scholarly journals Microfinance in less developed countries: history, progress, present – charity or business?

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 467-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Srnec ◽  
E. Svobodová
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Less Developed Countries ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Scientific Periodicals

This paper describes the development of micro-financial activities in less developed countries in the world. The history of this development is divided into four periods with their short characteristics. Currently, the main questions in each period are highlighted and discussed by experts in microfinance. In the past, these problems were published in many scientific periodicals. It concerns mainly opinions, as for example, if the influence of microfinance on poverty reduction is overestimated, or on the other hand, the analysis related to the position of informal and formal micro-financial institutions, their development and acceleration of transformation, the influence of non-governmental organizations etc. At present, there is discussed the question of the preference – the model of ‘charity’ or ‘business’, which is mainly related to the fourth, current development period. For these reasons, this question is intensively focused and analysed. The conclusion of this paper concerns just this area which is fundamentally related to the future development of microfinance as a factor of poverty reduction in the less economically developed regions in the world.

scholarly journals A New Slovakian-Hungarian Cross-Border Geopark in Central Europe – Possibility for Promoting Better Connections Between the Two Countries

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gergely Horváth ◽  
Gábor Csüllög
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Spatial Development ◽  
High Status ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World

AbstractIn the past years, many geoparks have been established all over the world, based mainly on the geoheritage, and partly on the cultural heritage, of the regions. Their main aim is to promote the spatial development of certain regions, especially by the development of tourism, including geo- and ecotourism. One of the newest geoparks is the Novohrad-Nógrád Geopark along the border of Slovakia and Hungary, which, having a high status, belongs to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. What is remarkable about it is that it was the very first cross-border geopark. Because of historical elements and due to political intentions, borders often play a more disjunctive than connective role, and the changes of the borders in the 20th century often distorted the spatial structure and turned former peripheries into flourishing regions. This was characteristic also of the regions where the Novohrad-Nógrád Geopark was established. Beyond the perspective for the spatial development of these regions, this cross-border geopark forces directly the local authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on both sides of the border to maintain tighter contacts for co-operation, promoting by this means also better connections between the two countries.

scholarly journals Using Blockchain to Ensure Trust between Donor Agencies and NGOs in Under-Developed Countries

Computers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Ehsan Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Asghar Khan ◽  
Tariq Rahim Soomro ◽  
Nasser Taleb ◽  
Mohammad A. Afifi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Women Empowerment ◽  
Distributed Software ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World ◽  
Donor Agency ◽  
Donor Agencies

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in under-developed countries are receiving funds from donor agencies for various purposes, including relief from natural disasters and other emergencies, promoting education, women empowerment, economic development, and many more. Some donor agencies have lost their trust in NGOs in under-developed countries, as some NGOs have been involved in the misuse of funds. This is evident from irregularities in the records. For instance, in education funds, on some occasions, the same student has appeared in the records of multiple NGOs as a beneficiary, when in fact, a maximum of one NGO could be paying for a particular beneficiary. Therefore, the number of actual beneficiaries would be smaller than the number of claimed beneficiaries. This research proposes a blockchain-based solution to ensure trust between donor agencies from all over the world, and NGOs in under-developed countries. The list of National IDs along with other keys would be available publicly on a blockchain. The distributed software would ensure that the same set of keys are not entered twice in this blockchain, preventing the problem highlighted above. The details of the fund provided to the student would also be available on the blockchain and would be encrypted and digitally signed by the NGOs. In the case that a record inserted into this blockchain is discovered to be fake, this research provides a way to cancel that record. A cancellation record is inserted, only if it is digitally signed by the relevant donor agency.

