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This study aimed to analyze sustainable peatland management to reduce the risk of peatland fires. Data were collected through observations and interviews with 20 informants, including farmers, civil servants, heads of government offices, and the Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA) or Fire Care Community. Findings confirmed that knowledge of peatland characteristics, economic morals, local wisdom, and adaptation carried out by the community has an impact on sustainable peatland management. Local knowledge about the peatland, economic morals, and adaptations have been passed on from generation to generation by reducing land preparation by burning and using appropriate agricultural equipment and farming systems. Managing peatlands while maintaining local wisdom through the tapulikampar system is a better option to reduce the risk of land fires. If the community continues to maintain the local values in managing peatlands, the risk of fires on peatlands can be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of people's credit banks (BPRs), a predominant form of microfinance in Indonesia, in mitigating poverty. Using panel data from 31 provinces in Indonesia, this study employs static panel and panel models with instrument variables. Our findings substantiate that BPR credit significantly contributes to poverty reduction across various indices, including headcount poverty, poverty gap, and poverty severity measures. The empirical results offer valuable insights into the efficacy of targeted microfinance as a potent tool for poverty alleviation in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is intensifying the risks faced by children's lives, as well as impacting their learning and education. How school communities in Bhutan are dealing with issues related to climate change is largely uncharted. This study examined how Bhutanese schools have been affected by the changing climate and how they were responding to it. The data sources included interviews with school principals, teachers, and district education officers, as well as observations, and document analysis. The global comprehensive school safety framework, along with a whole school approach to climate action framed the results of this study. Findings included that schools experienced multiple climate impacts and shocks affecting their children's health, education, and the school system itself. Adaptation and mitigation measures including climate change education have yet to gain traction at the sector and school's level. Schools, however, have attempted some actions such as through disaster management, and participatory environmental conservation and green school initiatives. Social capital was critical in filling the resource gap for initiating environmental and climate change actions, carried out through collective school, community, and student-based activities. Human capacities, policy and institutional structures, technical capacities, and capital (cultural and economic) constraints as well as slow mainstreaming into local development processes impeded efforts to build climate-resilient schools, including practices to contribute to greenhouse gases reduction. This study not only shed light on how climate change was affecting schools and children but also provided strong evidence for policymakers and relevant agencies to scale up interventions to enhance adaptation and mitigation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste scavenging is an important activity in developing countries aiding resource recovery and poverty reduction. Despite knowing the dangers posed by the activity, the waste scavengers’ occupational safety is to some extent compromised due to poor utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This study investigated the disparity between knowledge and practice of waste scavengers regarding occupational risks and safety measures in Yola urban area, through surveys and interviews with 405 participants across 55 dealers' depots. The study findings discovered 375 waste scavengers recognized the potential hazard associated with scavenging job, out of which only 41 were actually using PPEs regularly. While 30 claimed ignorant of the potential risks of the activity. This therefore categorized waste scavengers into three distinct groups in Yola urban area viz: Safe Scavengers" who possess the knowledge of dangers of scavenging and use one or more PPE regularly 41 (10.12%); “Knowledgeable non-PPEs users" who have the knowledge but do not use PPE 334 (82.47%); and "Unaware non-PPEs users" lacking both knowledge and PPE usage 30 (7.41%) mostly children. Null hypotheses were formulated where significant difference observed between Knowledgeable non-users and safety practice (p=0.016). On the other hand, no significant difference found between Safe Scavengers and safety practice (p=0.053); as well as Unaware non-users and safety practice (p=0.060). Pie chart clearly shows the knowledge/practice gap and three distinct group of the scavengers. Recommendation proposed involvement of scavengers’ middlemen and waste management authorities in developing comprehensive strategies that promote a culture of safety, provide training on safety practices, and ensure the availability of appropriate protective gear to narrow down the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is one of the major issues in the field of economics and a serious focus for finding effective solutions. Population size is also a key factor that can influence the poverty rate. This research aims to evaluate the conditions of poverty and the population of Indonesia in the next five years, from 2023 to 2027. Forecasting methods are used, specifically Exponential Smoothing and Holt's method, due to the presence of trends in the data. With the assistance of machine learning technology, particularly using the R, poverty rates and population figures can be projected. The results of the projections indicate that the population of Indonesia is expected to continue increasing each year from 2023 to 2027 or have a positive trend. On the other hand, the poverty rate in Indonesia is projected to decrease each year or have a negative trend during the same period, from 2023 to 2027. This research has important implications for policymakers, as it underscores the significance of data-driven decision-making and informed policy development. The positive demographic trend suggests the necessity of preparing for the associated challenges and requirements of a growing population. Meanwhile, the declining poverty rate presents an opportunity for socio-economic development, necessitating sustained efforts to maintain this trajectory. The study underscores the importance of data analysis and forecasting in addressing critical issues like population growth and poverty reduction, ultimately contributing to the well-being and advancement of Indonesian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined factors that help microfinance achieve sustained poverty reduction based on a systematic literature review (SLR). A search was conducted on the SCOPUS database up to December 2023. After analyzing hundreds of documents, a subset of 30 articles was subject to in-depth analysis, exploring factors and corresponding measurement indicators for sustainable poverty reduction in microfinance contexts. This article emphasizes that sustained poverty reduction is a gradual process requiring ongoing efforts from both Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and governments. Two key success factors are empowering borrowers and ensuring the microfinance programs themselves are profitable. When implemented in an integrated and coordinated manner, these factors can empower individuals to escape poverty by fostering self-employment and income generation, ultimately reducing dependence on external support. Additionally, the study highlights the role of personality traits in influencing long-term entrepreneurial success. The findings provide valuable tools for MFIs and policymakers. MFIs gain a practical framework to guide their interventions towards sustained poverty reduction. Policymakers can leverage the identified factors and indicators when designing and implementing microfinance policies with a long-term focus on poverty alleviation. This study breaks new ground by presenting an operational framework that categorizes and integrates two critical factor groups: empowerment and beneficiary profitability. Furthermore, it links these factors to corresponding measurement indicators within a unified framework, enabling a more holistic assessment of poverty reduction efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the quality of export products is critical for promoting economic development, including for the achievement of sustainable development goals. The present study has