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This paper explores the relationships between low‐income single mothers and their adolescent and early adult children utilizing qualitative interview and focus group data with youth from three Canadian cities. The research explored youth provisioning roles in these families. Provisioning, a concept widely understood in the global south, refers to labour used to sustain low‐income families and includes emotional labour, care work, trade and exchange and paid labour. Findings from this study identified strong expressions of positive attachment and close relationships between youth and their family members. The paper queries whether positive attachment may be built through roles where youth see themselves as integral parts of a family team and where their contributions are acknowledged. These findings invite us to explore and perhaps challenge the oft‐reported correlations between living in a low‐income, lone mother‐led family and poor childhood outcomes and poor attachment. Can these outcomes be mediated and can the provisioning roles youth undertake possibly be such mediators? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While much research examines the challenges facing labor empowerment efforts, less work considers the role marketing could play in the revitalization of labor movements. In this paper, we reframe the challenges faced by labor movements as marketing problems. We then draw from several theoretical perspectives to examine the barriers that affect public awareness of labor issues, and the public's willingness to support policies and practices beneficial to workers. The paper concludes with a research agenda to guide scholars interested in this area of research, as well as nonprofits, government agencies, advocates, and social marketers looking to encourage public support for labor movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intersectoral collaborations are recommended as effective strategies to reduce health inequalities. People most affected by health inequalities, as are people living in poverty, remain generally absent from such intersectoral collaborations. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects can be leveraged to better understand how to involve people with lived experience to support both individual and community empowerment. In this paper, we offer a critical reflection on a CBPR project conducted in public housing in Québec, Canada, that aimed to develop intersectoral collaboration between tenants and senior executives from four sectors (housing, health, city and community organizations). This single qualitative case study design consisted of fieldwork documents, observations and semi-structured interviews. Using the Emancipatory Power Framework (EPF) and the Limiting Power Framework (LPF), we describe examples of types of power and resistance shown by the tenants, the intersectoral partners and the research team. The discussion presents lessons learned through the study, including the importance for research teams to reflect on their own power, especially when aiming to reduce health inequalities. The paper concludes by describing the limitations of the analyses conducted through the EPF–LPF frameworks and suggestions to increase the transformative power of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides the different aspects of poverty associated with local governance through a systematic literature review. The literature is classified based on research questions about the three aspects of human development and its relation to poverty and local governance. The research questions are as follows: How education, health and standard of living are related to poverty, and how far is it addressed in a decentralized system of governance? The paper leaves a broad scope for future research in the decomposition analysis of each sector and the corresponding role of gram panchayats in addressing the issue in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poverty's impact on children's academic outcome is a cause for concern in most urban Asian cities as education is viewed as one of the main channels of social mobility. Few studies examined how poor children's hope could be enhanced through school social support. Objective: This paper examines how children from low-income families' perceived frequencies and importance of social support from teachers and classmates, influence their levels of hope in academic achievement. Method: Utilizing a partially-mixed sequential design—first, with survey data from a larger study on low-income children (n = 513), this paper explores if perceived frequency of social support is associated with level of hope as well as the role of perceived importance in moderating the frequencies of school social support on sense of hope; second, to enrich the child-reported results, two in-depth focus group discussions with elementary school teachers (n = 10) were conducted. Results: Statistical analysis reveals that the frequency of social support from teachers and classmates is associated with the level of hope in low-income children. Furthermore, when teacher's support was rated important by children, there was a positive association between social support and hope. Integrating statistical results and qualitative insights, this paper extends extant literature on social support typologies with a novel category; 'support in providing opportunities for success'. Conclusion: This paper underscores the important role schools play as a source of social support for children. Such social support aids higher hope levels in low-income children which could translate into better academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in HIV-treatment, adolescents and young adults (AYA) with HIV (AYAHIV) face myriad challenges. They are less likely than children and older adults to be virally suppressed and are at higher risk for mental health conditions compared to their peers who do not have HIV. AYA are also developing in the context of numerous biomedical, neurocognitive, and psychosocial developmental changes. Normative challenges during this time can be exacerbated by HIV and can result in significant physical and mental health problems. Yet, many AYAHIV have shown resilience with positive assets and resources and few health or mental health problems. Historically research has had a risk-focused approach to understanding AYAHIV needs. This paper discusses the rationale for a shift from a risk-focused only approach to one that examines AYAHIV needs from both a risk and resilience perspective. This paper presents: (1) epidemiological data on AYAHIV; (2) conceptual models for understanding both risk (e.g., poverty, stress, trauma, limited resources) and resilience/protective factors (e.g., family and peer support, future orientation, problem-solving skills); (3) global data examining risk and protective factors for physical and mental health challenges; and (4) promising interventions that incorporate elements of resilience to improve overall outcomes among AYAHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes to establish Maximum Sustainable Employment (MSE) as a new guiding light, or beacon, for wild fisheries governance. This new social beacon complements the directives provided by the prevailing beacons: Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and Maximum Economic Yield (MEY). The argument is that context matters: in countries where poverty levels are high and alternative employment is scarce, fisheries governors cannot limit themselves to a sectoral perspective. Instead, they must include the remunerative employment and 'decent work' that wild fisheries offer society in their strategic deliberations. This perspective is especially relevant for countries in the Global South, but it also has a bearing on the Global North. After discussing the history of scientific fisheries management and the relevance of employment in fisheries, the paper considers the arguments made against MSE. It concludes with a reflection on the balancing of the three beacons in line with prevailing circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstetric fistula develops from obstructed labor and is a devastating condition with significant consequences across several domains of a woman's life. This study presents a narrative review of the evidence on the economic consequences of obstetric fistula. Methods: Three databases were searched, and search results were limited to English language papers published after 2003. Search results were reviewed for relevance based on title and abstract followed by full text review using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Bibliographies of papers were also scanned to identify relevant papers for inclusion. Data were extracted under three categories (defined a priori): the economic consequences of having the condition, the economic consequences of seeking care, and the macroeconomic impacts. Results: The search returned 517 unique papers, 49 of which were included after screening. Main findings identified from the studies include women losing their jobs, becoming dependent on others, and losing financial support when relationships are lost. Seeking care was economically costly for families or unaffordable entirely. There were no studies describing the impact of fistula on national economies. Conclusion: Economic consequences of obstetric fistula are multifaceted, pervasive, and are intertwined with the physical and psychosocial consequences of the condition. Understanding these consequences can help tailor existing fistula programs to better address the impacts of the condition. Further research to address the dearth of literature describing the macroeconomic impact of obstetric fistula will be critical to enhance the visibility of this condition on the health agendas of countries. Synopsis: Women experiencing obstetric fistula lose income, become financially dependent on others, and face economic barriers and hardships when seeking care for the condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the complex relationship between energy poverty and the maintenance of democratic values within the European Union (EU), suggesting that energy poverty not only impacts economic stability and health outcomes but also poses significant challenges to democratic engagement and equity. To measure energy poverty, a composite index is developed using the entropy method, which surpasses traditional measures focused solely on access to energy or its developmental implications. To assess the level of democratic governance in EU countries, the voice and accountability index (VEA), which is part of the World Governance Indicators compiled by the World Bank, is utilized. By analyzing EU data from 2006 to 2022, the findings suggest that a 1% improvement in VEA quality, represented by a coefficient of 0.122, is correlated with a notable improvement in the energy poverty index. This suggests that the EU should focus on enhancing transparency and public participation in energy decision-making, along with ensuring accountability in policy implementation. The research also differentiates between full and flawed democracies, noting that tailored approaches are needed. In full democracies, leveraging economic prosperity and trade is crucial due to their significant positive impacts on the energy poverty index. In contrast, in flawed democracies, enhancing governance and accountability is more impactful, as evidenced by a higher coefficient of 0.193. Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, improving regulatory quality, and ensuring public engagement in governance could substantially mitigate energy poverty in these contexts. In addition, this paper demonstrates that this relationship is influenced by factors such as income inequality, energy intensity, and trade openness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ghana was one of the few countries commended to have halved extreme poverty after the MDG era yet the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) was dire. Ghana's U5MR is still above the national and global SDG target. As a result, the government has over the years implemented other complementary social and policy interventions to improve the socioeconomic status of households to ensure better child health outcomes. Yet key gaps exist and threaten child health outcome sustainability, and child health-related SDG targets. In this regard, we hypothesize that household wealth should therefore not influence under-five child deaths significantly. Methods: The paper first reports the under-five mortality trend over the past 30 years in Ghana. It uniquely analyses the levels and trends in wealth as measured by the Gross National Income per capita at purchasing power parity (ln GNI/p, ppp) as a proxy of the mean Comparative Wealth Index (CWI) against under-five child deaths in Ghana. Using data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and employing the logistic regression estimation technique, the paper further estimates the effect of household wealth and other key covariates on under-five child deaths. Implemented government poverty-alleviating policies and intervention programs to reduce childhood mortality in Ghana were reviewed to identify risk gaps to child deaths. Results: The 30 year trend analysis from 1990 to 2020 shows that the under-five mortality rate in Ghana is still high, falling short of the rate of decline that is expected toward achieving the 2030 SDG target for U5MR of 25 deaths per 1000 live births. Our empirical estimations show that household wealth still has a negative and significant relationship with under-five child deaths despite the government's existing poverty-alleviating and pro-poor health policies. In addition, the results show that regional differences, maternal age, the number of children alive, and attendance to postnatal healthcare services are crucial for child survival. Conclusion: The results imply that the government should consolidate universal programmes with intensified targeted interventions toward improving household wealth, especially in the Northern Savannah regions. A new and dynamic child health policy is imminent to reflect strategies towards achieving the SDG target on U5MR. Additionally, intensive education on active maternal participation in postnatal care should be given critical consideration to improve child survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper engages with the devastating consequences that the belated neoliberal reformation of the Greek welfare state – initiated after the 2009 economic crisis – had on income inequality and poverty. • It is argued that these reformations rely on the manner with which Greece has developed its relations within the global – mostly European – capitalist division of labor as a peripheral economy. Greece's economic affairs are approached as intimately conditioned by a multifaceted institutional structure of dependencies that outstrips its ability to exercise economic policy for its own interest. • Essentially built upon premises of a core-periphery dependency paradigm, the paper takes the view that since the onset of the 2008 global crisis, the EU anti-labor agenda is extended to country-members – such as Greece – which were long regarded as being poorly integrated or "lagged behind". The large-scale reformation of the Greek welfare state is exemplified and a novel interpretation of estimating the country's poverty level with attention paid to the ineffectiveness of the implemented reforms, is offered. • New estimation methods show the failure of neoliberal welfare policy in assisting even the most vulnerable members of the population, a process known as "targeting". This last part is further supported by genuine evidence drawn from several waves of microdata surveys (see Section 6) illustrating the uneven relation between Greece and the EU. • Three different measures of poverty and efficiency are presented based on original analyses of the official datasets, showing the extent of the overall income loss and the widening gap between Greece and the EU. The paper holds a critical view on EU austerity policies, with particular emphasis given to Greece. It is