The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations for the Welfare of the Elderly

Summary

Since there has been a gradual increase in the population aged 60 and older, a developing country like India is unable to cope with the needs and problems of its aged populations. While the government continues its efforts to introduce programs for the elderly, the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have played a key role in bringing to the forefront the socioeconomic and health problems of older people in the society at large. This paper looks at the role of the NGOs through their various welfare activities and beneficial programs in carving out a place for the elderly in India. The work of HelpAge India is highlighted to examine how voluntary organizations have worked in the field of aging in India and made an impact on the lives of the senior citizens, especially those below the poverty line who are economically and socially deprived.     

‘Why would I want to be anonymous?’ Questioning ethical principles of anonymity in cross-cultural feminist research

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on anonymity in research, considering it in relation to feminist values. There has been increasing debate in the feminist literature on the universality of ethics, including reflection on principles such as anonymity. However, there has been limited discussion of the specific challenge facing feminist researchers to amplify the voices of women participants, but also to respect their wishes regarding voice and agency. Assuring anonymity can be empowering for women and girls participating in research, allowing individuals to share their experiences freely without concerns about attribution and its consequences. On the other hand, if research ethics require anonymity, this can actually deny research respondents the right to be heard and operate as a form of silencing. This article focuses on research in Bihar, India, where many of the respondents rejected the idea of anonymity. Upholding a feminist ethics of care and delivering on a feminist commitment to giving voice to women requires a focus on women’s agency in the decision-making process around ethics.     

Best Practices in the Treatment of Substance-Abusing Women in the Child Welfare System

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the literature on women's chemical dependency and its effects on their children. Many risk factors (e.g., a history of traumatic exposure) and consequences (interference with parenting) of substance abuse are unique for women, giving rise to special treatment needs of substance-abusing women with children. Substance-abusing mothers also experience unique barriers to receiving the services they need to recover, such as absence of child care and lack of gender-specific treatment in their communities. Model programs are described and recommendations are offered for best treatment practices for women with chemical dependency who present in the child welfare system.     

Women’s status and qualitative perceptions of a cash assistance programme in Raqqa Governorate,Syria

ABSTRACT

Cash and voucher assistance is an efficient way to deliver assistance in emergency settings, and evidence demonstrates that cash programmes have consistent positive impacts on food security and other health and economic outcomes in these contexts. Nevertheless, while evidence from development settings shows that cash has the potential to reduce intimate partner violence and increase empowerment for women and girls, there is a dearth of rigorous evidence from acute humanitarian settings. In response to this evidence gap, the International Rescue Committee conducted an evaluation of a cash programme in Raqqa Governorate, Syria. The aim was to examine the effect of a cash for basic needs programme on outcomes of violence against women, and women’s empowerment. This article draws on qualitative data from interviews with 40 women at the end of the cash programme. It offers evidence of potential increased tension and abuse within both the community and the household for some women whose families received cash, as well as potential increased social protection through repayment of debts and economic independence for others. Both negative and positive effects could be seen. While the objective of the cash programme was not to influence underlying power dynamics, this research shows it is necessary to integrate gender-sensitive approaches into programme design and monitoring to reduce risk to women of diverse identities.     

An Intersectional Model

Abstract

Although there is a growing literature on the experiences and service needs of ethnically and culturally diverse individuals, families and communities, the interaction of gender with other diversities has not been widely explored. This paper examines data collected from six affinity-based focus groups of women: refugees, older women, African American women, lesbians, girls, and women with disabilities to explore the interaction of gender with other diversities. All of the groups reported an interaction between gender and their affinity group, and the ways in which that interaction contributed to their subordinate position in society and within their population group was described. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Faith,work, and women in a changing world: the influence of religion in the lives of beedi rollers in West Bengal

In India, religious norms and values play a significant role in regulating the lives of women and girls in many communities. This article looks at how the lives of women and girl beedi (hand rolled cigarette) rollers in a Muslim community in West Bengal are influenced by their religious background, highlighting the complex relationship between gender, faith, and work. Secondly, the article discusses how secular NGOs – which in India are often seen to be hesitant in addressing questions of religious faith and practice – can engage in development work with women and girls in faith-based communities. The article focuses on the experiences of two secular NGOs working with women beedi workers in villages in Murshidabad, as they come to understand that to bring about significant changes in women's lives they must open up discussions around sensitive religious belief, within the community and their own organisations.     