examined the effect of export product quality improvement on inclusivity in developing countries. Inclusivity reflects a concomitant increase in the real per capita income, reduction in within‐country income inequality, and poverty reduction. The analysis covers 101 developing countries over the period from 1980 to 2014, and uses primarily the two‐step system Generalized Method of Moments estimator. It shows that export product quality improvement results in greater inclusivity, especially in countries that face high levels of economic growth volatility, including large magnitudes of external shocks. Likewise, export product quality improvement leads to greater inclusivity in countries that experience high levels of export product concentration. The analysis sheds light on the positive contribution of export product quality improvement to inclusivity in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores whether targeted microcredit can effectively alleviate households' multidimensional relative poverty (MdRP) in rural China in the new era following the poverty elimination campaign and discusses it from a gendered perspective. Design/methodology/approach: This study applies a fixed-effects model, propensity score matching (PSM) and two-stage instrumental variable method to two-period panel data collected from 611 households in rural western China in 2018 and 2021 to explore the effects, mechanisms and heterogenous performance of targeted microcredit on households' MdRP in the new era. Findings: (i) Targeted microcredit can alleviate MdRP among rural households in the new era, mainly by reducing income and opportunity inequality. (ii) Targeted microcredit can promote women's empowerment, mainly by enhancing their social participation, thereby helping alleviate households' MdRP. The effect of the targeted microcredit on MdRP is more significant in medium-educated women households and non-left-behind women households. (iii) The MdRP alleviation effect is stronger in villages with a high degree of digitalization. Research limitations/implications: Learn from the experience of targeted microcredit. Accurately identify poor groups and integrate loan design into financial health and women empowerment. Particularly, pay attention to less-educated and left-behind women households and strengthen coordination between targeted microcredit and digital village strategies. Originality/value: This study clarifies the effect of targeted microcredit on women's empowerment and households' MdRP alleviation in the new era. It also explores its various effects on households with different female characteristics and regional digitalization levels, providing ideas for optimizing microcredit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) receive increasing international attention for landing around 40% of global marine fisheries catches and employing millions of people globally. Their contributions to food security and poverty alleviation, especially in developing countries, make it relevant to consider them when discussing sustainable development goals (SDGs). Achieving SDGs by supporting SSF means understanding fisheries in their broader context, from the health of marine ecosystems to social and economic features such as employment, public health, culture, and the effects of global change. Social–ecological relationships in SSF are complex and poorly understood, thus challenging the identification of policies that could improve and preserve the contributions of SSF to sustainable development. Here, we developed an expert-based rapid appraisal framework to identify and characterize the relationships between SSF and SDGs. The framework serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying strengths and gaps in SSF potential in enhancing SDG achievement in data-limited situations. Our structured approach extends beyond SDG 14 and target 14.b, offering insights into SSF's contributions to 11 other SDGs. As a proof of concept, we illustrate the approach and its potential contributions in two case studies in Madagascar. The method effectively captured the multiple dimensions of the SSF through the SDG lens, providing a contextually relevant understanding of how global UN goals can be achieved locally. Further research is needed to define mechanisms for aggregating and reporting the multiple, case-specific contributions of SSF to monitor progress toward the SDGs at national and global levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

The Hakka people, a branch of the Han nationality with their own language, culture, and customs, are one of the largest immigrant groups worldwide, primarily distributed in southern China. Bobai, a county with the largest Hakka population globally, has a thriving weaving industry that is one of the local pillar industries. This study aimed to systematically analyze the plant source, product function, and development model of Bobai Hakka weaving. The study recorded 33 plant species for weaving, which belonged to 17 families and 27 genera. The weaving plants were mainly bamboo, rattan, grass, and wood, with herbs being the most commonly used (15 species, 45.5%). Most weaving plants were obtained locally (16 species, 41.0%) and from wild sources (13 species, 33.3%). Stems were the most commonly used plant parts (66.7%) in local weaving, followed by leaf sheaths, inflorescence stems, leaves, stem bark, leaf rachis, and female bracts. Additionally, wastes from crops such as wheat, rice, bananas, and corn, as well as invasive water hyacinths, were widely used as weaving materials by the local Hakka people. The products' functions ranged from household appliances, cultural and entertainment products, furniture, to production tools, reflecting a range of conventional cultural connotations. The study found that the Bobai Hakka weaving industry had integrated modern elements and additional use value to expand its market appeal. With the participation of the government, enterprises, and farmers, the Bobai weaving industry has formed a development model of "intangible cultural heritage + industry + poverty alleviation," which has become a successful case of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific literature has begun to analyze the capacity of tourism as a development instrument, although until now, it has relied on a country level focus. This innovative work analyzes the relationship between tourism and development at a regional level, establishing the hypothesis that tourism affects different dimensions of development (human development, poverty, and income inequality) and, furthermore, that differences exist at a regional level within the same country. Regional data from Spain are used for the 2004–2021 period, applying the Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test to analyze the relationships between these variables in global terms while also disaggregating between touristic and non‐touristic regions. The results only verify that tourism has a positive effect on improving human development in regions of high tourism intensity. These results suggest the need for tourism policies that are linked to the regional administrative level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnam has achieved significant economic growth, poverty reduction, and social transformation since its 1986 major economic reform. However, industrialization, a key pillar supporting this achievement, has resulted in massive domestic migration from certain parts of the country into industrialized provinces mainly located in the south of Vietnam, leading to various challenges for society. This study investigates the effects of the characteristics of Vietnamese households and their heads, environmental factors, and living conditions of the households in the regions where they have decided to leave behind for a migration decision on domestic migration. Our study also compares the migration trends in the past decade using the Vietnamese Household Living Standard Surveys (VHLSS) in 2010 and 2020, together with a logit model. We find that the average probability that a household and their members migrate is about 10 per cent in 2010, reduced to approximately 6.8 per cent in 2020. Our empirical findings also confirm that a migration decision is strongly associated with the characteristics of the households and their heads, particularly for the household size and the educational level of the household head. The average radiation and rainfall are also associated with a migration decision. Weather temperature, water sources, and electricity supply also play an essential role in Vietnamese households' migration decisions. Policy implications have emerged based on these empirical findings that the Vietnamese government should consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Purpose Approach and methods Findings Policy implications Donors allocate huge sums