Development studies Books

Book SynopsisThe report presents key facts and messages regarding international migration globally and by region during 2000-2020, based on the 2020 revision of the international migrant stock data set, which provides updated estimates of numbers of persons living outside their country of birth, classified by age, sex and origin, for 232 countries and areas. The report also reviews policies and programmes to promote planned and well-managed migration and provides an overview of SDG indicator 10.7.2 on the number of countries with migration policies to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, used for measuring progress toward the achievement of SDG target 10.7

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Book SynopsisThe Demographic Yearbook 2021 is the seventy-second issue in a series published by the United Nations since 1948. It contains tables on a wide range of demographic statistics, including a world summary of selected demographic statistics, statistics on the size, distribution and trends in national populations, fertility, fetal mortality, infant and maternal mortality, general mortality, nuptiality and divorce. Data are shown by urban/rural residence, as available. The volume provides Technical Notes, a synoptic table, a historical index and a listing of the issues of the Demographic Yearbook published to date. This issue of Demographic Yearbook contains data as available including reference year 2021

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Book SynopsisThis synthesis report acknowledges the many existing and cross-cutting opportunities to achieve development goals through the transformative force that urbanization represents. It also discusses the elaboration of targets, baselines and overall progress for selected indicators, placing special emphasis on partnership arrangement and opportunities for financing and scaling up activities and programmes. The report presents fresh data and new findings that help us understand our urban transitions and trends in these early years of the SDGs.

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Book SynopsisAs countries worldwide are still recovering from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine is expected to result in severe implications for the global economy. The ongoing conflict is driving up energy and commodity prices, and threatening food security in many parts of the world. The magnitude of the impact on individual countries depends on the composition of their economies, and their trade and financial links with the two countries in conflict. The gross domestic product of the Arab region is expected to grow by 5.18 per cent in 2022 if the conflict ends by June 2022 (0.02 percentage point lower than the pre-crisis projections), and by 4.78 per cent if the conflict endures longer (0.42 percentage point lower than the pre-crisis projections - an estimated loss of around $11 billion). As heavy oil exporters, the Gulf Cooperation Council economies will benefit from the recovery in oil markets that started in 2021, and will grow at their fastest pace since 2014. These countries will also profit from oil price hikes caused by the war in Ukraine. All other Arab countries are expected to grow at a slower pace than pre-crisis projections. In addition to higher energy prices, these countries also face increasing food security concerns as a result of the economic sanctions on the Russian Federation, and disruptions to supply chains caused by military activities. Some will also face a decline in official development assistance

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Book SynopsisThe report examines the new technologies and manufacturing trends that African countries need to embrace to allow viable local production, attractive domestic markets for foreign companies (including relocation of production to the continent), and innovative supply chain practices. The report recommends key policy options, best practices and strategic guidance needed to support African decision- and policy-makers in leveraging the potential of African national and regional markets and businesses to foster domestic supply chains and create a trusted and reliable supplier marketplace for global supply chains, and thus contribute to expanding Africa's contribution to global trade and growth

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Book SynopsisThe present study shows that the economic recovery that started in 2021 with 4.1 per cent growth for the Arab region is expected to continue at 3.7 per cent in 2022 and 3.6 per cent in 2023 for the baseline scenario, and 3.9 per cent in both years for the alternate scenario. The extent of economic recovery varies among Arab subregions and depends on the course of the pandemic, the speed of vaccination, dependency on oil revenues, tourism receipts, and levels of remittance inflows and official development assistance. For the Arab region as a whole, poverty is expected to decline from 26.94 per cent of the population in 2021 to 26.23 per cent in 2023, based on national poverty lines. The region made a slight improvement in closing the gender gap in 2020 but at the current pace of change needs 142 years to reach gender parity. Social protection systems in the region face severe shortcomings in coverage and effectiveness, particularly in countries with limited fiscal space and persistent political instability. Arab governments need to pursue tax reforms they initiated a while ago. Qualitative reforms should make tax systems fairer and more progressive, with simpler and more transparent administrative procedures for better tax compliance. At the national level, reforms should include redesigning tax brackets, rationalizing exemptions, introducing wealth or property taxes, and improving tax data. At the regional and international levels, enhanced cross-border tax cooperation is critical to coordinate tax incentives, review treaties and reinforce tax transparency

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Book SynopsisThe interwoven futures of humanity and our planet are under threat. Urgent action, taken together, is needed to change course and reimagine our futures. Education, long acknowledged as a powerful force for positive change, has new, urgent and important work to do. This report, two years in the making, invites governments, institutions, organizations, and citizens around the world to forge a new social contract for education that will help us build peaceful, just, and sustainable futures.

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Book SynopsisAccounting for approximately 99% of all liquid freshwater on Earth, groundwater has the potential to provide societies with tremendous social, economic and environmental benefits and opportunities. However, this natural resource is often poorly understood, and consequently undervalued, mismanaged and even abused. In spite of its overall abundance, groundwater remains vulnerable to over-exploitation and pollution, both of which can have devastating effects on the resource and its availability. In the context of growing water scarcity across many parts of the world, the enormous potential of groundwater and the need to manage it sustainably can no longer be overlooked. The 2022 edition of The United Nations World Water Development Report describes the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater across the world.