A longitudinal qualitative evaluation of an economic and social empowerment intervention to reduce girls’ vulnerability to HIV in rural Mozambique

PurposeAn intervention including business training and health education was implemented in Mozambique, where girls are at elevated risk for acquiring HIV. As part of a mixed-methods evaluation, we describe perceived effects of the intervention on girls’ sexual behavior and school attendance.MethodsWe conducted 49 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with girl intervention participants (ages 13–19), 24 IDIs with heads of girls’ households, 36 IDIs with influential males identified by girls, and 12 focus group discussions with community members after the intervention ended and one year later.ResultsInformants said the primary intervention benefit was realized when girls had money to stay in or return to school and/or to buy necessities for themselves and their households—reducing their need for transactional or intergenerational sex. However, some girls did not make a profit and some businesses were not sustainable. Sometimes the intervention appeared to be implemented in a way to reinforce inequitable gender norms resulting in some girls feeling shame when they reengaged in risky sex after their businesses failed.ConclusionsEarning money enabled girls to potentially reduce their vulnerability to HIV. We offer recommendations for future multi-sector interventions, including the need to address potential harms in programs serving vulnerable girls.     

The Management of Unwanted Pregnancy Among Women in Nairobi,Kenya

ABSTRACT. Objectives: This study probed both the meanings women ascribe to their unwanted pregnancies and the drivers of their choices in relation to the management of such pregnancies. Methods: Cross-sectional qualitative in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 80 women and girls in Nairobi, Kenya. Results: Gender, livelihoods, morality, marital status, and male partners exerted extensively complex and multidimensional influence on women's management of their unintentional pregnancies. For instance, although gender norms were frequently invoked to justify terminating unwanted pregnancies, they also regularly provided strong motivations for carrying such pregnancies to term. Conclusions: Urgently needed are programs and policies that support women to avoid unwanted pregnancies and help them respond safely and pragmatically to such pregnancies when they occur.     

Delivering LGBT-sensitive substance use treatment to sexual minority women

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies have consistently found elevated rates of alcohol and other substance use among sexual minority women (SMW), and despite calls for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-specific” services and culturally tailored interventions, few such services exist. This study involved qualitative interviews with directors from substance use treatment programs (N?=?10) about how they addressed the needs of SMW. Strategies implemented primarily focused on creating a safe and welcoming environment for sexual minority clients. Findings highlight challenges involved in meeting the treatment needs of SMW and provide guidance to researchers and service providers on how to improve the quality of care for them.     

‘Between underground and over ground: narratives on the identity of women insurgents in Assam’

ABSTRACT

The Assam Movement (1979–1985) has been a turning point in the politics of Assam in India that has raised the question of identity and at the same time triggered the struggle to self-determination by the insurgent organization United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). This paper aims to take identity as the point of departure to mark the transition of women’s role from the Assam Movement into their underground roles in ULFA. In such narratives of hero-making and patriotism, under-representation of women’s strategic involvement and self-sacrifices in the insurgent outfit often leaves the lives of the women members misrepresented and fails to highlight the in-betweens of life and death. This paper pushes the idea of identity assertion in Northeast India beyond citizenship and questions the way women’s presence in the insurgent organization gets narrated, documented, and established. Oral histories are crucial sources of data for this study.     