maintained that the main causes for the implementation of neoliberal reforms should be examined in the manner with which the Greek economy has developed in relation with the European capitalist division of labor as a peripheral economy. Greece is approached as intimately conditioned by a multifaceted institutional structure of dependencies that outstrips the country's ability to exercise economic policy for its own social interests. Essentially built upon the premises of a core-periphery dependency paradigm, the periodic post-war reconfigurations of the EU architectural design offered enough room to the formation of a stricter policy framework along these lines. By developing a set of differentiated indices on European poverty, the devastating consequences of the belated neoliberal reformation of the country's welfare state are highlighted. All calculations are based on microdata sets of EUSILC surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study takes on the challenge of quantifying a complex causal loop diagram describing how poverty and health affect each other, and does so using longitudinal data from The Netherlands. Furthermore, this paper elaborates on its methodological approach in order to facilitate replication and methodological advancement. Methods: After adapting a causal loop diagram that was built by stakeholders, a longitudinal structural equation modelling approach was used. A cross-lagged panel model with nine endogenous variables, of which two latent variables, and three time-invariant exogenous variables was constructed. With this model, directional effects are estimated in a Granger-causal manner, using data from 2015 to 2019. Both the direct effects (with a one-year lag) and total effects over multiple (up to eight) years were calculated. Five sensitivity analyses were conducted. Two of these focus on lower-income and lower-wealth individuals. The other three each added one exogenous variable: work status, level of education, and home ownership. Results: The effects of income and financial wealth on health are present, but are relatively weak for the overall population. Sensitivity analyses show that these effects are stronger for those with lower incomes or wealth. Physical capability does seem to have strong positive effects on both income and financial wealth. There are a number of other results as well, as the estimated models are extensive. Many of the estimated effects only become substantial after several years. Conclusions: Income and financial wealth appear to have limited effects on the health of the overall population of The Netherlands. However, there are indications that these effects may be stronger for individuals who are closer to the poverty threshold. Since the estimated effects of physical capability on income and financial wealth are more substantial, a broad recommendation would be that including physical capability in efforts that are aimed at improving income and financial wealth could be useful and effective. The methodological approach described in this paper could also be applied to other research settings or topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we argue that there is a 'missing middle' between policies to ameliorate poverty of those in need and the experience of poverty. Drawing on interviews with respondent poor(er) households in Brunei's 'water village' of Kampong Ayer and with officials and local leaders, the paper details a complex and well‐funded system of support for those in need. It then shows how this impressive architecture of welfare does not always meet the needs of those it seeks to support. Through rendering poverty technical, policies implicitly ascribe persistent destitution as arising from the failure of the poor to take advantage of the opportunities made available to them. The paper suggests that this gap could be bridged by giving non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), social enterprises and informal businesses a greater role in the delivery of support. Kampong Ayer's experience has its parallels in other places and situations: the tendency to bureaucratize poverty and its amelioration; the desire to simplify poverty but complicate programmes for poverty eradication; and the expectation that the onus for adaptation should be on—and with—the poor. When the poor fail to adapt and to respond in the manner desired, they are blamed for their enduring poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people from the perspective of disability organisations located in the Global South. Drawing on the findings of an online survey, which received responses from 20 representatives of disability organisations located in 13 countries, this study builds on a growing body of recent research highlighting the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on disabled people, many of whom have experienced greater levels of discrimination and deeper levels of isolation and poverty as the result of inadequate state responses to the pandemic. The study also highlights the crucial role played by many disability organisations in supporting disabled people during the crisis, often filling in the gaps in mainstream service provision, and argues that they should be enabled to play a much more prominent role in the long-term recovery process in order to ensure a more disability-inclusive post-pandemic world. This paper argues that: State responses to the pandemic have often failed to take account of the specific needs and priorities of disabled people. During the pandemic, many disabled people have been denied access to essential services, cut off from the support of their caregivers, excluded from education provision and exposed to severe economic hardship. Disability organisations have offered vital to support to their members and beneficiaries, often helping to ensure that their basic needs are met. Policymakers and service providers should collaborate closely with disability organisations in order to ensure that disabled people are not left behind in the long-term recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature suggests that access to electricity has a positive impact on household's living standards and social welfare. This paper sheds new light on this discussion. Using expenditure dependent equivalence scales, this paper examines the impact of electricity access on food consumption economies of scale (FCES) and thereby the poverty measurements of households with and without access to electricity in Sri Lanka during 1990-2016. Results indicate that a low-income household of four adults with access to electricity spends about 20% less on food compared to a similar household without access to electricity. The results also reveal that although the incorporation of FCES into poverty measurements reduces the overall poverty levels considerably, the reduction in poverty levels is about 1.2% higher for households with electricity at the national level. These observations are consistent across the national and sub-national levels, however, with varying magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of eliminating Gender Pay Gap on income and poverty. Drawing upon the European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions for Portugal, we use econometric tools to estimate the counterfactual earnings. The results obtained over the period under study (2014, 2017 and 2019) show that the average hourly income of women would increase by around 38%; the average annual income of households with women in the labor market would be around 22% higher; the poverty indicators would fall by 5% points; single female households and Madeira region would show a more significant decline in poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homeless families include children whose experiences of homelessness and extreme poverty can have long-term negative impacts over the life course. This paper proposes a resource-orientated causal explanation of the mechanisms of family homelessness in Australia. Given the critical role of poverty in housing insecurity, the model explains why some families living in extreme poverty and