for assistance intended for poverty reduction to countries that arguably do not need it. For example, the United States spends more in Jordan—with no extreme poverty—than it does in the six countries with the highest poverty rates in the world combined, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia. Prior studies have suggested that if global aid were allocated according to need, it could roughly double its impact on poverty reduction.Country need can be broken down into the magnitude of the development challenge and the domestic resources available. This study examines these two components of development need to determine which countries have the greatest need for foreign assistance.I produce a set of data‐driven observations documenting the magnitude of the challenge and the resources available. I first explore which countries have the highest rates of absolute and multidimensional poverty. I then examine which countries have the ability to redistribute by comparing their poverty gaps with the potential domestic resources available. This produces the marginal tax rate (MTR) required for a country to finance its own poverty eradication.There is a clear trend in the magnitude of the challenge: low‐income countries (LICs) have the highest poverty rates by far; lower middle‐income countries (LMICs) are more mixed; and upper middle‐income countries (UMICs) have comparatively little extreme poverty, except in a small handful of countries. The implied MTRs required to close a country's extreme poverty gap are excessively high for LICs and most LMICs but easily manageable for most UMICs. This strongly suggests that both the magnitude of the challenge is much greater and the resources available much lower in LICs and LMICs.The policy implication is that LICs and LMICs should be strongly favoured in terms of aid allocation. The two different components of country need point in the same direction and both suggest a strong focus on allocating assistance towards the poorest countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper explores the intellectual history of Universal Basic Income (UBI), specifically focusing on Milton Friedman’s Negative Income Tax (NIT) as a precursor. Examining Friedman’s work in the 1940s, the study reveals the polysemic nature of early NIT proposals and underscores the significance of Friedman and Stigler’s engagement with concepts like Abba P. Lerner’s Social Dividend and Kenneth Boulding’s adjustable tax plan, the latter often overlooked in the literature. Contrary to the prevailing view of NIT as solely a poverty alleviation policy, this research also positions it, at this moment, as a macroeconomic steering mechanism. Drawing on Reinhart Koselleck’s categories, theoretical analysis emphasises the importance of exploring diverse “layers of meaning” in early NIT debates, shedding light on nuances that echo contemporary discussions on UBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "welfare-to-work" program is a comprehensive supportive policy in the 14th five-year plan period in China. In this paper, a systematical assessment of the long-run effectiveness of the welfare-to-work policy on poverty reduction is of great significance to stimulate the internal impetus of people who are lifted out of poverty to achieve income growth and prosperity and promote regional economic development. Based on the data at the county (city) level in China from 2000 to 2019 and the sustainable development theory, in this paper, a county-relative poverty evaluation system was constructed. Besides, the double difference method was employed to evaluate the effect of the welfare-to-work policy on poverty reduction and test its action mechanism. The findings are as follows: (1) the welfare-to-work policy has a significant poverty reduction effect and presents an inverted "U" shape. In addition, significant achievements have been made in "maintaining employment stability, ensuring income, strengthening skills, and supporting the economy" ; (2) the welfare-to-work policy boosts poverty reduction in counties through infrastructure construction, fiscal intervention, and financial tools; however, the financial tools play a positive role in poverty reduction in the northwest region and suppressed role in the southwest region, and has an insignificant effect in the central region; and (3) there are differences in the effect of poverty alleviation policies of the counties with different sustainable development levels, and the regions with higher development level have a stronger driving effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The empowerment of women has implications on the health and dietary needs of children. Using the survey-based women's empowerment index (SWPER), we examined the association between women's empowerment and dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 21 countries were utilized. Descriptive spatial map was used to present the proportions of dietary diversity among the children. Multilevel binary logistic regression was used to examine the association between SWPER and dietary diversity. Results: Overall, 22.35% of children aged 6–23 months had adequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD) in sub-Saharan Africa. The countries with the highest proportions of adequate MDD were Angola, Benin, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. South Africa had the highest proportion of MDD (61.00%), while Liberia reported the least (9.12%). Children born to mothers who had high social independence were more likely to have adequate MDD compared to those with low social independence [aOR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.21, 1.41]. In addition, children born to women with medium [aOR = 1.12; 95% CI 1.03, 1.21] and high decision-making [aOR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.14, 1.37] were more likely to receive MDD than those with low decision-making. Conclusions: Insufficient dietary diversity is evident among children aged 6–23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. MDD in children is influenced by women's empowerment. Policies and interventions promoting women's empowerment can enhance MDD, especially for vulnerable groups in rural and poorer households. It is crucial to leverage media and poverty reduction strategies to improve MDD among children in sub-Saharan African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the quality of poverty alleviation is the key to consolidating and expanding the effective connection between poverty alleviation and rural revitalization in China. The poverty alleviation relocation program is a representative policy for targeted poverty alleviation, and the post-relocation support policy is an important policy tool for preventing relocated households from returning to poverty. Therefore, assessing the implementation effect of the post-relocation support policies and exploring their optimization strategies are conducive to the tangeted implementation of such policies in the post-relocation support phase of the poverty alleviation relocation program. Based on the data of 1 253 relocated households in Shaanxi Province, this study first measured the quality of poverty alleviation of relocated households from 5 dimensions: income, life, health, education, and psychological feelings, assessed the effect of the post-relocation support policies on the quality of poverty alleviation, and explored the optimization strategies of these policies by using the decision tree algorithm. The results of this study showed that: ① There were slight differences in the quality of poverty alleviation among relocated households. Relocated households with more laborers and a high proportion of healthy members had a higher quality. ② There was heterogeneity in the effect of different post-relocation support policies on the quality of poverty alleviation. Specifically, public welfare posts and community governance policies could significantly improve the overall quality of poverty alleviation, industrial support policies could significantly improve the income quality of poverty alleviation, and public welfare posts, education subsidies, and community governance policies could improve the quality of psychological feelings of the people participating in the poverty alleviation relocation program. ③ There was a targeting bias in the implementation of some post-relocation support policies, but the quality of poverty alleviation could be enhanced on the basis of the labor endowment of the relocated households through 'targeted implementation of policies. ' Therefore, we should strengthen the monitoring of the quality of poverty alleviation during the follow-up support period of the poverty alleviation relocation program, strive to improve the results of the targeted implementation of post-relocation support policies, prevent and resolve the risk of returning