United Nations Development Programme Research Articles

Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reducing Inequality – Evidence from India and its States

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) embraced seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, recognising the global imperative to address societal challenges. Among these goals, SDG 10 focuses on reducing inequalities within and among countries. Instead of examining inequalities within and among countries, our study assesses within-group inequality (within rural and urban) and between-group inequality (between rural and urban) of all India and its fifteen major states from 1983 to 2011–12. Our findings indicate that within-group inequality contributes most to overall or combined inequality. To effectively achieve the sustainable development goal in India, it is crucial to prioritise efforts towards reducing within-group inequality (within rural and urban). Additionally, it is essential to monitor the between-group inequality (between rural and urban) so that it does not increase excessively. Also, we have suggested some policies to achieve SDG 10 while fostering a more inclusive society.

Changing Trends in the Global Burden of Cataract Over the Past 30 Years: Retrospective Data Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Cataracts now account for the largest proportion of the global burden of blindness and vision loss. Understanding the changing trends in the global burden of cataracts over the past 30 years and the next 15 years is of clear significance for the prevention and control of cataracts in key populations. As far as we know, research on the future burden of cataracts is lacking. This study aims to assess the global burden of cataracts over the past 30 years by using age-period-cohort modeling and to estimate trends in the next 15 years. Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, the United Nations Development Programme, and the WHO (World Health Organization) Global Health Observatory data repository. The assessment of trends and disparities in the number and rate of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for cataracts from 1990 to 2019 was conducted. The association between the age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) and the socio-demographic index (SDI), human development index (HDI), national levels of particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), and ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) was determined using linear regression analysis. Additionally, we used the Nordpred (Harald Fekjær and Bjørn Møller) age-period-cohort model to predict the cataract burden from 2020 to 2034. Globally, the number of DALYs due to cataract increased from 3,492,604 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2,481,846-4,719,629) in 1990 to 6,676,281 (95% UI 4,761,210-9,006,193) in 2019. The ASDRs due to cataract decreased from 93.17 (95% UI 66.14-125.32) in 1990 to 82.94 (95% UI 59.06-111.75) in 2019, with an average annual percentage change of -0.37 (95% CI -0.44 to -0.3; P<.001). Age, female sex, air pollution, smoking, high fasting plasma glucose levels, and a high body mass index were risk factors for the burden of cataracts. SDI and HDI were negatively correlated with ASDRs of cataracts, while PM2.5 and UVR were positively associated with them. Higher DALY rates were also associated with lower SDI (R2=0.1939; P<.001), lower HDI (R2=0.2828; P<.001), national PM2.5 concentration (R2=0.1874; P<.001), and ambient UVR levels (R2=0.2354; P<.001). The prediction model suggested that the number of DALYs due to cataract will continue to rise globally, while the cataract DALY rate will continue to decrease. While the ASDR of cataracts has decreased, there has been a notable increase in the number of DALYs over the past 30 years. Projections suggest that the global burden of cataracts will continue to rise over the next 15 years. To address this challenge, appropriate prevention and treatment policies must be implemented.

Technical landfills sites are an effective tool for waste valorization, recovery and disposal

Projects such as technical landfill centers, waste conversion and sorting units, and inert landfills play a crucial role as significant solutions, especially in the absence of alternative projects or during their establishment, such as waste valorization initiatives, including the innovative project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. These initiatives have objectives in line with the principles of sustainable development, promoting the circular economy, generating financial returns, combating climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. They achieve this by involving citizens and associations in management, allocating a dedicated budget for funding, and creating ample space to address the challenge of unplanned landfills. This approach aims to solve the problem of unplanned landfills, create wealth and employment opportunities while preserving the environment. Activating such projects can solve the waste problem that has burdened the specific case of Constantine by addressing the issue of unplanned landfills. This initiative is facilitated by the fact that a significant portion of the waste is organic and recyclable, which bodes well for the region.