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Book SynopsisThe Syrian Refugee Resilience Plan (SRRP) is FAO's guiding document to support the Government of Turkey in addressing the needs of Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTPs) and vulnerable host communities in Turkey. The plan is based on a holistic cooperative approach involving a variety of actors, as well as partnerships with the private sector and local institutions that have been the main service providers for SuTPs and local populations. The plan is structured around five pillars: promoting skills and knowledge for sustainable agricultural livelihoods and food security and nutrition; supporting employability and entrepreneurship in the food and agriculture sector; investing in the sustainable development of the agriculture sector and utilization of natural resources; improving access to social protection; and managing knowledge in the food security and agriculture sector. It aims to directly support the resilience of more than 60 000 households (approx. 300 000 people, of which at least 40 percent are women and women-headed households) from Syrian and host communities in Turkey affected by the crisis. It also includes capacity-building initiatives for national and local government bodies, non-governmental organizations and local institutions, such as associations and cooperatives.

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Book SynopsisThis book helps track developments in natural resources legislation from the perspective of international sustainable development principles. It seeks to reflect up-to-date trends and thinking in natural resources governance, enhance the knowledge base in this field, and offer general guidance to countries in the regulation of their natural resources.Influenced by international trends, as well as in response to population, climate, resource and development needs, the standards, norms, mechanisms and incentives in natural resources law at the national level have evolved in recent years. Natural resources laws are influenced by developments in the international arena, either through international treaties that are binding or through "soft law".This publication encompasses a broad range of natural resource sectors, including water, land, forestry, fisheries, mining, petroleum and agriculture, and provides an overarching holistic perspective that is supportive of a systems-thinking approach. The approaches offered embrace the pillars of sustainable development, i.e. approaches that recognize and are informed by economic, social and environmental considerations and impacts.

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Book SynopsisThis technical paper emphasizes the opportunity that REDD+ and the global climate agenda represents for countries to engage more actively in securing land and resource rights for indigenous peoples and local communities. At the same time, it stresses how collective tenure rights represent a key element to achieve long-lasting and successful results for REDD+, contributing to addressing global climate change

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Book SynopsisThis report explores the role of technology in providing solutions to some of the key labor market challenges that Asian countries with progressive aging must face in order to boost productivity and sustain growth and development. Asia is graying rapidly: its share of senior population aged 65 and over will double from 9.2% in 2020, to 18% in 2050. Some countries will experience a drastic reduction of its working-age population (ages 15-64), as well as aging of the current workforce. This report explores the role and potential of technology in addressing economic and labor market opportunities and challenges posed by aging. It shows how technology can harness gains from the longevity dividend and draws together national and regional policy recommendations for countries in Asia and the Pacific.

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Book SynopsisThe Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) assesses national water security across the Asia and the Pacific, with a focus on five key dimensions: rural, economic, urban, environmental, and water-related disaster.Despite considerable achievements in the region since the AWDO 2013 edition, 1.5 billion people in rural areas and 0.6 billion in urban areas still lack adequate water supply and sanitation. Sound water management and access to reliable service delivery remain vital to inclusive economic growth and social well-being, especially after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. AWDO 2020 includes two new sections highlighting the importance of finance and governance to water security as well as case studies demonstrating how the AWDO has influenced policy development in four countries.

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Book SynopsisThis publication highlights short-term actions that can mitigate pressures and medium-term policy considerations for finance sector resilience in the post-COVID-19 period.The guidance note examines the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on real economies and the measures taken to ease the impact. It notes risks to financial stability, such as an anticipated rise in nonperforming assets. Its recommendations include establishing a framework for epidemic risk financing, buttressing financial stability and macroprudential measures, developing insurance markets for risk sharing and transfer solutions, improving SME financing, and fostering digital transformation.

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Book SynopsisWhat isife without memory? Empty!earn smart tricks to retain events in mind and have a quick recall when you need them the most.Nowadays, we are relentlessly bombarded with various kinds of information from countless sources all the time. It is actually a wonder that we manage to remember anything meaningful at all.This is where Memory Champion Jayasimha Ravirala comes to our rescue. He shows us how to organize our mind, exercise it and ensure that it starts thinking along a specific pattern. Following the concept of Creative Memory which works on the fundamentalaws and rules of memory, this book goes against the common practice of remembering by repetition and writing down everything that needs to be remembered.Simple to use and fun-oriented, it brings out results so fast so that you can measure the improvements the same day. It equips the reader with the tools, techniques and skills required to remember more, faster, forong and witheast effort.Many of the techniques mentioned here are used by contestants in memory championships. This book equips the reader with the tools, techniques and skills required to remember more, faster, forong and witheast effort. This book might even make you a champion.