to poverty, and promote the sustainable development of the relocated people in the relocation areas. This study has developed a multidimensional evaluation framework for assessing the quality of poverty alleviation for relocated households. Additionally, it offers valuable policy recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the post-relocation support policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land reforms have been implemented in many parts of the world because of both justice and the attractive developmental policy objectives of improving poor people's welfare – as the prime beneficiaries. Land reform also facilitates rural economic growth. In some parts of the world, like China and India, there is evidence that land reform has been effective in poverty reduction and in enabling economic growth. However, in other parts of the world, like South Africa, the impact of land reform has been very minimal mainly due to poor policy implementation, which entails inadequate support structures. Using an integrative literature review approach and key policy documents on South Africa's land reform, this article dissects this policy–practice gap in South Africa's land redistribution policy and proposes that land redistribution be implemented by a private independent entity to reduce state bureaucracy and inefficiencies and, in turn, improve execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is voting behaviour tied to ethnicity in many new democracies? A predominant view, offered by the instrumentalist theory, argues that voters use candidates' identity -ethnic or partisan- as a signal of expected performance. However, voters will reward well-performing politicians by being more likely to vote for them and punish bad performance regardless of candidates' identity. To test these assumptions, we conduct a nationally representative survey in Kenya asking voters about their spending preference for the country's main anti-poverty programme, which is managed by MPs in collaboration with citizens. We find that voters, regardless of ethnicity or party, have an erroneous view of how their MP spent the anti-poverty funds. Then in an experiment, we share with voters the spending made by the MPs and audit results probing for corruption. Once voters are aware that their MP's spending does not match their spending priorities, their approval and likelihood of voting for the MP decreases if primed to view the politician as partisan. Voters also electorally punish MPs for corruption whether copartisan or non-copartisan. In contrast to instrumentalist expectations, if voters are primed to view their MP in ethnic terms, they are more likely to vote for their coethnic overlooking bad performance and corruption. The availability of alternative parties in local elections may explain why voters attach partisanship to performance evaluation. Still, in our case study, as in other new democracies, politicians continue mobilising support along ethnic lines, perhaps explaining why voters prioritise group loyalties if primed to think about ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased interest in urban food security across Southern Africa is a welcome development, particularly given the considerable challenges faced by slum dwellers in accessing food. In Malawi, high urbanization rates, coupled with stagnant economic growth, have stimulated the expansion of slums and highlighted increasing poverty. While other researchers have noted the importance of geographic variance within countries of SSA, there still exists the need to elucidate geographic variance of urban food security within cities. Based on data from Kauma and Mgona settlements, this article argues for the incorporation of situation geography. We discovered that their respective geographies governed both levels of food insecurity and livelihood strategies. Peri-urban Kauma residents accessed multiple livelihood opportunities including satellite urban farming and ganyu (piecework), both of which were more inaccessible for residents of inner city, industrial Mgona. Kauma residents spread risk by employing different strategies, which translated to lower levels of food insecurity. This finding reaffirms the need for geographical, context-based strategies for alleviating urban food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty interferes with parents' breastfeeding, child-care, and employment options and ability to meet their parenting goals. This study—the first randomized controlled trial of early childhood poverty reduction in the United States—investigates how increased economic resources affect 1,000 low-income US mothers' breastfeeding, child-care, and employment practices and the ability to meet their intentions for these practices in the first year of their infant's life. The likelihood and length of breastfeeding, use of nonparental child care, and maternal employment did not statistically differ among mothers who received a high ($333) or low ($20) monthly unconditional cash gift. The higher monthly cash gift, however, delayed the starting age of child care by almost 1 month and increased mothers' ability to meet their breastfeeding intentions reported at birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces fiscal impoverishment as a framework for comparative poverty research. We invert standard analyses of welfare state policy and household poverty by focusing not on poverty alleviation but poverty creation and exacerbation. Using harmonized household survey data, we show how the income and payroll taxes most rich countries rely on to finance the public sector serve to push households (further) into poverty. We estimate that across rich democracies on average about one in four households in poverty are made poorer on net after taxes and transfers; with fiscal impoverishment levels ranging from <10% in some countries to more than 70% in others, revealing extreme cross-national variation in how the pocketbooks of poor households are impacted by national tax and transfer policy. We go on to show that fiscal impoverishment does not track with standard measures of welfare state generosity but is instead largely determined by design of income tax systems, particularly a country's relative reliance on (regressive) payroll taxes versus (progressive) income taxes. We consider the implications of fiscal impoverishment for assessing welfare state performance and for comparative poverty research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to social protection in old age is crucial and yet contingent upon negotiations between the social structures of the welfare states and the personal networks within which individuals are embedded. International migration, changing family dynamics, and the transformation of care and other welfare policies in the global North make it challenging for older migrants to negotiate social protection. Drawing on 45 semi-structured interviews with first-generation older Turkish migrants in London and 13 semi-structured interviews with professional service providers for the community, the paper aims to investigate the assemblages of formal and informal social protection in the lives of older migrants. Findings indicate the complexity in accessing informal social protection and the navigation of formal care support in the UK for first generation older Turkish migrants and the contingency of access to formal care services on informal support networks for participants. It has been demonstrated that built infrastructure and policies aimed at older adults have great influence on assemblages of care, highlighting the need for more age-friendly and integrated policies to facilitate access to social protection for diverse groups of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jim Pennington is a printer and small press publisher who trained at London's North-Western Polytechnic and the London College of Printing. Over the course of his long career, he has worked as a print room and production manager first for the British Safety Council (1971–75) then for the anti-poverty charity War on Want (1975–79) and then for the Lithosphere Printing Co-operative (1979–1991), among others. In parallel, Pennington ran Aloes Books, the influential small press he established with the poets Allen Fisher and Dique Miller. Aloes Books has published key works by Kathy Acker, Thomas Pynchon and William Burroughs, among many others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of public goods provisioning for poverty reduction, empirical evidence shows gross under-provision of state resources in developing countries. This results in the establishment of clientelist networks between people of unequal social status. However, clientelism is not homogenous. It varies based on the environment in which it is cultivated. Using household-level data from villages and urban slums in Pakistan, we