scholarly journals Social accountability - Its position and potential in the development of Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ha Ta
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Critical Transitions ◽  
Early Adoption

<p>Civil society organizations in Vietnam are experiencing some critical transitions. As the nation is no longer on the list of low income countries, an increasing number of such organizations are changing their missions from alleviating poverty to promoting more democratic governance. ‘Social accountability’, as one of their most common employed approaches, is often the combination of civic engagement, evidence-based monitoring, and advocacy. Carrying with it the expectation of improving accountability in Vietnam, the approach is still a new, foreign-imported concept which will challenge and be challenged by particular contextual factors in the country.  This study examines the practices of social accountability in Vietnam to find out its position and potential in terms of development of the country. Promoting social accountability in Vietnam is often based on the assumption that the approach will improve government’s accountability, strengthening the state – citizen relationship. It is envisaged that the country will be eventually more open as a result. It is as yet an optimistic vision and will take time for practitioners to put in place. This study aims to analyse how early adoption of social accountability is affected by Vietnam’s contextual factors, to what extent it is affecting governance and increasing people’s participation, and what organizations can actually expect of social accountability.  The research aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding social accountability in Vietnam. As a new concept, social accountability is often introduced via materials provided by international organizations like World Bank and UNICEF. Most of the documents present successful cases of applying social accountability in other countries like India and Bangladesh, and countries in Latin America. Thus, a critical analysis of adopting social accountability in the Vietnam context is necessary to provide more insights for both practitioners and scholars on the topic.  Employing interviews as the key method, the study seeks input from key informants who are involved in the adoption of social accountability in Vietnam. From perspectives of government officials, development practitioners, and community members, the reality of practicing social accountability and how it is interacting and negotiating with other factors in society should be more clearly revealed. Practical expectations and recommendations to conceive of and practice social accountability in Vietnam are also suggested.</p>

scholarly journals Social accountability - Its position and potential in the development of Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ha Ta
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Critical Transitions ◽  
Early Adoption

<p>Civil society organizations in Vietnam are experiencing some critical transitions. As the nation is no longer on the list of low income countries, an increasing number of such organizations are changing their missions from alleviating poverty to promoting more democratic governance. ‘Social accountability’, as one of their most common employed approaches, is often the combination of civic engagement, evidence-based monitoring, and advocacy. Carrying with it the expectation of improving accountability in Vietnam, the approach is still a new, foreign-imported concept which will challenge and be challenged by particular contextual factors in the country.  This study examines the practices of social accountability in Vietnam to find out its position and potential in terms of development of the country. Promoting social accountability in Vietnam is often based on the assumption that the approach will improve government’s accountability, strengthening the state – citizen relationship. It is envisaged that the country will be eventually more open as a result. It is as yet an optimistic vision and will take time for practitioners to put in place. This study aims to analyse how early adoption of social accountability is affected by Vietnam’s contextual factors, to what extent it is affecting governance and increasing people’s participation, and what organizations can actually expect of social accountability.  The research aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding social accountability in Vietnam. As a new concept, social accountability is often introduced via materials provided by international organizations like World Bank and UNICEF. Most of the documents present successful cases of applying social accountability in other countries like India and Bangladesh, and countries in Latin America. Thus, a critical analysis of adopting social accountability in the Vietnam context is necessary to provide more insights for both practitioners and scholars on the topic.  Employing interviews as the key method, the study seeks input from key informants who are involved in the adoption of social accountability in Vietnam. From perspectives of government officials, development practitioners, and community members, the reality of practicing social accountability and how it is interacting and negotiating with other factors in society should be more clearly revealed. Practical expectations and recommendations to conceive of and practice social accountability in Vietnam are also suggested.</p>

scholarly journals Birth companionship in a government health system: a pilot study in Kigoma, Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Chaote ◽  
Nguke Mwakatundu ◽  
Sunday Dominico ◽  
Alex Mputa ◽  
Agnes Mbanza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Respectful Maternity Care ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Government Health ◽  
Project Data ◽  
Birth Companion

