Geographic variations in the economic status of Aboriginal people: a preliminary investigation

An exploratory analysis of the 1986 Census shows considerable heterogeneity in Aboriginal spatial distribution as well as in socio-economic status. While the majority of Aborigines reside in urban areas, a significant proportion, 34 per cent, still lived in rural areas, in contrast to 14 per cent for non-Aboriginal Australians. The analysis of Aboriginal spatial settlement shows that Aborigines live as a 'minority population' in most localities. Comparisons of socio-economic indicators calculated at State levels showed that overall, Aborigines in the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and Victoria enjoyed higher socio-economic status than in other States. On the other hand, Aborigines in the Northern Territory and Western Australia had lower status. Those in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia occupied an intermediate position. With respect to section-of-State, Aborigines resident in major urban centres were better off than those in other urban areas who were generally better off than their rural counterparts. In general, this analysis shows that Aboriginal economic status is positively linked to the economic status of non-Aborigines in the State and section-of-State in which they live. The conclusion raises a range of policy issues in the overall context of the Federal Government's Aboriginal Employment Development Policy

Aboriginal economic status by ATSIC regions: analyses of 1986 Census data

This paper examines differences in Aboriginal socioeconomic status between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) regions. The administration of programs administered by ATSIC Australia-wide have been largely decentralised into 60 regions under the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989. This is an exploratory regional analysis of Aboriginal socioeconomic status; it utilises 1986 Census data tabulations by ATSIC regions, which were produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Commission. The methods used include a comparative examination of selected socioeconomic indicators at regional level, as well as a spatial analysis of an Aboriginal socioeconomic status index. The analyses reveal marked regional variations in Aboriginal socioeconomic status. The paper concludes with a discussion of some important implications for policy formulation.of these regional differences

Further policy implications of rising Aboriginal fertility in the 1990s

Previous Aboriginal fertility studies based on comprehensive analyses of the 1986 and earlier Australian censuses found a trend of a substantial fertility decline in the 1970s and early 1980s, which led to the conclusion that the decline would continue. However, the results of two recent studies, based on the 1991 Census, contradicted the continuation of Aboriginal fertility decline. In general, the results obtained by analysing Aboriginal fertility level and trend are suspect owing to lack of detailed and reliable Aboriginal demographic data. In particular, the two recent studies are suspect, as the 1991 Census did not collect any fertility information. This study, utilising data from the 1986 Census, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey 1994 birth registration and midwives' birth notifications compiled by States, attempts to answer the question of whether Aboriginal fertility has declined since the second half of the 1980s. By utilising these sources of data, this study estimates Aboriginal fertility level as well as analyses the trend in fertility. It also estimates Aboriginal fertility level and pattern for most States. The results of the analysis shows that Aboriginal fertility has not declined since the second half of the 1980s as expected. The conclusion discusses some of the implications of the continued moderate Aboriginal fertility. The paper provides suggestions for improving Aboriginal birth registration and midwives' birth notifications data

Aboriginal socio-economic status: are there any evident changes?

As the relative poverty of Aboriginal people in the Australian context is increasingly gaining recognition, equity issues between Aboriginals and other Australians have become matters of urgent concern for policy formation and implementation. This paper provides a statistical overview of the economic and social deprivation of the Aboriginal population as a whole by examining Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census data from 1971 to 1986. The paper undertakes a comparative analysis between the Aboriginal and total population with respect to labour force characteristics, employment and unemployment, education, and individual incomes. The occupations and industry profiles of employed persons are also analysed. The analysis shows that levels of educational qualification, incomes and employment levels were substantially lower for Aboriginal Australians, while the reverse was true for unemployment and dependency ratios. Statistical data also reveal that Aboriginal employment status has declined between 1971 and 1986 relative to the total population, despite numerous Federal Government programs to improve their economic situation

Social indicators of the Aboriginal population of Australia

This paper presents social indicators of the Aboriginal population in the context of the rapid demographic change that has taken place in the population. The paper identifies the problem of Aboriginal data, the fuzziness of the definition of Aboriginality, the non-utility of a static population structure analysis as well as arguments over the exact size of the Aboriginal population in arriving at meaningful social indicators of the population. This paper develops an analytical framework within which Aboriginal social indicators can be analysed by adopting a dynamic view of population change in which the consequences of the massive demographic change that has taken place over the last three decades are evaluated over a demographic time window covering the period 1981-2001. The analysis has arrived at important social indicators; chief among them are the changing age-sex structure of the Aboriginal population, the rapid growth of persons in young and middle adulthood ages, and the accelerating growth of families and households. The rapid growth of persons in young and middle adulthood ages is reflected in declining Aboriginal employment indicators, while the growth of families and households is reflected in rising new demand for housing. The study also has documented substantial differences in Aboriginal social indicators by location of residence; and in particular, has found out that the relative size of the Aboriginal component of localities/communities is inversely related to the index of economic resources. The policy relevance of the study is that Aboriginal policy programs and initiatives have to address the new evolving population structures, and thus the proposed analytical framework and the findings of the study should provide valuable information for charting directions for new policy initiatives and programs

