Construir el futuro : los niños y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible en los países ricos

Evalúa el bienestar infantil en el contexto del desarrollo sostenible en 41 países de la Unión Europea (UE) y la Organización de Cooperación y Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE). Si bien el grupo está formado por economías de ingresos altos y medianos, en adelante nos referiremos a todos ellos como «países de ingresos altos» o «países ricos» por razones prácticas. Las raíces del concepto de bienestar infantil se remontan a la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño, pero la Agenda para el Desarrollo Sostenible añade dimensiones nuevas. El progreso en todas esas dimensiones resultará fundamental para los niños y, por tanto, las economías avanzadas deberán supervisar la situación de los niños y los jóvenes tanto a escala nacional como internacional

Construir el futuro : los niños y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible en los países ricos

Evalúa el bienestar infantil en el contexto del desarrollo sostenible en 41 países de la Unión Europea (UE) y la Organización de Cooperación y Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE). Si bien el grupo está formado por economías de ingresos altos y medianos, en adelante nos referiremos a todos ellos como «países de ingresos altos» o «países ricos» por razones prácticas. Las raíces del concepto de bienestar infantil se remontan a la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño, pero la Agenda para el Desarrollo Sostenible añade dimensiones nuevas. El progreso en todas esas dimensiones resultará fundamental para los niños y, por tanto, las economías avanzadas deberán supervisar la situación de los niños y los jóvenes tanto a escala nacional como internacional

Myth-Busting? How Research is Refuting Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers

Six common perceptions associated with cash transfers are investigated using data from eight rigorous evaluations of government unconditional cash transfer programmes across seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The evidence refutes each claim. Used in policy debates, these perceptions undermine well-being improvements and poverty reduction, in Africa and globally

Research with Disadvantaged, Vulnerable and/or Marginalized Adolescents

Disadvantaged, vulnerable and/or marginalized adolescents (DVMAs) are individuals aged 10–19, who are excluded from social, economic and/or educational opportunities enjoyed by other adolescents in their community due to numerous factors beyond their control. These include factors at the social level (such as economic inequality, violence, stigma, racism, migration), family level (including neglect and abuse) and individual level (e.g. disability, ethnicity). DVMAs include adolescents who are immigrants or refugees; sexual minorities; orphans; incarcerated; those who have run away or been turned out of their homes following neglect and/or abuse; those who are trafficked; and those who belong to a stigmatized indigenous, ethnic, tribal or religious groups. Though gender plays an important role within each of these categories and for the group as a whole, in this brief we do not treat all girls and young women as DVMAs. As a result of their social exclusion, DVMAs suffer from health inequities, or avoidable inequalities in their health and well-being compared to the well-being of other adolescents. Research is needed to inform ways to address these inequities

Gender Socialization during Adolescence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries : Conceptualization, influences and outcomes

Adolescence is a critical period in the development of gender attitudes and behaviours, which have potentially life-long effects.The rapid changes that take place during adolescence provide opportunities for the development and implementation of policies and programmes, which can influence the gender socialization process, in order to maximize positive outcomes.This paper set out to provide a conceptual understanding of the gender socialization process during adolescence, its influences and outcomes, and practical suggestions on how to use this knowledge in the design of policies and programmes to improve gender equality. First, theoretical contributions from psychology, sociology and biology were reviewed to situate the gender socialization process during adolescence in a broader context of multi-level influences. Second, a socio-ecological framework was introduced to bring together the main factors that influence the gender socialization process and its outcomes.Third, knowledge on how to influence the gender socialization process and its outcomes was summarized in order to provide practical recommendations for policies and programmes.This included: a) reviewing changes in demographics, the global media and gendered economic opportunities, to understand how the gender socialization process, gender norms and identities have been transformed at the macro level; and b) conducting a literature review of smallscale programmes designed to impact the gender socialization process.The literature review identified 31 programmes grouped around three broad strategies: 1) empowering young people (mainly girls) with information, skills, and social support to challenge norms; 2) fostering an enabling environment in which to challenge gender norms; and 3) working with men and boys, including directly with young individuals and with influential males to change attitudes and beliefs The paper concludes with recommendations for more holistic policy and programming efforts around gender socialization in adolescence

Stakeholders' Participation in Planning and Priority Setting in the Context of a Decentralised Health Care system: the case of prevention of mother to child Transmission of HIV Programme in Tanzania.

In Tanzania, decentralisation processes and reforms in the health sector aimed at improving planning and accountability in the sector. As a result, districts were given authority to undertake local planning and set priorities as well as allocate resources fairly to promote the health of a population with varied needs. Nevertheless, priority setting in the health care service has remained a challenge. The study assessed the priority setting processes in the planning of the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme at the district level in Tanzania. This qualitative study was conducted in Mbarali district, south-western Tanzania. The study applied in-depth interviews and focus group discussions in the data collection. Informants included members of the Council Health Management Team, regional PMTCT managers and health facility providers. Two plans were reported where PMTCT activities could be accommodated; the Comprehensive Council Health Plan and the Regional PMTCT Plan that was donor funded. As donors had their own globally defined priorities, it proved difficult for district and regional managers to accommodate locally defined PMTCT priorities in these plans. As a result few of these were funded. Guidelines and main priority areas of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) also impacted on the ability of the districts and regions to act, undermining the effectiveness of the decentralisation policy in the health sector. The challenges in the priority setting processes revealed within the PMTCT initiative indicate substantial weaknesses in implementing the Tanzania decentralisation policy. There is an urgent need to revive the strategies and aims of the decentralisation policy at all levels of the health care system with a view to improving health service delivery

Judging parental competence: A cross‐country analysis of judicial decision makers' written assessment of mothers' parenting capacities in newborn removal cases

This paper examines the discretionary reasoning of the judiciary in three jurisdictions, England, Germany and Norway, in cases deciding whether a newborn child is safe with her parents or intervention is necessary. Our analysis focuses on one specific dimension of decision makers' exercise of discretion, namely, if and how the strengths and weaknesses of the mother are considered. The data material consists of all decisions concerning care orders of newborns from one large city in Germany from 2015 to 2017 (n = 27) and 2016 in Norway (n = 76) and all publicly available newborn removal decisions in England for 2015–2017 (n = 14). The findings reveal a high number of risk factors in the cases and less focus on risk‐reducing factors. The situation of the newborn is considered to be harmful, as most cases result in a care order. Judicial discretion differs by how much information, and what types of factors, are included in the justification for the decision. A learning point for decision makers and policymakers would be to actively undertake a balancing act between risk‐increasing and risk‐reducing factors.publishedVersio