The Roles of Non-State Actors in Lawmaking within the Global Intellectual Property Regimes of WIPO and TRIPs

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-61
Author(s):  
Barbara K. Woodward
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
International Law ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Actors ◽  
Property Regimes

Abstract Non-State actors (NSAs), including business and industry non-governmental organizations (NGOs), lawyers’ NGOs and executives of multinational corporations, have played important roles in shaping international law regulating legal monopolies of intangible interests as intellectual property (IP) rights (IPR). The two global IPR regimes (GIPRRs), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), have emphasized protection of such interests. Civil society NGOs (CS-NGOs) have increasingly engaged with these institutions, adding new dimensions to IP discourse. This paper investigates NSA involvement in developing the concept of IP and the GIPRRs themselves and contemporary NSA participatory rights and practices in both regimes. It offers a normative analysis of the future outlook of NSA influence, including potential impacts of increasing CS-NGO participation, assimilation of UN values, and influence of the history of IPR on the development and applicability of the concept of ‘public participation’ to the GIPRRs.

scholarly journals Refugee Repatriation and the Problem of Consent

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 855-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mollie Gerver
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Final Decision ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
High Commissioner ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government ◽  
Existing Data

Over the past decade, millions of refugees have fled their countries of origin and asked for asylum abroad. Some of these refugees do not receive asylum, but are not deported. Instead they are detained, or denied basic rights of residency, some forced into enclosed camps. Hoping to escape such conditions, they wish to return to unsafe countries, and ask for help from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In such cases, should NGOs and the UN assist refugees to return? Drawing on original data gathered in South Sudan, and existing data from around the world, I argue that they should assist with return if certain conditions are met. First, the UN and NGOs must try to put an end to coercive conditions before helping with return. Secondly, helping with return must not encourage the government to expand the use of coercive policies to encourage more to return. Finally, NGOs and the UN must ensure that refugees are fully informed of the risks of returning. Organizations must either conduct research in countries of origin or lobby the government to allow refugees to visit their countries of origin before making a final decision.

scholarly journals Conserving China's Biodiversity

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Pyne
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many

Over the past several decades, with the introduction of ecology as a scientific pursuit, China has made advancements in ensuring the health and sustainability of its forests and biodiversity. A very large number of endemic plant and vertebrate species are found in China, plenty of which have value in many areas, including aesthetics and medicine. China’s biodiversity faces many threats, including the invasion of alien species, urbanization and deforestation, as well as global warming. As the monetary value of the products obtained from the many endemic species has been recognized, an increase in environmental awareness has surfaced. Several domestic and international environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) committed to the preservation of China’s forests and wildlife have played an increasing role in educating both the Chinese and the rest of the world. The major issue concerning the preservation of China’s biodiversity is a lack of education in the biological sciences. Increased funding to attract more educated people to work in the Ministry of the Environment, as well as to aid in educating more people is the first logical step.

NGOs at the World Court: Lessons from the past

2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Leroux
Keyword(s):  
Previous History ◽  
Subsequent Treatment ◽  
International Court Of Justice ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
International Court ◽  
The Icj ◽  
History Of ◽  
State Organizations

AbstractAn inquiry into the previous history of the Court's involvement with non-governmental organizations shows that neither the PCIJ nor the ICJ were entirely immune to submissions by non-governmental entities before the 1990s. The examination of these submissions and their subsequent treatment by the Court remains extremely fruitful as far as any conceptual framework for the participation of NGOs is concerned. This article first considers the practice of the PCIJ related to non-state organizations (I), before dwelling on the treatment of NGOs by the International Court of Justice from 1947 to 2003 (II) and finally considering the new 'regime' set out by the 2004 Practice Directions (III).

The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahesh K. Joshi ◽  
J.R. Klein
Keyword(s):  
Humanitarian Aid ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
The World ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Masses

Can non-governmental organizations (NGOs) combine with businesses to alleviate inequality? The history of NGOs suggests that they have the reach which businesses may struggle to get. It is possible for global businesses to work with NGOs to take advantage of their reach in various parts of the society to serve and fulfil their social responsibility as well as grow their business. Businesses can work together with international as well as local NGOs to get the last mile connectivity to provide humanitarian aid as well as training and empowering the masses with new skill sets. The perception that the two held about each other is changing rapidly, and there is growing evidence that businesses are pushing for inclusive capitalism. There are several examples of large corporations and NGOs combining their efforts to leverage the strength of each other in serving and making a difference in societies across the world.

