scholarly journals Current context of transport sector in South Asia

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 490-505
Author(s):  
Champika Liyanage ◽  
Nuwan Dias ◽  
Dilanthi Amaratunga ◽  
Richard Haigh
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Sustainable Transport ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Given the current focus on sustainable development, there is a need to identify the current status of the transport sector in developing countries and the obstacles to the development of a sustainable transport system. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review on what needs to be done in such countries towards a sustainable transportation system. The focus of the paper will be on the South Asian context. In order to achieve the aim, the paper examines the current issues, the policy context and the key actions required in the countries selected in South Asia (i.e. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal). Design/methodology/approach The main method used for the project was a combination of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. In addition, a policy analysis was also carried out with a use of secondary data. Altogether, 348 interviews and 16 focus groups (with 157 participants) were carried out in the selected six countries. Although the purpose of the research methods was to carry out a situational analysis of each country mentioned above on seven societal challenges identified under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme, this paper only focusses on presenting the findings relating to sustainable transport. Findings Findings reveal that South Asian countries need to improve different aspects of their transportation sector, starting from national-level transportation policies. Sustainable transportation is not merely about mobility but also about creating safer, convenient and environmentally friendly transportation systems. Some key actions needed for these include introducing driver and passenger safety regulations, establishing vehicle emissions test centres to reduce CO2 emissions, and introducing public-private partnerships where useful. Originality/value This study provides a robust policy direction towards the introduction/improvement of a sustainable transportation system in South Asian countries.

Climate change and women in South Asia: a review and future policy implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-166
Author(s):  
Sangram Kishor Patel ◽  
Gopal Agrawal ◽  
Bincy Mathew ◽  
Sunita Patel ◽  
Biswajit Mohanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Policy

Purpose South Asian region is a focal point owing to its vulnerabilities to climate-sensitive diseases, dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods, projected levels of crop decline in the region, and high rates of poverty and malnutrition. Women are particularly vulnerable to climate change and this affects women disproportionately during different extreme events. The purpose of this paper is to understand the issue of climate change and its impact, and climate resilience among women in South Asia. Further, it also identifies the gaps and suggests future policy implications. Design/methodology/approach Climate change is increasingly being recognised as an alarming issue and the present review is important when South Asian countries are facing the brunt of climate change impacts. This paper tries to understand the issue by review of the literature and conceptual framework methodology. To understand women’s vulnerability due to climate change and its aftermath, the authors conducted both offline and online desk reviews for this study. Findings The findings of this study show a clear linkage between climate change and women’s vulnerabilities in South Asia. Climate change has significant socio-economic impacts on women, and it affects them disproportionately in various domains of agriculture, livelihood, food security, both physical and mental health, water and sanitation in the South Asia region. Practical implications The paper also highlights that the programmes that aim at combating the effects of climate change require a gender-sensitive approach so that climate change does not obstruct the development and reduction of poverty in the region. Social implications The findings of this paper will add value in helping families to come out of poverty by undertaking adaptive measures with proactive assistance from the government and grassroots level organisations. Originality/value The present study also advocates for more gender- and climate-sensitive measures from governments, and implementation of intervention- and evidence-based research in the South Asian countries.

China's foray into South Asia is risky for both sides

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Development ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Security Interest ◽  
Mixed Responses ◽  
Competitive Rivalry

Subject China's ties with smaller South Asian countries. Significance Beijing is being drawn by its strategic aspirations westwards by land and sea corridors that lead to Africa and Europe. Pakistan and Myanmar are obvious outlets to the sea. Others along the maritime route fall squarely within India's sphere of geopolitical and security interest, on which Beijing is encroaching. Impacts China's regional economic interests and ability to bankroll projects are positive for regional development. Politically, China's growing presence is unsettling and arouses mixed responses in target countries. A growing competitive rivalry with India has global security implications as the two powers jostle for influence.