Fertility and infertility in Ethiopia

This research examines fertility and infertility in Ethiopia. Its two major objectives are the estimation of regional and overall fertility and infertility levels over time for the rural population and Addis Ababa, the capital city; and a comparative fertility study by regions, rural-city, and by demographic and socio-economic characteristics of individual women. This study uses data from various sources to arrive at a coherent picture of fertility levels and trends in Ethiopia: these include a primary analysis of the 1980-81 Demographic Survey of the rural areas and a subset of the 1984 Addis Ababa Population Census data tapes. Indirect estimation of fertility levels showed a substantial recent fertility change in Ethiopia. Rural fertility increased from a moderate level of 5.6 children per woman in the 1965-70 period to a very high level of 7.7 children in 1980-81. Regional estimates also showed a universal rise in rural fertility. On the other hand, the fertility of the city was found to be comparatively low, and declined from about five children per woman in the 1967-78 period to four in 1983-84. The fertility rise in the rural areas was due to a declining trend of infecundity and subfertility, and changes in the age pattern of overall and marital fertility leading to enhanced fertility of women over age 30 in 1980-81 compared to the lower fecundity of these women in the earlier periods; as the proportion married has remained stable at a favourably high level. The study has shown that the low-fertility regions had high childlessness associated with low maternal fertility, and the converse was true for highfertility regions. The low fertility of the city was found to be due to a combination of a markedly high level of childlessness and relatively low maternal fertility. Nevertheless, the low fertility of the city was also found to be due to the unfavourable marital status patterns caused by migration, urbanization and education. Thus, it was also due to later marriage, and comparatively low proportions married. The study documented the existence of high levels of infecundity and subfertility in Ethiopia with considerable variations by region of residence and ethnicity, and has shown the extension of the broad belt of infertility and low fertility of Africa from Central Africa into Ethiopia. The multivariate analysis of rural marital fertility showed that region, length of residence in a given area, ethnicity, and literacy status had significant effects. While age is the most important factor among the young, region and ethnicity were found to be the most important factors influencing completed marital fertility. The factors that jointly had significant fertility effects both among the young and the old in the city were age, educational level, ethnicity, length of residence in the city, and economic activity status. The important determinants of completed marital fertility were the social factors, ethnicity and religion, while among the young, they were age, ethnicity and educational level. While being literate in the rural areas had a depressing effect on fertility, education in the city had such an effect only for those women with post-primary education. The study concludes by giving a perspective of rising fertility for Ethiopia for some time to come, while prospects of early decline are contingent upon the country implementing a population policy to curb its high fertility

(In)securing Humanitarian Space? - A study of Civil-Military Interaction in Mali

United Nations peacekeeping operations have been through notable changes during the last twenty years. Peacekeepers are now deployed in on-going conflicts were there are no peace to keep. This shift includes a robust turn, where the peacekeepers are mandated to use force for a longer-term involvement. In addition, UN´s role as an impartial actor has moved towards the political goal of stabilization. That the UN now is seen as an impartial actor has highlighted the conflicting interface between the peacekeepers and humanitarian actors, and also raised challenging questions about the preservation of humanitarian space in the new context of UN peacekeeping. The on-going peacekeeping mission in Mali, known by its French acronym MINUSMA, serves as an example of the new category of UN peacekeeping operations. Often referred to as the deadliest peacekeeping mission today, MINUSMA has been faced with several challenges since its deployment in 2013, including the threat from jihadist groups. In this thesis, I have studied to what extent a clear division between humanitarian actors and MINUSMA is a precondition for the preservation of humanitarian space in the context of northern Mali. This has been done through so-called analytical eclecticism, where different theoretical approaches on civil-military interaction have been deployed to answer the research question. Based on interviews conducted during a fieldwork in Bamako, I find that that the civil-military interaction in Mali today is limited and challenging. The humanitarians perceive the UN peacekeeping force as an obstacle to their activities, as well as a threat to their security. This must be seen in relation to the volatile nature of the conflict, and the peacekeepers political involvement. The analysis also illustrates that it was easier to conduct humanitarian activities in northern Mali before the deployment of MINUSMA. Accordingly, a clear division between humanitarian actors and MINUSMA is to a large extent seen as a precondition to preserve humanitarian space

Refugees, conveniant bargaining chips? : a comparative analysis of Kenyan and Ethiopian refugee policy

The recent refugee crisis have caused turmoil across the world, in which many states responds differently and making refugees a “hot” topic again. The global south have traditionally hosted the majority of the world’s refugee population, and they still do, as for them, there is more of a protracted situation. Anyhow, states in the global south have responded to the recent crisis, and two countries with many similarities have seemingly responded differently. Kenya have threatened to shut down the world’s largest refugee camp and repatriate hundred thousands of Somali refugees, while their neighbor Ethiopia has promoted its open door policy. I study in this thesis to what extent their policy actually differ, why it potentially has changed, and causes for the different responses and approaches. Based on interviews conducted during my fieldwork in Nairobi and Addis Abeba I find that the policies in the two countries have not changed as much as initially stated, and they only differ in one policy area. What is the major change, causing my curiosity, is mainly the countries rhetoric in the light of recent global events.M-I

Refugees, conveniant bargaining chips? : a comparative analysis of Kenyan and Ethiopian refugee policy

The recent refugee crisis have caused turmoil across the world, in which many states responds differently and making refugees a “hot” topic again. The global south have traditionally hosted the majority of the world’s refugee population, and they still do, as for them, there is more of a protracted situation. Anyhow, states in the global south have responded to the recent crisis, and two countries with many similarities have seemingly responded differently. Kenya have threatened to shut down the world’s largest refugee camp and repatriate hundred thousands of Somali refugees, while their neighbor Ethiopia has promoted its open door policy. I study in this thesis to what extent their policy actually differ, why it potentially has changed, and causes for the different responses and approaches. Based on interviews conducted during my fieldwork in Nairobi and Addis Abeba I find that the policies in the two countries have not changed as much as initially stated, and they only differ in one policy area. What is the major change, causing my curiosity, is mainly the countries rhetoric in the light of recent global events