Coalition for a Healthier Community: Lessons learned and implications for future work

The Coalition for a Healthier Community (CHC) initiative was implemented to improve the health and well-being of women and girls. Underpinning CHC is a gender-based focus that uses a network of community partners working collaboratively to generate relevant behavior change and improved health outcomes. Ten programs are trying to determine whether gender-focused system approaches are cost-effective ways to address health disparities in women and girls. Programs implemented through coalitions made up of academic institutions, public health departments, community-based organizations, and local, regional, and national organizations, are addressing health issues such as domestic violence, cardiovascular disease prevention, physical activity, and healthy eating. Although these programs are ongoing, they have made significant progress. Key factors contributing to their early success include a comprehensive needs assessment, robust coalitions, the diversity of populations targeted, programs based on findings of the needs assessments, evaluations taking into consideration the effect of gender, and strong academic–community partnerships. A noteworthy impact of these programs has been their ability to shape and impact public, social, and health policies at the state and local levels. However, there have been challenges associated with the implementation of such a complex program. Lessons learned are discussed in this paper.     

Leveraging blockchain technology in humanitarian settings – opportunities and risks for women and girls

ABSTRACT

There is an increasing acknowledgement among policymakers and private-sector partners that we cannot overcome the challenges of our time without harnessing the potential of emerging technologies. As blockchain technology is rapidly being introduced to support work across a wide number of areas of humanitarian action, this article considers its potential impact on women and girls. The article draws on experiences emerging from UN Women’s explorations of blockchain technology and the first gender-responsive pilot targeting Syrian refugee women in UN Women’s cash-for-work programme in Jordan. The article reminds us how important it is to introduce technologies in ways that maximise their potential to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in humanitarian settings, and minimise the risk of doing harm. Without conscious commitment to these aims, blockchain technology may exacerbate the marginalisation of women and girls.     

Smoking among New England College Men and Women

Abstract

Smoking behavior was examined among college students at 34 New England colleges. Women were more often smokers (44%) than men (32%) and were also more likely to smoke daily than men (23 vs. 16%). Men in private colleges were significantly less likely to smoke (22%) than those in public colleges (26%). At both public and private colleges, women were more likely to smoke than men. Smoking was inversely related to health habits for both men and women.

The percentage of college women who smoked is similar to that reported for the general population, while that for men is less. Prevention programs should be targeted to girls in the primary and secondary grades, as well as to college women, and support for smoking cessation should be made available on college campuses.     

Momma's Girl

Abstract

Using data from the 1998 Youth Survey conducted by the Institute for Social Science Research, this paper examines the correlation between perceived maternal figure support and hope for future success among 866 African-American adolescent girls. The majority of girls in this sample perceive themselves as receiving high levels of support from their maternal figures. The oldest girls, ages 18 and 19 years, represented the largest percentage of respondents who reported receiving no maternal support, over twice the percentage for the entire sample. The impact of higher levels of maternal support on hope development in the girls of this sample was less influential than hypothesized. Implications for practice include the need to consider development of programs that support or promote enrichment of formal and informal support systems for African-American girls considered to be at risk for potentially     

A review of literature: An examination of the correlation between attachment styles and adolescent girls’ sexual behaviors

ABSTRACT

This literature review examines eight studies of parental attachment styles, sexual behavior, and health outcomes among adolescent girls. The review focuses on studies that analyzed the perceived relationships between parents and their adolescent daughters and whether instabilities of life experiences correlated with risky sexual behaviors and if high-risk sexual behaviors were associated with an increase of sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, and other poor health outcomes in adolescent girls. Findings show adolescent girls with insecure parental attachment styles were at a higher risk of sexual behaviors, early pregnancies, and transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). The most common finding in the studies reviewed was the significant association of how higher parental communication and monitoring may prevent risky sexual behaviors at an earlier age. Recommendations for mental and health care providers include the development of treatment programs to address the importance of parent-attachment relationships and multifaceted health needs of adolescents girls. Programs can be strengthened by involving other family members, improving parent-daughter communication and relationships and emphasizing system-level change (policy, procedure, practice). Adding these elements may ultimately lead to sustained improvements over time. Future research on other family social factors (e.g., divorce and separation of attachment figure, poverty, and single-parent homes) associated with attachment and high-risk behaviors is warranted. More research is needed to exam how secure attachments among adolescent girls may prevent earlier sexual encounters, unplanned pregnancies, and STI’s.     