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Book SynopsisLaying out her winning traits and abilities, this book chronicles Saina Nehwal''s journey from entering the badminton court to winning the coveted Olympic medal. Saina is not the flamboyant kind, but considering her a dove will be a mistake. Always a silent hawk, she has notet success get to her mind and continues to be devoted to badminton. Driven partly by her parents and partly by Pullela Gopichand''s coaching, she has managed to establish herself as a woman with a good head on her shoulders. Commanding a substantial brand value in a sport other than cricket in a countryike India is something very few can achieve and Saina has managed to do that successfully. Based on the first-ever badminton queen of India, Winningike Saina: Think and Succeedike Nehwal focuses on an authentic portrayal of Saina and analyses her qualities that make her an ideal role model for every professional.

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Book SynopsisEnergy is a basic prerequisite for the growth and development of national wealth. Based on primary research, Energy Economics and the Environment integrates a network of diverse disciplines to provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the constantly neglected challenges associated with conservation, preservation and sustainability of environment and energy. It highlights the issues and prospects in safeguarding environmental biodiversity and renewable energy efficiency, ecosystem chains and human living standards. This book studies the vulnerability associated with global climate alterations that limits direct social and economic benefits from ecosystem goods and services, and presents significant methods through illustrative case studies to tackle energy and environmental questions. In its final analysis, the book proposes possible unconventional mitigation strategies to restore sustainable biodiversity of ecosystems. Table of ContentsForeword Acknowledgements Introduction Ecosystem Services: Concepts, Methods and Synthesis of Valuation Techniques - Sulakshana Rao C. and R. Balasubramanian Indigenous Knowledge for Ecological Resilience from Pre-Mining Period of a Mined-Out Area - Narendra Nath Dalei and Yamini Gupt Natural Resources: Classification, Scarcity and Management - Jaweriah Hazrana Economics of Bioenergy in India - Mohammad Younus Bhat and Arfat Ahmad Sofi Energy Governance in India: A Conundrum of Competing Claims - Debasis Poddar Waste-based Power Generation Supply Chain: A Case Study - Md Hafiz Iqbal Rural Household Decision-Making about Water Consumption - Karthick Radhakrishnan, Aparna Radhakrishnan and Niti Saxena Coal Mining: Development of Eco Parks - Afkar Ahmad and Aounkar Anand Environmental Externality to Human Health Near the Coal Mining Area - Tapaswini Nayak and Indrani Roy Chowdhury Global Sustainability Shift and Hydropower Development - Bhartendu Kumar Chaturvedi, Atri Nautiyal and Mohammed Yaqoot Man-Nature Relationship in South Asia - Shakir ul Hassan Domino-effect of Climate Change on Biodiversity, Food Security and Oceanic Acidification - Rakhi Dawar, Mohammad Younus Bhat and Aswani R. S. Exploring the Sustainability of Urban Sanitation Models - Zoya Khan CO2 Emission, Energy Consumption and Human Development Nexus in BRICS - Hiranmoy Roy and Tarun Dhingra The Multidimensionality of Water Scarcity - Jasleen Kaur and M. S. Bhatt Index

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Book SynopsisNational security is paramount for an all inclusive development. Along with a holistic approach in place, there is an urgent need to first recognise the challenges to national security of the country. National Security Challenges: Young Scholars’ Perspective – a tribute to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw from the youth of the country – primarily deals with India`s national security challenges from a hardcore, predominantly traditional security point of view.The main aim of the book is to develop strategic thinking amongst the youth of this country. To provide a suitable platform to the university students, CLAWS has initiated an unprecedented pan-India essay competition – Field Marshal Manekshaw Essay Competition (FMMEC). The book is the outcome of an overwhelming response to the competition over past two years, and 12 select essays have been compiled, edited, and published.Dealing with wide range of subjects from conceptual understandings, threats and challenges emanating from technological advancements, to learning from national, regional and global experiences; the book provides a fresh approach to the subject. It also gives a sneak peek into what the youth of India feels about national security in the form of policy recommendations.To boost the morale of the young authors and university students, the book carries messages from Hon’ble Raksha Mantri, Hon’ble National Security Advisor and Chief of the Army Staff.

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Book SynopsisExamines infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific, primarily in the maritime domain, and its geopolitical implications for India. The book is in three parts. The first part provides historical background, examining Indo-Pacific mapping, providing a snapshot of the maritime history of the region, and uncovering the links between between technology, infrastructure and geopolitics. The second part examines current affairs, and describes the infrastructure development and connectivity enhancement activities of the various actors in the Indo-Pacific Region – China, Japan, the USA, the European Union, ASEAN, Australia and India.The third part looks to the future, and explores the geopolitical implications of these developments for India.

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Book SynopsisFocusing on the COVID-19 global pandemic, this books examines the global unpreparedness to the crisis, as well the inequal struggle across the world to deal with it. As those in power found it difficult to handle the virus, certain small and efficient countries governed by engineers and/or economics gladly listened to their medical specialists and better protected their people. After examining this, as well as the impact on democracy worldwide, the work presents a way forward, demonstrating how we can securely and productively move ahead.