disadvantage become homeless and others do not. The research is positioned within a critical realist approach to theoretical causal explanation. It is influenced by interdisciplinary literature and psychologist Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory. Previously published empirical analysis informs and supports the development of this theoretical model. Families use their resources to mitigate challenges to their housing security. However, disadvantage limits their accumulation of resources, contributes to accelerating resource loss, and constrains their capacity to act. An acute lack of affordable housing and insufficient welfare payments to secure private rental accommodation severely impacts a family's capacity to navigate crises and avoid homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States Supreme Court's decision in Dobb's v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has heightened interest in the link between restrictions on abortion access and child maltreatment. Connecting decreased access to abortion to increases in child maltreatment and subsequent foster care entries presents substantive challenges related to the magnitude of any effect of abortion restrictions, methodological challenges related to limitations of existing sources of national child welfare data, and conceptual challenges related to the structure and function of child welfare systems. In this paper, we explore these substantive, methodological and conceptual challenges. Specifically, we consider both the actual impact of abortion restrictions on the occurrence of abortions and the complexities that studying the link between abortion restrictions and child maltreatment presents. We caution researchers about making causal links between abortion restrictions and either child maltreatment or foster care entries without sufficiently documenting limitations of national sources of child welfare data and accounting for multiple confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the current Civil War in Yemen based on Human Needs Theory. Developed by John Burton, Human Needs Theory rests on the premise that certain groups of people resort to violence when their basic needs are not met or when they need understanding, respect, and consideration for their needs. Needs for security and identity recognition are particularly salient in civil wars and devastating identity conflicts. An important conclusion is that many of the human needs violations that the Shia minority group has suffered in Yemen stem from the long-established Sunni-Shia conflict that has fueled this civil war. This has caused Saudi Arabia (i.e., Sunni) and Iran (i.e., Shia) to support both sides of the conflict. As a result, a significant number of Yemenis have had difficulties living out their religious identity and achieve well-being. In particular, not only have their basic human rights been denied (i.e., essential needs to maintain survival) but, also, basic aid to children has been rejected as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry is practiced in Africa for food production and reducing biodiversity loss among others. Despite the potential of agroforestry, inadequate information exists on how women and youth practice it to combat food insecurity and income poverty in semi-arid lands. We assessed the contributions of women and youth in agroforestry to enhance food security and income generation. Data collection methods included household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. We employed Kruskal-Wallis statistical test to examine variations in responses between villages using SPSS, while content analysis was applied for qualitative data. Estimated mean crop yields in tons per hectare for agroforestry included: maize (1.98), sunflower (1.43), millet (2.34), sorghum (1.92), and cassava (32.1). For land without agroforestry, the yields were 1.08, 1.50, 1.72, 1.02, and 36.8 tons per hectare, respectively. The estimated average annual income per household from agroforestry was Tsh 1,367,304 (USD 586), compared to Tsh 767,211 (USD 329) from non-agroforestry systems. The main scholarly contributions of the paper are that engaging women and youth in agroforestry improves food security and alleviate poverty in Africa. Therefore, women and youth should receive technical and financial support to practice agroforestry for sustainable food production and reduced income poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the influence of the perceived level of economic inequality in daily life on people's recognition of the perceived humanity gap between low- and high-socioeconomic groups within society. To achieve this purpose, in Studies 1A–B, we analyzed the relationship between economic inequality and the humanity gap. In Studies 2A–B, we manipulated the level of inequality (low vs. high) to identify differences in the humanity gap. Results indicated that higher perceptions of economic inequality lead individuals to recognize a wider humanity gap between low- and high-socioeconomic groups in society. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed the globalisation of policies promoting social cash transfers as a critical instrument for poverty reduction. Among various approaches, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) model promoted by the World Bank has gained discursive dominance in countries where this strategy, and its technical model for implementation, appear more attractive than competing alternatives. While research has evaluated CCT programmes and considered the politics of development that they represent in Latin America, researchers are yet to explore the constitutive effects of CCT ways of knowing and measuring poverty in the societies of rural Asia. This paper explores the consequences of CCT knowledge politics in rural Indonesia. It argues that CCT practices of knowing and measuring have paradoxical effects. The programme makes direct payments to millions of impoverished households, producing well-documented patterns of inclusion and advancement. Yet, CCT knowledge practices involve simplifications and generate significant mis-targeting, eliciting a never-ending repair process among state actors, local leaders, and communities. This metricised knowledge system depoliticises political questions of distribution. It conceals alternative ways of knowing and addressing poverty, producing an order of entitlements somewhat at odds with established community logics of inclusion, while provoking a local politics of distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental involvement in educating children remains a crucial first step in building an informed citizen. It becomes a routine matter for children to follow the footsteps of educated parents. However, for the first-generation learners, e.g. particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), it is an arduous task because they belong to the least developed communities in India, with poverty and illiteracy forming the base of their existence. This paper examines the extent of involvement PVTG parents have in educating their daughters and identifies ways for improvement. Findings based on this original study suggest that the parents realise involvement, but their knowledge of involvement differs from the general population and the Western context. Hence, the study proposes four types of Cs to integrate their involvement: Concern, Communication, Condition, and Cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries around the world are working to develop social protection floors to help reduce poverty. Ensuring workers can earn adequate wages is an important component of social protection floors. In this paper, we explore who receives minimum, poverty, median, and living wages in Jordan, comparing 2010 and 2016, and in Tunisia in 2014. We demonstrate that while the majority of workers do earn at least minimum and poverty wages, only a minority of workers earn a living wage. The chances of earning minimum, poverty, median, and living wages depend on the characteristics of workplaces, specific work characteristics (especially job formality