provide a rare direct comparison of rural and urban clientelism. We find that the clientelist exchange bundle varies depending on geography and settlement structure (landholding patterns in villages and legal status in slums). While rural brokers include public goods provisioning in their exchange bundle, urban brokers have to rely on more personal services to maintain their network. Our main finding then is that rural clientelist networks are more pervasive, vary in nature, and perform more functions than their urban counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2013, China launched her targeted poverty alleviation, and a large amount of fiscal anti-poverty funds have been invested. However, whether the enormous fiscal anti-poverty funds have had a positive impact on the local economy has been ambiguous. This study investigates the impact of fiscal anti-poverty funds on local economic growth, drawing on Chinese fiscal data at the county level. Our results indicate that fiscal anti-poverty funds are not conducive to local economic growth. Further analysis reveals that anti-poverty funds reduce fiscal support for the service industry, manufacturing industry, enterprise development, and technical innovation. This is because impoverished counties are forced to supply extra fiscal anti-poverty funds, which leads to compression of fiscal expenditures in other areas due to local deficient finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We construct a multidimensional poverty index for chinese counties. • We establish a staggered DID model that controls for selection bias. • Highways significantly reduce county poverty. • The poverty-reduction effect of highways is conditional. • The poverty-reduction effect of highways diminishes with increasing altitude. This paper establishes a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to estimate the impact of highways on regional poverty using county-level panel data from China. We construct a multidimensional poverty index and use satellite-monitored night light brightness as a proxy indicator. The results demonstrate that highways significantly reduce county poverty and that the poverty reduction effect becomes increasingly pronounced over time. This result remains robust after controlling for non-random highway route selection. Furthermore, the poverty reduction effect of highways is conditional, with a significant poverty reduction effect in the less economically-developed western regions and non-municipal counties, and no significant poverty reduction effect in the economically-developed eastern and central regions and municipal districts. Moreover, the poverty reduction effect of highways gradually decreases as the average altitude of counties increases. Our tests provide empirical evidence for effective road investments in developing countries that incorporate poverty alleviation targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China's Rise" by Scott Rozelle and Natalie Hell explores the urban-rural divide in China and its impact on the country's development. The authors argue that the deficiency of human capital in rural areas poses a significant risk to China's modernization and could trap the country in the middle-income country trap. They also highlight the educational injustices stemming from China's urban-rural dual structure. While the book has received praise for its contributions to the discourse on educational inequality in China, some limitations are noted, such as occasional verbosity and neglect of historical intricacies. The authors also express concerns about China following a similar path as Mexico, but the unique characteristics of China, such as its strong national capabilities and unique land system, may mitigate this risk. The book provides insights into the weaknesses of rural education and vocational education in China and offers recommendations for improvement. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, the microstructure and thermal properties of the plasma-sprayed free-standing Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 coating before and after thermal aging at 1350 °C were investigated. The tri-layer Yb 2 SiO 5 /Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 /Si EBCs were designed and prepared onto SiC f /SiC substrates, and its thermal shocking behaviors were also explored. Results showed that the as-sprayed coating was mainly composed of Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 and amorphous phase, and significant microstructural evolution, such as grain growth and defects reduction, was observed after thermal aging. Plastic deformation and well damage tolerance including twinning and dislocation were confirmed by TEM analysis. The CTE of the coating before and after heat treatment were similar, while the thermal conductivity increased after thermal aging. After 100 thermal cycles, penetrating microcracks in the Yb 2 SiO 5 top layer were mostly stopped at the Yb 2 SiO 5 -Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 interface, implying the excellent crack propagation resistance of the tri-layer EBCs. The thermal shock behaviors were clarified based on microstructure combined with thermal stresses analysis. • Microstructure and thermal property of Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 coating were studied. • Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 exhibited microstructure and thermal property evolution after aging. • The Yb 2 SiO 5 /Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 /Si EBCs possessed excellent thermal shock resistance. • Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 could be a promising interlayer material for tri-layer EBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illicit financial flows have been an issue of great concern over the past decades due to the challenge they present for economic development in Africa. Illicit financial flows undermine the productivity and growth of African economies as countries lose foreign exchange and tax revenues. Countries lose financial resources needed for development programs, hence undermining social service delivery and retarding poverty reduction. To effectively combat illicit financial flows, it is imperative to examine their determinants. This study seeks to examine the determinants of illicit capital movement in the China‐Africa trade through the mechanisms of trade misinvoicing over the period 1990–2019. The IMF's Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) database is used to estimate trade misinvoicing. Estimates using mirror trade data indicate that both exports of Africa to China and imports from China to Africa are mainly underinvoiced. The net effect shows that trade misinvoicing in the China‐Africa trade results in net illicit capital outflow for about 44% of countries in Africa. The results from panel data regressions indicate that tax evasion is one of the major factors behind misinvoicing in China‐Africa trade. In addition, corruption control is found to reduce export underinvoicing, while political stability reduces both export overinvoicing and import overinvoicing. Export misinvoicing increases with the presence of natural resources in the exporting country. Other factors associated with trade misinvoicing in China‐Africa trade include openness to trade, current account deficit, and real exchange rate. The study suggests ways to reduce trade misinvoicing in China‐Africa trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year, an estimated 7·7 million deaths are attributed to bacterial infections, of which 4.95 million are associated with drug-resistant pathogens, and 1·27 million are caused by bacterial pathogens resistant to the antibiotics available. Access to effective antibiotics when indicated prolongs life, reduces disability, reduces health-care expenses, and enables access to other life-saving medical innovations. Antimicrobial resistance undoes these benefits and is a major barrier to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, including targets for newborn survival, progress on healthy ageing, and alleviation of poverty. Adverse consequences from antimicrobial resistance are seen across the human life course in both health-care-associated and community-associated infections, as well as in animals and the food chain. The small set of effective antibiotics has narrowed, especially in resource-poor settings, and people who are very young, very old, and severely ill are particularly susceptible to resistant infections. This paper, the first in a Series on the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, considers the global scope of the problem and how it should be measured. Robust and actionable data are needed to drive changes and inform effective interventions to contain resistance. Surveillance must cover all geographical regions, minimise biases towards hospital-derived