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Book SynopsisScepticism about achieving essential development goals and fighting poverty is fading away. Since the Millennium Development Summit in 2000, when 189 heads of state declared their full commitment to achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the world has had an unprecedented opportunity to improve the living conditions of billions of people in rural and urban areas. MDG 7 is particularly relevant to this booklet. Target 10 of that goal is to halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation by 2015. The Netherlands is ready to take concrete steps in this field and that is why I pledged in 2005 to contribute towards providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation for at least fifty million people by 2015. The time for lengthy discussions is over. Now it is time for action. Political will, increased resources, affordable technologies and new partnerships are in place to increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation. We must realise, however, that most sanitation facilities used by households or operated by small-scale enterprises were built without external support. This shows there are alternatives to the large centralised conventional systems. More importantly, small-scale solutions have proven to be cost effective. Implemented in large numbers, they can boost health, improve agricultural production and generate local business all at the same time. That is why large-scale dissemination of these technologies is crucial. Smart technologies like this help us to tackle poverty immediately. Capacity building in both software and hardware is equally important to success -- not only for users and institutions, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises. This book gives examples of household and community-based sanitation solutions that have proven effective and affordable. It illustrates a range of innovative sanitation technologies that have already helped thousands of poor families to improve their lives. The technologies described are a source of inspiration.

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Book SynopsisIt is increasingly recognised that a vital role in the provision of water and sanitation services is played by small service providers (SSPs). These come in many forms, including private sector suppliers, community-based organisations (CBOs), and households as self-providers. While many different measures are necessary to strengthen their role in service delivery, one constraint emphasised in several studies is their lack of access to credit or other appropriate financing mechanisms and products. This book gives examples of how various existing financial mechanisms and products are being used to finance water and sanitation projects and small local businesses and gives a quick overview how to write a successful business plan.

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Book SynopsisIt goes without saying that one building after the other was built in the Dutch East Indies, the current Indonesia. Newspapers jubilated again a jewel for the city. The man behind it was Eduard Cuypers (1859-1927). With his firm he was one of the most celebrated architects in the Netherlands around 1900. He has fallen into oblivion due to changed views in architecture. Working from Amsterdam, his office designed numerous projects overseas in collaboration with Marius Hulswit (1862-1921) and Arthur Fermont (1882-1967), many of this buildings still exist in Indonesia. They are landmarks of a bygone era in Indonesian city. This is a fascinating story about these buildings and the people behind them. This is the English revised edition of the book Alweer een sieraad voor de stad

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the evaluation of information projects, products and services from a learning perspective. It looks at evaluation within the context of the overall project cycle, from project planning and implementation to monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment, and then at the evaluation process itself, the tools involved and examples of their application. The theme running throughout the toolkit is: Participatory evaluation for learning and impact. The emphasis is on internal evaluation -- or ''self-evaluation'' -- rather than external evaluation. Internal evaluation contributes to organisational learning and represents a significant shift from traditional evaluation, which has tended to be donor-driven to meet the demand for accountability and compliance. If evaluation is to achieve its ultimate objectives of enhancing learning and demonstrating impact, it needs to be applied with confidence in a systematic and coherent way.

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Book SynopsisCapacity-building is key to sustainable development efforts and over the past decades has also enjoyed considerable attention in the field of health and development. However, perspectives on what capacity-building (or capacity development) means, what it intends to achieve and which strategies are most effective differ, depending on the context and the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders. This book aims to contribute to conceptual reflection and to share experiences regarding a range of capacity development approaches in different contexts that have in common that they are situated outside formal lecture hall settings and intend to contribute to knowledge generation. In Capacity-building for knowledge generation: Experiences in the context of health and development, professionals and scholars reflect on different strategies for capacity-building, ranging from empowerment, writeshops and strengthening of research capacity to stakeholder analysis, knowledge management and mind mapping. Prior to this, capacity-building related concepts and definitions and a framework for interpreting the various experiences are presented. The book contains seven chapters, each of which presents one of more cases of action learning or capacity development. These cases have engaged the research and non-governmental communities in diverse settings in -- mostly -- Africa. All aimed to strengthen intellectual engagement and the culture of enquiry, as part of a knowledge translation process. This means that not only knowledge institutes and researchers participated but also problem owners, policymakers, practitioners, advocates and other end-users of research. This book intends to cater to the demand for knowledge and ideas among these same groups.

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Book SynopsisSustainable use of natural resources is a key element in the livelihoods of rural people. Especially the poor are often disproportionately affected by environmental degradation: it loosens their production base, makes them vulnerable to health risks, and can result in natural or man-made disasters. Sharing and accumulation of knowledge are important to help rural people make better decisions. This bulletin presents four examples on how projects and organisations in Western Africa deal with the knowledge aspects and capacity development in land resource management. With the ongoing processes of democratic decentralisation and privatisation, more and more actors are expected to play their role in sustainable resource management. The fragmented landscape of actors has huge consequences for the ways knowledge can be developed and shared. The bulletin analyses the examples and draws lessons with respect to the opportunities for knowledge sharing and capacity development. What are key ingredients for a knowledge management strategy? Strategic questions are identified that need attention in policy development both for donor agencies and governments in the region. We conclude that knowledge management is not easy to implement in the current multi-stakeholder context.

