Vulnerable Users’ Perceptions of Transport Technologies

As the global population continues to grow, age and urbanize, it is vital to provide accessible transport so that neither ageing nor disability constitute barriers to social inclusion. While technology can enhance urban access, there is a need to study the ways by which transport technologies - real-time information, pedestrian navigation, surveillance, and road pricing - could be more effectively adopted by users. The reason for this is that some people, and particularly vulnerable populations, are still likely to reluctantly use (or even avoid using) technologies perceived as 'unknown' and 'complicated'. Based on evidence from British and Swedish case studies on older people's perceptions of the aforementioned transport technologies, as well as on a Swedish case study of visually impaired people's perceptions, this article makes the case that technology is only one tool in a complex socio-technical system, and one which brings challenges. The authors also suggest that although vulnerable populations are not homogeneous when expressing attitudes towards transport technologies, their assessment criteria tend to be 'pro-social' as they usually consider that the societal benefits outweigh the personal benefits. Emphasising aspects linked to the technologies' pro-social potential or relevance to the individual user could increase acceptance

ANCD position paper: Needle and syringe programs.

The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) is the principal advisory body to the Prime Minister and the Federal Government on drug and alcohol policy, and recognises the significant contribution of needle and syringe programs (NSPs) to public health. We call on all Australian governments to continue to commit to the operation and expansion of NSPs, and to recognise NSPs as a core business of Australia’s alcohol and other drug sector. The ANCD believes that while it is important to utilise NSPs to provide additional health services, education, and referrals to people who inject drugs, the provision of sterile injecting equipment should remain a primary focus. We believe that it is appropriate for Australia to aim for 100 per cent coverage of injections with sterile equipment, and for its NSPs to operate in ways that facilitate this aim. It is important that NSPs continue to be funded at appropriate levels, and that there is a much greater level of transparency of the funding provided. In addition, ongoing data needs, and current data gaps, require that a national minimum data set for all Australian needle and syringe programs is developed and implemented

Does the law think that black lives matter? A reflection upon the role of the public sector equality duty in promoting racial equality before the law

Racism is often perceived as a conscious choice an individual makes to abuse another, or an explicit statement that a group of people are inferior to another. Less often is racism construed as a product of institutional culture. This inability to accurately depict the problem has stunted the ability of lawmakers to craft legislation that will adequately combat racism. This paper explores attempts in the recent past that have provided remedies for those subject to racism rather than addressing its systemic causes. S149 of the Equality Act in the United Kingdom bucked this trend by obligating public authorities to take proactive steps to eliminate discrimination. This paper examines the challenges the provision has faced, explores how it could work to prevent racism in the coming years, and argues that it remains important today

Leaving No One Behind: A Social Protection Primer for Practitioners

Social protection has gained significant traction around the world. A wide body of evidence in the past few decades strongly suggests that social protection programmes can be effective tools to reduce poverty and inequality, increase human capital and protect men, women, girls and boys from risks. The combination of this growing evidence base, and growing political will, has stimulated an appetite for implementing social protection programmes in virtually every country around the world.UNDP has been a key player in assisting governments in developing countries in designing and implementing social protection programmes and projects. As this note was being finalized in 2016, roughly 133 UNDP projects in more than 50 countries were related to social protection.2 However, there is much more to be done in terms of social protection.However, there is much more to be done in terms of social protection. Across the board, social protection programmes in place are not enough. Certain groups are systematically left behind. Gender stereotypes and traditional roles are either left intact or reinforced. Too often there is no continuation of protection across the life cycle of individuals. Programmes are fragmented. The design and implementation of programmes does not take account of the changing environment and its environmental impacts. The underlying and structural drivers of deprivations, including social norms, institutions, and agency, are often left unchanged. Funding is limited and recurrently cut in times of economic contraction

Policies and Measures for Speeding Up Labour Market Integration of Refugees in the Nordic Region: A Knowledge Overview

The employment gap between refugees and the native-born population in the Nordic countries has been highlighted by numerous studies, as has the large variety in the extent of the gap based on country of origin. Studies of earlier migrant cohorts show that the chance of being unemployed decreases over time and it takes on average 5-10 years for people to become fully employed. The integration process is slower for women, with low levels of education and family conditions, including child care, having a substantial impact. With respect to the most recent wave of refugees arriving in 2015, primarily from Syria and Afghanistan, research has yet to determine the effectiveness of the new measures which have been used in an attempt to close this gap in years to come. The fact that Sweden has the smallest share of low-qualified or simple jobs (5.2%) in the EU28 is a factor, together with labour market policies and regulations

Privacy and Health Information Technology

The increased use of health information technology (health IT) is a common element of nearly every health reform proposal because it has the potential to decrease costs, improve health outcomes, coordinate care, and improve public health. However, it raises concerns about security and privacy of medical information. This paper examines some of the “gaps” in privacy protections that arise out of the current federal health privacy standard, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, the main federal law which governs the use and disclosure of health information. Additionally, it puts forth a range of possible solutions, accompanied by arguments for and against each. The solutions provide some options for strengthening the current legal framework of privacy protections in order to build public trust in health IT and facilitate its use for health reform. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enacted in February 2009 includes a number of changes to HIPAA and its regulations, and those changes are clearly noted among the list of solutions (and ARRA is indicated in the Executive Summary and paper where the Act has a relevant provision)

Legal Solutions in Health Reform: Privacy and Health Information Technology

Identifies gaps in the federal health privacy standard and proposes options for strengthening the legal framework for privacy protections in order to build public trust in health information technology. Presents arguments for and against each option