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Integrating nutrition interventions into antenatal care (ANC) requires adapting global recommendations to fit existing health systems and local contexts, but the evidence is limited on the process of tailoring nutrition interventions for health programmes. We developed and integrated maternal nutrition interventions into ANC programmes in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India by conducting studies and assessments, developing new tools and processes and field testing integrated programme models. This paper elucidates how we used information and data to contextualize a package of globally recommended maternal nutrition interventions (micronutrient supplementation, weight gain monitoring, dietary counselling and counselling on breastfeeding) and describes four country‐specific health service delivery models. We developed a Theory of Change to illustrate common barriers and strategies for strengthening nutrition interventions during ANC. We used multiple information sources including situational assessments, formative research, piloting and pretesting results, supply assessments, stakeholder meetings, household and service provider surveys and monitoring data to design models of maternal nutrition interventions. We developed detailed protocols for implementing maternal nutrition interventions; reinforced staff capacity, nutrition counselling, monitoring systems and community engagement processes; and addressed micronutrient supplement supply bottlenecks. Community‐level activities were essential for complementing facility‐based services. Routine monitoring data, rapid assessments and information from intensified supervision were important during the early stages of implementation to improve the feasibility and scalability of models. The lessons from addressing maternal nutrition in ANC may serve as a guide for tackling missed opportunities for nutrition within health services in other contexts. Key messages: Integrating evidence‐based nutrition interventions into ANC to reach PW at scale is urgently needed for improving maternal and newborn health and nutrition.The Theory of Change and steps for strengthening nutrition interventions based on four‐country experiences provide practical guidance on addressing missed opportunities for nutrition in ANC.Strategic use of data can contextualize global maternal nutrition guidelines, protocols, capacity building and supervision approaches, and improve micronutrient supply chains and record‐keeping as part of health services strengthening.Engaging family and community members to support PW and improving the knowledge and self‐confidence of PW are important elements of all country programme models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh and India exchanged all of their 162 border enclaves in 2015 after 70 years of protracted negotiations. This paper offers an explanation as to why these enclaves were exchanged and why it took so long for the exchange to be executed. In so doing, I offer the concept of "symbolic spaces" to demonstrate that in postcolonial South Asia, enclaves gained oversized significance in nationalistic and territorial discourses. Such elevated significance effectively turned them into symbols of nationalism and territoriality, which played the major role in both their existence and their exchange. In explaining the exchange, I also contend that, although rare, states may exchange territories if it serves significant geopolitical and geo‐economic interests for the parties involved and if the exchange can be portrayed as a victory for the nation. This paper explains why the border enclaves of India and Bangladesh were exchanged. In so doing, it argues that these were symbolic spaces that overpassed their significance in the nationalistic discourses of these two states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of climate change have occupied central theme of many policy initiatives. This paper investigated the impact of economic development, fossil fuel consumptions and population density on CO2 in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh using annual data over the period 1971–2014. We have applied panel Autoregressive distributed lags model to estimate the long‐run dynamics and Vector error correction model specified Granger causality test for finding the causality direction. Using three multivariate equations model, the empirical outcome of our study has established key associations that have crucial policy implications. Firstly, the results of auto‐regressive distributed lags (ARDL) confirmed the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis that the relationship between CO2 and economic development is U‐shaped. Moreover, fossil fuel consumption and population density have a positive impact on CO2 emission in the long run. VECM test evidence suggests that short‐run causalities from economic development to CO2, population density to CO2 and fossil fuel consumption to CO2 exist. Secondly, CO2 has a negative impact on economic development while the impacts of fossil fuel, FDI and total exports on economic development have been significantly positive in the long run. In short run, CO2, fossil fuel consumption and FDI Granger cause economic development. Lastly, CO2 emission negatively influences population density while economic development positively affects population density in long run. Moreover, short‐run causalities from economic development to population density and CO2 to population density exit. For policy drives, efficient and low carbon emission technologies should be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper quantifies the factors explaining long ‐ term improvements in child height for age z ‐ scores in Bangladesh (1996/1997–2011), India (1992/1993–2005/2006), Nepal (1997–2011) and Pakistan (1991–2013). We apply the same statistical techniques to data from a common data source from which we have extracted a set of common explanatory variables that capture ‘nutrition ‐ sensitive’ factors. Three are particularly important in explaining height for age z ‐ score changes over these timeframes: improvements in material well ‐ being; increases in female education; and improvements in sanitation. These factors have comparable associations across all four countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antenatal care (ANC) is the largest health platform globally for delivering maternal nutrition interventions (MNIs) to pregnant women. Yet, large missed opportunities remain in nutrition service delivery. This paper examines how well evidence‐based MNIs were incorporated in national policies and programs in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India. We compared the nutrition content of ANC protocols against global recommendations. We used survey data to elucidate the coverage of micronutrient supplementation, weight gain monitoring, dietary and breastfeeding counselling. We reviewed literature, formative research and program assessments to identify barriers and enabling factors of service provision and maternal nutrition practices. Nutrition information in national policies and protocols was often fragmented, incomplete and did not consistently follow global recommendations. Nationally representative data on MNIs in ANC was inadequate, except for iron and folic acid supplementation. Coverage data from subnational surveys showed similar patterns of strengths and weaknesses. MNI coverage was consistently lower than ANC coverage with the lowest coverage of weight gain monitoring and variable coverage of dietary and breastfeeding counselling. Key common factors associated with coverage were micronutrient supply disruptions; suboptimal counselling on maternal diet, weight gain, and breastfeeding; and limited or no record keeping. Adherence of women to micronutrient supplementation and dietary recommendations was low and associated with late and too few ANC contacts, poor maternal knowledge and self‐efficacy, and insufficient family and community support. Models of comprehensive nutrition protocols and health systems that deliver maternal nutrition services in ANC are urgently needed along with national data systems to track progress. Key points: Delivering nutrition services to all pregnant women is essential for maternal and child health outcomes but remains a challenge.Nutrition gaps in antenatal care (ANC) include lack of specificity in national guidelines and protocols, bottlenecks in micronutrient supplies, low ANC provider knowledge and skills, inadequate supervision to reinforce counseling, and not engaging families to encourage key practices.National protocols for ANC should be more specific for the four nutrition interventions (micronutrient supplements, weight gain monitoring, counseling on diets and counseling on breastfeeding) and assign accountability for coverage and quality.Country models are needed for improving provision and utilisation of nutrition interventions through ANC that are based on comprehensive policy frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of business laws in key markets has not kept pace with the exponential growth of foreign investment they have experienced. Countries such as Brazil, Russia and China either do not consider the issue of cross-border insolvency in their legislation or they explicitly provide for a 'territorialist' approach to cross-border insolvency proceedings, whereby each country grabs local assets for the benefit of local creditors, with little consideration of foreign proceedings. This has led to uncoordinated, expensive attempts at cross-border reorganisation. The UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency (1997) was adopted with the objective of modernising international insolvency regimes and enhancing cross-border cooperation. In its 19 years of existence, it has been adopted by 41 countries in a total of 43 jurisdictions but by none of the BRIC states or the 'Next-11' nations of Bangladesh and Pakistan. While it has entered into policy-level discussion in China, India and Russia, it would seem that there is still scepticism regarding the efficacy and suitability of the Model Law for adoption into their national systems. This paper seeks to establish whether the Model Law can adequately plug, what Steven Kargman calls, 'the glaring gap in the international insolvency architecture', looking particularly at the context of the South Asian states of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It will question whether its adoption will improve the ability of these jurisdictions to handle the challenges of cross-border insolvencies, especially in light of their existing legal landscape, their market policy objectives and the existing alternatives available to the Model Law. Copyright © 2016 INSOL International and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the data base available in four South Asian countries, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, for the examination of trends in real inequality and poverty. Taking the position that sample surveys of household income and consumption are the only really adequate bases on which size distributions of income for a less developed country can be constructed, the paper examines in Section I the reliability of the surveys available in the four countries. Section II evaluates available price data. Section III looks at directions for future development of data collection. The conclusion is reached that sample surveys regularly conducted in these countries do not provide a particularly good basis for this type of analysis. Needed alterations include permitting access to the primary data (or redesign of published tabulations to meet the needs of this type of analysis), use of per capita rather than total household income and consumption, better coverage of regions and occupations, and exploitation of the price data implicit in the survey data collected. Further, the surveys themselves need to be overhauled, especially with regard to timing of interviews. The paper concludes with a short discussion of alternatives to estimates of inequality that can be used to measure absolute deprivation, such as the QUAC stick for identifying nutritional insufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Chronic arsenicosis, a major public health concern in India and Bangladesh, is mainly caused by ingestion of arsenic (As) contaminated ground water. Although this problem has been studied extensively, the mechanism of toxicity remains unknown. This paper investigates the process of trivalent arsenicals binding to hemoglobin (Hb) in chronic arsenicosis patients and consequent modification in the structure-function activity of Hb. In this work peroxidase activity, thermal denaturation profile, oxygen releasing capacity and hydrodynamic diameter have been evaluated for the Hb collected from subjects suffering with chronic arsenicosis. Increased peroxidative activity suggests altered oxidative status of Hb in the diseased state. The thermal denaturation profile indicates the Hb molecule to be more susceptible to unfolding in the pathologic state. The enhanced oxygen releasing capacity and significant reduction in hydrodynamic diameter of Hb is also observed in the diseased condition, suggesting conformational alterations in the Hb molecule. Finally, trivalent arsenic is found to bind with freshly isolated Hb from arsenicosis patients, binding affinity constant being 0.256 μM−1. The binding is positively cooperative with a Hill coefficient of +2.961 and isosbestic points at specific wavelengths. Thus, our work explores the structure-function property of Hb in chronic arsenicosis subjects and reveals that the molecule is modified in such a way that comparatively weak binding with oxygen and strong binding with arsenic occur simultaneously. This association may play a crucial role in exerting the pathway for arsenic toxicity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please cite this paper as: Raven J, Utz B, Roberts D, van den Broek N. The 'Making it Happen' programme in India and Bangladesh. BJOG 2011;118 (Suppl. 2):100-103. A training package designed to train health care providers in the management of common obstetric and newborn complications using a competency based 'skills and drills' approach is used in Bangladesh and India as one of the interventions under the 'Making it Happen' programme. The programme was commenced in 2009 and aims to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity by improving health care providers' capacity to deliver Essential (Emergency) Obstetric and Newborn Care (EOC&NC) thus increasing the availability and quality of these services. Preliminary results indicate that the training package has improved knowledge and skills of trained health care providers and ensures more signal functions of EOC are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SummaryIntroduction1Definitions of ethnic groups and demographics of minority ethnic groups in the UK○ 1.1 Definitions of 'ethnic groups' and 'ethnicity'○ 1.2 Demographics and characteristics of minority ethnic groups in the UK– Countries of origin– Age/sex distribution and life expectancy– Geographical distribution and size of household– Religious beliefs– Education and employment patternsKey points2Overview of the health profile and dietary habits of minority ethnic groups in the UK○ 2.1 Available surveys○ 2.2 Overview of the health profiles among adults from minority ethnic groups– Overall health– Cardiovascular disease (CVD)– Coronary heart disease (CHD)– Stroke– Type 2 diabetes– Obesity○ 2.3 Possible causes of increased disease risk among minority ethnic groups○ 2.4 Smoking, drinking and physical activity habits○ 2.5 Dietary habits and nutritional status○ 2.6 Overview of the health profiles and dietary and health behaviour patterns of children from minority ethnic groups– Overall health– Diet and health behaviour patterns○ 2.7 Gaps in data availabilityKey points3Factors affecting food choice– Income and socio‐economic status– Food availability and access– Awareness of healthy eating– Religious beliefs– Food beliefs– Time and cooking skills– Generation and genderKey points4Traditional diets of minority ethnic groups○ 4.1 Overview of traditional diets of minority ethic groups– South Asians– African‐Caribbeans– Chinese○ 4.2 Dietary acculturation○ 4.3 Nutritional composition of ethnic‐style cuisineKey points5Nutritional interventions and health promotion among minority ethnic groups○ 5.1 Effective nutritional interventions○ 5.2 Health promotion interventions to prevent problems associated with fasting○ 5.3 Priorities for nutritional interventions and health promotion○ 5.4 Using behaviour change models○ 5.5 Current community initiatives○ 5.6 Catering for institutionalised individuals○ 5.7 Recommendations for future research, policy and practiceKey points6Conclusion• Acknowledgements• References Summary: According to the latest census, non‐white minority ethnic groups made up 7.9% of the UK's population in 2001. The largest of these groups were South Asians, Black African‐Caribbeans and Chinese. Studies have shown that some minority ethnic groups are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes compared with the mainstream population. These include higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes and obesity. The differences in health outcomes may reflect interactions between diet and other health behaviours, genetic predisposition and developmental programming, all of which vary across different groups. As is the case for the rest of the population, the dietary habits of minority ethnic groups are affected by a wide variety of factors, but acquiring a better understanding of these can help health professionals and educationalists to recognise the needs of these groups and help them to make healthier food choices. Unfortunately, to date, there have been few tailored, well‐designed and evaluated nutritional interventions in the UK targeting minority ethnic population groups. Further needs assessment and better evaluation of nutritional interventions have been recommended to enhance the understanding of the effectiveness of different approaches amongst minority ethnic groups. This briefing paper will provide an overview of the health profile, dietary habits and other health behaviours of the three largest non‐white minority ethnic groups in the UK, explore the factors affecting their food choices, provide a summary of their traditional diets and review the evidence base to identify the factors that support successful nutrition interventions in these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, Bangladesh has a flood forecasting lead time of only 3 days or so. There is demand for a forecasting lead time of a month to a season. The primary objectives of this paper are to study the variability and predictability of seasonal flooding in Bangladesh, as revealed by large-scale predictors of the climate across the watersheds. To explore the source of predictability, accessible Bangladesh hydrological indicators are related to large-scale oceanic variability and to large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns predicted by general circulation models (GCMs). Correlation analyses between the flood-affected area (FAA) for July-September and tropical sea-surface temperature (SST) indicate connections to tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean SSTs, at a short lead time of a month or so. These are related to El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO). Correlations between the SSTs of the preceding October-December and the July-September FAA are weaker but notable. Forecasts of the FAA using the leading principal components (PCs) of SST were made, which provided good skill with a lead time of a month or so. The streamflows and rainfall observed in Bangladesh have been added to these prediction models. Finally, the SST PCs were replaced with PCs of GCM prediction fields (precipitation). The prediction models at short lead time that were constructed for FAA were of generally similar levels of skill to that for SST. This is encouraging, as it suggests that linkages with SST can be successfully recovered in a physical model of the climate system in Bangladesh. This study concludes that seasonal flood prediction in Bangladesh is possible from the unusually warm or cold SST in parts of the tropics. This predictability can be enhanced with the information achievable from monitoring the downstream streamflows (which are generated mainly from upstream rainfall conditions) in advance of the flooding season. Finally, this study recommends formalizing a regional cooperation among the countries in the principal co-basin areas of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the new cooperative water development agreements in South Asia since 1996 and, in particular, the 1996 Ganges Waters Treaty between India and Bangladesh, this paper explores the geopolitical obstacles to cooperation between states in the joint development of large-scale river systems and current opportunities for successful development. The general problems of cooperation faced by the riparian states which share successive rivers are examined with reference to the geopolitical obstacles to cooperation in the Bengal delta since the Partition of the Indian subcontinent through which India and Pakistan gained Independence as separate states in 1947. Against the background of repeated attempts to resolve water-sharing issues between India and East Pakistan and its successor state, Bangladesh, this paper concludes that for cooperation to succeed contemporary large-scale river development has to meet a wide range of criteria which go beyond conventional engineering or economic cost-benefit analyses to include geopolitical criteria. These range from global-scale environmental concerns to micro-scale issues of mutual regional benefit. This paper proposes a major new development on the Brahmaputra and Ganges which the authors argue could break the log-jam of a zero-sum game approach to surface water development in the Bengal delta. Unlike most large-scale dam-building proposals, the barrage construction outlined would cause negligible population displacement, and making maximum use of existing river channels would minimize the environmental impacts associated with the large canal or dam construction envisaged in earlier Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) schemes. Yet the paper also recognizes that while such a proposal could bring economic, environmental and political advantages to all users in the GBM basin, new thinking on the management of international rivers is less in favour of supply-side solutions, and the case would need to be... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The New Zealand (NZ) Ministry of Health ethnicity data protocols recommend that people of South Asian (SAsian) ethnicity, other than Indian, are combined with people of Japanese and Korean ethnicity at the most commonly used level of aggregation in health research (level two). This may not work well for perinatal studies, as it has long been observed that women of Indian ethnicity have higher rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as perinatal death. It is possible that women of other SAsian ethnicities share this risk. Aims: This study was performed to identify appropriate groupings of women of SAsian ethnicity for perinatal research. Materials and Methods: National maternity and neonatal data, and singleton birth records between 2008 and 2017 were linked using the Statistics NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure. Socio‐demographic risk profiles and pregnancy outcomes were compared between 15 ethnic groups. Recommendations were made based on statistical analyses and cultural evaluation with members of the SAsian research community. Results: Similarities were observed between women of Indian, Fijian Indian, South African Indian, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnicities. A lower‐risk profile was seen among Japanese and Korean mothers. Risk profiles of women of combined Indian‐Māori, Indian‐Pacific and Indian‐New Zealand European ethnicity more closely represented their corresponding non‐Indian ethnicities. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we suggest a review of current NZ Ministry of Health ethnicity data protocols. We recommend that researchers understand the risk profiles of participants prior to aggregation of groups in research, to mitigate risks associated with masking differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global recognition that the complex and multicausal problems of malnutrition require all players to collaborate and to invest towards the same objective has led to increased private sector engagement as exemplified through the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network and mechanisms for blended financing and matched funding, such as the Global Nutrition for Growth Compact. The careful steps made over the past 5 to 10 years have however not taken away or reduced the hesitation and scepticism of the public sector actors towards commercial or even social businesses. Evidence of impact or even a positive contribution of a private sector approach to intermediate nutrition outcomes is still lacking. This commentary aims to discuss the multiple ways in which private sector can leverage its expertise to improve nutrition in general, and complementary feeding in particular. It draws on specific lessons learned in Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, India, Indonesia, and Madagascar on how private sector expertise has contributed, within the boundaries of a regulatory framework, to improve availability, accessibility, affordability, and adequate use of nutritious foods. It concludes that a solid evidence base regarding the contribution of private sector to complementary feeding is still lacking and that the development of a systematic learning agenda is essential to make progress in the area of private sector engagement in nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of World Water Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas) is an archaic group of marine species which plays a vital role in the saline ecosystem. We attempted to develop a baseline database about the ecology, phylogeography, and genetic variation among the horseshoe crab population from Odisha, India. We collected 152 samples of horseshoe crab from the coastal area of the Bay of Bengal. The generated cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) sequences of T. gigas were compared with the GenBank sequences of five populations from Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, South China, and Malaysia. A total of 33 unique haplotypes were observed in six populations of T. gigas. Pairwise F‐statistic distance (FST) between South China‐India, Malaysia‐India, Singapore‐India, Thailand‐India, and Bangladesh‐India were 0.021, 0.020, 0.017, 0.015, and 0.008, respectively. It indicated that the Indian and Bangladesh populations were genetically close and distinct from the other four populations. Furthermore, the migrant per generation (Nm) was 0.16, which indicated a low gene flow among T. gigas populations. The haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) were 0.7482 and 0.00313, respectively. It signifies the ecological importance of the Indian population that would help in formulating the future strategy for the conservation of horseshoe crab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the overall well‐being of consumers is disastrous. However, there is limited understanding of how the COVID‐19 situation affects consumer well‐being and how subsistence consumers mitigate well‐being concerns and unique stresses. Following an exploratory, qualitative approach, 39 in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with subsistence consumers were conducted in India and Bangladesh. Findings from the thematic analysis reveal that subsistence consumers experienced unique stresses and hardships during COVID‐19, which are unforeseen transitory financial stress, psychosocial stress, and marketplace and consumption‐related stresses. Drawing on the appraisal theory of stress, our analysis of the data identifies the co‐existence of two emotion‐focused coping strategies—religiosity and social support—that interplay to overcome their well‐being concerns in the emerging countries of India and Bangladesh. Therefore, it may be of particular interest to managers and policymakers who seek to address the severe consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic on socio‐economically subsistence consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modification of river flows by dams and barrages has fragmented riverine habitats and threatened the survival of Indian subcontinental river dolphins.In this study, habitat use by endangered Ganges river dolphins in response to dry‐season operations (December‐March) of the Farakka barrage on the Ganga River, located about 20 km upstream of the India–Bangladesh border, was assessed.Ten surveys were conducted in: (i) the Ganga River below the barrage, where rapid changes in water levels were expected owing to barrage operations; (ii) the Farakka feeder canal with stable water levels; and (iii) the Hooghly River downstream of the canal. Dolphin distribution, water depth, fishing boat count and temperature were recorded in all surveys and the data were analysed in a dynamic occupancy modelling framework. Temporal trends in river discharge, primary productivity and fish availability were also estimated to explain river dolphin responses.Occupancy and colonization by dolphins increased in all stretches by spring/March, correlated with rising water temperature and increased fishing intensity, which was related to upstream migration of hilsa fish. In the Ganga River, dolphin occupancy in deep river pools remained stable, but resulted in increased overlap with fisheries as river flow declined. The feeder canal, with stable flows, witnessed increased colonization by dolphins, but also greater risk of bycatch in fishing nets. The canal that appeared as a hydrological refuge thus became an 'ecological trap'.The findings highlight the need for integration of flow maintenance and fishery regulations in the monitoring and management of canals as effective refuges for riverine species. We advocate the inclusion of ecological flow criteria and fishery regulations to reduce dolphin bycatch mortality, in the context of establishing river dolphin conservation plans and transboundary water‐sharing guidelines. The revision of the India–Bangladesh water‐sharing treaty in 2026 could incorporate the above considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic and gender differences in perceptions of graduate job acquisition difficulty among U.K. post-higher education job seekers were investigated. Two main hypotheses were compared: the double jeopardy hypothesis (DJH), suggesting an additive or interactive increase in perceived difficulty associated with membership of different disadvantaged demographic categories; and the ethnic prominence hypothesis, arguing for the salience of ethnicity over gender in perceptions. Graduates and final year students ( N= 800) from Black, Indian, Pakistani/Bangladeshi, and White ethnic backgrounds rated the level of difficulty that a suitably qualified man and woman from their own ethnic background would encounter in attaining 10 graduate jobs. Interactions between participant ethnic background and gender of job seeker rated were examined in the context of the competing hypotheses. The perceptions of men, and Indian and Pakistani/Bangladeshi women, were consistent with the additive DJH, whereas Black women's perceptions were not. It is concluded that: (1) the perceptions of the latter group may reflect knowledge of Black male disadvantage, or negative stereotyping with respect to employment in the U.K. graduate labour market; and (2) perceptions of double jeopardy by some female graduates may have negative effects on their job seeking endeavours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving infant and young child feeding practices will help South Asian countries achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality. This paper aims to compare key indicators of complementary feeding and their determinants in children aged 6-23 months across five South Asian countries - Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The latest Demographic and Health Survey and National Family Health Survey India data were used. The analyses were confined to last-born children aged 6-23 months - 1728 in Bangladesh, 15 028 in India, 1428 in Nepal, 2106 in Sri Lanka and 443 infants aged 6-8 months in Pakistan. Introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet, and their significant determinants were compared across the countries. Minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6-23 months ranged from 15% in India to 71% in Sri Lanka, with Nepal (34%) and Bangladesh (42%) in between. Minimum acceptable diet among breastfed children was 9% in India, 32% in Nepal, 40% in Bangladesh and 68% in Sri Lanka. The most consistent determinants of inappropriate complementary feeding practices across all countries were the lack of maternal education and lower household wealth. Limited exposure to media, inadequate antenatal care and lack of post-natal contacts by health workers were among predictors of inappropriate feeding. Overall, complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months need improvement in all South Asian countries. More intensive interventions are necessary targeting the groups with sup-optimal practices, while programmes that cover entire populations are being continued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Non-government organisations (NGOs) have become a critical constituent of the larger civil society, and their activities have been institutionalised into the development process. Under the title 'NGO', they are only a few decades old in the region, but they had an earlier life as 'voluntary' organisations. In the context of the Indian sub-continent, NGOs evolved from institutions of charity and welfare, mainly within the prerogative of kings and philanthropists, to become stakeholders in the development process and the self-appointed well-wishers of poor and marginalised communities. In their journey, they were sometimes partners and collaborators with the state, sometimes advocates and sometimes adversaries. The state-NGO relationship evolved through various political regimes and was marked by tensions-at times overt and at times hidden. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) is one of the dominant sources of air pollution worldwide. During winter, the variations in planetary boundary layer (PBL) height, driven by a strong radiative thermal inversion, affect the regional air pollution dispersion. To date, measurements of aerosol‐water vapor interactions, especially cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity, are limited in the Indian subcontinent, causing large uncertainties in radiative forcing estimates of aerosol‐cloud interactions. We present the results of a one‐month field campaign (February‐March 2018) in the megacity, Delhi, a significant polluter in the IGP. We measured the composition of fine particulate matter (PM1) and size‐resolved CCN properties over a wide range of water vapor supersaturations. The analysis includes PBL modeling, backward trajectories, receptor models and fire spots to elucidate the influence of PBL and air mass origins on aerosols. The aerosol properties depended strongly on PBL height and a simple power‐law fit could parameterize the observed correlations of PM1 mass, aerosol particle number and CCN number with PBL height, indicating PBL induced changes in aerosol accumulation. The low inorganic mass fractions, low aerosol hygroscopicity and high externally mixed weakly CCN‐active particles under low PBL height (< $< $100 m) indicated the influence of PBL on aerosol aging processes. In contrast, aerosol properties did not depend strongly on air mass origins or wind direction, implying that the observed aerosol and CCN are from local emissions. An error function could parameterize the relationship between CCN number and supersaturation throughout the campaign. Key Points: Planetary boundary layer height (HBL) is the major driving force of aerosol accumulation and aging processes in Delhi during late winterLower aerosol hygroscopicity and greater external mixing under low HBLIncreased CCN number concentration under low HBL due to higher aerosol concentration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization recommends salt reduction as a cost-effective intervention to prevent noncommunicable diseases. Salt-reduction interventions are best tailored to the local context, taking into consideration the varying baseline salt-intake levels, population's knowledge, attitude, and behaviors. Fundamental to reduction programs is the source of dietary salt-intake. In South Asian countries, there is a paucity of such baseline evidence around factors that contribute to community salt intake. Upon reviewing the electronic literature databases and government websites through March 31, 2021, we summarized dietary salt intake levels and aimed to identify major sources of sodium in the diet. Information on the current salt reduction strategies in eight South Asian countries were summarized, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. One hundred twelve publications (out of identified 640) met our inclusion-exclusion criteria for full text review. Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute assessment tool. The primary result revealed that mean salt intake of South Asian countries was approximately twice (10 g/day) compared to WHO recommended intake (< 5 g/day). The significant proportion of salt intake is derived from salt additions during cooking and/or discretionary use at table. In most South Asian countries, there is limited data on population sodium intake based on 24-h urinary methods and sources of dietary salt in diet. While salt reduction initiatives have been proposed in these countries, they are yet to be fully implemented and evaluated. Proven salt reduction strategies in high-income countries could possibly be replicated in South Asian countries; however, further community-health promotion studies are necessary to test the effectiveness and scalability of those strategies in the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent trends in the productivity of South Asia's irrigated cropping systems are reviewed with emphasis on the large, densely populated Indo-Gangetic plains of Pakistan and India and parts of Bangladesh, where wheat is an important crop. Technical and institutional problems emerging in these areas may seriously impinge on the ability to maintain the gains in food-grain productivity and sustain the resource base in the next two decades. Future productivity increases in South Asian cropping systems depend on a new strategy that implies profound changes in agricultural research priorities and in the institutions that foster technical change in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Politics & Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

DNA barcode data of the South Asian bagrid catfish genus Sperata indicate the presence of at least five species in the Indian subcontinent. Those results, which are supported by morphological data, show a marked increase in species diversity from the recent taxonomic and fishery literature, although each of the five species had been previously named. Two species are restricted to rivers of peninsular India south of the Godavari: Sperata aorides from the Cauvery river basin and S. seenghala from the Krishna river basin. Most literature records of S. seenghala from the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna river basins likely refer to S. lamarrii, a species which appears to also be present in the Indus river basin. Some genetic data reported as S. seenghala from the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna river basins refer to S. aorella. S. aor is widespread in the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Surma river basins in India and Bangladesh, extending southwards to the Godavari river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the link between effort and pay is important for workers. Yet, in many parts of the world, women lack critical financial literacy skills and have employers who do not clearly communicate compensation schemes. Using randomized controlled trials, we first examined the effects of a training program to improve financial literacy among female workers in apparel factories in India and Bangladesh (baseline N = 1,085). Training increased workers' financial planning through the use of a budget and utilization of banking systems, both of which contributed to increased savings. We next examined the effects of a management intervention in factories in Myanmar (baseline N = 429) and found improvements among the predominantly female workers in perceived pay clarity. Pay clarity, in turn, was associated with lower verbal abuse in study factories. Results indicate that both financial literacy and pay clarity are important in shaping female workers' experiences and vulnerability to financial exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations of a thunderstorm event that occurred in the pre‐monsoon season over the North‐Eastern region of India (NEI) and Bangladesh are performed using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW, version 3.8.1). Doppler weather radar indicates severe convective activity lasted for more than 10 hr. These extremely deep convective clouds with minimum cloud‐top temperature −70 °C at 19 km were triggered by the mixing of a moist air mass transported from the Bay of Bengal in the south and dry air transported from the northwest. A cyclonic circulation observed over the Tibetan plateau is likely to be associated with the strong southerly low‐level wind over NEI, as the plateau acts as a source of heat‐lows during the pre‐monsoon season. The coexistence of ice particles and supercooled water in the storms resulted in a large number of lightning flashes during the storm as observed from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Lightning Imaging Sensor (TRMM‐LIS). Co‐location of supercooled cloud water droplets helps in forming graupel through riming that plays a vital role in these convective systems. Lightning flashes calculated from WRF simulation using the Morrison microphysical and cloud top height based dynamical lightning parametrization scheme was found comparable with the observed flashes from TRMM‐LIS. Since the WRF model could simulate the thunderstorm, we recommend using this state‐of‐the‐art regional model in thunderstorm and lightning predictions for northeast India which would be useful in preparedness for such extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of workers' remittances on domestic investment in four selected South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, using contemporary time series estimation techniques from 1980 to 2017. The estimated results of the ARDL bounds approach to cointegration analysis have revealed that among selected South Asian countries, Pakistan has witnessed a significant negative effect in the long run. Similarly, the findings of other forms of capital flows also revealed varying effects across the countries considered. This study urges the transformation of aggregate economic behaviour from consumption to the production side, by adopting policies that would encourage domestic saving and investment activities. In this regard, among others, reduction in the interest rate and the interest rate spread would be beneficial. It urges the identification of factors that conditions varying effect of workers' remittances and other capital inflows to mitigate negative effects into positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is still limited knowledge regarding the translation of early child development (ECD) knowledge into effective policies and large-scale programmes. A variety of frameworks that outline the key steps in scaling up exist, but we argue that taking a complex adaptive systems (CAS) approach assists in understanding the complex, dynamic processes that result in programmes being taken to scale. Objectives The objective of this study is to examine the process of scaling up four major country-level ECD programmes through the application of a CAS framework. Methods Nine key informants with a deep knowledge of how each ECD programme was established and brought to scale were interviewed via Skype or phone by using open-ended interviews. The interviews were tape recorded and then transcribed verbatim for subsequent coding by using CAS domains. The coding and integration of the results to identify unique and common CAS scaling up features across the case studies involved an iterative process of reaching consensus. Results The scaling up of all four programmes behaved as a CAS including as follows: (i) positive feedback loops (five themes) and negative feedback loops (two themes); (ii) scale-free networks (two themes); (iii) phase transitions (four themes); (iv) path dependence (two themes); and (v) emergent behaviour (six themes). Five additional themes were identified for sustainability, which was repeatedly mentioned as an important consideration when deciding how to scale up programmes. Conclusions CAS analysis is likely to improve our understanding of how effective ECD programmes become scaled up. Prospective CAS implementation research is needed to continue advancing the knowledge in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lipid composition of breast milk may have a significant impact on early infant growth and cognitive development. Comprehensive breast milk data is lacking from low-income populations in the Indian subcontinent impeding assessment of deficiencies and limiting development of maternal nutritional interventions. A single breast milk specimen was collected within 6 weeks postpartum from two low-income maternal cohorts of exclusively breastfed infants, from Dhaka, Bangladesh ( n = 683) and Kolkata, India ( n = 372) and assayed for percentage composition of 26 fatty acids. Mature milk (>15 days) in Dhaka ( n = 99) compared to Kolkata ( n = 372) was higher in total saturated fatty acid (SFA; mean 48% vs. 44%) and disproportionately lower in ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), hence the ω6- and ω3-PUFA ratio in Dhaka were almost double the value in Kolkata. In both sites, after adjusting for days of lactation, increased maternal education was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA, and increasing birth order or total pregnancies was associated with decreasing ω6-PUFA or ω3-PUFA by a factor of 0.95 for each birth and pregnancy. In Dhaka, household prosperity was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA and increased ω6- and ω3-PUFA. Maternal height was associated with increased SFA and PUFA in Kolkata (1% increase per 1 cm), but body mass index showed no independent association with either ratio in either cohort. In summary, the socioeconomic factors of maternal education and household prosperity were associated with breast milk composition, although prosperity may only be important in higher cost of living communities. Associated maternal biological factors were height and infant birth order, but not adiposity. Further study is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the influence of the type of institutional setting on the risk of cesarean birth is well documented, less is known about the regional variations in institution-specific cesarean rates within countries. Our purpose was to examine regional variations in cesarean rates across public and private facilities in five Asian countries with a sizeable private sector: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Methods Demographic Health Survey data and a hierarchical model were used to assess regional variations in the mode of delivery while controlling for a wide range of socioeconomic, demographic, and maternal risk factors. Results The risk of cesarean birth was greater in a private facility than in a government hospital by 36-48 percent in India and Indonesia and by 130 percent in Bangladesh. Regional gradients in cesarean birth were found to be steeper for deliveries in private facilities than in government hospitals in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The residents of India's high-use states were 55 percent more likely to undergo a cesarean delivery in a government hospital and 83 percent more likely in a private facility than their counterparts in the medium-use states. Similarly, compared to the residents of the Philippines's medium-use provinces, giving birth in a government facility increased the likelihood of a cesarean delivery by 84 percent and by 173 percent in a private facility. Conclusions Large regional variations in cesarean rates suggest the need for more informed clinical decision making with respect to the selection of cases for cesarean delivery and the establishment of well-developed guidelines and standards at the provincial or state levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is often defined as the time from birth to the first non‐breast milk food/liquid fed (EBFLONG), or it is estimated by calculating the proportion of women at a given infant age who EBF in the previous 24 h (EBFDHS). Others have measured the total days or personal prevalence of EBF (EBFPREV), recognizing that although non‐EBF days may occur, EBF can be re‐initiated for extended periods. We compared breastfeeding metrics in the MAL‐ED study; infants' breastfeeding trajectories were characterized from enrollment (median 7 days, IQR: 4, 12) to 180 days at eight sites. During twice‐weekly surveillance, caretakers were queried about infant feeding the prior day. Overall, 101 833 visits and 356 764 child days of data were collected from 1957 infants. Median duration of EBFLONG was 33 days (95% CI: 32–36), compared to 49 days based on the EBFDHS. Median EBFPREV was 66 days (95% CI: 62–70). Differences were because of the return to EBF after a non‐EBF period. The median number of returns to EBF was 2 (IQR: 1, 3). When mothers re‐initiated EBF (second episode), infants gained an additional 18.8 days (SD: 25.1) of EBF, and gained 13.7 days (SD: 18.1) (third episode). In settings where women report short gaps in EBF, programmes should work with women to return to EBF. Interventions could positively influence the duration of these additional periods of EBF and their quantification should be considered in impact evaluation studies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background School leavers with intellectual disabilities (ID) often face difficulties in making a smooth transition from school to college, employment or more broadly to adult life. The transition phase is traumatic for the young person with ID and their families as it often results in the loss of friendships, relationships and social networks. Method The aim of this study was to explore the family carers' views and experiences on transition from school to college or to adult life with special reference to ethnicity. Forty-three families (consisting of 16 White British, 24 Pakistani, 2 Bangladeshi and one Black African) were interviewed twice using a semi-structured interview schedule. The carers were interviewed twice, Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2), T2 being a year later to observe any changes during transition. Results The findings indicate that although transition planning occurred it was relatively later in the young person's school life. Parents were often confused about the process and had limited information about future options for their son or daughter. All family carers regardless of ethnicity, reported lack of information about services and expressed a sense of being excluded. South Asian families experienced more problems related to language, information about services, culture and religion. Conclusions The majority of families lacked knowledge and awareness of formal services and the transition process. Socio-economic status, high levels of unemployment and caring for a child with a disability accounted for similar family experiences, regardless of ethnic background. The three key areas relevant for ethnicity are interdependence, religion and assumptions by service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The article examines the independent effect of religious minority status on fertility at two levels i.e. cross-country level of India and Bangladesh and intra-country level (district) of India. Demographic and health survey data from India (2005-2006) and Bangladesh (2006-2007) are used for the cross-country comparison and the census of India (2001) for the intra-country comparison. Minority status is operationalised first as an interaction between country and religion, and second through a religion-based concentration index. This article finds empirical support for the independent effect of religious minority status on fertility at the cross-country (India and Bangladesh) and intra-country (districts of India) level. This article contends that high fertility among religious minorities is a result of vulnerability due to socio-economic disadvantageous position of minorities in India and Bangladesh. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) in modeling of environmental and natural resources systems has gradually grown, and they have become one of the mainstream approaches in the field. They are typically used in modeling complex systems in which policy or management decisions must be made under high uncertainties. This article documents an approach to constructing large and highly complex BBNs using a matrix representation of the model structure. This approach allows smooth construction of highly complicated models with intricate likelihood structures. A case study of the Ganges river basin, the most populated river basin of the planet, is presented. Four different development scenarios were investigated with the purpose of reaching the Millennium Development Goals and Integrated Water Resources Management goals, both promoted by the United Nations Agencies. The model results warned against the promotion of economic development policies that do not place strong emphasis on social and environmental concerns. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 491-502. © SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY It is often assumed that non-government education providers prefer to operate without 'interference' from government. However, in practice, they inevitably need to form relationships. There is also a common view that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have to choose between service delivery and advocacy. As this article shows, these objectives are often not independent of each other. Drawing on evidence from established national non-government education providers in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the article identifies different strategies adopted in balancing their service delivery and advocacy objectives. In all cases, the NGOs find ways to ensure a cooperative rather than conflictual relationship with government to pursue their goals. Strategies vary according to the strength of the national policy context, the formality of the relationship and the degree of dependence on funding sources, with the latter being most influential. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This article introduces a special issue on relations between governments and non-government organisations (NGOs) that collaborate in improving public service provision in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. NGOs are the focus because, although they are far from being the main non-state service provider, they are the sector most likely to enter into collaboration with governments. However, such collaboration is often thought to lead to the loss of NGO autonomy and capacity for independent public action. This article analyses the factors that have led to the growth of NGO service provision and to the call for their partnership with the government. It then describes the theoretical approach and the research framework on which the special issue is based. The approach considers the institutional and organisational constraints to which NGOs subject themselves by entering into relations with governments and also their capacity for 'strategic choice' in the exercise of influence. Lastly, the article summarises the contributions to this special issue and relates them to the wider literature. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This article analyses collaboration between governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in three services: basic education, healthcare and sanitation. It questions the premise that NGOs that collaborate lose their autonomy and capacity for policy influence. It finds that, even where NGOs operate in constraining institutional environments and enter agreements with government, they are able to exercise strategic choices in response. Most of the studied NGOs depended on government for less than half their funding; they all had alternative sources and so could make strategic choices to some degree. Non-government service providers are not passive in face of structural constraints. Although their strategies are not usually explicit, they balance the need for financial survival, the defence of their organisational identities and commitment to their goals-including influencing government. At least for these NGOs, there is no contradiction between advocacy and service delivery. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article investigates how expansive new security projects have gained both legitimacy and immediacy as part of the ‘global war on terror’ by analysing the process that led to the fencing and securitising of the border between India and Bangladesh. The framing of the ‘enemy other’ in the global war on terror relies on two crucial shifts from previous geopolitical boundary narratives. First, the enemy other is described as not only being violent but also as outside the boundaries of modernity. Second, the enemy other is represented as posing a global and interconnected threat that is no longer limited by geography. These two shifts are used to justify the new preventative responses of pre-emptive military action abroad and the securitisation of the borders of the state. This article argues that in India the good and evil framing of the global war on terror was mapped onto longstanding communal distinctions between Hindus and Muslims. In the process, Pakistan, Bangladesh and increasingly Muslims generally are described as violent, irrational and a threat to the security of the Indian state. These changes led to a profound shift in the borderlands of the Indian state of West Bengal, where fencing and securitising the border with Bangladesh was previously resisted, but now is deemed essential. The article concludes that the framing of the war on terror as a global and interconnected problem has allowed sovereign states to consolidate power and move substantially closer to the territorial ideal of a closed and bounded container of an orderly population by attempting to lock down political borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the cost efficiency performance of 111 commercial banks in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka over 1997–2004. The primary focus is to assess whether bank size, state ownership and stock exchange listing have significant effects on South Asian banks' efficiency performance. To this end, a translog-form composite-error cost efficiency model, which allows for exogenous environmental influences, is estimated. The results indicate that the overall efficiency of South Asian banks declined over 1997–2004. Larger banks and banks with widespread ownership through stock exchange listings were found to be relatively more cost efficient. In contrast, state-owned banks were less efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The India Local Initiatives Program adapted a model used in Indonesia and Bangladesh to implement the government's reproductive and child health strategy. From 1999 to 2003, three Indian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) provided services for 784,000 people in four northern states. The program established health committees in 620 villages, recruited and trained 1,850 community health volunteers, and added 232 sites to extend government services. Using three strategies--demand creation, increased access to services, and local capacity building--the NGOs increased contraceptive-use rates by 78 percent, on average; child immunizations by 67 percent; and antenatal care by 78 percent among the populations served. Community resources--such as local health personnel, community-supplied clinic sites, and community drug funds--added 40 cents to every dollar provided by donors. This model proved to be a suitable platform upon which to build health-care service delivery and create behavioral change, and the NGOs quickly found ways to sustain and expand services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large and vibrant informal trade between India, and Bangladesh continues to thrive despite unilateral/regional/multilateral trade liberalisation in these two countries. This calls for an in-depth analysis of India's informal trade with Bangladesh. Using insights from the New Institutional Economics informal and formal institutions engaged in cross-border trade are contrasted to examine whether informal trading arrangements provide better institutional solutions. The analysis, carried out on the basis of an extensive survey conducted in India and Bangladesh reveals that informal traders in India and Bangladesh have developed efficient mechanisms for contract enforcement, information flows, risk sharing and risk mitigation. Further, informal traders prefer to trade through the informal channel because the transaction costs of trading in the informal channel are significantly lower than the formal channel implying that informal trade takes place due to the inefficient institutional set up in the formal channel. The principal policy implication from the study is that unless the transacting environment of formal traders improves, informal trade will continue to coexist with formal trade, even if free trade is established in the SAARC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at several public service project entries for the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management International Innovations Awards Programme. Services offered by Centrelink, which integrates customer access to government services in Australia; Details of the Village Pay Phone telecommunications services project in Bangladesh; Scope of the Education Guarantee Scheme in Madhya Pradesh, India.

The issues arising from implementing an early intervention service, developed in the rural United States in the late 1960s in a range of different cultural contexts over a period of a quarter of a century, are explained. Services from India, Bangladesh, Jamaica and the United Kingdom are compared. As well as considering cross-cultural aspects of Portage, variability within one country, the United Kingdom, is considered by comparing one service in an inner-city area and one in a rural area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on perspectives related to fertility and agrarian change in India and Bangladesh. The divergent experiences of Char Gopalpur in Bangladesh and the villages in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, India, with respect to patterns of economic mobility and change in the distribution of land can in large part be understood by considering their respective environments of risk and sources of risk insurance. Land reform has contributed to the favorable experience of the Indian villages, but the crucial difference in degree of downward mobility among the relatively poor is due to contrasting environments of risk and insurance. The evolution of adjustment mechanisms in the Indian setting, primarily institutional credit and public relief employment, has cushioned the effects of recent natural disasters and averted distress sales of land. In Char Gopalpur, where the environment of risk is harsher and comparable mechanisms have not evolved adjustment to risk is achieved through the land market and the adjustment is such as to result in an exacerbation of inequality. The process of economic stratification in these two settings is linked to fertility and reproductive behavior through the derivative importance of children as a form of risk insurance. In the Indian villages, children are largely redundant as sources of risk insurance, while in the Bangladesh setting, few alternatives to the security that children provide exist.

This study investigates local expert perceptions of the role of environmental factors, especially in terms of contemporary climate change, in population movements from Bangladesh to India. The aim is to delve into locally held understandings of the phenomenon and to gain a better understanding of these migration processes, which are actively intertwined with local experiences. Both Indian and Bangladeshi experts were interviewed using semi-structured, in-depth interviews in order to explore insights from locally held perceptions and understandings of contextual factors. In total, 10 Bangladeshi and 15 Indian experts were interviewed, covering different disciplines, sectors, regions and job types, together providing a more complete and grounded picture of views of environmentally induced migration in Bangladesh and India. The results show that climate change is perceived by local experts as one of the key factors influencing migration in Bangladesh, both internally and externally. The interviewees, however, placed environmentally induced migration in a broader context of labour and economic migration. In particular, migration for environmental reasons in Bangladesh was evident long before the emergence of climate change as an issue. According to the interviewed experts, this does not preclude increased environmentally induced migration within and from Bangladesh in the future, but its analyses ought to be placed in historical and economical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The Indian subcontinent is one of the most populous regions in the world. Given the projected rapid population growth and ageing of the population, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is likely to emerge as a major public health threat in the near future. However, existing literature on AMD in the region is scarce., Methods: This paper reviews the epidemiology and risk factors of AMD in the Indian subcontinent., Results: Data on AMD in India show prevalences ranging from 1.8% to 4.7%. Blindness prevalence studies in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal have also reported rates of 2.1% to 8.7% for all blindness attributable to AMD. Age-related macular degeneration is therefore a significant cause of visual morbidity in these countries. To date, no reliable epidemiological data on AMD or blindness have been published for Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives or Bhutan., Conclusions: The prevalence of AMD in the region is likely to follow a trend similar to that seen in the developed world in the coming years. Eye care policies should therefore make provisions for this chronic age-related eye disease. In addition, there is an urgent need for more data on the epidemiology of AMD in the Indian subcontinent.