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Book SynopsisBetween 1970 and 2005, Bolivia lived through military coups, democracy and dictatorship. It suffered discontinuity, erratic political change, peasant and indigenous upheavals. It is in this context that we find the continuity of non-governmental organisations like CIPCA (Centre for Research and Promotion of the Peasantry), which contributed, among other actors, to the dawning, in 2006, of a new political era in which people who had been excluded since colonial times reached positions of formal State power. The primary aim of this book is to present the history of one particular NGO as part of the history of the social movements and the NGOs in Bolivia (and Latin America). Between 1970 and 1985 CIPCA carried out its rural development activities in an informal setting of a group of friends and against a background of military dictatorships, with the main objective of restoring the validity of democratic institutions. Once democracy was restored, in 1982, and CIPCA had become a formal institution, it had to adjust its objectives. Between 1985 and 2006 activities were carried out in an atmosphere of political democracy, in which economic exclusion of the peasantry and the indigenous population was nonetheless still present. This books systematisation of 35 years of (CIPCA) history offers the reader a reference that might serve to deepen reflections on rural development themes that are still matters of debate today.

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Book SynopsisThis book documents experiences by those at the forefront of technical support and capacity development. The experiences and lessons learned all originate from technical support and capacity development provided in Asia, Africa and Latin America through the UNAIDS Technical Support Facilities on these continents. The case studies in this book range from very practical experiences on how capacity building was carried out with local consultants working on harm reduction for injecting drug users in Indonesia, to the analysis of capacity building needs in relation to the Global Fund supported programs and the documentation of a successful South-South co-operation initiative involving countries in Latin America and Africa. This is the result of a writeshop in which the authors put on paper the various innovations and approaches they have used, and which can be adapted or adopted by countries, individuals and organisations working in the field of HIV to strengthen national HIV and AIDS responses.

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Book SynopsisThe provision of safe water and sanitation are key mechanisms for breaking the cycle of poverty. Access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation has therefore been included as one of the targets that constitute the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The risk of emphasising the number of people gaining access to water and sanitation, is that technical solutions are being pursued in isolation, while the importance of hygiene as a critical success factor of water and sanitation programs is overlooked. Promoting hygiene does not only contribute to improved health outcomes, but is a paramount factor in the sustainability of water and sanitation programs.

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Book SynopsisIn April 2010, Southern Africa HIV/AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) organised a forum to share experiences on implementing interventions to address HIV and AIDS, sexuality, gender and education. The conference sought to provide a platform for sharing good practices and examining the role of culture in HIV and AIDS prevention and mitigation among participants working in training, home-based care, education, advocacy, lobbying and information production and dissemination, among others. The book is one of the avenues through which key conference outcomes are being shared. It targets professionals involved in an array of projects or programmes in the areas of HIV and AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, gender and education mainly working with NGOs, faith-based organisations (FBOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs). It is also aimed at policy makers and programme managers in governmental institutions, international NGOs (INGOs), UN agencies, media personnel, researchers and teachers. The objective of the book is to empower these target readers with skills to improve the way they implement their programmes.

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Book SynopsisAs smallholder farmers switch to producing for the commercial market, they face a steep learning curve. To select a product and to market it effectively, they must understand both their immediate market situation and how the whole value chain works. Individual smallholders probably cannot grow enough on their own, so they have to get organised and sell their produce as a group. That takes leadership, organisation, mutual trust and a common vision. They need to access a range of business services: inputs, financial services, training, market information, transport, government support, and so on. And they need to plan their businesses: analyse their potential markets, identify customers, negotiate with buyers and suppliers, work out their costs and expected income, look at their longer term position in the value chain, develop a business plan, and put the plan into operation. How best to help groups of smallholders to gain these skills? This book describes a learning alliance approach that combines training, practical assignments to develop an enterprise, on-the-job coaching, and the sharing of experiences among several groups of farmers. The approach was piloted in Ethiopia from 2007 to 2010 with 18 groups of farmers in Amhara, Oromia, the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNPR) regional states. It covered a wide range of commodities, from staple grains to dairy, coffee, legumes, honey and incense. Where normal training courses impart skills that farmers find hard to apply to their own situation and soon forget, the learning alliance enables them to apply new skills to their own situations, reinforces their new knowledge, and gives them hands-on, guided experience with building their own businesses. That makes a learning alliance a highly effective way of enabling farmers to build their businesses in a sustainable way.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides insights into what gender inclusive citizenship means as a practice, what can be achieved when it is promoted and what role participatory action research can play. It shares the experiences of women in local communities devising ways to exercise their citizenship. It is about women working on rights and thereby furthering their understanding of citizenship, beginning to speak for themselves and to make claims. It is about women developing their own agency and acting for themselves. And it is about women investigating and addressing institutional barriers in order to ensure their rights have concrete effects in their daily lives. These experiences arose out of an innovative regional programme that supported seven women''s rights and human rights organisations in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. It was initiated because of the recognition by Oxfam Novib and KIT that despite many development efforts to mainstream gender, provide gender training and strengthen women''s leadership, women in many parts of the world are still not fully recognised as citizens with rights. These experiences demonstrate ways in which women can change that.

