Community midwifery initiatives in fragile and conflict-affected countries: a scoping review of approaches from recruitment to retention

Background: Birth assisted by skilled health workers is one of the most effective interventions for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. Fragile and conflict-affected states and situations (FCAS), with one-third of global maternal deaths, face significant challenges in achieving skilled care at birth, particularly in health workforce development. The importance of community-level midwifery services to improve skilled care is internationally recognized, but the literature on FCAS is limited. This review aimed to examine community midwifery (CMW) approaches, from recruitment to retention, in FCAS.Methods: This scoping review design adapted Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage framework. Data collection included systematic searching of seven databases, purposive hand-searching of reference lists and web sites, and stakeholder engagement for additional information. Potential sources were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included sources were appraised for methodological quality using the McGill University Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data were analysed thematically, using deductive (i.e. cadre definition, recruitment, education, deployment and retention) and inductive coding (i.e. capacity, gender and insecurity).Results: Twenty-three sources were included, of 2729 identified, discussing community midwifery programmes in six FCAS (i.e. eight for Sudan, six for Afghanistan, three each for Mali and Yemen, two for South Sudan and one for Somalia). Source quality was relatively poor, and cadre definitions were context dependent. Major enablers for effective CMW programmes were community linkages and acceptance, while barriers included inappropriate recruitment, non-standardized education, weak supportive environment, political insecurity and violence.Conclusions: While community engagement and acceptance were crucial, CMW programmes were weakened by inappropriate recruitment and training, lack of support and general insecurity. Further research and implementation evidence is needed to aid policy-makers, donors and implementing agencies in developing and implementing effective CMW programmes in FCAS

The role of national human rights institutions in the United Nations treaty body process

Das englischsprachige Handbuch diskutiert Möglichkeiten der Zusammenarbeit zwischen den UN-Vertragsorganen und Nationalen Menschenrechtsinstitutionen mit dem Ziel, internationale Menschenrechtsstandards weltweit besser umsetzen zu können. Die Empfehlungen basieren vor allem auf Berichten von NMRI’s sowie den Ergebnissen eines internationalen Runden Tisches im Jahr 2006

Reader Collective Memory-Work

The Reader CMW presents first time English translations of material from the development phase of Collective Memory-Work in the 1980s in Germany, and also contemporary essays from 2020 and 2021 on a large variety of adaptations of the method across disciplinary and geographical boundaries

Herd immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in 10 communities, qatar

We investigated what proportion of the population acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV- 2) infection and whether the herd immunity threshold has been reached in 10 communities in Qatar. The study included 4,970 participants during June 21-September 9, 2020. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected by using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Seropositivity ranged from 54.9% (95% CI 50.2%-59.4%) to 83.8% (95% CI 79.1%-87.7%) across communities and showed a pooled mean of 66.1% (95% CI 61.5%-70.6%). A range of other epidemiologic measures indicated that active infection is rare, with limited if any sustainable infection transmission for clusters to occur. Only 5 infections were ever severe and 1 was critical in these young communities; infection severity rate of 0.2% (95% CI 0.1%-0.4%). Specifi c communities in Qatar have or nearly reached herd immunity for SARS-CoV-2 infection: 65%-70% of the population has been infected.This study was supported by the Hamad Medical Corporation, Ministry of Public Health, and the Biomedical Research Program and the Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Biomathematics Research Core, both atScopu

National Human Rights Institutions and their work on migrants' human rights: results of a survey among NHRIs

This analysis is based on a survey of NHRIs worldwide conducted in the summer of 2018. It aims to further the implementation of the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) by NHRIs. Of the (then) 110 NHRIs worldwide accredited as being in full or partial compliance with the UN Paris Principles, almost a third participated. Main results are that a) migrant rights are well-established on NHRIs’ agendas, b) NHRIs are an effective link between the national and the international level as well as between the individual and the structural level of human rights protection, c) most NHRIs believe that the effectiveness of their work on migrants' rights could be increased, particularly through exchange and joint work, d) across all regions, NHRIs' work on implementation of migrants' human rights is being hampered by increased anti-immigrant sentiment, together with public policies that frame migrants as security risks and by restrictions on admission to the country placed by governments. The analysis concludes by recommending increased collaboration among NHRIs, especially in cross-regional contexts, that they be supported in their interactions with regional and global organisations working on migrants' rights and be recognised and included by them, in their monitoring and accountability roles, when setting up programmes