scholarly journals Pandemic catch-22: The role of mobility restrictions and institutional inequalities in halting the spread of COVID-19

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253348
Author(s):  
Adnan M. S. Fakir ◽  
Tushar Bharati
Keyword(s):  
Causal Effect ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Less Developed Countries ◽  
Information Measures ◽  
Variable Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Reduced Mobility ◽  
Activity Restrictions

Countries across the world responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with what might well be the set of biggest state-led mobility and activity restrictions in the history of humankind. But how effective were these measures across countries? Compared to multiple recent studies that document an association between such restrictions and the control of the contagion, we use an instrumental variable approach to estimate the causal effect of these restrictions on mobility, and the growth rate of confirmed cases and deaths during the first wave of the pandemic. Using the level of stringency in the rest of the world to predict the level of stringency of the restriction measures in a country, we show while stricter contemporaneous measures affected mobility, stringency in seven to fourteen days mattered most for containing the contagion. Heterogeneity analysis, by various institutional inequalities, reveals that even though the restrictions reduced mobility more in relatively less-developed countries, the causal effect of a reduction in mobility was higher in more developed countries. We propose several explanations. Our results highlight the need to complement mobility and activity restrictions with other health and information measures, especially in less-developed countries, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.

Archives and Manuscripts Collections Relating to Africa Held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

1995 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 45-60
Author(s):  
David M. Anderson ◽  
Rosemary Seton
Keyword(s):  
Primary Source ◽  
African Studies ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Excellent Research ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Collection ◽  
History Of ◽  
Asian Languages ◽  
Source Materials

Readers of this journal will surely be familiar with the excellent research collection of published materials on Africa held in London by the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). This remains the foremost collection of its kind in Europe, and has long been widely used by visiting scholars from all around the world. But it is less well known that the library also houses a substantial and rapidly expanding collection of primary source materials, many of which relate to the history of Africa. This brief report on the archives and manuscripts relating to Africa housed in the SOAS library offers an introduction to this collection, along with an annotated listing of current holdings. With the exception of one or two of the larger items, the majority of the archive materials on Africa have been relatively little used by scholars to date, and it is to be hoped that the publication of this report will encourage greater use of this increasingly important collection.The library has collected manuscripts in various African and Asian languages since its inception in 1916, but it is only since 1973, when a new purpose-built library was opened, that the School has begun to take in deposits of modern archives and to build up its collections of manuscripts relating to Africa and Asia. Since then the collection has developed considerably, the principal focus being upon the records of missionaries and missionary organizations, of humanitarian groups and non-governmental organizations and those who worked with them, and business records and the papers of those involved in business.

History of Tour de France from the Geographical Point of View

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 255-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimír Bačík ◽  
Michal Klobučník
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
The Past ◽  
Advanced Technologies ◽  
The World ◽  
Spatial Dimensions ◽  
Tour De France ◽  
Wide Circle ◽  
History Of ◽  
Expert Community ◽  
Geographical Point

Abstract The Tour de France, a three week bicycle race has a unique place in the world of sports. The 100th edition of the event took place in 2013. In the past of 110 years of its history, people noticed unique stories and duels in particular periods, celebrities that became legends that the world of sports will never forget. Also many places where the races unfolded made history in the Tour de France. In this article we tried to point out the spatial context of this event using advanced technologies for distribution of historical facts over the Internet. The Introduction briefly displays the attendance of a particular stage based on a regional point of view. The main topic deals with selected historical aspects of difficult ascents which every year decide the winner of Tour de France, and also attract fans from all over the world. In the final stage of the research, the distribution of results on the website available to a wide circle of fans of this sports event played a very significant part (www.tdfrance.eu). Using advanced methods and procedures we have tried to capture the historical and spatial dimensions of Tour de France in its general form and thus offering a new view of this unique sports event not only to the expert community, but for the general public as well.

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