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Book SynopsisThe potato (Solanum tuberosum L) has a high potential to raise smallholder income and improve food security in Eastern Africa. Improving the quality of seed potatoes can contribute to increasing its productivity. Few seed potatoes are currently sourced from specialised multipliers, as farmers largely rely on farm-saved seed potatoes. This often makes economic sense in the absence of affordable high quality seed potatoes and limited market security. Seed potato system interventions need to address the quality of specially multiplied and farm-saved seed potatoes simultaneously. Here it is shown that positive selection, the selection of healthy looking mother plants for the production of seed potatoes by ware potato farmers, can contribute to improving seed potato quality. When looking back an essential success factor of the research trajectory was the researchers'' room to manoeuvre and immerse in partnerships with practitioners, while innovation was made the central objective, rather than research results. The experience shows that it is worthwhile to search for opportunities for incremental innovation and that these can be of a surprising simple nature. For an effective contribution to innovation the mandate of research needs to allow for the active engagement in training, communication and scaling-up.

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Book SynopsisEducation for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean: Pedagogy, Processes and Practices offers a unique perspective on educational approaches to creating a sustainable world. Lorna Down and Therese Ferguson complement their theoretical discussions with practical, “real world” engagements. Case studies and current research ground teaching and learning for sustainability and enable diverse communities of learners, inside and outside of classrooms, to transform their societies.With its emphasis on the crucial role of education for the transformation to a peaceful, just, inclusive and environmentally sustainable world, this book is a valuable resource for students, lecturers and researchers working in education for sustainable development across disciplines. It also is a significant text for those working in community-based, non-governmental and intergovernmental fields.Education for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean: Pedagogy, Processes and Practices effectively addresses global sustainable development goals, the challenges of the climate crisis, environmental degradation, and social and economic injustices. In exploring and critically examining educational approaches to revisioning and transforming humanity’s relationships with self, others and the environment, Down and Ferguson distil what it means to educate for sustainability and to educate for the care and respect for all of life.

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the future of China and its sustainable development, and summarizes the implications, forms, causes, countermeasures and related rules of the main costs generated during a country’s period of development, so as to provide a theoretical reference and decision-making consulting tools for institutions and scientific governance and management professionals. Combining China’s national situation and development characteristics with the country as a unit, it uses case studies to propose the concept of cost theory and the theoretical system of national development cost. Focusing on the goals of innovation in nation building, common development and prosperity, as well as enhancement of people’s net welfare, the book summarizes and draws conclusions about various aspects of national development, including economic development cost; political, social and cultural development cost; foreign opening-up development cost and nature development cost. It primarily establishes an indicator system of national development cost for promoting full-factor productivity and reducing development cost, and provides a theoretical basis for implementing the scientific political-achievement view.Table of ContentsPart I Proposition of Development Cost in China.- Chapter I Learning and Practice of Scientific Outlook on Development: Considering Maximization of Net Welfare as the Scientific Political Achievement View.- Chapter II Scientific Development of China in the Future: Inspiration of Chinese Dream to Development Cost.- Chapter III Innovation Powerhouse: Build a Society of Joint Development and Common Prosperity.- Chapter IV Economic Growth Cost in China.- Chapter V Cost of Economic Transformation in China.- Chapter VI Cost of Economic Disturbance in China.- Chapter VII Cost of Economic Regulation and Control in China.- Summary of Economic Development Cost in China.- Chapter VIII Political Reform Cost in China.- Chapter IX Chinese Political System Construction Cost.- Chapter X Cost of Chinese Political Decision-making System.- Chapter XI Cost of Chinese Ruling Party Construction.- Chapter XII Cost of Chinese Political consultation and Crossing of Information Gap.- Chapter XIII Cost of Chinese Democracy Construction.- Summary of Chinese Political Development Cost.- Part IV Cost of Chinese Social Development.- Chapter XIV Chinese Social Livelihood Issues and Their Cost.- Chapter XV Cost of Population Change in Chinese Society.- Chapter XVI Chinese Social Management Cost.- Chapter XVII Chinese Social Stability Cost.- Chapter XVIII Chinese Social Advancement Cost.- Summarization of Chinese Social Development Cost.- Chapter XIX China’s Cost of Civilization Inheriting and National Customs Protection.- Chapter XX Cost of Chinese Ideological Evolution and Modern Media System Construction.- Chapter XXI Cost of Chinese Soft Power Construction and Response to International Cultural Invasion.- Summary of the Cost of Chinese Cultural Development.- Chapter XXII China’s Opening Development Thoughts and Their Cost.- Chapter XXIII China’s Cost of International Exchange and Consensus.- Chapter XXIV China’s Cost of Investment and Construction of Investment Environment.- Chapter XXV Cost of International Trade Development.- Chapter XXVI Construction Cost of China’s Three-dimensional Transportation.- Chapter XXVII The Cost of China’s Creditability Construction and Handling of Threats.- Summary of the Cost of Foreign Opening-up Development.- Chapter XXVIII Cost of China’s Resource and Energy.- Chapter XXIX Cost of China’s Ecological Environment.- Chapter XXX Cost of Disasters in.- Chapter XXXI China’s Cost of Handling Climate Change.- Chapter XXXII Cost of Harmony between Human and NatureSummary of China’s Cost of Nature Development.- Part VIII Inspiration of China’s Development Cost Theory for China’s Development.- Chapter XXXIII Indicator System Foundation of Development Cost Chapter XXXIV Promote the Enhancement of Total Factor Productivity and Reduce Development Cost.- Chapter XXXV Benchmarking of Scientific Achievement View.- References.