and skills required), and the demographic characteristics of workers. While results are consistent with wages reflecting, in part, workers' productivity, they may also reflect rents, efficiency wages, and for minimum wages issues with enforceability and policy design. These findings highlight which workers are vulnerable to low earnings and where greater enforcement or redesign of minimum wage legislation might be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To conduct a discursive review on continuous glucose monitoring use among Black older adults and to address the issue of racial disparities in diabetes management and outcomes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a global health concern with significant complications and mortality rates. Black older adults are disproportionately affected. Initially designed for type 1 diabetes, continuous glucose monitoring has emerged as an innovative tool for type 2 diabetes mellitus management. Despite its potential, there are challenges related to adherence and digital literacy among Black older adults for managing Diabetes. Design: A discursive review. Methods: Searching literature in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for papers published from 2017 to 2023, we explored the use of continuous glucose monitoring in Black older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, examining barriers, facilitators and challenges. Discussion: We highlight recommendations from the literature which included barriers, facilitators, and cultural factors associated with continuous glucose monitoring use. Findings underscore the importance of addressing these challenges to reduce racial–ethnic disparities in type 2 diabetes mellitus management among Black older adults. Nurses and advanced practice registered nurses are at the forefront and can play a pivotal role in exploring and implementing interventions to promote access and proper use of continuous glucose monitoring among Black older adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying qualitative methods and evidence from the field, this paper explores the situation of women with disabilities within Bangladesh’s overall sociocultural, political, and economic contexts. The research found that participating women with disabilities were living in poverty and were disenfranchised. They reported being treated with disregard, and at times with contempt, both within their families and the wider society. In Bangladesh, disability is often regarded as a divine curse. In a patriarchal society where women are often seen as a liability, women with disabilities are particularly resented, and are often abandoned by their family members or are victims of domestic violence and abuse. In a society where sensitivity to the needs of people with disability is yet to take root, provisions for accessing basic services, such as education, are limited or non-existent for women with disabilities. Direct and representational participation of women with disabilities in the policy process is rare and changes relevant to their needs and empowerment are few. This research indicates that the situation of women with disabilities in Bangladesh is different from that of men with disabilities. More focused and gender-sensitive interventions are required at multiple levels – social, cultural and institutional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic freedom is generally associated with higher average income levels, but does it benefit the very poor as well? Does it help them to escape their disadvantaged position? Does it reduce the probability of falling into low-income status? This paper deals with those questions using longitudinal data from Canada regarding the duration of low income spells, as well as entries and exits from low-income status from 1992 to 2020. Aggregated at the provincial level and inside a panel regression approach, these different indicators of low-income status are negatively related (i.e., less poverty) with the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of North America (EFNA) index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between extreme poverty and road fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa using a panel of 42 countries over the period 1990–2014. We adopt the two-step system GMM method and a two-stage estimation framework to check for robustness of the relationship between road fatalities and extreme poverty. Our study finds a positive and significant relationship between deaths from road accidents and extreme poverty for overall road fatalities and only the age group between 15 and 49 years when considering the different age groups. Extreme-poverty-road fatality elasticity post higher values when we adopt the two-stage estimation framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the current feelings of Finnish low-income working lone mothers and their views on what it means to be poor in the welfare state of Finland. This is done by analyzing written accounts of lone mothers through a qualitative content analysis. The data was collected in 2015 and 2021. The analysis reveals that mothers' feelings of poverty have similarities to those described in data collected in a different context over 20 years ago. The article is inspired by an article published in Affilia in the year 2003 by Lynn McIntyre, Suzanne Officer, and Lynne M. Robinson. In their paper, McIntyre et al. analyzed the feelings of poor Canadian lone mothers. While the welfare regime and services influence how life is organized, it is evident that self-sacrifice for the children caused by poverty is very much a part of the written accounts of Finnish mothers. We show that while there are a few cultural differences in the feelings that lone mothers undergo on account of their low-income status, feelings such as loneliness are persistent and often shared regardless of time or geographical location. Therefore, we suggest that low-income mothers should be given greater support by society and governments to be able to feel hopeful and empowered rather than poor and alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how BRAC's Targeting the Ultra Poor graduation program was globally adopted as a successful pathway for extremely poor households to build sustainable livelihoods and improve their conditions. It explores how this Southern model of development and transformation became an integral part of global knowledge. The paper also highlights a fundamental element of BRAC's vision and pedagogical approach – enabling the powerless, especially women, to organise and exercise their agency for bringing about change – and suggests this as an important next step in graduation programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community gardens are more popular than ever, yet we know little about how leadership structure and neighborhood characteristics relate to programming. Hence, this paper analyzes how the racial/ethnic backgrounds of the community garden leaders are related to the activities the garden undertakes. What types of initiatives do gardens undertake to reduce food insecurity? The paper analyzes how the location of the garden impacts what it does. The article presents novel findings on the impact of leadership and neighborhood characteristics on community garden operations and outcomes. Hence, the essay examines how the race/ethnicity of garden managers and their sex and neighborhood characteristics, such as poverty rate, household income, and racial composition, are related to garden initiatives. Finally, the paper examines how community gardens responded to increased demands for food and services during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic. We studied 53 community gardens in Michigan from the summer 2020 through the winter 2021. Whites manage 66% (35) of the gardens, while People of Color manage 34% (18). Roughly half of the gardens are managed by males and the remainder by females. The gardens, which lack paid staff, rely heavily on volunteers. Almost 53% of the gardens are in low-income census tracts (with median income of $40,000 or less). During the