The Role of Law in Addressing Poverty and Inequality in High Income Countries: A Comparative View of Menstrual Hygiene Management and Its Impact on Education and Health in the UK and Select High Income Sub-Saharan African Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Bakibinga ◽  
Nightingale Rukuba-Ngaiza
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
High Income ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Education And Health ◽  
Poverty And Inequality ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Agenda 2030 on sustainable development promotes a holistic approach to development and emphasizes the need to leave no one behind. Regarding the rule of law, sustainable development goal (SDG) 16.3 focuses on (promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all by 2030) and the related goals and targets on justice. Changing economic conditions in recent decades have caused stagnating wages and widening economic gaps among individual citizens and regions within developed countries and this is reflected in pockets of poverty and inequality in high income countries and islands of excess wealth in developing or low-income countries, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines the legal aspects of poverty and inequality in the education and health sectors in select high-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and a Western industrialized country such as the UK, with emphasis on period poverty or poor menstrual health management (MHM) as a barrier to access to education and health due to inability to afford sanitary products. The analytical paper applies the institutionalist legislative theory and methodology (ILTAM) and the general theory of law and development, examines the role of the state in regulating the health and education sectors and concludes with key findings and recommendations on how the institutional and legal frameworks can be utilized to foster sustainable development in high-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Financial access, governance and insurance sector development in sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 849-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice Asongu ◽  
Nicholas M. Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Financial Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Sub Saharan

PurposeThis study investigates the role of financial access in moderating the effect of governance on insurance consumption in 42 sub-Saharan African countries using data for the period 2004–2014.Design/methodology/approachTwo life insurance indicators are used, notably: life insurance and non-life insurance. Six governance measurements are also used, namely: political stability, ‘voice and accountability’, government effectiveness, regulation quality, corruption-control and the rule of law. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) and Least Squares Dummy Variable Corrected (LSDVC) estimators.FindingsEstimations from the LSDVC are not significant while the following main findings are established from the GMM. First, financial access promotes life insurance through channels of political stability, ‘voice and accountability’, government effectiveness, the rule of law and corruption-control. Second, financial access also stimulates non-life insurance via governance mechanisms of political stability, ‘voice and accountability’, government effectiveness, regulation quality, the rule of law and corruption-control.Originality/valueThis research complements the sparse literature on insurance promotion in Africa by engaging the hitherto unexplored role of financial access through governance channels.

Introduction: Paradoxes of Democratization in Africa

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharine Newbury
Keyword(s):  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Authoritarian Regimes ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Authoritarian Rule ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Lively Debate ◽  
Democratic Rule ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Practical Implications

As demands for democracy have swept across the continent since 1989, dramatic change has affected states in sub-Saharan Africa. Frustrated by declining economies and the failures of incumbent governments, people from many different social strata have called for an end to authoritarian rule. Events in Eastern Europe have served as a catalyst, and donor pressures have sometimes acted to facilitate such movements; but the real impetus for change arises from internal struggles which have been incubating for several decades. In response, authoritarian states have moved to liberalize repressive structures, allow multiparty competition and move towards competitive elections. To many analysts such trends represent an important new departure that holds out promise for a more hopeful future. But others are less optimistic, noting the legacies of authoritarian systems and other structural obstacles to sustainable democratic rule. Whatever the outcome, the struggle for the future is now hotly contested.Meanwhile, these processes present a potent challenge for political and social analysis. Why are these demands for change occurring now? What is the role of institutional arrangements and groups in “civil society” in transitions from single-party authoritarian regimes towards multiparty systems? Who are the key actors and which groups are excluded? Do multiparty elections lead to greater tolerance, expanded participation, respect for the rule of law and more accountability? What is required to sustain democratic rule? These and other questions have spawned a lively debate among Africanists, a debate with important theoretical and practical implications.

scholarly journals Finance, governance and inclusive education in Sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice A. Asongu ◽  
Nicholas M. Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Credit Access ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the importance of credit access in modulating governance for gender-inclusive education in 42 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data spanning the period 2004–2014. Design/methodology/approach The generalized method of moments is used as empirical strategy. Findings The following findings are established: First, credit access modulates government effectiveness and the rule of law to induce positive net effects on inclusive “primary and secondary education.” Second, credit access also moderates political stability and the rule of law for overall net positive effects on inclusive secondary education. Third, credit access complements government effectiveness to engender an overall positive impact on inclusive tertiary education. Originality/value Policy implications are discussed with emphasis on sustainable development goals.