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Book SynopsisThis book delves into the limitations of Singapore’s authoritarian governance model. In doing so, the relevance of the Singapore governance model for other industrialising economies is systematically examined. Research in this book examines the challenges for an integrated governance model that has proven durable over four to five decades. The editors argue that established socio-political and economic formulae are now facing unprecedented challenges. Structural pressures associated with Singapore’s particular locus within globalised capitalism have fostered heightened social and material inequalities, compounded by the ruling party’s ideological resistance to substantive redistribution. As ‘growth with equity’ becomes more elusive, the rationale for power by a ruling party dominated by technocratic elite and state institutions crafted and controlled by the ruling party and its bureaucratic allies is open to more critical scrutiny.Table of Contents1. Introduction: Authoritarian Governance in Singapore’s Developmental State.- 2. Singapore and the Lineages of Authoritarian Modernity in East Asia.- 3. Independence: The Further Stage of Colonialism in Singapore.- 4. Albert Winsemius and the Transnational Origins of High Modernist Governance in Singapore.- 5. Social Policy Reform and Rigidity in Singapore’s Authoritarian Developmental State.- 6. New Politics and Old Managerialism: Welcome to the New Normal.- 7. Intra-Party Dynamics in the People’s Action Party: Party Structure, Continuity and Hegemony.- 8. The Growing Challenge of Pluralism and Political Activism: Shifts in the Hegemonic Discourse in Singapore.- 9. PAP Vulnerability and the Singapore Governance Model: Findings from the Asian Barometer Survey.- 10. Aligning Media Policy with Executive Dominance.- 11. Pragmatic Competence and Communication Governance in Singapore.- 12. Legislating Dominance: Parliament and the Making of Singapore’s Governance Model.- 13. Governing Authoritarian Law: Law as Security.- 14. Conclusion: Democratising Singapore’s Developmental State.

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Book SynopsisThis book explains why conflict exists among Chinese foreign-policy actors in Africa and argues against the concept that China has a grand strategy in relation to Africa. It does so by examining Sino-African relations by focusing on how China’s Africa policy is constructed and implemented concluding that a large number of actors are active in its formulation and implementation. The book argues that China’s Hegemonic Political Discourse (HPD), the goal of achieving a Harmonious Society and later the Chinese Dream through the Scientific Concept of Development, has dominated Chinese political discourse. It is this HPD that acts as the structural imperative that allows for collective action in the Chinese foreign-policy process in Africa rather than a Chinese grand strategy since the actors are unwilling to break the social norms of the collective process for fear of exclusion. This book will be of great interest to China watchers and those eager to understand how China's rise will impact the developing world. Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. Sino-African Relations Research.- 3. Research Structure.- 4. Path Towards Chinese Foreign Policy.- 5. Chinese Foreign Policy: Formation and Implementation.- 6. Chinese Foreign-Policy Actors in Africa.- 7. Hegemonic Political Discourse in China’s Foreign-Policy Making Process.- 8. Hegemonic Political Discourse: China’s African Policy 2006 and China’s African Policy 2015.- 9. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThe book documents the history of the prevention-of-mother-to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program in Guyana, as well as the impact of HIV on pregnant and postpartum women’s adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The book shows research work by reviewing the literature to investigate relevant adherence studies, presenting in-depth interviews on adherence perspectives of clinic patients and healthcare providers, and a cross-sectional descriptive study of pregnant women that investigated general adherence to pregnancy-related behaviours and ART, and the efficacy of a theoretical model (Health Belief Model) to understand and predict ART adherence within this group. Author discusses the factors affecting ART adherence among pregnant and postpartum women, since existing studies may not account for cultural and other local variations. The findings provide insight into the local situation, and will also inform policy and practice in Guyana, and the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM).Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: HIV and AIDS in Guyana.- Chapter 3: Factors affecting antiretroviral therapy adherence among HIV-positive pregnant and postpartum women: an adapted systematic review.- Chapter 4: Characteristics of pregnant women in Guyana with and without HIV.- Chapter 5: Antiretroviral perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women in Guyana: barriers and facilitators.- Chapter 6: Adherence patterns to prenatal vitamins and pregnancy health behaviors.- Chapter 7: Predictors of ART adherence.- Chapter 8: Predicting adherence to antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women in Guyana: utility of the health belief model.- Chapter 9: Discussion and Key Implications.