Impact of forest governance and enforcement on deforestation and forest degradation at the district level: A study in West Bengal State, India

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the world loses 1.0 ​× ​106 ​hm2 forest land through deforestation annually. About 1.6 ​× ​106 people who depend on forests for livelihood are negatively affected by deforestation and forest degradation. The paper attempts to study the impact of forest governance, enforcement and socio-economic factors on deforestation and forest degradation at the local level in West Bengal State, India. The study was based on questionnaire survey data during 2020–2021 collected from three western districts (Purulia, Bankura, and Paschim Medinipur) where deforestation and poverty rates are higher than other districts in West Bengal State. The total number of selected villages was 29, and the total sample households were 693. A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data, and a questionnaire was followed. Forest governance and enforcement indices were constructed using United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) methodology and a step-wise logistic regression model was used to identify the factors affecting deforestation and forest degradation. The result of this study showed that four factors (illegal logging, weak forest administration, encroachment, and poverty) are identified for the causes of deforestation and forest degradation. It is observed that six indices of forest governance (rule of law, transparency, accountability, participation, inclusiveness and equitability, and efficiency and effectiveness) is relatively high in Purulia District. Moreover, this study shows that Purulia and Bankura districts follow medium forest governance, while Paschim Medinipur District has poor forest governance. The enforcement index is found to be highest in Purulia District (0.717) and lowest for Paschim Medinipur District (0.257). Finally, weak forest governance, poor socio-economic conditions of the households, and weak enforcement lead to the deforestation and forest degradationin the study area. Therefore, governments should strengthen law enforcement and encourage sustainable forest certification schemes to combat illegal logging.

OP40 An Initiative To Identify The Long-Term Effects Of COVID-19: Turkish Ministry Of Health (MoH) COVID-19 Follow-Up Centers

IntroductionDuring COVID-19 pandemic Follow-up Centers were established by Turkish Ministry of Health (MoH) to detect possible complications in recovered COVID-19 patients at an early stage and make necessary interventions on time. It was aimed to reveal the short, medium and long-term effects of the disease by monitoring regularly. The Follow-up Center algorithms were designed by 10 clinicians of different branches with the support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The follow-ups were made for one year in two pilot centers by using the health information systems infrastructure. In the dissemination process, Follow-Up centers were established initially in 24 and subsequently in 81 provinces.MethodsIn this study, the establishment, dissemination, operation and patient follow-up process of the COVID-19 Follow-up Centers were examined. The one-year (between 1 December 2021 and 1 December 2022) data obtained were analyzed. The patient follow-up;•was made at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months for the first year,•planned to be made twice in the second year and the following years if needed.In the first year, people who received 3 follow-ups by using the forms and scales in the integrated information system modules were assumed to be followed up regularly.ResultsAmong the one-year data obtained from the COVID-19 follow-up centers, the total number of follow-ups, the distribution of follow-ups by date, gender and age groups and symptoms according to time were examined. In the first year; 11,288 people were included in the follow-ups and 18,328 follow-ups were made; 2,462 people were followed-up regularly. The followed up people consisted of 51.8% women; 48.3% of them were men. The incidence of symptoms decreased from 1,198 people in the first follow-up and to 180 people in the third follow-up.ConclusionsThe establishment of Follow-up Centers is considered to be an important initiative to generate systematic data on the long-term effects of COVID-19. It was concluded that conducting studies using two-year data obtained from the follow-up centers, especially for complications, would be beneficial for management of the COVID-19 pandemic and in preparation for similar pandemics.

