Innovative Way of Transferring Education and Training Facilities in Namibia. The Adult Skills Development for Self_Emplyments (ASDSE) Project

This paper investigates new ways to transfer entrepreneurial education to previously disadvantaged individuals. It analyses the case of the ASDSE project, implemented in the form of partnership between the Namibian Government, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) and a commercial bank. The main concept was to train the District Learner Officials already in the field for the National Literacy Programme in Namibia (NLPN), and at a later stage to assign them to the tasks of selecting, training and monitoring the entrepreneurs. Since the launch of this project 330 loans amounting to N$770,000 (US$ 150,000)were disbursed to unemployed and underemployed Namibians, 70% of which are women, the majority being heads of households. Previously, to receive the loan, each entrepreneur had to receive extensive training on basic entrepreneurial skills. It is encouraging to note that to date, thanks to the constant follow-up of the entrepreneurs, the repayment rate by entrepreneurs is 98% with only 2% defaultsNamibia, micro credit, SMME

Immigration in Italy: An overview

The expansion and the rooting of non European immigrants which is taking place in the more advanced European countries, mirror a world context which is marked by imbalances both in terms of growth and welfare. A correct analysis of migration, of its structural characteristics and of the new dynamics of migration flows must consider the globalisation process as well as the effect that this is having with regard to the movement of people, in this context the pull and push factors mutually reinforce a phenomenon which can influence either in a positive or in a negative way the international relationships among countries. In the last quarter of the century, a steady increase of migrants have crossed Europe; this has generated a complex relationship made of integration and rejection, adaptation and conflicts, which has influenced all aspect of both economic and social life, producing new phenomenon, giving birth to new problems which require new approaches and solutions. Italy is part of such depiction since has witnessed in the last decades, a solid influx of immigrants which have increased with a high rate of growth. In fact in 2006 Italy with 2,938,922 legal immigrants, appears to be among the major destination of migrants in Europe, following Germany, Spain and France with 7,287,980, 3,371,394 and 3,263,186 immigrants respectively and just before Great Britain with 2,857,000 immigrants. Using the available statistical data, disaggregated at national, regional and provincial level, it will be possible to have an overall picture of the phenomenon described above and to compare the Italian case with the events in the other European countries. In this way we can have a better understanding of the process underlying migration in order to identify future scenariosInternational Migration, Europe, Italy

The 2000 SMALL BUSINESS BASELINE SURVEY

Executive summary The aim of the Baseline Survey was to generate information on the characteristics of entrepreneurs and enterprises in the Khomas region. It is necessary to stress, that Khomas region is very different from the other regions where the survey was previously conducted since it is an urbanised region with 90% of its constituency falling within the Windhoek city boundaries. The only other main centre being that of Dordabis, which, however does not have the status of a local authority For this reason the census was conducted mainly in the capital city. Information were collected in order to: •Establish the number and types of small and micro businesses; •Illustrate the characteristics of small and micro businesses; •Develop a database for measuring the impact of the SME policy and programmes; •Compare the results in Khomas with results obtained in Erongo and Otjozondjupa and in the four northern regions. The methodology applied was based on three questionnaires: •The first was presented to the local authority town clerk, it concerned to their policies towards SMEs. •The second was the census form for all businesses in a town. •The third was the survey questionnaire used for interviewing a sample of those businesses. A stratified random sample was drawn.The Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit undertook the surveys and analysed the data. The main findings of the Baseline survey can be summarised as follows: The local authority had a list of registered businesses by type. However, data on businesses was very limited and the majority of businesses in the location area were not registered. •The local authority still did not have an annual plan for the SME sector, although several activities were planned to support SME's. •Direct outsourcing activities to local firms were minimal (refuse removal), however a tender policy in order to favor local SME was in action. •Local authorities appeared to act in an enabling way towards SME's. •Very few Chambers of Commerce members were in the SME category. In the census a total of 5 359 small and micro businessesSMME, Namibia,

Environmental migration in the Mediterranean area: the case of the MENA countries

The study offer a contribution to the analysis of the problems linked to the environmental migration focusing on a specific Mediterranean area, that of the Middle East and Northern Africa. After a brief analysis of the socio-economic and environmental context, used to describe the vulnerability features of the area, the studies will assess the regional migration system particularly the so called "forced migrants". Due to the lack of an accepted common international definition of environmental refugees, following the most recent literature in this study we have used the definition of forded migration to assess the environmental migration. This in fact, among the causes of migration considers not only the "physical environment" but a plethora of socio economic factors which interact among themselves and force people to migrate. In this definitions we include: Internal Displaced Persons, forced to move for the modification of the habitat where they live caused by natural or human disasters but also Migrants and IDPs forced to move due to the implementation of developmental project such as the construction of mega infrastructure such as dams, or the mining and deforestation activities, as well as the the migrants who sick asylum due to conflicts, civil wars or internal persecutionMigration, Environment, DEvelopment