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Book SynopsisThis book aims to build the ideal model of China's grand strategy framework, which is based on three key variables: national power, strategic concept and international institution. Taking the rise of China as an opportunity, this book adopts the assessment of national strategic resources as the beginning, focuses on the evaluation of strategic capability, the choice of strategic orientation, the establishment of strategic objectives, the planning of strategic content and the implementation of strategic means. Further, following this main line, this book establishes a China's grand strategy framework based on active participation and integration-transformation-shaping process. This book emphasizes that to achieve the goals of China's grand strategy; China should uphold this strategic attitude: It should not be seduced by praise and should not be made aggressive by criticism. It should learn to be glorious but remain humble, maintain a wealthy, influential but modest position by restraint. This book can be regarded as the essence of the author's 20 years long-term focus and research on the China's grand strategy. The author's postdoctoral tutor Professor Hu Angang’s comment of this book can hit the nail on the head: "This book is a pioneering theoretical study of China's great strategic research and makes a significant contribution to this research field. The basic arguments of this book have been submitted through various approaches to decision-making references or published in academic papers, and have received numerous positive responses and resonance. In my opinion, the basic ideas and important findings of this book will provide imperative reference to long-term strategy decision-making process. In addition, the fundamental theory and analysis method of the book will have an important influence in both domestic and international academic field."Trade Review“There is much to commend about this fine work. Honghua Men offers a richly detailed and nuanced understanding of China’s rise and its grand strategy. … China’s Grand Strategy: A Framework Analysis is an important work that provides an intriguing view of China’s grand strategy. I would recommend the book to a broad readership interested in China studies and strategic studies.” (Behzad Abdollahpour, Journal of Chinese Political Science, Vol. 26, 2021)“This book would be useful for scholars who study about Chinese foreign policies, especially on comprehending the discrepancy of strategic mindset between China and the western world.” (Edward Sing Yue Chan, Global Change, Peace & Security, August 2, 2020)Table of ContentsChapter 1 Foundation for Chinese Research on Grand Strategy.- Chapter 2 Evaluation of China’s National Power.- Chapter 3 Optimization of China’s Strategic Ideas.- Chapter 4 China’s Participation in International Institutions.- Chapter 5 China's Grand Strategy: A Framework.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a fresh analysis of constitutional, economic, demographic and cultural developments in the overseas territories of Britain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Ranging from Greenland to Gibraltar, the Falklands to the Faroes, and encompassing islands in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and the Caribbean, these territories command attention because of their unique status, and for the ways that they occasionally become flashpoints for rival international claims, dubious financial activities, illegal migration and clashes between metropolitan and local mores. Connell and Aldrich argue that a negotiated dependency brings greater benefits to these territories than might independence.Table of ContentsChapter 1 A Decolonised World?.Chapter 2 Constitutions: The Constancy of Change.Chapter 3 Identity, Culture and Politics.Chapter 4 New Caledonia: The Infinite Pause?.Chapter 5 Economics: Niche Markets and Global Contexts.Chapter 6 Migration: Holding on to Home?.Chapter 7 Geopolitics: The Local and the Global.Chapter 8 Anomalies on the Map.Chapter 9 Plus ça change? From Last Colonies to Overseas Territories.

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Book SynopsisResearch in this book focuses on the strategic behaviour of the State as a shareholder in businesses, and the implications it has for the other shareholder(s) and business performance. It investigates the institutional characteristics of State-linked and State-owned firms (SIEs & SOEs), in emerging markets using Vietnam as a case study with comparative analysis on China and selected ASEAN countries.In doing so, the book adopts an evidence-based approach to explain the State’s role as a shareholder in the different aspects of corporate governance, including CEO appointment, board structure and impact of State ownership on business strategy and performance. It highlights the influence of the State as a shareholder by investigating institutional factors consistent with “path dependence” theory, which postulates that the initial and underlying structure of an economy influences its performance. In addition, the book presents empirical evidence of the dynamics of corporate governance arising from interactions between the State and other shareholders, which has not yet been addressed in the literature, and is distinctive in providing new insights from both qualitative and empirical research on how to successfully navigate the emerging market business environments from the perspective of the State as an “owner-participant”. Explaining the theoretical constructs in corporate governance in State-invested firms, empirical research methodologies, and results to draw and validate inferences, the book is comprehensive and provides a practical guide for practitioners as well as a reference for academics, undergraduate and postgraduate students. The new theoretical models proposed integrate traditional political-economic and agency theories, which also underpin tertiary business courses and academic research. Table of Contents1 Introduction2 Changing Role of State-Invested Enterprises in Emerging Markets 3 Beyond the Local Economy 4 Corporate Governance of State-Invested Enterprises 5 The Empirical Research: Design and Methods 6 Qualitative Findings: M&A Motivations and Performance Drivers 7 Quantitative Findings on the Impacts of State Ownership on M&A Performance 8 State Control, Corporate Governance and M&A Performance 9 Model Building and Concluding Thoughts

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