data, and include non-human niches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The primary objective of the paper is to examine the asymmetric Cointegration and asymmetric causality between financial development and poverty alleviation on annual data in Indian context over the period from 1980 to 2019. Design/methodology/approach: First nonlinearity test by Brooks et al. (1999) is applied to ascertain the nonlinear behavior of the variables used. Once the nonlinear behavior of variables is confirmed, asymmetric and nonlinear unit root tests by Kapetanios and Shin (2008) are applied to check for the order of integration of selected variables. Next, nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model (NARDL) is employed to analyze the asymmetric Cointegration. Finally, Hatemi-j- asymmetric causality tests is applied to work out the direction of asymmetric causality. Findings: The empirical findings document the existence of asymmetries in the short-run as well as long-run between poverty and financial development. The asymmetry reveals that negative financial development shocks leave a more profound impact on poverty alleviation than their positive equivalents. The findings of Wald's test also confirm the presence of asymmetric Cointegration. The asymmetric cumulative dynamic multipliers used to examine the behavior of asymmetries and adjustments with respect to time lend credence to the results calculated using NARDL estimator. This result exhibits the robustness of the model. Furthermore, the result emanating from recently introduced asymmetric causality test reveals a unidirectional asymmetric causality between negative shocks in financial development and poverty. The findings of the present study necessitate the need for investigating asymmetric and nonlinear effects in finance–poverty nexus, which existent literature has completely neglected, in order to have relevant policy conclusions. Research limitations/implications: The study used "Per capita consumption expenditure" as a measure for poverty due to lack of continuous time series data on headcount ratio. In future, researchers can extend this study by incorporating headcount ratio as a measure of poverty in their respective works. There is further scope of research on this issue by finding out the impact of formal and informal sources of credit on poverty separately. A panel data study for developing countries over a period of time could further confirm/negate the findings of the present study. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge none of the studies in Indian context has scrutinized asymmetric and nonlinear impact of financial development on poverty. To dredge up asymmetric structures at work, the authors have used the highly celebrated NARDL estimator. To enrich the existent body of knowledge along the lines of asymmetric (nonlinear) linkages, the authors have also used recently introduced asymmetric causality test by Hatemi-j-(2012) to find out the direction asymmetric causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a disconnect between the abundant resources at the national level and the severe poverty at individual and household levels in Nigeria. Information and communication technology is an efficient tool that the Asian economies have used to alleviate poverty. Information and communication technology is regarded as a tool which helps create an information and communication technology-based economy. This quantitative study examined how Nigeria can use information and communication technology to alleviate the enormous poverty levels. Data were sourced from the World Bank and International Telecommunication Union, for the period 1992–2020. In terms of the research methodology, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model was employed in the research. The empirical findings showed that information and communication technology can have a projected 50% positive effect in reducing poverty. Foreign direct investment had a positive effect on reducing income inequality. Primary research findings depicted that information and communication technology, economic growth, foreign direct investment and private domestic credit were key tools for reducing poverty in Nigeria. Concerning policy recommendations, it was suggested that private domestic credit and foreign direct investment should be channelled to the information and communication technology sector to have a greater impact on poverty alleviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is one of the most important tasks for the work of Agriculture, Rural areas and Farmers' in the new era to consolidate and develop the achievements of rural poverty alleviation and effectively link them with the revitalization of rural industries, and agricultural science and technology plays a key role in the revitalization of rural industries. There are many problems in the ethnic minority areas of Sichuan province, such as the insufficient investment in agricultural science and technology innovation, the weak foundation of modern agriculture, the in- sufficient supply of agricultural science and technology talents, the imperfect mechanism of agricultural science and technology innovation, the relatively low scientific and cultural timber of farmers, and the insufficient endogenous motivation, it is suggested that the construction of the Double system' of agricultural science and technology innovation and achievement transformation system, building a platform for demonstration and transformation of high-level scientific and technological achievements, improving the level of scientific and technological supply, perfecting the organizational system of agricultural production and management, perfecting the service system of agricultural informationization and mechanization, establishing the quality safety and standardization system of agricultural products, strengthening the training system of agricultural science and technology talents should be started from six aspects, the achievement of consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation in ethnic minority areas in Sichuan province has been effectively linked with the revitalization of rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We examine the factors and conditions of an economic and resource–environmental nature. It is concluded that the reduction of poverty in Kyrgyzstan plays a key role in terms of the sustainable development and strategic security of the country. This article identifies the reserves of Kyrgyzstan's economy to strengthen the natural capital potential of the region. Regional factors for the development of the strategy to achieve the socioeconomic and environmental security of Kyrgyzstan are identified. It is shown that digitalization, by comprehensively improving the socioeconomic conditions of management, has a beneficial effect on the processes of innovative modernization of Kyrgyzstan, and contributes to improving regional policy to achieve socioeconomic stabilization. It is established that Kyrgyzstan has unique tourism and recreational resources and great potential for developing business activities in those fields. Due to the availability of touristic and recreational resources in the regions of the country, these activities can act as an alternative path for the socioeconomic activity of the population and as a means of reducing poverty. This article shows some socioeconomic and regional features of tourism in Kyrgyzstan, with due regard for the specifics of ensuring socioecological–economic security. The importance of tourism and recreation in terms of socio-ecological and economic stabilization of the region is substantiated. With the burden of environmental and economic problems accumulated in the past in the regions of Kyrgyzstan, the further development of tourism and recreation is a significant precondition for greening the economy. The tourism and recreation sector of Kyrgyzstan may well become a kind of locomotive for the country's green economy under conditions of increased vulnerability and the limited assimilation capacity of the mountainous areas of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the carbon balance pattern from the perspective of urban spatial development pattern is an effective way to solve the urban carbon emissions reduction problem, promote high-quality economic development, and synergize the development of the regional "nature–economy" dual system. Taking 105 counties (districts) in Anhui Province as an example, based on the calculation of regional carbon balance and urban development characteristics in 2001, 2010, and 2019, we used the spatio-temporal leap model to analyze urban development characteristics and combined the GWTR model and geodetic probes to explore the spatial and temporal correlation between the carbon balance and urban development characteristics, as well as their influence mechanisms. The results of the study show that: (1) The carbon balance of the 105 counties in Anhui Province shows a general decline in the time axis, with a small recovery, and the spatial sequence decreases and then increases from the north to the south. (2) The urban structure of southeast Anhui Province and central Anhui Province is stable, and the development status is good, but the carbon balance is out of balance, the carbon emissions are much higher than the carbon sinks, and the urban structure of the mountainous areas of west Anhui Province and north Anhui Province is dynamic and coordinated, with the carbon balance in harmony. (3) The spatial development characteristics of the cities in Anhui Province have a negative impact on the carbon balance at the scale-area level and a positive impact at the functional structure level. Among them, the area of urban built-up area and the number of the largest urban patches have strong explanatory power for the carbon balance, and the number of the largest urban patches is the main driver of spatial heterogeneity in the carbon balance. (4) The carbon budget of Anhui Province under the influence of urban spatial development characteristics can be divided into four regions: the economic development–carbon balance lopsided area, the ecological protection–carbon balance surplus area, the urban agglomeration–carbon balance adjustment area, and the potential enhancement–carbon balance equilibrium area. Based on the results, urban development needs to strengthen the construction of urban functional zones, and when formulating low-carbon policies in provinces with uneven development, it is necessary to comprehensively analyze the differences in development between cities and build cities according to local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence is an important risk factor in the development of hepatic steatosis. Senolytics present therapeutic effects on age-related hepatic steatosis without eliminating senescent hepatocytes directly. Therefore, it highlights the need to find senolytics' therapeutic targets. Dysfunction of adipose tissue underlies the critical pathogenesis of lipotoxicity in the liver. However, the correlation between adipose tissue and hepatic steatosis during aging and its underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. We explored the correlation between white adipose tissue (WAT) and the liver during aging and evaluated the effect of lipolysis of aged WAT on hepatic steatosis and hepatocyte senescence. We screened out the ideal senolytics for WAT and developed a WAT-targeted delivery system for senotherapy. We assessed senescence and lipolysis of WAT and hepatic lipid accumulation after treatment. The results displayed that aging accelerated cellular senescence and facilitated lipolysis of WAT. Free fatty acids (FFAs) generated by WAT during aging enhanced hepatic steatosis and induced hepatocyte senescence. The combined usage of dasatinib and quercetin was screened out as the ideal senolytics to eliminate senescent cells in WAT. To minimize non-specific distribution and enhance the effectiveness of senolytics, liposomes decorated with WAT affinity peptide P3 were constructed for senotherapy in vivo. In vivo study, WAT-targeted treatment eliminated senescent cells in WAT and reduced lipolysis, resulting in the alleviation of hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatocyte senescence when compared to non-targeted treatment, providing a novel tissue-targeted, effective and safe senotherapy for age-related hepatic steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of ready-made garment (RMG) workers, frequently seen as Bangladesh's lifeline for economic growth and poverty alleviation, were sacked arbitrarily just weeks after the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The widespread cancellation of existing orders, followed by factory closures and worker layoffs, triggered an unprecedented crisis for RMG workers, the vast majority of whom are women. As the industry is slowly recovering from the initial upheaval and on its way to rebound, this article revisits the impacts of the pandemic on the RMG workers in Bangladesh, who predominantly hails from impoverished rural regions of the country. Using first-hand data and secondary literature, this article offers a compelling account of the pandemic outbreak's disproportionate impact on female RMG workers. As we examine the effects on workers, we also look back at the structural hierarchies and power asymmetries embedded in this sector—a quintessential feature of the contemporary global economy. The article offers three distinct contributions to the emerging literature on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the changing labor spectrum in the global South. First, it explores the pandemic's broader gendered implications, revealing how it unevenly affected women. Second, it underlines how the pre-existing power dynamic within the global supply chain further exacerbated inequality, marginalization, and workers' precarity in Bangladesh's RMG industry. Lastly, it underscores the unequal interdependence between "core" and "peripheral" countries in the global production and labor landscape, highlighting the asymmetrical nature of their relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Ultra-poor Graduation' model, though highly effective in poverty alleviation, costs substantially more than alternative poverty alleviation approaches. One possible way of improving the cost-effectiveness of the model is to analyse the treatment effect heterogeneity and identify the participants who do not gain much from the programme and better customise the interventions to their needs. Applying recently developed machine learning methods on a large-scale RCT dataset from Bangladesh, we identify and characterise the program participants who benefit and who do not. We find significant variation in impact on assets where the top quintile gainers experience asset growth of 337% while asset growth is only 189% for the bottom quintile. Heterogeneity in impact on household expenditures is found to be present but of lower magnitude than that of assets. Importantly, the machine learning techniques we apply reveal contrasts in characteristics of beneficiaries who made the most in assets vs. consumption. The most benefitted households in per-capita wealth outcome were relatively older, were more dependent on wage income, had less involvement in self-employment activities, and had lower participation in household decision-making at baseline. In contrast, the top quintile gainers of household expenditure are younger, earn less from wages, depend more on self-employment income, and have higher participation in household decision-making. The results identify beneficiary characteristics that can be used in targeting households either to maximise impact on the desired dimension and/or to customise interventions for balancing the asset and consumption trade-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social innovation is one of the key drivers of the sustainable development agenda of the Republic of South Africa in the wake of the new global focus on sustainable development. Furthermore, it is within the agenda of sustainable development that community development, poverty alleviation and eradication and the improvement of the living standards of all South Africans can be realised in the current era of connectivity, advanced analytics, automation, and advanced-manufacturing technology that has been transforming global business for years. Through the extensive review of purposively selected written documents such as journal articles, books, book chapters and newspapers, the paper discusses the role that social innovation plays in pursuing and attaining sustainable development in and by South Africa within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Succinctly, the focus of this manuscript is to analyse the role that social innovation in a 4IR context can be the conduit for improving how the government intensifies social and community development. The article indicated that lack of critical skills, scarcity of resources, poor accountability, poor organisational culture, lack of integrity, and low equity and inclusion, among others, were identified as the challenges to social innovation in South Africa. To this effect, the paper showed that the Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa can be used to drive social innovation and address urgent socioeconomic issues. It can also promote inclusive growth and build a more sustainable and equitable future for all South Africans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the state of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) One, which is to eradicate poverty in Africa. This study was inspired by the reality that most African nations suffer from