pandemic, 31% of the gardens reduced their staff, 51.4% had fewer volunteers than in pre-pandemic times, and 51.9% had increased amounts of people seeking food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing scholarship indicates that subjective and objective poverty hardly overlap. This study contributes to our understanding of what different types of poverty mean by analysing the drivers of subjective poverty in Ukraine, whereby in 2018 71.8% of people self‐identified as poor despite the relative material deprivation measures estimating poverty to be around 30%. To understand the drivers of subjective poverty, the paper draws on 50 in‐depth semi‐structured interviews across low‐ and high‐income individuals, of which 38 self‐identified as poor. Data suggests that the self‐perception of being poor is driven by Ukraine's relative deprivation to other European countries, fears about the future due to vulnerability to shocks, and the perception of purposeful exclusion by the economic elite. In exploring these findings, the paper contributes to the works of literature on social status, social exclusion, relative deprivation, and populism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the dominant modes of academic address, the conference paper, the journal article, and the monograph, reinforce problematic and exclusionary assumptions concerning what counts as legitimate research, whilst also restricting academic enquiry and impoverishing intellectual life. It makes its case by exploring in some detail the intellectual commitments of one the West's more wayward 20th century thinkers, Georges Bataille. It suggests that Bataille presents not simply a conceptual armoury (and one among many) for critiquing Western logocentrism from within, but offers an example of what a less domesticated, less stylistically narrowed mode of thinking might look like. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redistribution for income equality is a contentious issue, with advocates citing increased economic stability and skeptics fearing potential negative impacts on economic growth. The United States (U.S.) faces notably high income inequality compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average, with wealth concentrated in the top brackets. This paper critically examines the existing U.S. redistribution methods, including the taxation system and welfare programs, highlighting challenges such as the lack of tax progressiveness in top brackets and limited redistribution compared to European counterparts. Based on this overview, the study evaluates alternative redistribution strategies, including wealth and business taxes. The paper compares theory with insights from pilot programs in other countries. Finally, the paper argues for a universal basic income (UBI) set at per-capita welfare spending, positing that this approach can empower individuals to escape poverty traps, enhance productivity, and introduce a choice mechanism for welfare consumption. Ultimately, this research seeks to propose the most effective and feasible income redistribution policies for the U.S. to bridge the income inequality gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the spatial heterogeneity in the human capital potential of Indonesia's next generation by constructing and analyzing sub-national human capital indices (HCI) for 34 provinces and 514 districts in Indonesia. The paper identifies data and methodological constraints in the construction of these sub-national indices and proposes and implements strategies to overcome these challenges. Several interesting findings emerge from the analysis. First, Indonesian's young generation can only achieve 53% of their future productivity relative to the full benchmark of health and education. Second, the variation in aggregate human capital potential across space in Indonesia is staggering: some parts of country are almost at par with countries like Vietnam and China while others have human capital levels that are comparable to Chad, Niger, and Sierra Leone. Third, differences in learning outcomes as measured by harmonized test scores account for the largest share of the variation in human capital across Indonesia, suggesting that the challenge of providing quality education remains one of the most important obstacles to equalizing opportunities for the next generation of Indonesians. And fourth, the correlation between government spending and performance on HCI at the district level appears rather weak, reinforcing conclusions reached by other recent studies that have highlighted the importance of focusing on the quality of spending. Finally, this paper also shows that Indonesia's human capital registered a modest improvement from 0.50 in 2013 to 0.53 in 2018 with stronger progress observed among the already top performing provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper will identify and further explore the ideals versus realities of learning poverty and the consequential effects on our moral obligations and responsibilities. The wealthy nations are now under further pressure to recognise and realise their moral obligations to enabling social justice in the context of access, and distribution, of vaccines for the poorer nations. Learning poverty has always been a feature of our global economic, and institutional order, and has become an increasingly important factor in achieving justice. Design/methodology/approach: The study focusses on a human rights approach to learning poverty and the ideals versus the realities of what we are beginning to see in the times of a global pandemic. The major challenges to justice is inherent to the recognition that wealthy nations continue to have a pivotal role in the reduction of poverty. The identified major challenges in the context of learning poverty are: "nation states and the global pandemic", "international interactions and learning poverty" and "global institutions and learning inequalities". In particular, the authors explore the concept of ideals versus realities through three "challenges", which continues to challenge any semblance of justice in the current global vaccine distribution. Nation states and borders, international interactions and global institutions remain barriers in overcoming what is becoming a reality of learning poverty. Findings: This paper seeks to look beyond the economics of vaccine trade and seek a way to accept a moral claim of justice for all. The authors consider how wealthy nations are active participants in the emergence of learning poverty for many nations. Originality/value: By exploring the ideals versus realities of learning poverty, and human rights, the authors highlight some of the challenges, and wealthy nations moral obligations, through the emergence of a new dimensional indicator of poverty, learning poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines and suggests a strategy of knowledge-sharing for poverty eradication among rural women in Ghana. It adopted the interpretive paradigm and a qualitative research approach, with the primary data gathered from 111 rural participants in Tintang, Tongnoli, and Nagbali. Face-to-face interviews, focus-group discussions, and observations were employed for data collection. The paper develops a knowledge-sharing strategy for poverty eradication among rural women, emphasizing collaborative knowledge needs assessment and active participation in decision-making by both rural women and stakeholders. This strategy advocates for the adoption, refinement, and repackaging of indigenous knowledge at the local, national, and international levels to enhance rural women's knowledge creation, sharing, and utilization in the fight against poverty. Research on knowledge management in Ghana has focused on knowledge-sharing practices in public and private organizations for competitive advantage; this paper focuses on knowledge sharing for sustainable development, with a specific focus on poverty, thus adding to the body of knowledge on knowledge management of poverty eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background Multidimensional Poverty (MP) considers