Dünyada kadın yoksulluğunun genel görünümü

various strata of society, but it particularly impacts women and children deeply. Poverty encompasses not only income deficiency for women but also the lack of social participation, leading to social exclusion. However, the question of whether poverty should be considered primarily as a women's issue or examined from a broader perspective is a subject of debate, as women can be disproportionately affected due to a gender-biased perspective.&#x0D; Recent research indicates that in contemporary societies, women are more adversely affected by poverty compared to men. Gender inequality and income disparities often restrict women's access to education, limit employment opportunities, push them into low-paying jobs, or hinder their workforce participation due to domestic responsibilities. Studies conducted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) highlight the prevalence of global gender inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab Peninsula, and many South Asian countries. These studies also reveal that gender inequality is more pronounced in countries with low to medium levels of human development. Consequently, regions like the Arab Peninsula and South Asia exhibit extremely low rates of female workforce participation. Moreover, these regions often witness a significant lack of female representation in their parliaments.&#x0D; Among the fundamental causes of women's poverty are deficiencies in education and negative societal attitudes towards women. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to elevate women's educational levels and encourage their participation in the labor force. Studies have shown a correlation between increasing women's education levels and economic growth. Consequently, governments should review employment policies and social security mechanisms to enhance women's access to employment opportunities. Social assistance policies should be implemented with a rights-based approach and should encompass women. Addressing the excessive burden of household chores, gender-based discrimination, and patriarchal attitudes limiting women's career choices is of paramount importance. Transforming societal norms and dismantling gender biases are necessary for this purpose. The combat against female poverty necessitates the active engagement of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the realm of social policy implementations, social assistance programs, governmental initiatives related to gender-responsive budgeting, and the practices of financial institutions concerning microcredit.

Does the Validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve Postulation Empirically Depend on the Level of Human Development in Africa?

Purpose: The interconnectedness between human development and environmental degradation is a complex issue that warrants investigation in Africa. Although there are a few studies on the economic growth and environmental degradation nexus for African countries, there is a huge scarcity of empirical research that explores the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) postulation in the context of human development and environmental degradation in Africa. The study therefore empirically explored the relationship between Human Development and Environmental Degradation within the framework of the EKC using 50 African countries subdivided into High Human Development Index Countries (HHDICs), Medium Human Development Index Countries (MHDICs) and Low Human Development Index Countries (LHDICs) from 2000 to 2019. Data for the study were obtained from the World Bank’s development indicators and the Human Development Reports of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-HDR).&#x0D; Methodology: The study made use of the Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) model and the Feasible Generalised Least Squares Regression model (FGLS) which are econometrically suitable to handle N &gt; T and T &gt; N panels respectively, and are both robust to cross sectional dependence, contemporaneous correlation, group wise heteroscedasticity and slope heterogeneity. Other econometric techniques such as Descriptive Statistics, Correlation Analysis, Variance Inflation Factor test (Multicollinearity), second generation unit root tests (CADF and CIPS), Durbin Watson, Breusch Godfrey tests (Serial Correlation) and the White Test (Heteroscedasticity) were also employed in the study.&#x0D; Findings: The empirical results produced evidence that the data is integrated of order one I(1) and exhibits cross sectional dependence, slope heterogeneity and cointegration. The data was also found to be serially correlated and heteroscedastic. However, multicollinearity was absent. The panel estimates of the PCSE and the FGLS estimators showed that Human Development is a key driver of Environmental Degradation in Africa, with the greatest proportion of the impact on HHDICs, followed by MHDICs and then finally LHDICs. The results also revealed the validity of the EKC postulation only in the HHDICs, evidenced by the presence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between Environmental Degradation and Human Development. In The LHDICs and MHDICs on the other hand, U-shaped relationships between Environmental Degradation and Human Development were found, signalling the invalidity of the EKC. There was significant evidence for the support of the feedback hypothesis between Human Development and Environmental Degradation in HHDICs, MHDICs, LHDICs and all the 50 African countries at large. Based on the findings, Policymakers were given recommendations that took into consideration the uniqueness of the economic situations in HHDICs, MHDICs, LHDICs and Africa as a whole.&#x0D; Recommendations: The study shows that the degree of environmental degradation is proportional to the level of human development in Africa and indicates that the validity of the EKC postulation in the context of human development) is exclusive to only the HHDICs in Africa. This provides an incentive for policy makers in the MHDICs and LHDICs of Africa to make human development a priority through industrialisation and other profitable economic activities. This is likely to help them afford innovations and technological developments that protect the environment through the greater use of cleaner energy than the naturally abundant fossil fuel as well as the institutionalisation of policies that protect the environment as human development appreciates.