political unrest, tyranny, conflicts, and natural disasters caused by the climate, all of which harm socioeconomic development at both country-specific and regional levels. The study examines the extent of poverty in an African context from a holistic perspective before discussing trends and determining whether poverty has worsened or improved over time. The study also identifies barriers to SDG One implementation in the region. The study aims to investigate the different interventions needed to implement SDG One successfully. Finding answers to the guiding question involved adopting a qualitative desktop study and gathering data by analysing various secondary documents. The study aims to answer the following research questions: what causes poverty in African countries, and what interventions are required to achieve SDG One in the region? The study's framework was based on the human capabilities approach (HCA). The research examines the social, political, economic, and environmental variables that could impede the region's efforts to implement SDG One. The study discusses best practices and suggests interventions to improve the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on utilizing the four-step model to understand the achieved capabilities and functionings of residents of Ginatilan through the municipality's environmental poverty alleviation programs. Specifically, it examined the sustainability of Ginatilan's usage of natural resources and also utilized the views on the tragedy of the commons, as well as environmental and relational peace as frameworks. This article provided strategic recommendations for managing rural communities in the future. A case study was conducted in Barangay Anao and Mangaco, where household surveys, interviews, and document analyses were done through qualitative content analysis (QCA). Results show that the Municipality of Ginatilan's utilization of its natural resources through its environmental poverty alleviation programs is economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. This research also has seen a positive relationship between sustainability and peace, and both domains require consideration of social, environmental, economic, and political dimensions to attain overall sustainability of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

United Nations (UN) leaders suggest that the world is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the SDGs provide a valuable platform to call for a basic income (BI) globally. Adopting a critical historical studies approach, the article traces the evolution of 'development', including the UN decades of development, the Millennium Development Goals, and the SDGs. It subsequently describes the structural adjustment and poverty reduction efforts by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and then outlines why the SDG framework may be helpful in advancing a BI. We argue that as climate-related disasters increase, a BI will be vital in providing a modicum of security in an increasingly unstable world. Calls for BI must be anchored to a broader change agenda that recognizes the causes of poverty and income inequality, and seeks their dismantling and redress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential moderating effect of gender equality in reproductive health on the relationship between financial development and poverty reduction in 36 sub-Sahara African countries from 2000 to 2022, using the Quantile Method of Moments with fixed effects to address endogeneity issues and outliers. The study employs the poverty headcount ratio and poverty gap ratio as poverty indicators while controlling for inflation rate, economic growth, education, income distribution, and government expenditure using data from world development indicators, UNDP, and IMF data banks. The results show that financial development significantly contributes to poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, but this contribution declines as poverty severity increases. Moreover, reduced challenges in women's reproductive health play a vital role in decreasing poverty, and integrating gender equality in reproductive health with financial development improves the relationship between financial development and poverty reduction. The study also concludes that poverty reduction initiatives are more effective when financial development strategies are part of a broader approach that includes women's reproductive health, economic growth, and resource equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, U.S. advocates and funders have supported direct cash transfers for individuals and families as an efficient, immediate, and non‐paternalistic path to poverty alleviation. Open questions remain, however, about their implementation. We address these using data from debit card transactions, customer service call‐line logs, and in‐depth interviews from a randomized control study of a monthly unconditional cash gift delivered via debit card to mothers of young children living near the federal poverty line. Because much of the impact of the intervention occurs through mothers' decisions about how to allocate the Baby's First Years (BFY) money, we argue that implementation science must recognize the role of policy targets in implementing policy, not just in terms of policy outcomes but also policy implementation processes. Further, our analysis shows that mothers experience key aspects of the cash intervention's design as intended: they viewed the cash gift as unconditional and knew the money was reliable and would continue monthly, receiving the correct amount with few incidents. Delivering funds via debit card worked well, offering mothers flexibility in purchasing. We also illuminate how design features shaped mothers' experiences. First, although they knew it was unconditional, the social meaning of the BFY money to mothers—seen as "the baby's money"—shaped their engagement with and allocation of it. Second, low public visibility of mothers' receipt of this money limited the financial demands or requests from others, potentially facilitating more agency over and a greater ability to use the money as they chose, without claims from kin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are believed to be the best source of finance for lifting the poor from poverty. However, the vast majority of MFIs' customers in the world appear to be over-indebted. This study investigates the effect of the four attitudes towards money (FAM), namely security, love, freedom, and power, on over-indebtedness among MFIs customers in Tanzania. This relationship has not been investigated in previous studies. The study used an analytical cross-sectional design involving a survey of 428 MFI customers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for data analysis. The findings show that power (β = 0.432, p = 0.000), love (β = 0.114, p = 0.004), and freedom (β = 0.101, p = 0.02) significantly and positively affect over-indebtedness, while security (β = -0.243, p = 0.003) negatively and significantly affects over-indebtedness. This study provides an alternative way for MFIs to reduce over-indebtedness by focusing on borrowers' attitudes towards money. This will, in turn, enhance loan repayment rates, sustainability of MFIs, poverty reduction and quality of life among MFI customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Poverty Alleviation Relocation (PAR) policy is widely regarded as an effective approach for breaking the cycle of ecological vulnerability and poverty. However, quantitative research on the ecological restoration effectiveness of PAR lacks sufficient experimental data support. This study focuses on the karst region and employs analysis methods such as volume-derived biomass and correlation analysis to evaluate the impact of PAR on carbon storage in forest ecosystems using on-site experimental data. The objective is to enhance and broaden the research framework for assessing PAR's ecological restoration effectiveness. The findings reveal that, compared to the pre-PAR implementation period in 2015, the study area experienced an 8.16% increase in forest land area and a 6.57% increase in carbon storage after six years of PAR implementation in 2021. Following PAR implementation, carbon storage in the stone desertification area surged by 14.31%, indicating a significant correlation between PAR households and carbon storage variables. In the karst area, carbon storage increased by 4.34%, exhibiting a significant correlation between the two variables. Conversely, in the non-karst area, carbon storage rose by 5.01%, but no significant correlation was observed between the variables. Furthermore, post-PAR implementation, there is a discernible trend of stronger carbon storage enhancement with increasing distance from the relocated PAR households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]