Abstract Background Having a companion of choice throughout childbirth is an important component of good quality and respectful maternity care for women and has become standard in many countries. However, there are only a few examples of birth companionship being implemented in government health systems in low-income countries. To learn if birth companionship was feasible, acceptable and led to improved quality of care in these settings, we implemented a pilot project using 9 intervention and 6 comparison sites (all government health facilities) in a rural region of Tanzania. Methods The pilot was developed and implemented in Kigoma, Tanzania between July 2016 and December 2018. Women delivering at intervention sites were given the choice of having a birth companion with them during childbirth. We evaluated the pilot with: (a) project data; (b) focus group discussions; (c) structured and semi-structured interviews; and (d) service statistics. Results More than 80% of women delivering at intervention sites had a birth companion who provided support during childbirth, including comforting women and staying by their side. Most women interviewed at intervention sites were very satisfied with having a companion during childbirth (96–99%). Most women at the intervention sites also reported that the presence of a companion improved their labor, delivery and postpartum experience (82–97%). Health providers also found companions very helpful because they assisted with their workload, alerted the provider about changes in the woman’s status, and provided emotional support to the woman. When comparing intervention and comparison sites, providers at intervention sites were significantly more likely to: respond to women who called for help (p = 0.003), interact in a friendly way (p < 0.001), greet women respectfully (p < 0.001), and try to make them more comfortable (p = 0.003). Higher proportions of women who gave birth at intervention sites reported being “very satisfied” with the care they received (p < 0.001), and that the staff were “very kind” (p < 0.001) and “very encouraging” (p < 0.001). Conclusion Birth companionship was feasible and well accepted by health providers, government officials and most importantly, women who delivered at intervention facilities. The introduction of birth companionship improved women’s experience of birth and the maternity ward environment overall.

Collaborative Research with Farmworkers in Environmental Justice

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Flocks ◽  
Paul Monaghan
Keyword(s):  
Native Americans ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
People Of Color ◽  
Waste Incinerator ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Environmental Health Problem ◽  
The Continuum

Environmental injustice occurs when a particular population, most often low-income people of color, is exposed disproportionately to an environmental health hazard. On the continuum of an environmentally unjust situation, there are several stages and levels at which inequities occur. A corporation makes a decision to locate a waste incinerator in a neighborhood that, because of historical socioeconomic discrimination, has become a low-income African American community in an industrial zone. Community members are stonewalled and intimidated at a public hearing about a local environmental health problem by industry and government officials who sit far away from the audience and use technical jargon to describe the issue. Native-Americans lose an important diet staple and economic activity when an industry's runoff contaminates the fish in a body of water. These examples illustrate geographical, procedural, and sociocultural inequities contributing to environmental injustices.

Embedded Ethics in Developing-Country Research

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Dresser
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Community Residents

This chapter considers subject inclusion in multinational studies. Many studies are initiated and financed by wealthy countries but are conducted in low-income countries. Community engagement and participatory research have a long history in developing-country research. Over the years, there has been impressive progress in including experienced subjects and other community members in research activities and in integrating research staff into communities where research is being carried out. This progress is due in part to the contributions of social scientists examining and evaluating various ways to involve subjects and other community residents in research decisions. The practice of “embedded ethics” is an advance that should be applied in domestic research as well.

scholarly journals Comment I: Istanbul Protocol in lowincome countries – A reply

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Rusudan Beriashvili ◽  
Vincent Iacopino
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Legal Cases ◽  
Istanbul Protocol

In an article in this issue by Kelly et al. on the use of the Istanbul Protocol amongst civil society organizations in low-income countries, the authors conclude that the significance of the Istanbul Protocol is “limited to a very small – albeit important - number of legal cases” and largely does not apply to low-income countries based on issues such as fear of reprisals, the lack of trained health professionals, and the duration and expense of comprehensive forensic medical evaluations. As clinicians who have participated in the development of the Istanbul Protocol and implementation of Istanbul Protocol standards in many contexts and countries, including low-income countries, we are concerned that the conclusions in the article are not well founded.

scholarly journals Acceptability and feasibility of strategies to shield the vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak: a qualitative study in six Sudanese communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Abdelmagid ◽  
Salma A.E. Ahmed ◽  
Nazik Nurelhuda ◽  
Israa Zainalabdeen ◽  
Aljaile Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