South Asia will focus on easing impact of large floods

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Risk Maps ◽  
Large Floods

Significance India and Pakistan face a higher risk of heatwaves. Rising average temperatures may be linked to increased monsoon-related emergencies in South Asia. Impacts India will likely exceed its intended nationally determined contribution targets arising from the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference. Declining living standards due to climate change could raise migratory pressures across South Asia. South Asian countries will increasingly use drone technology to create risk maps charting climate change.

scholarly journals Status of Bioinformatics Education in South Asia: Past and Present

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Muhammad Muddassir Ali ◽  
Muhammad Hamid ◽  
Muhammad Saleem ◽  
Saadia Malik ◽  
Natash Ali Mian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The South ◽  
Systematic Effort ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Bioinformatics Education

Bioinformatics education has been a hot topic in South Asia, and the interest in this education peaks with the start of the 21st century. The governments of South Asian countries had a systematic effort for bioinformatics. They developed the infrastructures to provide maximum facility to the scientific community to gain maximum output in this field. This article renders bioinformatics, measures, and its importance of implementation in South Asia with proper ways of improving bioinformatics education flaws. It also addresses the problems faced in South Asia and proposes some recommendations regarding bioinformatics education. The information regarding bioinformatics education and institutes was collected from different existing research papers, databases, and surveys. The information was then confirmed by visiting each institution’s website, while problems and solutions displayed in the article are mostly in line with South Asian bioinformatics conferences and institutions’ objectives. Among South Asian countries, India and Pakistan have developed infrastructure and education regarding bioinformatics rapidly as compared to other countries, whereas Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are still in a progressing phase in this field. To advance in a different sector, the bioinformatics industry has to be revolutionized, and it will contribute to strengthening the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and molecular sectors in South Asia. To advance in bioinformatics, universities’ infrastructure needs to be on a par with the current international standards, which will produce well-trained professionals with skills in multiple fields like biotechnology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science. The bioinformatics industry has revolutionized and strengthened the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and molecular sectors in South Asia, and it will serve as the standard of education increases in the South Asian countries. A framework for developing a centralized database is suggested after the literature review to collect and store the information on the current status of South Asian bioinformatics education. This will be named as the South Asian Bioinformatics Education Database (SABE). This will provide comprehensive information regarding the bioinformatics in South Asian countries by the country name, the experts of this field, and the university name to explore the top-ranked outputs relevant to queries.

Climate change will prompt major reform in South Asia

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Major Reform ◽  
Flood Defence

Subject Responses to climate change in South Asia. Significance The Maldives last week hosted the fourth Indian Ocean Conference, at which representatives from South Asia and beyond discussed challenges to the region such as climate change. South Asian countries are experiencing increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as flooding and drought. Impacts The Maldives and Sri Lanka, the region’s island nations, will invest heavily in flood-defence systems. South Asian authorities will be under pressure to improve medical services to help cut deaths from flood-related diseases. Climate change will be an increasingly prominent feature of political debate in many of the region’s countries.

scholarly journals Regional Cooperation in Industrial Revolution 4.0 and South Asia: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-98
Author(s):  
Arpita Mukherjee ◽  
Divya Satija
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The South ◽  
Development Goals

This paper examines the current status of use of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (4th IR) in South Asia and the role and need for regional cooperation to harness the potential and benefits of 4th IR. It examines the development across South Asian countries, their participation in international forums, their level of collaboration and cooperation in technology adaptation and digitalization. Based on secondary data analysis and in-depth meetings with experts, the paper explores the potential of 4th IR in this region and identifies the challenges of South Asian countries. It then presents recommendations on how the South Asian countries can harness the benefits of 4th IR and address their common concerns through collaborations under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), so that all member countries can benefit from 4th IR, by leveraging each other’s best practices and comparative advantages. This can help countries in the region to achieve high and inclusive growth and meet their sustainable development goals. JEL: O3, O57, F13

Remittances-inflation nexus in South Asia: an empirical examination

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hem C. Basnet ◽  
Ficawoyi Donou-Adonsou ◽  
Kamal Upadhyaya
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Panel Cointegration ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
The South ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether remittances induce inflation in South Asian countries, namely, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach This study uses panel cointegration and Pooled Mean Group techniques covering from 1975 to 2017 to estimate the long-run and the short-run effect of remittances on inflation. Findings The estimated results suggest that the inflationary impact of remittances in South Asia depends on the time length. The inflow tends to lower inflation in the short run, whereas it increases in the long run. The findings highlight the regional peculiarity in the impact of remittances on the price level. The results are statistically significant and are confirmed by the Mean Group estimation as well. Originality/value Most past studies investigating the nexus between remittances and inflation in the South Asian context examine either these countries individually or include them all in a pool of big cross-sections. This study contributes to the literature by addressing this void. The South Asian countries should not generalize the earlier findings on the link between remittance inflows and inflation, as the short-run effect is different from the long run. Thus, these countries would be better off designing long-run policies that are different from the short run.