poverty in multiple dimensions of deprivations such as health, education, energy, the standard of living and access to basic services. MP remains a major challenge in Africa, with a large proportion of the population living in MP. According to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africa has shown the highest Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) having over 40% of its population living in MP. Goal and Objectives: This paper is a review, aimed at assessing the potential of the integration of satellite and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in mapping MP, with a specific focus on Africa. Methodology: Based on the reviews of past studies, the combination of satellite data such as nighttime light, daytime satellite imagery and high-resolution settlement data in combination with techniques such as field surveys, statistical correlation models (transfer learning) and AI (deep learning) has been applied in mapping MP. Results: The findings from studies show that the combination of satellite data and AI has the capability of providing more accurate and granular MP maps, compared to the traditional approach. Again, this paper explains the concept of MP with a specific focus on Africa and presents a map depicting the current MPI in African countries. Finally, pitfalls especially in the accuracy, granularity and frequency of MP data were identified. Consequently, the satellite and AI approaches are recommended for more accurate, frequent, cost-effective and granular data, required in mapping poverty and design of interventions that effectively address the needs of the vulnerable populations in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foundation of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in 1965 is seen as a pivotal moment in the history of British welfare policy heralding a new wave of pressure group activism. Many histories of the organisation focus on the expertise of two of their founder members, Brian Abel-Smith and Peter Towsend. But in foregrounding the role of these academic experts in the early history of CPAG the wider ecosystem of professionals, academics, politicians and activists involved has been overshadowed. This insight this article will argue that contributions to welfare policy and practice can be subsumed in organisational histories, particularly work that is local, smaller scale and practical. Often though not exclusively, women have undertaken such grassroots research and activism. Such work can, and does, contribute to the success of voluntary groups as well as feed into wider intellectual and policy currents. This paper will explore one such case study of this: the crucial but under-documented work of three women campaigners Harriett Wilson, Audrey Harvey and Margaret Wynn. It will illustrate how by combining both intellectually rigorous social research and practical social action they were important both in the formation of CPAG and sociological thinking and practice more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines how displacement has exacerbated poverty among internally displaced people (IDPs) in Nigeria. While there has been significant research on IDPs in Nigeria, studies specifically addressing the relationship between displacement and poverty are scarce. This survey was conducted in five locations: Tse Yandev in Benue State, Durumi Area One in Abuja, Rann in Borno State, Nbyiro in Adamawa State, and Government Lodge in Yobe State. Twenty five informants were purposively selected for the study, and thematic analysis was employed. The findings reveal a high incidence of poverty among IDPs due to their lack of access to basic necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing. It was gathered that people become dislocated when they are internally displaced. This condition has heightened the poverty situation that many in Nigeria find themselves in. It was also established that dislocation never left anyone the same. Rather, it either makes them poorer or simply makes their condition worse. Recommendations are also provided for addressing these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty remains a major challenge for the countries of the global south. Decent employment opportunity, a crucial determinant of poverty reduction, is increasingly becoming elusive for those countries regardless of a decent rate of economic growth. There is a growing separation of economic growth and employment growth under the aegis of neo-liberal economic policies. Economic growth, instead of becoming inclusive, turns out to be “jobless” or “job loss.” Failing to reverse this trend, “Active Labour Market Policies” (ALMPs) in the form of “Public Works Programmes” (PWPs) have emerged as a major strategy to reduce unemployment and poverty. Secondly, rural–urban migration is very much relied upon for the same. Raising agricultural productivity, a crucial question of “agrarian transition,” well evident and verified across the globe, is, however, becoming oblivion in the fight against poverty. In this context, based on a primary survey of 300 households in the poorest regions of India, this paper endeavors to investigate the relative strength of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), rural–urban migration, and land productivity on poverty. The study suggests that an agrarian-centric intervention is more effective in dealing with poverty as compared to MGNREGA (ALMPs) and migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severity and type of morbidity largely define the health-seeking behavior of an individual, although the socioeconomic determinants also play an important role. In this paper, the health-seeking behavior of individuals from the “Below Poverty Line” is analyzed by using the individual-level data of the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS)-II (2011–12). The trend and pattern of both major and short-term morbidity among the individuals from the “Below Poverty Line” are analyzed along with the comparison with individuals from the “Above Poverty Line.” Further, The logit regression model is used to determine the prominent socioeconomic factors of health-seeking behavior among individuals from “Below Poverty Line” and the decomposition analysis is conducted to determine the factor contributing to widening or narrowing the gap in getting treatment by individuals from both income groups. The result shows that individuals from the “Below Poverty Line” have a comparatively lower burden of major morbidity but also get lower treatments. The condition of women is more concerning. Socioeconomic factors such as “place of residence,” “education,” marital status, “age,” and “caste” are significant to the health-seeking behaviors of individuals from the “Below Poverty Line.” Further, “education” and “primary activity” are two major factors for both major and short-term morbidity that widen the gap in the health-seeking behavior of individuals from both income groups. However, factors such as “place of residence” and caste increase the gap in case of only short-term morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable energy projects can help societies reduce climate change's negative impacts. In the present paper, published studies regarding European community energy schemes (CESs) were analysed to investigate CESs' barriers and drivers towards including community members and, more specifically, vulnerable groups. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines to ensure transparency. Exclusion and inclusion criteria were defined to select the proper articles and books that were aligned with the scope of this review. A total of 143 publications from 2019 to February 2024 were considered and selected. Content analysis was used to outline the various definitions of energy poverty, vulnerable groups, and CESs as well as the different strategies and approaches followed by European countries to tackle energy poverty and increase public engagement in CESs. This research suggests that environmental citizenship is a concept that can bring individuals and society together to promote changes in energy-related behaviours. The outcome reveals factors that enhance community energy acceptance and social cohesion such as providing energy education or education for sustainability to community members, financial support, increased prosocial culture, and the participation of vulnerable groups in CESs. This can be achieved through various interventions to help community members, including vulnerable groups, understand sustainable energy behaviour and thus reduce energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty exists not only in low and middle-income countries but also in high-income countries. Brunei, a rich country heavily reliant on hydrocarbon in Southeast Asia, is not an exception. Though poverty is not a topic that is politically taboo in Brunei, there are no statistics on poverty in Brunei. Yet, having such statistics would aid the government to achieve the target of zero poverty in 2035. Therefore, this technical paper provides a pioneering estimation of poverty rates in Brunei, utilising published data from 'Household Expenditure Surveys' and focusing on the basic need approach. It calculates monthly household poverty rates based on the World Bank's poverty lines and OECD median income approach. It produces poverty rates based on expenditure and income. The research employs two models: a proportional model and a refined model. The results show declining rates of poverty, regardless of the poverty lines and models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty was already a main problem in Afghanistan even before, but it has exacerbated due to the pandemic. However, the actual impact of the pandemic on households had not been investigated. This study provides such analysis using data obtained from a strictly random survey of 1060 households in the capital of Balkh, the fourth most populated province in Afghanistan. Using headcount ratio and poverty gap measures and both income and expenditure approaches, the results show that an additional 12% of households fell below the poverty line, from an already high of 75% before the pandemic. The poverty gap index rises to 34%, but the computed Gini coefficient indicates no significant change in inequality. Poor governance and corruption in Afghanistan are major impediments to address the issue of poverty. This paper suggests several measures which can be implemented to have effective policies and governance to alleviate poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty and economic insecurity are driving forces in entering sex work among women in low resource areas. This increases their risk for HIV by influencing the decision-making process for high-risk behaviors. Few studies have examined the financial behaviors and capacities of women engaged in sex work (WESW). This paper describes the methodology used in a financial diary study aimed at characterizing women's spending patterns within a larger prevention intervention trial among WESW in Uganda. From June 2019 to March 2020, a subsample of 150 women randomized to the combination HIV prevention and economic empowerment treatment was asked to complete financial diaries to monitor daily expenditures in real time. Two hundred and forty financial diaries were distributed to study participants during the financial literacy sessions at eight sites. A total of 26,919 expense entries were recorded over 6 months. Sex-work-related expenses comprised approximately 20.01% of the total. The process of obtaining quality and consistent data was challenging due to the transient and stigmatized nature of sex work coupled with women's varying levels of education. Frequent check-ins, using peer support, code word or visuals, and a shorter time frame would allow for a more accurate collection of high-frequency data. Moreover, the ability of women to complete the financial diaries despite numerous challenges speaks to their potential value as a data collection tool, and also as an organizing tool for finances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the results of registered conceptual replications of the indirect effect of institutional trust in the relationship between precarity and the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs (CB). The original study of Adam‐Troian et al. (2023; British Journal of Social Psychology, 62(S1), 136‐159) indicated that subjective appraisals of economic hardship are associated with lower trust in governments and institutions, which in turn is associated with stronger endorsement of CB. Our Studies 1 to 3 report a series of replications using Slovak panel data. Study 4 reports a replication of the mediation model using data from the European Social Survey Round 10 collected in 17 countries. To provide a quantitative synthesis of these and previous results, we conducted mini meta‐analysis (N = 50,340). Although the strength of the observed relationships differed across the studies to some degree, the original patterns of relations remained robust, supporting the original model. The study corroborates the view that to curb the spread of CB, it is necessary to address structural issues, such as growing financial insecurity, socioeconomic inequalities, and the deficit of institutional trust. Finally, we discuss the role of cultural and political settings in conditioning the mechanisms through which precarity enhances the endorsement of CB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the situation of water scarcity and security in Mexico, with a focus on the drinking water supply issue in rural communities and the challenges posed by assessment methodologies. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to update the available information on the water crisis in Mexico and its impact on rural communities in the country, as well as the methodologies employed to assess water security and the methodological challenges associated with them. Among the most noteworthy findings is the persistent challenge in evaluating water scarcity and its implications for communities, due to the lack of consensus on the most precise methodology. Nevertheless, current methodological approaches suggest the integration of physical models with pertinent social, economic, and political data. The literature broadly agrees on the severity of the water scarcity crisis and the clear link between rural poverty and inadequate access to drinking water. Water scarcity is both a contributing factor to and a consequence of poverty, stemming from a complex interplay of socioeconomic pressures, inadequate institutional responses, and deficient water management. The paper concludes that water scarcity involves intricate interactions among various factors, encompassing physical water scarcity, pollution, and the impacts of climate change on the water cycle, and most critically, the complexities inherent in water management and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, the integration of well‐informed policies, effective management practices, and collaborative efforts is crucial for ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future. Effective water management can effectively mitigate the challenges of water scarcity and alleviate poverty. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationHuman Water > Rights to WaterScience of Water > Water and Environmental Change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality early care and education (ECE) presents an unparalleled opportunity to avert disadvantage and promote children's development. Mealtimes are essential daily routines, yet are often overlooked in research on ECE quality. This paper crystallises a composite case study of ECE mealtimes in highly disadvantaged communities by combining Departing Radically in Academic Writing (DRAW) methodology with parent surveys, scorings of educator‐child interactions (inCLASS), and field notes. Poverty is perpetuated in these centres: children do not have enough food, and educator‐dictated feeding practices restrict children's opportunities to exercise their agency and learn. Systemic policy action is needed to address poverty in ECE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]