Do institutional quality and its threshold matter in the sensitivity of the renewable energy transition to financial development? New empirical perspectives

AbstractThe transition to renewable energy is critical for environmental sustainability, consistent with sustainable development goals (SDGs) 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13 of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Scholars have identified financial development and institutional quality as significant factors determining the renewable energy transition in developing countries. This study opines that the efficiency of the financial system in supporting and providing the substantial financial implications that a switch to renewable energy necessitates depends on the quality of the institutional framework. Weak institutions in developing countries produce loopholes and inherent flaws in the financial system that facilitate corruption and opportunism, ultimately promoting dirty energy usage and technology at the expense of renewable energy. This process suggests that the interaction between financial development and institutions can either accelerate or impede the transition to renewable energy, depending on an economy's institutional architecture. Considering Africa's enormous renewable energy resources, previous research has overlooked the implications of the interplay between institutional quality and financial development in spurring Africa's transition to renewable energy. Thus, this study looks at the role of institutions in moderating the relationship between financial development and renewable energy in Africa from 1990 to 2019, using first‐ and second‐generation estimators to capture econometrics' pitfalls such as endogeneity, cross‐sectional dependence, and heterogeneity inherent in the panel dataset. This study departs from previous research in that it uses a dynamic panel threshold to determine the threshold of institutions beyond which financial development is stimulated to spur Africa's transition to renewable energy. The findings show that institutions create loopholes that allow rent‐seeking, opportunism, and sharp practices in the African financial system. These inherent flaws divert financial resources to support dirty energy and undermine the financial sector's ability to support a renewable energy transition on the continent. Also, the findings from the threshold of institutions affirm that African countries operate predominantly below the threshold of institutions, over which institutions enable financial development to expedite the continent's transition to renewable energy. The study suggests that institutional quality is essential in the relationship between financial development and Africa's shift to renewable energy. The findings' policy implications are discussed and outlined.

The Role of Waqf in Supporting Sustainable Development Goals: Linking theory and its practices

Poverty has become a main issue faced by many developing countries. It is worsened by the fact that a few rich people have equal wealth to most of the world's population. Hence attempts to reduce the poverty number have been initiated by many players including academicians and international organizations such as the United Nations through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). On the other hand, Islamic philanthropy such as Waqf has been linked as a medium to not only eradicate poverty but also attempt to develop and empower society. Therefore, this study attempts to link waqf practices and Sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study uses qualitative methods i.e., explanatory studies. This study finds that waqf has similar characteristics with SDGs in at least 7 out of 17 goals of SDGs, including No Poverty goal, zero hunger goal, good health and wealth being goal, quality education goal, affordable and clean energy goal, decent work and economy goal, and industry, innovation, and infrastructure goal. Hence its promotion of the SDGs program is essential and undeniable. Future studies are encouraged to look further at the potential applications and practices of Waqf to the SDGs, particularly from the perspective of public policy and law.

아시아 국가들의 주관적 건강상태에 미치는 영향요인 분석

This study utilized self-rated health as a method of reducing the deviation between health index and actual health level in Asia. Using the Human Development Index (HDI) score of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), countries were grouped into countries with relatively high health (Group A), middle-level countries (Group B), and countries with relatively low levels of health (Group C), Factors affecting subjective health status for each group with similar health levels were analyzed using the logit model. As an independent variable, psychological, political, economic, social, and environmental factors affecting subjective health were derived using World Values Survey (WVS) data, and the dependent variable was subjective health status. Spatial coverage includes Asian countries, including three Northeast Asian countries, China, Japan, and South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam within the scope of the data. The temporal range corresponds to WVS data Wave 7 from 2017 to 2019. As a result of logistic regression analysis, the variables common to the three groups were life satisfaction and happiness among psychological factors, financial condition satisfaction among economic factors, trust in neighbors among social factors, and medical condition among environmental factors. Group A, which has a relatively high level of health, needs to maintain the psychological and economic factors that have an overall influence, and trust in government, trust in neighbors, group activities, and competition, which are relatively low compared to groups B and C. This suggests that it is necessary to prepare policies to improve awareness and satisfaction with life safety variables. Group B, which has a moderate health index, has to deal with health policies in the direction of maintaining the relatively high level of political and social factors compared to groups A and C. Group C, which has a relatively low health index, has an overall impact. There is a need to improve health policies focusing on psychological and environmental factors that are affecting people's health.

