, and water and soil pollution. The combination of these impacts affects urban food security. Although it is an undeniable fact, limited attention is paid to examining the impacts of rapid urbanization on urban food security. To fill this gap, this article reviews the empirical evidence from various studies on how urbanization affects the state of food security in Ethiopia and possible solutions to solve the problem. The review showed that urbanization affects the state of food security by compromising all dimensions of food security. When there is rapid urbanization, production will be reduced and food prices will become higher. Due to this, the prevalence of food insecurity in Ethiopian urban areas is very high. The solution is adjusting the community to live with this challenge. Moreover, this review suggests formulating and implementing proper land use planning and policies, expanding urban agriculture, and farm intensification should be a solution to ensure food security. As can be understood from various articles during the review, Ethiopia has not implemented the abovementioned ideas as a solution to its expectations and potential. In particular, urban agriculture has not been initiated, this is its untapped potential. Therefore, to ensure the food security policymakers, researchers, development planners, and the executive bodies of the government at all levels should exploit the untapped potential of the country’s urban areas.

Towards energy sustainability: Exploring the nexus between global value chain participation and energy security in developing and developed countries.

International trade has a significant impact on global environmental quality and sustainable economic development. Global value chains (GVCs) have become a crucial component of international trade and development policy. The global production structure has become more complicated with the inclusion of domestic markets in GVC, putting significant pressure on world energy resources and environmental sustainability. Therefore, traditional trade measures no longer accurately reflect how global trade affects the energy security of developing and developed countries. Thus, this study is the first to use a panel-corrected standard error method to look at the relationship between GVC participation and energy security by using a global sample of 35 developed and 27 developing nations from 1995 to 2018. A feasible generalized least squares model was also applied to confirm the robustness of the model. Six indicators-foreign direct investment, industrialization level, capital formation, human capital index, political stability, and GVC-were used in this research to look at their impact on the four fundamental pillars of energy security (availability, applicability, sustainability, and affordability) for sustainable economic development. For developed countries, it was confirmed that there is a non-linear relationship between GVC participation and energy intensity, renewable energy consumption, and non-fossil fuel use. In the case of developing countries, the non-linear relationship in terms of all aspects of energy security was also confirmed. The findings also indicated that GVC's involvement benefits all four dimensions of energy security in both developing and developed countries once it reaches a certain threshold. Our findings further support the impacts of long-term cointegration between GVC and energy security for sustainable economic development. Therefore, the nations must promote technology transfer and capacity building within GVCs for inclusive energy security. Similarly, they may foster sustainable practices through collaborative governance for a stable global energy network by acknowledging the positive impact of income levels on energy security.

Development of Scheduled Caste Farmers through Integrated Farming System in Bangalore Rural District, India

The study was conducted in Bengaluru Rural district of Karnataka State, a total sample of 275 respondents was selected for the study and the data was collected by using pretested structured interview schedule and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. It was observed that, the livelihood security of the respondents under ‘highly satisfied’ category was improved from 23.64 per cent from the bench mark data to 38.18 per cent. In ‘less satisfied’ category it was decreased to 32.73 per cent from 41.82 per cent after implementation of the project. Out of seven dimensions of livelihood security, maximum increase was noticed in employment security (69.84%) followed by ecological security (60.96%), living amenities (52.39%), economic efficiency (51.76 %), coping strategies against stress (45.35%), assets (37.13 %) and social equitability (28.03%) and overall livelihood security increased by 48.17 per cent after implementation of the project. The personal, socio-economic and psychological characteristics of the beneficiaries; land holding, cropping pattern, livestock possession, innovativeness, mass media exposure, management orientation, level of aspiration, training undergone, participation in development programme, access to extension personnel and access to resources exhibited positive and significant relationship with livelihood security.The R2 value of 0.324 indicated that all 18 variables had contributed to the tune of 32.40 per cent of variation in Livelihood Security of respondents. Hence, the concerned development departments should promote and strengthen the IFS activities to enhance the livelihood security of resource poor framers. The positive and significantly related characteristics needs to be considered while selecting the farmers for IFS programs to enhance their livelihood security.

United States – Azerbaijan Relations (1991-2020)

The purpose of the paper is to thoroughly investigate the intricate relationship between the United States and Azerbaijan from 1991 to 2020, considering diplomatic, political, economic, and security dimensions. Emphasizing the pivotal role of Russian Federation in the South Caucasus, the research seeks to provide a holistic understanding of the factors influencing U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, offering valuable insights into evolving geopolitical dynamics over the three crucial decades.&#x0D; The novelty of the paper lies in its in-depth exploration of three decades of U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, the study provides unique insights into the evolving dynamics, contributing a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted relationship.&#x0D; Conclusions. The author identifies 4 periods of US-Azerbaijan relations in 1991-2020: 1) 1991-2001, 2) 2001-2007, 3) 2007-2015, and 4) 2015-2020.&#x0D; From 1991 to 2001, the United States underwent a transformative phase in its policy towards Azerbaijan, marked by an increased focus on regional stability and economic partnerships through energy initiatives like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Security concerns in the South Caucasus also influenced policy decisions, while considerations of democracy and human rights were weighed against broader strategic imperatives. This period set the foundation for subsequent shifts in U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan.&#x0D; In 2001-2007, U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan underwent significant changes, prioritizing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and intensifying efforts in combatting international terrorism. The Global War on Terror played a crucial role, leading to strengthened U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, though democracy promotion took a back seat to energy and security interests.&#x0D; The period from 2007 to 2015 saw a nuanced shift, with decreased U.S. focus on energy and security, increased attention to democracy and human rights, and challenges arising from Azerbaijan’s opposition to the Turkish-Armenian Rapprochement. Azerbaijan’s strategic concerns regarding Nagorno-Karabakh intensified, and U.S. engagement faced limitations in influencing regional outcomes.&#x0D; Between 2015 and 2020, U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan further disengaged across energy, security, and democracy promotion dimensions, influenced by factors like the unconventional oil and gas revolution, decreasing Central Asia significance, rising isolationism, and the Trump administration’s priorities. The U.S. response to regional dynamics, notably the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, showcased a trend of reduced involvement.

Exploring the impact of oil security attention on oil volatility: A new perspective

AbstractBy constructing a novel index, the oil security attention index, this paper uses the heterogeneous autoregressi (HAR)‐type and its extended models to study whether oil security attention can predict oil volatility. Based on the definition of the different dimensions of oil security and three‐pass regression filter (TPRF) dimension reduction technology, combined with Google search volume data of 23 keywords related to oil security, the oil security attention index is constructed. Considering the potential nonlinear relationship between attention and oil volatility, we incorporate asymmetric effects in the new extended HAR‐type models. The research findings show that the oil security attention index we propose can capture the volatility of West Texas Intermediate. The out‐of‐sample results indicate that the extended models have better predictive power, which confirms the asymmetric relationship between oil security attention and oil volatility. In the robustness analysis, we compare TPRF with traditional principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS), and show that the oil security attention index constructed using TPRF has more favourable information than PCA and PLS to capture the oil security attention of the public.