A quarter century of management research in South Asia – III: analysis and conclusions

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay T. Menon
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Specific Analysis ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Country Specific

PurposeIn Part I and Part II of this review series, management research over a 25-year period from 1990 to 2014 from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka was reviewed (Menon, 2016, 2019). This final paper presents further analysis, including author affiliation analysis, and an exploration of contextual factors affecting management research in each of the eight South Asian countries.Design/methodology/approachPublication trends and the locational affiliation of the authors (in-country vs external) were analyzed. Country-specific analysis and policy recommendations were developed from an ecological and institutional theory perspective.FindingsThere were a total of 1,250 management research articles related to South Asian countries published in 183 journals, with the most being in the International Journal of Human Resource Management (n = 92). The average number of publications per year has steadily increased, nearly doubling in the last five years. An analysis of author affiliations revealed that a majority (64%) of the first authors were based in the West.Originality/valueThe author affiliation analysis in this paper is an original technique and offers empirical evidence that much of quality management research on South Asia is undertaken by scholars external to the region. The review series is the first such comprehensive effort covering management research in all eight South Asian countries over a 25-year period and offers country-specific explanations for the state of management research in these countries.

Sustainable transportation strategies for decoupling road vehicle transport and carbon dioxide emissions

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Velazquez ◽  
Nora E Munguia ◽  
Markus Will ◽  
Andrea G Zavala ◽  
Sara Patricia Verdugo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Sustainable Transport ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transportation Modes ◽  
Transport Modes ◽  
Motorized Transport

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify research priorities to guide transportation stakeholders in their practice, education, and research. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review of published, conference proceedings, agency reports, books, and web site documents was conducted, aiming at the identification of the diverging strategies and practices undertaken by transportation stakeholders in order to be able to generate initial meaningful insights about a sustainable transportation system. Findings – Sustainable transportation systems are in certain way a new paradigm where a business-as-usual approach is not possible. Vehicle makers produce more energy efficient vehicles. Nevertheless, fossil fuel is still the predominant source of energy. Regarding the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, non-motorized transport modes are preferable over motorized transport modes, and public transportation modes preferable to private transportation modes. It is also import to include environmental consideration along the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the transportation infrastructure. While vehicles powered by alternate fuel such as biofuel, electricity, and/or fuel cell are becoming more popular, shifting to more sustainable transport modes would also require changes on commuter behaviors and individual preferences. Practical implications – The paper discusses the efforts that are underway for decoupling transport and CO2 emissions, being useful for transportation stakeholders to implement or improve the effectiveness of their potential or current sustainability transport initiatives through the identification of strategies, opportunities, and barriers. Originality/value – Although there is plenty of good information about sustainability and transportation modes in literature, most of the articles analyzed focus on specific factors of the whole transportation system. The originality/value of this paper is found in the holistic perspective, here presented, of the state of the art issues that a sustainable transport system would encompass.

scholarly journals Wasting and Associated Factors among Children under 5 Years in Five South Asian Countries (2014–2018): Analysis of Demographic Health Surveys

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4578
Author(s):  
Nidhi Wali ◽  
Kingsley E. E. Agho ◽  
Andre M. N. Renzaho
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Health Surveys ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Sampling Weights

Child wasting continues to be a major public health concern in South Asia, having a prevalence above the emergency threshold. This paper aimed to identify factors associated with wasting among children aged 0–23 months, 24–59 months, and 0–59 months in South Asia. A weighted sample of 564,518 children aged 0–59 months from the most recent demographic and health surveys (2014–2018) of five countries in South Asia was combined. Multiple logistic regression analyses that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights were used to examine associated factors. Wasting prevalence was higher for children aged 0–23 months (25%) as compared to 24–59 months (18%), with variations in prevalence across the South Asian countries. The most common factor associated with child wasting was maternal BMI [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for 0–23 months = 2.02; 95% CI: (1.52, 2.68); AOR for 24–59 months = 2.54; 95% CI: (1.83, 3.54); AOR for 0–59 months = 2.18; 95% CI: (1.72, 2.77)]. Other factors included maternal height and age, household wealth index, birth interval and order, children born at home, and access to antenatal visits. Study findings suggest need for nutrition specific and sensitive interventions focused on women, as well as adolescents and children under 2 years of age.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document