A Comparison of the EU and China's Aid Policies in Africa

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the rise of African power has become a major factor influencing the international political situation, but Africa itself is still objectively lagging most parts of the world in terms of its level of development. China and the European Union, in conjunction with the UN's development programme, have become important players in supporting Africa's rise. As a long-established political and economic phenomenon in state relations, foreign aid policy is also an extension of the internal political economy of national alliances or organizations of states and is one of the most important means by which each state can safeguard its economic interests and achieve its strategic objectives. China and the EU differ in their aid policies towards Africa and have many features that can be learned from each other. By starting from the aid policies of China and the EU towards Africa and using comparative regionalism as a theoretical guide, this paper summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the aid policies of the two parties towards Africa and will propose constructive ideas for the establishment of a new inter-aid international structure and the promotion of closer cooperation between China, the EU and Africa.

Этнокультурный компонент человеческого капитала Республики Татарстан в официальном дискурсе и практиках

One of the key conditions for the successful development of modern states is human capital. The international approach to calculating the Human Development Index, developed within the framework of the UN Development Program, is unified and does not pay attention to the socio-cultural (ethnic) factor. To assess its significance, the authors of the article carried out a discursive quantitative and qualitative analysis of the "Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Republic of Tatarstan until 2030" and semi-formalized interviews with experts. The purpose of the article: to identify the significance, foundations and meanings of the ethno-cultural component of the human capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and how they are implemented in practice. The results of the study revealed the high focus of Tatarstan on supporting the ethno-cultural component of the region’s human capital. Such a component is considered to be an indicator of the quality and diversity of the cultural life of the people living in Tatarstan. The republican government aims to develop human capital by supporting creative initiatives, motivating the population to build up creative competencies. The positioning of the republic as a region with international peace and harmony is used by Tatarstan to attract highly developed human capital from other regions and investors to stimulate its development.

Analysis of spatial differences in global regional human development index under planetary pressure and decomposition study of driving factors

To urge nations worldwide to implement robust measures for enhancing human development and mitigating the pressures exerted on the planet by human activities in pursuit of sustainable development, this study encompasses 154 countries globally, using the seven major regions as focal points. Leveraging the Planetary Pressure Adjusted Human Development Index (PHDI) proposed by the United Nations Development Programme on December 15, 2020, as a metric for human development levels, this paper aims to standardize and internationally compare human development data from 1990 to 2021. Subsequently, employing the Theil index, the study assesses the global human development status across the seven regions to analyze spatial disparities in PHDI. Lastly, a comprehensive Generalized Diese Index Method (GDIM) is constructed to accurately reflect absolute and latent factors, dissecting the driving forces impacting global PHDI. The study explores critical pathways for high-quality human development within the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It validates the robustness of GDIM results through a stepwise regression. Research findings indicate varying levels of PHDI development across regions, with a distinct spatial hierarchy evolving: higher human development levels in Europe and Eastern Europe, favorable levels in North and South America, similar levels in Oceania and Asia, and significant improvement potential in Africa. As globalization progresses, overall differences in PHDI gradually decrease; however, disparities persist between and within regions. Economic, technological, and per capita welfare effects consistently positively drive PHDI. In contrast, environmental pressure effects, social effects, per capita value-added effects, and output carbon intensity effects consistently exert hostile driving forces. Population size effects on PHDI show a fluctuating trend. Moreover, in terms of cumulative contribution values, the top three contributors to driving forces are economic, technological, and per capita welfare effects.

