A critical analysis of the efficacy of law as a tool to achieve gender equality and to address the problem of domestic violence : The case of Trinidad and Tobago

Law is often perceived as an instrument that can effect social change. National law in Trinidad and Tobago, prima facie providing for gender equality, does not fully contemplate issues of particular concern to women, such as domestic violence. Gender equality and domestic violence are unwitting partners as women cannot achieve the former without first addressing the latter. Additionally, problems such as male dominance in politico-legal structures and lack of political will create practical obstacles to the realisation of gender equality and/or the full potential of the law. A case study of Trinidad and Tobago shows that the achievement of legal advances for women is particularly difficult where practical measures are not implemented domestically. Honouring international commitments subsequently becomes problematic as they do not guarantee change nationally and they, too, are sidelined. Gender equality and domestic violence are not given priority domestically and laws aimed towards protecting women and women’s rights are ineffective, scant and/or not enforced. The only way to achieve gender equality is through a multilevel approach from above (the UN) and, perhaps, more importantly, from below, as women have the potential to effect real national and international legal and institutional change to ensure gender equality at both levels.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Social Innovation in Public Organisations: The Perspectives of Managers

The world today is not only becoming increasingly competitive but this competition is also increasingly intense and, for organisations, innovation emerges as one solution to the problems they face. Thus, innovation has attracted increased interest as the means to acquire and develop skills to address and/or inspire organisations in a globally competitive and economically uncertain environment. Furthermore, in such a competitive world, not even the public sector escapes the need to evolve towards providing better services and satisfying its citizens. However, just what is the need to evaluate social innovation in public organisations? Is there the drive to compete and/or market share to conquer? Profits to achieve? The public sector has many points in common with the private sector with the goals in both sectors involving the raising of efficiency and quality levels and better satisfaction for customers. Thus, this research aims at studying social innovation in public organisations and understanding how social innovation can better the lives of citizens from the perspective of managers. As the data collection method, we applied a questionnaire based on the constructs and scales already validated by Vigoda-Gadot (Public Administration 86(2):307–329, 2008) before then analysing the results through recourse to PLS. The results identify how responsiveness and ethics and morals are important factors in the perceptions of innovation as perceived by citizens. In turn, the findings also demonstrate the importance of this capacity for innovation to the image of the public sector as well as the confidence and satisfaction of its citizens.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio