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The primary purpose of this paper is to review and evaluate the causes of educational poverty in less developed countries. The basic intent in carrying out such a study is to define and derive the role of governing agencies in deliberately creating educational poverty in the country, so that the private interest of the rich and powerful ruling class can be fully safeguarded. This study is of crucial interest to the common man because majority of the people living in less developed countries are poor in spite of the fact, that almost all these countries own ample human and material resources. However, the common man in these countries is continuously suffering, generation after generation, and has been denied access to basic amenities of life. The rich and powerful ruling class, in majority of the less developed countries, has intentionally denied basic education facilities to its people for keeping them ignorant and unaware of their fundamental rights to share national resources and to gain competence for comfortable living in the society. The paper advocates a complete reversal in economic growth policies of the less developed countries so that top priority is given to those projects and programs that directly benefit the common man in the society. In this respect, the author calls for awareness among the people to exercise their economic and social rights so that people of all the strata can share equally the fruits of growth and prosperity.

In a recent keynote speech Paul Standish noted "there is agreement in judgments. But how the response to those judgments is realised is always cultural" (paper presented to PESA Conference, Taiwan, 2012, p. 2). Making judgments about what constitutes "crisis" for children is not necessarily agreed universally, though clearly there are some commonalities across many countries, as evident in United Nations on the Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) agreements. This article examines the local rhetoric and reality of "crisis" for children in countries across the world. What constitutes a crisis for children, and how this plays out in the contexts of nine countries is explored by the authors based on the insights of each countries' (OMEP) (www.omep.org.gu.se) Chapter representatives. Policies will be juxtaposed with provision based on the experiences of OMEP members reporting from their various contexts. Taken together they provide a contextualised perspective on "crisis" and its relationship to a non-absolutist foundation to children's rights. The article concludes that what constitutes crisis from a global perspective warrants consideration in the context of local reality--in this locale the concept of every child as having access to "rights" is far from realisation.

Background: Statistics are critical in holding governments accountable for the well-being of citizens with disability. International initiatives are underway to improve the quality of disability statistics, but meaningful ID data is exceptionally rare. Method: The status of ID data was evaluated in a review of 12 national statistical systems. Recurring data collection by national ministries was identified and the availability of measures of poverty, exclusion, and disadvantage was assessed. Results: A total of 131 recurring systems coordinated by 50 different ministries were identified. The majority included general disability but less than 25% of the systems screened ID. Of these, few provided policy-relevant data. Conclusions: The scope of ID data was dismal at best, though a significant statistical infrastructure exists for the integration of ID data. Advocacy will be necessary. There is no optimal form of data monitoring, and decisions regarding priorities in purpose, targeted audiences, and the goals for surveillance must be resolved. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables, and 1 note.)

This paper discusses the transition from a national focus on food security during the last half of the 20th century to an emerging strategy on helping small-scale farm households increase farm income to reduce rural poverty. The basic proposition is that if extension is going to help increase farm incomes and rural employment, then it must shift from being a "supply-driven" to a more "market-driven" extension system. This shift requires at least three major institutional changes. First, extension must give higher priority to high-value, labor-intensive crops/products where there is real demand in domestic and/or export markets. Second, small-scale producers must get organized into groups to achieve economies of scale and to become linked with the "value chains" that supply these markets. Third, extension planning and decision-making must become decentralized to determine the most suitable crops and/or enterprises vis-a-vis the interests and resources of different farmer groups, in light of agro-ecological conditions and available markets for different products.

This paper is an attempt to assess India's performance in generating the required quantity and quality of employment for its growing population since independence in 1947. But the exercise is set in a longer period that covers India's population growth since the turn of the twentieth century (1901) in relation to its ability to generate employment. The half-a-century preceding independence, despite a slow population growth, was a disaster in generating employment and any signs of structural change. Detailed analysis of the issue since independence shows that there was indeed a demographic burden more than the world average as well as its comparator Asian countries such as China and Indonesia. While employment generation with reference to growth—employment elasticity—was quite impressive during the first four decades of independence, it almost collapsed ever since the adoption of neoliberal economic reforms in 1991, thus entering a phase of 'jobless growth', a phenomenon that is shared by China in a more vigorous form. This has led to what may be called an exclusion of working age people from not just employment but from labour force indicating the emergence of 'discouraged workers' in a larger set that we called underutilized labour. But what about those who are included in the workforce? Does it ensure an escape from poverty for those at the bottom? Our estimates show that the pace of reduction in the incidence of poverty is so slow that a significant share of households is still below the international definition of extreme poverty. We attribute this to the quality of employment characterized by a high incidence of informal sector employment as well as low wages measured by the share of workers not receiving a recommended subsistence wage. The absence of any kind of social security to an overwhelming share of workers adds to this situation of absolute poverty. Finally we examine the question of poverty from the point of manifold inequalities by dividing the households in the economy in terms of their employment, educational, rural–urban, and social group statuses for estimating predicted probability of being poor. The results bring into sharp focus the huge variation in predicted probability that shows households with low education, disadvantaged social group status, casual nature of employment, and living in rural areas at the bottom end of the scale. These results bring out the imperative for creating more employment with better quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty eradication and environmental degradation are the two crucial challenges, and they are highly interlinked in the modern era. However, countries are still more emphasized in attaining poverty alleviation and alleviating environmental pollution which require enormous attention. Our study is a novel attempt to scrutinize the effect of poverty on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for India and China over the sample period 1987–2019. Findings attained from the ARDL model suggest that a rise in poverty contributes to growing CO2 emissions in India only in short run. Further, findings show that poverty is the principal source of pollution in the long term in India and China. Empirical results proposed focal policy implications in the light of sustainable development goals for India and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The determinants of access to immunizers are still poorly understood, leading to questions about which criteria were considered in this distribution. Given the above, the present study aimed to analyze the determinants of access to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by different countries. Methods: The study covered 189 countries using data from different public databases, and collected until February 19, 2021. We used eight explanatory variables: gross domestic product (GDP), extreme poverty, human development index (HDI), life expectancy, median age, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, COVID-19 tests, and COVID-19 deaths. The endogenous variables were total vaccine doses, vaccine doses per thousand, and days of vaccination. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was applied to establish the causal relationship between the country's COVID-19 impact, socioeconomic variables, and vaccine access. To support SEM, we used confirmatory factor analysis, t-test, and Pearson's correlation. Results: We collected the sample on February 19, and to date, 80 countries (42.1%) had already received a batch of immunizers against COVID-19. The countries with first access to the vaccine (e.g., number of days elapsed since they took the first dose) were the United Kingdom (68), China (68), Russia (66), and Israel (62). The countries receiving the highest doses were the United States, China, India, and Israel. The countries with extreme poverty had lower access to vaccines and the richer countries gained priority access. Countries most affected by COVID (deaths and cases) also received immunizers earlier and in greater volumes. Unfortunately, similar to other vaccines, indicators, such as income, poverty, and human development, influence vaccines' access. Thus affecting the population of vulnerable and less protected countries. Therefore, global initiatives for the equitable distribution of COVID need to be discussed and encouraged. Conclusions: Determinants of vaccine distribution consider the impact of the disease in the country and are also affected by favorable socioeconomic indicators. The COVID-19 vaccines need to be accessible to all affected countries, regardless of their social hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sedentary behaviour (SB) is harmful for health and well-being and may be associated with depression. However, little is known about the correlates of SB in people with depression. Thus, we investigated SB correlates among community-dwelling adults with depression in six low- and middle-income countries.Methods: Cross-sectional data from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health were analyzed. The analysis was restricted to those with DSM-IV Depression or receiving depression treatment in the last 12 months. Self-reported time spent sedentary per day was the outcome. High SB was defined as ≥8 hours of SB per day. The correlates (sociodemographic and health-related) of SB were estimated by multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses.Results: In 2375 individuals with depression (mean age=48.0 years; 60.7% female), the prevalence of high SB was 11.1% (95%CI=8.2%-14.9%), while the mean (±SD) time spent sedentary was 215 (±192) minutes per day. Socio-demographic factors significantly associated with high SB were older age and being unmarried, being male and being unemployed. In other domains, no alcohol consumption, current smoking, mild cognitive impairment, bodily pain, arthritis, stroke, disability, and lower levels of social cohesion, COPD, visual impairment, and poor self-rated health was associated with greater time spent sedentary.Conclusion: Our data suggest that future interventions seeking to reduce SB among individuals with depression may target at risk groups based on identified sociodemographic correlates while the promotion of social cohesion may have the potential to increase the efficacy of future public health initiatives. From a clinical perspective, bodily pain and somatic co-morbidities need to be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the health impacts from environmental noise has largely been drawn from studies in high-income countries, which has then been used to inform development of noise guidelines. It is unclear whether findings in high-income countries can be readily translated into policy contexts in low-middle-income-countries (LMICs). We conducted this systematic review to summarise noise epidemiological studies in LMICs. We conducted a literature search of studies in Medline and Web of Science published during 2009-2021, supplemented with specialist journal hand searches. Screening, data extraction, assessment of risk of bias as well as overall quality and strength of evidence were conducted following established guidelines (e.g. Navigation Guide). 58 studies were identified, 53% of which were from India, China and Bulgaria. Most (92%) were cross-sectional studies. 53% of studies assessed noise exposure based on fixed-site measurements using sound level meters and 17% from propagation-based noise models. Mean noise exposure among all studies ranged from 48 to 120 dB (L eq ), with over half of the studies (52%) reporting the mean between 60 and 80 dB. The most studied health outcome was noise annoyance (43% of studies), followed by cardiovascular (17%) and mental health outcomes (17%). Studies generally reported a positive (i.e. adverse) relationship between noise exposure and annoyance. Some limited evidence based on only two studies showing that long-term noise exposure may be associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular outcomes in adults. Findings on mental health outcomes were inconsistent across the studies. Overall, 4 studies (6%) had "probably low", 18 (31%) had "probably high" and 36 (62%) had "high" risk of bias. Quality of evidence was rated as 'low' for mental health outcomes and 'very low' for all other outcomes. Strength of evidence for each outcome was assessed as 'inadequate', highlighting high-quality epidemiological studies are urgently needed in LMICs to strengthen the evidence base., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In high-income countries, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is higher among disadvantaged groups. We examine socioeconomic inequalities in SHS exposure at home and at workplace in 15 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods: Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from 15 LMICs participating in Global Adult Tobacco Survey (participants ≥ 15 years; 2008-2011) were used. Country-specific analyses using regression-based methods were used to estimate the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in SHS exposure: (1) Relative Index of Inequality and (2) Slope Index of Inequality.Results: SHS exposure at home ranged from 17.4% in Mexico to 73.1% in Vietnam; exposure at workplace ranged from 16.9% in Uruguay to 65.8% in Bangladesh. In India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Uruguay, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, and Egypt, SHS exposure at home reduced with increasing wealth (Relative Index of Inequality range: 1.13 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.22] in Turkey to 3.31 [95% CI 2.91-3.77] in Thailand; Slope Index of Inequality range: 0.06 [95% CI 0.02-0.11] in Turkey to 0.43 [95% CI 0.38-0.48] in Philippines). In these 11 countries, and in China, SHS exposure at home reduced with increasing education. In India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Philippines, SHS exposure at workplace reduced with increasing wealth. In India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Poland, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, and Egypt, SHS exposure at workplace reduced with increasing education.Conclusion: SHS exposure at homes is higher among the socioeconomically disadvantaged in the majority of LMICs studied; at workplaces, exposure is higher among the less educated. Pro-equity tobacco control interventions alongside targeted efforts in these groups are recommended to reduce inequalities in SHS exposure.Implications: SHS exposure is higher among the socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in high-income countries. Comprehensive smoke-free policies are pro-equity for certain health outcomes that are strongly influenced by SHS exposure. Using nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2008-2011) data from 15 LMICs, we studied socioeconomic inequalities in SHS exposure at homes and at workplaces. The study showed that in most LMICs, SHS exposure at homes is higher among the poor and the less educated. At workplaces, SHS exposure is higher among the less educated groups. Accelerating implementation of pro-equity tobacco control interventions and strengthening of efforts targeted at the socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are needed to reduce inequalities in SHS exposure in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess universal health coverage for adults aged 50 years or older with chronic illness in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation and South Africa. Methods We obtained data on 16 631 participants aged 50 years or older who had at least one diagnosed chronic condition from the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health. Access to basic chronic care and financial hardship were assessed and the influence of health insurance and rural or urban residence was determined by logistic regression analysis. Findings The weighted proportion of participants with access to basic chronic care ranged from 20.6% in Mexico to 47.6% in South Africa. Access rates were unequally distributed and disadvantaged poor people, except in South Africa where primary health care is free to all. Rural residence did not affect access. The proportion with catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure for the last outpatient visit ranged from 14.5% in China to 54.8% in Ghana. Financial hardship was more common among the poor in most countries but affected all income groups. Health insurance generally increased access to care but gave insufficient protection against financial hardship. Conclusion No country provided access to basic chronic care for more than half of the participants with chronic illness. The poor were less likely to receive care and more likely to face financial hardship in most countries. However, inequity of access was not fully determined by the level of economic development or insurance coverage. Future health reforms should aim to improve service quality and increase democratic oversight of health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – China and India are two of the fastest growing economies in the world, and poverty reduction has been substantial in both countries through the past few decades. Yet they have very different profiles in terms of food security and undernutrition – while at the micro-level China has performed well in terms of undernutrition, India has not. The purpose of this paper is to examine linkages between poverty, food security, and undernutrition in both countries. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the authors discuss the linkages between poverty, food security, and undernutrition at the micro level, describe the literature, and make inferences for targeting the remaining poor, food insecure, or undernourished in both countries. Findings – In China, there is a need for better tools for targeting the poor or malnourished. In India, more effective state-level policies should be better understood by the central government and disseminated to less successful states. Originality/value – In this paper, the authors describe data sources on poverty, food security, and undernutrition in both China and India, and correlates with changes in all three. The authors try to understand what factors appear to lead to reductions in all three, pointing out data gaps in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nexus between income inequality and technology capture is explored in a global CGE model to explore the ricochet effect of technology transmission and its capture. In particular, the model shows that exogenous technology shock from developed North, vehicled via trade, transmits to developing Souths and induces productivity growth. This spillover capture, aided by human capital based adoptive capability, better governance and institution, causes increase in income and welfare and subsequently, leads to decline in income inequality. Dynamism of Southern Engines of Growth – India and China – caused them to emerge as ‘core’ South. Thus, triangular innovation diffusion between dynamic and peripheral South is also simulated to show how the backward or peripheral South could catch up via South–South Cooperation in a declining North–South trends in trade. This accrual of benefits could lead to sustained productivity growth and consequential relief of incidence of poverty in low-income countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Yet rural in nature, Asia is proceeding with a wide-ranging scale and fast pace of urbanization, resulting in accelerated economic growth. This article attempts a comparison on urbanization of six largest Asian countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Among these countries, urban transition is underway in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines, which are also on track to mature as middle-income countries. India and Pakistan will soon graduate from low-income to lower-middle income countries, reaching the platform for faster urbanization with consequent economic growth. Regardless of the level of urbanization across countries, cities generate four-fifths of national income and the prominence of cities in generating country's national income is escalating. Still, urbanization primarily takes place through the development of large cities with surrounding industrial zones. Large cities will continue to play a significant role in absorbing future anticipated growth, but a decrease of growth rates in large cities is expected. Most of future city growth will occur in medium- and small-sized cities where existing coverage of basic public services is grossly inadequate, that entails greater concentration of power, investment, and services. To maximize the benefits of urbanization, countries need to judiciously plan the course of future urbanization--whether it should be a concentrated growth, a balanced growth, or a distributed growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past three decades are generally regarded as a period of widespread liberalization and high growth within the world economy. On a wide range of measures, this era has seen the rapid globalization of business and the lifting from poverty of a large number of the world's poorest, particularly within large emerging markets such as China and India. While the undoubted benefits of globalization are widely recognized for raising economic growth rates and engaging a much larger number of nations in international business activity, globalization has always had its critics. The purpose of this article is to explore the recent rise in protectionism-what has been termed 'global protectionism'- to examine how it differs from traditional forms of trade protectionism, and to offer some tentative assessment of its determinants. ©2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Statistics are critical in holding governments accountable for the well-being of citizens with disability. International initiatives are underway to improve the quality of disability statistics, but meaningful ID data is exceptionally rare. Method The status of ID data was evaluated in a review of 12 national statistical systems. Recurring data collection by national ministries was identified and the availability of measures of poverty, exclusion, and disadvantage was assessed. Results A total of 131 recurring systems coordinated by 50 different ministries were identified. The majority included general disability but less than 25% of the systems screened ID. Of these, few provided policy-relevant data. Conclusions The scope of ID data was dismal at best, though a significant statistical infrastructure exists for the integration of ID data. Advocacy will be necessary. There is no optimal form of data monitoring, and decisions regarding priorities in purpose, targeted audiences, and the goals for surveillance must be resolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information regarding the potential of present drivers of economic governance, trade and investment, and envisions intersections and cross-cutting impacts on poverty and human development. It reflects a review employed to highlight scenarios shaping Africa's economic governance and the magnitude of the impact on pro-poor growth. It emphasizes on changes in Africa's economic policy which include stakeholders, poor farmers, economic governance and policy processes. It mentions that the emergence of China and India on the world market have brought about major changes in the character of the global commodity market.

Asian countries are arguably the current global leaders in pursuing inclusive development policies, strategies and interventions to address the overarching problems of poverty, inequality and exclusion. This article focuses on inclusive development in Asia by first highlighting certain philosophical perspectives to the subject that include roots in ancient China and India. Next, the raison d'etre for inclusive development is outlined. The current and emerging approaches to inclusive development in Asia are then discussed, including a three-fold typology. Finally, brief concluding remarks are offered. Whether the inclusive growth agendas will result in a modicum of success in tackling poverty, exclusion and inequality remains an open question. However, given the global financial and economic crises, a paradigm shift in Asia is inevitable if both high sustainable growth and inclusive development are being pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to examine the growth performance and its impact on inequality and poverty in China and India. The recent upsurge in growth rates in China and India is seen widely as the 'success' story of globalization. It is also claimed that these developments will make a significant impact on the reduction of global inequalities and poverty. Although a number of scholars have analysed the recent economic performance of China and India, these studies, however, have not taken into account the past policies and their impact on current performance. We find there is a gap in the current discussion, which overlooks historical and economic factors on the recent performance. This article critically assesses the claimed fall in global poverty due to mainly the rise of China and India in recent years. The article questions the 'pro-globalization' argument, which suggests that there is a link between 'market liberal' free market policies and falling poverty. It is argued instead that the evidence concerning poverty reduction is ambiguous, and it is not that the most successful economies have adopted pro-globalization policies. Studying the developmental changes taking place in these two countries is important because they together account for 37.5% of the global population. These populous neighbours, regarded as symbols of poverty and failure until two decades ago, contain large numbers of people living below the officially defined poverty line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the new results of the International Comparison Program 2005, the author reestimates inequalities between mean country incomes and global inequality among world citizens. All types of international inequality are found to be greater than previously thought (that is, as calculated using earlier data on countries' price levels). The main reason for the higher inequalities is that domestic price levels in most populous Asian countries (China, India, Philippines, Bangladesh) are some 40 percent higher than previously estimated. This implies not only higher global inequality but significantly greater global poverty head counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sustainable energy supply, climate change and poverty are three critical, interrelated global problems that require urgent action, including substantial investment. We examine the feasibility of using an international carbon tax to finance an integrated investment programme in sustainable energy technology (including climate change mitigation) and the reduction of poverty (including climate change adaptation). A simple evaluation of responsibility for anthropogenic climate change based on cumulative greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to stabilisation per capita (using current populations) suggests that currently India and China remain under-spent by 99% and 78% for stringent, 445–490ppm CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) targets, respectively, whilst the USA and EC are already overspent for targets of 710–855 and 545–590ppm CO2-eq, respectively. It would therefore appear equitable to charge the tax only in developed nations. The potential advantages and disadvantages of an integrated investment programme and available policy instruments for a tax of this type are discussed, drawing on relevant literature. Although a cost-benefit analysis using suitable simulations that include revenue recycling is required, revenues estimated from documented carbon tax simulations appear sufficient to meet a significant proportion of the estimated investment requirement. With increasing public awareness and an integrated campaign, obtaining agreement for this type of ambitious international measures could soon become realistic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Between 2000 and 2006, China and India emerged as the primary exporters of apparels in the world. This period also noted a significant improvement in employment performance, as reflected in the poverty reduction trends. A discourse on globalization led by women's organizations, feminist economists, and civil society, however, pointed two aspects of the process: the increased labour force participation of women, and unequal distribution of employment with women concentrated in low quality, casualized and informal work. Against this backdrop, this paper interprets gender-specific features of labour market, with attention to the apparel industries in China and India. While examining labour market trends and determinants of gender differentials in employment and wages in the informal and formal economies of the apparel sector, we illustrate two major deficits: gender equality and decent work in achieving just an inclusive growth. Our conclusion suggest that the ability of women and men to take advantage of the opportunities depends on their being included on terms of equality and dignity as a crucial part of the economic environment and institutional conditions in global value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent growth pattern of India is set in the context of the parallel experience of China, the experience of poverty reduction is reviewed, and a number of papers illuminating India's development are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of globalisation on income, the income distribution and other social indicators in China and India will be analysed in this paper. A comparison between the two countries is made on a large number of variables to determine how globalisation influences wages and labour conditions. The question asked is what explains the differences in competitiveness of information and communication technology (ICT) clusters in a Chinese and an Indian city. Labour cost and conditions turn out to be one of the factors influencing the competitiveness of the two countries and clusters. It is not so much the price of labour that explains the difference in performance, but rather the productiveness and the labour legislation. A number of other factors underlying the rapid economic growth of China are analysed to conclude that that country, more than India, has benefited from globalisation. The resulting income distribution is more unequal in China, however, there is also more employment created, poverty alleviated and wages are higher and have increased recently in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between internal migration and economic growth and development in Asia, concentrating on four countries: China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Levels of internal migration in Asia are high and rising. Despite being negatively regarded by many policy makers, internal migration can contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. For example, remittances sent home by internal migrants can reduce poverty at the household level, stimulate economic growth in both the receiving and sending areas and reduce social inequalities. Until now, the potential of internal migration has been severely limited by policies designed to discourage it, However, policy makers are now beginning to recognise the benefits, In order to maximise these benefits, the article argues, effective partnerships between governments, civil society, the private sector and donors will have to be formed. Better data on the various Factors stimulating and affecting internal migration will also be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measure the total benefits from rice varietal improvement research in China and India, using variety adoption and performance data over the last two decades. Genetic or pedigree information is used to partition the total benefits between these two countries and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Finally, reported elasticities of poverty reduction with respect to agricultural output growth are used to assess the effects of national and international research on poverty reduction in rural India and China. The results indicate that rice varietal improvement research has contributed tremendously to increase in rice production, accounting for 14% to 24% of the total production value over the last two decades in both countries. Rice research has also helped reduce large numbers of rural poor. IRRI played a crucial role in these successes. In 1999, for every US$1 million invested at IRRI, more than 800 and 15,000 rural poor were lifted above the poverty line in China and India, respectively. These poverty reduction effects were even larger in the earlier years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares the economic and the success or failure of socialism in China and India. Possible influence of democracy on the slow economic growth of India; Overview of the contribution of the civilizational essence to the alleged failure of pre-Hindu India; Contribution of irrational anti-imperialism in helping the people of China to get out of poverty.

Background: Little attention has been paid to the comparison of COVID-19 pandemic responses and related factors in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries. We aimed at evaluating the association of daily new COVID-19 cases with socio-economic and demographic factors, health vulnerability, resources, and policy response in BRICS countries., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data on the COVID-19 pandemic and other indicators of BRICS countries from February 26, 2020 to April 30, 2021. We compared COVID-19 epidemic in BRICS countries and analyzed related factors by log-linear Generalized Additive Model (GAM) models., Results: In BRICS countries, India had the highest totally of confirmed cases with 18.76 million, followed by Brazil (14.45 million), Russia (4.81 million), and South Africa (1.58 million), while China (0.10 million) had the lowest figure. South Africa had the lowest rate of administered vaccine doses (0.18 million) among BRICS countries as of April 30, 2021. In the GAM model, a 1 unit increase in population density and policy stringency index was associated with a 5.17% and 1.95% growth in daily new COVID-19 cases (P < 0.001), respectively. Exposure-response curves for the effects of policy stringency index on daily new cases showed that there was a rapid surge in number of daily new COVID-19 cases when the index ranged from 0 to 45. The number of infections climbed slowly when the index ranged from 46 to 80, and decreased when the index was above 80 (P < 0.001). In addition, daily new COVID-19 cases (all P < 0.001) were also correlated with life expectancy at birth (-1.61%), extreme poverty (8.95%), human development index (-0.05%), GDP per capita (-0.18%), diabetes prevalence (0.66%), proportion of population aged 60 and above (2.23%), hospital beds per thousand people (-0.08%), proportion of people with access to improved drinking water (-7.40%), prevalence of open defecation (0.69%), and annual tourist/visitor arrivals (0.003%), after controlling other confounders. Different lag structures showed similar results in the sensitivity analysis., Conclusions: Strong policy response is crucial to control the pandemic, such as effective containment and case management. Our findings also highlighted the importance of reducing socio-economic inequalities and strengthening the resilience of health systems to better respond to public health emergencies globally.

This study explores the relationship between remittances received, education expenditure, energy use, income, poverty, and economic growth for a panel of the nine selected remittance-receiving countries (Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Philippines). World Development Indicator database is used for retrieving data from the period of 1990 to 2014. Panel cointegration technique is used to test the long-run relationship among studied variables. Furthermore, the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model is applied to confirm the presence of a long-run and short-run relationship. The findings of the ARDL model indicate that remittances received positively influence economic growth, and there is a significant relationship between remittances received and economic growth during the long-run. Education expenditure, energy use, and income also positively and significantly impact economic growth during the long-run. In contrast, final household consumption used in this study as a proxy of poverty showed a significant negative effect on economic growth during the long-run, which indicates that increasing poverty will reduce economic growth; on the other hand, reducing poverty will boost economic growth in the selected countries during the long-run.

El artículo discute de un informe publicado por las Naciones Unidas sobre la disminución de la pobreza extrema logrado por los países de China y India. Se destaca también la lucha contra el hambre, la mortalidad infantil, y la falta de la educación institucional, especialmente en los países de África sub-sahariana y Asia oriental.

The article focuses on sustainable development in India. According to the author, one of the most credible programs that deals with chronic poverty and enhancing sustainable development in rural areas is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). It notes elements of the successful experience of China, such as availability of infrastructure, are important for developing nations. One of the steps taken by the country to improve the existing ecological conditions is the participation of people in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Background: Evidence points to a clear link between air pollution exposure and several chronic diseases though investigations regarding arthritis are still lacking. Emerging evidence suggests an association between ambient air pollution and rheumatoid arthritis. Household air pollution exposure, conversely, is largely unstudied but may be an important consideration for arthritis, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where cooking and heating activities can generate high indoor air pollutant levels., Methods: We investigated the association of household air pollution (electricity vs. gas; kerosene/paraffin; coal/charcoal; wood; or agriculture/crop/animal dung/shrubs/grass as the main fuel used for cooking) and arthritis in six LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, South Africa) using data from Wave I of the World Health Organization Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) (2007-2010). Multivariable analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, household and lifestyle characteristics and several comorbidities., Results: The use of gas (aOR = 1.76, 95%CI: 1.40-2.21); coal (aOR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.22-2.47); wood (aOR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.30-2.19); or agriculture/crop/animal dung/shrubs/grass: aOR = 1.95 (1.46-2.61) fuels for cooking were strongly associated with an increased odds of arthritis, compared to electricity in cluster and stratified adjusted analyses. Gender (female), age (≥50 years), overweight (25.0 ≤BMI<30.0 kg/m2), obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2), former and current alcohol consumption, and the comorbidities angina pectoris, diabetes, chronic lung disease, depression and hypertension were also associated with a higher odds of arthritis. Underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m2) and higher education levels (college/university completed/post-graduate studies) were associated with a lower odds of arthritis., Conclusions: These findings suggest that exposure to household air pollution from cook fuels is associated with an increased odds of arthritis in these regions, which warrants further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.