scholarly journals Crime and Public Support for the Rule of Law in Latin America and Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 153-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon I. Smithey ◽  
Mary Fran T. Malone
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
New Democracies ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Crime poses a formidable obstacle to democratization in many parts of the developing world. New democracies in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa face some of the highest homicide rates in the world. Politicians, citizens, and policy-makers have raised the alarm about the growing tide of criminality. Public insecurity, coupled with inefficient and often corrupt justice systems, makes democratization uncertain. Even if new democracies do not revert to dictatorship, the quality of democracy may suffer if crime continues to rise. One particularly vulnerable component of democracy is the rule of law, as public insecurity may fuel support for extra-legal justice, and a willingness to disregard the law while aggressively pursuing suspected criminals. To test these relationships, we assess the ways in which criminal victimization, as well as fear of crime, affect citizen support for the rule of law. We utilize public opinion data collected in select countries in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa through two widely used sources – the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) and the Afrobarometer surveys.

scholarly journals Corruption and the Rule of Law in Sub-Saharan Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart S. Yeh
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
International Agency ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
Centralized Planning ◽  
Sub Saharan

AbstractThe World Bank and IMF attribute underdevelopment in sub-Saharan Africa to the practice of directing economic activity through centralized planning. They prescribe privatization and economic liberalization to restructure African economies, promote competition, reduce the scope for corruption, and promote good governance. However, inadequate checks on political power permit African elites to subvert these reforms. This article reviews the political economy of sub-Saharan countries as well as a case study of Sierra Leone to illustrate the problem. The analysis suggests the need for an international agency such as the UN to provide the capacity to investigate, expose and check corruption by employing UN inspectors who are immune to pressure from powerful African elites. This type of check on corruption is necessary to promote the rule of law in sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Inter-relationships among key reproductive health indicators in sub-Saharan Africa focusing on the central role of maternal literacy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mulu Abraha Woldegiorgis ◽  
Denny Meyer ◽  
Janet E Hiller ◽  
Wubegzier Mekonnen ◽  
Jahar Bhowmik
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Bootstrap Method ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Education And Health ◽  
Women's Literacy ◽  
Standardized Effect Sizes ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Indicators of reproductive health (RH) are expected to be both inter-related and associated with key social determinants. As the provision of RH services is usually integrated, the effort to improve one RH component should influence the other components. However, there is a lack of evidence-based models demonstrating the inter-relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine the inter-relationships among key RH indicators and their relationship with women’s literacy in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods Data were sourced from the most recent demographic and health survey conducted between 2010 and 2016 in 391 provinces of 29 SSA countries. We examined seven RH indicators along with women’s literacy. The unit of analysis was at the provincial level. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the strength of relationships among these indicators and with women’s literacy, using the total standardized effect sizes. Significance tests and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for these effects were calculated using a bias-corrected bootstrap method. Results RH indicators are strongly interrelated and are associated with women’s literacy. The strongest relationship is observed between women’s literacy rate and the contraception prevalence rate, with a total standardized effect size of 0.79 (95% CI 0.74–0.83). The model of inter-relationships developed in this study may guide the design, implementation and evaluation of RH policies and programmes. Conclusions The key challenge in reducing fertility in SSA is to reduce people fertility desire. This could mainly be addressed by enhancing integrated approaches especially between the education and health sectors.

scholarly journals Information technology, governance and insurance in Sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1253-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice Asongu ◽  
Joseph Nnanna ◽  
Paul Acha-Anyi
Keyword(s):  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Internet Penetration ◽  
Insurance Penetration ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in modulating the effect of governance on insurance penetration in 42 Sub-Saharan African countries using data for the period 2004-2014. Design/methodology/approach Two insurance indicators are used in the analysis, namely, life insurance and non-life insurance. The three ICT modulating dynamics used include mobile phone penetration, internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions. Six governance channels are also considered, namely, political stability, “voice & accountability”, regulation quality, government effectiveness, the rule of law and corruption-control. The empirical evidence is based on generalized method of moments. Findings The following main findings are established. First, mobile phone penetration does not significantly modulate governance channels to positively affect life insurance while it effectively complements “voice & accountability” to induce a positive net effect on non-life insurance. Second, internet penetration complements governance dynamics of political stability, government effectiveness and rule of law to induce positive net effects on life insurance and corruption-control for an overall positive effect on non-life insurance. Third, the relevance of fixed broadband subscriptions in promoting life insurance is apparent via governance channels of regulation quality, government effectiveness and the rule of law while fixed broadband subscriptions do not induce significant overall net effects on non-life insurance though the conditional effects are overwhelmingly significant. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, studies on the relevance of ICT in promoting insurance consumption through governance channels are sparse, especially for a region such as Sub-Saharan Africa where insurance penetration is low compared to other regions of the world.

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