Condizioni socioeconomiche e pandemia. Il caso del COVID-19 in Namibia

In the past, the spread of a pandemic has often overlapped and exacerbated its impact on the socio-economic conditions of the affected populations. When a significant contraction in economic activities occurred to contrast the epidemic, the result was a worsening of the gaps among social classes and an expansion of existing inequalities. Based on these assumptions, the article presents the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Namibia. Through the review of the existing literature and secondary sources, the relationship between the COVID-19 infection and the socio-economic conditions in the country was analyzed, concluding that, in order to have long-term effects and not to harm the more marginalized social classes, the measures put in place by the government should have been holistic, and aimed at combating both the biological factors of the pandemic and existing inequalities.  In the past, the spread of a pandemic has often overlapped and exacerbated its impact on the socio-economic conditions of the affected populations. When a significant contraction in economic activities occurred to contrast the epidemic, the result was a worsening of the gaps among social classes and an expansion of existing inequalities. Based on these assumptions, the article presents the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Namibia. Through the review of the existing literature and secondary sources, the relationship between the COVID-19 infection and the socio-economic conditions in the country was analyzed, concluding that, in order to have long-term effects and not to harm the more marginalized social classes, the measures put in place by the government should have been holistic, and aimed at combating both the biological factors of the pandemic and existing inequalities. &nbsp

I flussi migratori Le migrazioni di transito nel Mediterraneo

This paper considers the new concept of transit Migration using the migration movements which occur in the Mediterranean basin as a case to analyse the phenomenon. The viewpoints of both the countries where the transit migrants first arrive and sojourn and that of the countries of final destination are considered her

I flussi migratori Le migrazioni di transito nel Mediterraneo

This paper considers the new concept of transit Migration using the migration movements which occur in the Mediterranean basin as a case to analyse the phenomenon. The viewpoints of both the countries where the transit migrants first arrive and sojourn and that of the countries of final destination are considered her

Le migrazioni ambientali nel Mediterraneo: il caso studio dei paesi del Medio Oriente e del Nord Africa

The study offer a contribution to the analysis of the problems linked to the environmental migration focusing on a specific Mediterranean area, that of the Middle East and Northern Africa. After a brief analysis of the socio-economic and environmental context, used to describe the vulnerability features of the area, the studies will assess the regional migration system particularly the so called "forced migrants". Due to the lack of an accepted common international definition of environmental refugees, following the most recent literature in this study we have used the definition of forded migration to assess the environmental migration. This in fact, among the causes of migration considers not only the "physical environment" but a plethora of socio economic factors which interact among themselves and force people to migrate. In this definitions we include: Internal Displaced Persons, forced to move for the modification of the habitat where they live caused by natural or human disasters but also Migrants and IDPs forced to move due to the implementation of developmental project such as the construction of mega infrastructure such as dams, or the mining and deforestation activities, as well as the the migrants who sick asylum due to conflicts, civil wars or internal persecutio

Le migrazioni ambientali nel Mediterraneo: il caso studio dei paesi del Medio Oriente e del Nord Africa

The study offer a contribution to the analysis of the problems linked to the environmental migration focusing on a specific Mediterranean area, that of the Middle East and Northern Africa. After a brief analysis of the socio-economic and environmental context, used to describe the vulnerability features of the area, the studies will assess the regional migration system particularly the so called "forced migrants". Due to the lack of an accepted common international definition of environmental refugees, following the most recent literature in this study we have used the definition of forded migration to assess the environmental migration. This in fact, among the causes of migration considers not only the "physical environment" but a plethora of socio economic factors which interact among themselves and force people to migrate. In this definitions we include: Internal Displaced Persons, forced to move for the modification of the habitat where they live caused by natural or human disasters but also Migrants and IDPs forced to move due to the implementation of developmental project such as the construction of mega infrastructure such as dams, or the mining and deforestation activities, as well as the the migrants who sick asylum due to conflicts, civil wars or internal persecutio

I flussi migratori: Rifugio e asilo nei paesi euro-mediterranei

The current economic crisis does and will have in future effects both on the life of the migrants and more in general on the migration flows. It is clear that the redefinition of the rules of governance will not only regard the financial markets but will also have an impact on the system of control of migration. In the past all economic crisis have had a strong negative impact on the migrants movements. After the 1929 crisis, together with the "New Deal" about half a million of Mexicans were expelled from the US often with their children who were born there. The economic crisis of the early seventy was instead tackled by the German government with so-called "Anwerbestoppthe" by stopping the recruitment of migrant workers and the development of programs for the repatriation of the workers in excess. Similar patterns can now be found in many other European countries; in the efforts to revisit the legislation on migration many norms regulate migration in a restrictive sense. On the other hand despite that migration flows have not diminished of intensity. There is, in fact profound differences in the current economic system compared with the New Deal, hence it is sensibly to assume that even in a period of economic turmoil the demand for migrants workers remains stable. For this reason the legislation pertaining migration will continue to be dominated by the needs of ensuring economic growth, the demand of the labor market and the control of the illegal immigrants. There is however the risk that in the net of the control of illegal migration will also fall that part of migrants representing the category of the refugees and asylum seekers. Those are in fact are assimilated to the illegal immigrants and are deprived from the protection of the international law. Based on that we are going to analyse the situation of the refugees and asylum seekers in the different Europe countries in order to better define the dimension of such category often underestimated or neglected by the scholar