Quality of Life, Well-Being and the Human Development Index: A Media Narrative for the Developed World?

The Human Development Index (HDI) produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been in existence since 1990. In its annual Human Development Reports (HDRs) the UNDP provides rankings of countries based on the HDI, and the idea is that these will help bring about positive change as countries compare their performance in the rankings with what they see as their peers. The HDRs are widely reported in the media, and previous research has suggested that the extent of newspaper reporting of the HDI (i.e. number of articles) is greater for those countries at the bottom and top end of the rankings. However, there are gaps in knowledge about how the HDI is reported in these media outlets. For example, to what extent does newspaper reporting of the HDI equate it to terms such as ‘quality of life’ and ‘well-being’, and how does this relate to the ranking of countries based on the HDI? This is the question addressed by the research reported in this paper. Results suggest that newspaper do often associate the terms ‘quality of life and ‘well-being’ with the HDI, and that the association appears to be stronger for countries towards the top-end of the rankings (i.e. those that have more ‘human development’) compared to those at the bottom-end of the rankings. This suggests that the association between reporting of the HDI and ‘quality of life’ and ‘well-being’ is a narrative that is perceived by the media to suit the developed rather than developing world.

Business Opportunities of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Health Services for Democratic Republic of Congo

According to the United Nations Development Program, the Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals projects by 2030 is improving human well-being over the world by eliminating poverty, creating gender equality, preserving the environment, helping shared growth, as well as involving people at the core of the sustainable development Agenda. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in a fragile state where its legitimacy is threatened by the war in the east of the country, the destruction of social capital and social cohesion as well as the severe economic challenges which have been amplified with the political context. Nationally, this Agenda constitutes a real opportunity to accelerate the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the fields of health, education and public services in this country. This article shows how to turn the ICTs adapted for DRC into business opportunities and how various types of entrepreneurship can be implemented at the local and national levels, with a particular focus on medical drones. The article also proposes the guidelines to be followed for the success of such experiences both in the private and public sectors, as well as in international partnerships between developed, emerging and developing countries.

Human Development Index: A regional perspective

Taking development as a multi-dimensional concept invariably justifies the argument of adopting the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI) as a measure of development. Thus, being an attempt thereof to undertake a cross-country comparative study of the trend of Human Development progress in selected countries between 1990 and 2013 and following the UNDP regional classification, a total of 35 countries inclusive of the industrial countries were evaluated. Factors such as continual social unrest, engendered socio-political crisis, adverse income distribution, high depth of food deficit, lack of education and health services amidst others were evident as limiting factors for human development. However based on the progress made in selected economies, it is recommended that priority attention especially by Developing Economies be given to enabling necessary institutional and structural changes in view to foster human development, synonymous to economic development.

Views of Pre-Service Science Teachers on Sustainable Development Awareness

In the study, it was aimed to determine the awareness of 81 pre-service science teachers studying in different classes about sustainable development. Phenomenology design was used to determine the views of science teaching department students about sustainable development. Since the concept of sustainability is related to the field of science and science teachers have a role in providing the students with the achievements related to sustainability in the science program, the study was conducted with the students of the faculty of education science teaching department. A semi-structured interview form was used to collect data. The data collected within the scope of the study were analyzed using content analysis. While analyzing the data, codes were created according to the answers given by each student. Similar codes were categorized taking into account the dimensions of sustainable development, the objectives of the United Nations development program, and the answers given by the students. As a result of the analysis of the data, it was concluded that the students of science teaching department had average knowledge about sustainable development, but they did not have sufficient knowledge about sustainable development. Considering the results, studies can be conducted on the sustainable development awareness of pre-service teachers in different branches. In addition, it is recommended to organize activities and conferences that will positively affect the sustainable development awareness of pre-service teachers.