An empirical investigation of campus demographics and reported rapes

Objective: Rape on college campuses continues to be a pervasive public health issue with approximately 11% of women experiencing rape while in college. As such, it is important to examine factors unique to college campuses that influence the occurrences of rape. Methods: Using data from 1,423 four-year universities (public and private with at least 1,000 students) from the Office of Education and the Clery Act (2014), we examined institutional risk factors, such as tuition, liquor violations, Greek-life, athletic programs, institution type (public vs. private), and geographical location. Results: Public institutions with higher tuition, more liquor violations, and greater numbers of fraternity men and athletes were more likely to report rape on their campuses. Conclusions: Findings suggest that there are university-level characteristics which may increase certain campuses propensity toward violence against women.     

Social support networks,instant messaging,and gender equity in refugee education

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the role of instant messaging chat groups to support teacher training and gender equity initiatives in Kenyan refugee camps. Our findings are based on survey data with refugee teachers in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps (n?=?203), group interviews with refugee teachers in Kakuma (n?=?21), and interviews with international instructors of teacher training programs in Nairobi, Toronto, and Vancouver (n?=?14). In our analysis, we apply amplification theory, feminist science and technology studies paradigms, and considerations of transnational approaches to understand the use of instant messaging among refugee teacher communities. Our framework explores how social and cultural norms are amplified through transnational text and instant messaging related to teacher training and in support of gender equity. Peer-to-peer group chats draw on transnational learning opportunities and expand these engagements through group chats between men and women refugee teachers across camps as well as through community engagement about gender equity initiatives in education. International instructors identify both value and hesitation in navigating the quantity and content of these communications, such as learning more about refugee teachers’ daily lives in the camps and concern about following and managing the amount of communication that can ensue over chat groups. Our work has practical implications for transnational teacher training programs in refugee camps, illuminates how mobile technology and chat groups allow women and men in the community to engage and support girls’ education, and questions how text messaging affects the lived and day-to-day experiences of women refugee teachers.     

Quasi-experimental evaluation using confirmatory procedures: A case study of an economic and social empowerment intervention to reduce girls’ vulnerability to HIV in rural Mozambique

PurposeOur goal was to determine whether an economic and social empowerment intervention implemented in Zambézia Province, Mozambique reduced girls’ vulnerability to HIV. We use this experience to discuss challenges of evaluating real-world interventions.MethodsTwo rounds of data were collected from 885 girls, 13–19 years, for this clustered, non-equivalent (two-stage) cohort trial. We used multi-level exact matching and difference-in-differences estimation to estimate intervention effects on two outcomes: girls’ knowledge of gender-based violence and school attendance.ResultsEstimates of two outcomes analysed indicated no statistically significant intervention effects. Preliminary analysis of data from the intervention group revealed this study was unable to obtain accurate measures for five outcomes related to HIV vulnerability.ConclusionsAlthough our study did not find evidence of impact on the a priori selected outcomes, we report on our experience implementing this robust methodologic design and describe how the challenges encountered in this program setting affected our ability to attain results. We recommend prospective evaluation designs with random allocation be accommodated early during planning. When not possible, quasi-experimental studies should collect data from large samples. To reduce measurement bias, biological endpoints such sexually transmitted infections should serve as primary outcomes for programs intending to reduce sexual behaviors.     

Adoption in the Media

Abstract

This article reviews four print pieces from national magazines and newspapers. They cover the subjects of adoption of older children from foster care, importing pregnant women from foreign countries to facilitate American adoptions of their babies, the death of a child with reactive attachment disorder, and the adoption of Chinese girls in New York City.