Indicators of knowledge, usefulness, and use of ICT among primary schoolteachers

This paper presents a study on the perceptions of primary school teachers regarding their knowledge, usefulness, and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education. Likewise, the relationship between sex, age, working time and the educational center in which it is found with the perceptions about ICT is obtained. To answer these questions, a battery of 14 categorical closed questions is designed, divided into four blocks: socio-demographic information; knowledge of ICT; usefulness of ICT; and use of ICT. In the context of measuring the knowledge, usefulness and use of ICT in education, the novelty of this work relies on the design of an indicator for each of the ICT-related blocks following the methodology of Human Development Indicators created by the United Nations Development Program. In this research, 119 teachers from Spanish primary schools were chosen as the study sample to answer the questions’ battery. The results show a direct relationship between knowledge, usefulness, and use, although not significant. Although teachers are aware of the usefulness of ICT, and the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the use of technological tools for planning teaching in blended or distance learning lessons, this does not mean teachers have a greater knowledge of ICT. In addition, the findings indicate a greater knowledge by teachers in public schools, which contrasts with the finding that teachers in grant-assisted schools make the most use of ICT and find it the most useful. Finally, it is also suggested that the study's methodology and approach could be applied to other contexts or countries.

Investigating energy policies to boost grid-connected rooftop solar PV in Sudan

Abstract Grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can reduce the energy demand from the grid and significantly increase the power available to it. However, rooftop solar PV has not yet been widely adopted in many sub-Saharan African countries, such as Sudan, although they are endowed with high solar radiation and in dire need of additional power. This paper investigates risks and policies to increase grid-connected rooftop solar PV adoption in Sudan. A simplified United Nations Development Program Derisking Renewable Energy Investment framework is adopted to investigate this over three stages. For Stage 1, a list of risks and barriers was produced based on a literature review of solar PV studies in Sudan and interviews with nine stakeholders. Affordability was the risk most often mentioned (eight times from nine interviewees), followed by concerns about poor utility grid infrastructure. For Stage 2, policy de-risking instruments and financial de-risking instruments were listed to overcome the barriers. These include the introduction of net metering, the use of a third-party organization to monitor policy implementation, upgrade of the grid infrastructure, public awareness campaigns and energy-saving schemes. For Stage 3, the levelized cost of electricity was estimated for a typical 2-kW rooftop PV system without policies (0.11 $/kWh) and with a net-metering policy (0.07 $/kWh).

Addressing violence against children: A systematic review on interventions to accelerate the achievement of the UN sustainable development goal in Europe and Africa

BackgroundViolence against children (VAC) is a global public health issue. In the context of limited resources, the United Nations Development Programme has coined the concept of a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) accelerator for preventing and responding to VAC. An ‘accelerator’ is a provision that simultaneously leads to progress across multiple SDGs targets and goals. ObjectivesThis systematic review synthesizes the literature on violence prevention evaluation studies using robust methods according to the SDG accelerator framework for children aged 0–18 in Western Europe and Central and West Africa. It also provides a lens for analyzing research inequities between the global North and South, examining the challenges and differences undermining knowledge production across regions, particularly in research output. MethodWe systematically searched 30 electronic databases and grey literature in English and French. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. ResultsNine evaluation studies related to four SDG goals and ten targets were included in the analysis. As a result, no intervention was identified as an accelerator for children in West and Central Africa. In contrast, three promising interventions were identified as accelerators in Western Europe. Two school-based interventions reduce bullying, depression, and substance abuse and improve psychological well-being; and one home-based intervention reduces child abuse, the severity of neglect, and mental health problems and improves school attendance. Moreover, this review also uncovered a lack of research from the Global South that points to serious disadvantages for authors and institutions and global violence prevention efforts, as it hinders the flow of knowledge and innovative practices. ConclusionsThe results highlight the need for future VAC prevention trials to integrate the SDG accelerators concept further. Additionally, more effort should be made to support scholars in the global South to address knowledge inequities and to enhance understanding of how accelerators work in different field settings and conditions. This effort will ensure that interventions accelerate SDG goals and impact the world's most vulnerable children.