AbstractBackgroundShielding of high-risk groups from coronavirus disease (COVID-19), either within their households or safe communal structures, has been suggested as a realistic alternative to severe movement restrictions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic in low-income countries. To our knowledge, this concept has not been tested or evaluated in resource-poor settings. This study aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of strategies to shield persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, during the COVID-19 epidemic in six communities in Sudan.MethodsWe purposively sampled participants from six communities, illustrative of urban, rural and forcibly-displaced settings. In-depth telephone interviews were held with 59 members of households with one or more members at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Follow-up interviews were held with 30 community members after movement restrictions were eased across the country. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a two-stage deductive and inductive thematic analysis.ResultsMost participants were aware that some people are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes but were unaware of the concept of shielding. Most participants found shielding acceptable and consistent with cultural inclinations to respect elders and protect the vulnerable. However, extra-household shielding arrangements were mostly seen as socially unacceptable. Participants reported feasibility concerns related to the social isolation of shielded persons and loss of income for shielding families. The acceptability and feasibility of shielding strategies were reduced after movement restrictions were eased, as participants reported lower perception of risk in their communities and increased pressure to comply with social commitments outside the house.ConclusionShielding is generally acceptable in the study communities. Acceptability is influenced by feasibility, and by contextual changes in the epidemic and associated policy response. The promotion of shielding should capitalise on the cultural and moral sense of duty towards elders and vulnerable groups. Communities and households should be provided with practical guidance to implement feasible shielding options. Households must be socially, psychologically and financially supported to adopt and sustain shielding effectively.

scholarly journals The sanitation arc: an alternative examination of WASH behavior change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Froggi VanRiper ◽  
Kory C. Russel ◽  
Daniel Tillias ◽  
Jessica Laporte ◽  
Erica Lloyd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Change ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Open Defecation ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Continuous Access ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Ladder

Abstract A primary goal of the WASH sector is to facilitate transitions from open defecation to improved sanitation. Many residents of low-income countries desire improved sanitation but lack the resources to obtain or maintain access to toilets. For such persons, describing the goal as ‘behavior change’ implies a deficiency in mindset, failing to capture contextual factors affecting sanitation access. Furthermore, household circumstances affect movement both up and down the sanitation ladder, a phenomenon that the sector tends to overlook. This study, based on interviews with 308 former subscribers to Haitian container-based-sanitation service EkoLakay, tracks household sanitation access at four points in time: prior to subscribing, during the subscription period, immediately upon unsubscribing, and at the time of interview. We describe this movement through time as the ‘sanitation arc’. Prior to subscribing, households were more likely to practice open defecation or rely on non-household sanitation, and less likely to have private improved sanitation than the average urban Haitian. This distribution is reversed among former subscribers. Nearly half of former subscribers, however, could not afford continuous access to EkoLakay; 80% of involuntary terminations resulted in loss of access to private improved sanitation, and over one-third of these households reverted to open defecation.

scholarly journals Birth Companionship in a Government Health System: A Pilot Study in Kigoma, Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Chaote ◽  
Nguke Richard Mwakatundu ◽  
Sunday Alfred Dominico ◽  
Alex Mputa ◽  
Agnes Mbanza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Respectful Maternity Care ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Government Health ◽  
Project Data ◽  
Birth Companion

Abstract Background: Having a companion of choice throughout childbirth is an important component of good quality and respectful maternity care and has become standard in many countries. However, there are only a few examples of birth companionship being implemented in government health systems in low-income countries. To learn if birth companionship was feasible, acceptable and led to improved quality of care in these settings, we implemented a pilot project using9intervention and 6 comparison sites (all government health facilities) in a rural region of Tanzania.Methods: The pilot was developed and implemented in Kigoma, Tanzania between July 2016 and December 2018.Women delivering at intervention sites were given the choice of having a birth companion with them during childbirth. We evaluated the pilot with: (a) project data; (b) focus group discussions; (c) structured and semi-structured interviews; and (d) service statistics. Results: Over 80% of women delivering at intervention sites had a birth companion who provided support during childbirth; including comforting women and staying by their side. Most women interviewed at intervention sites were very satisfied with having a companion during childbirth (96%–99%). Most women at the intervention sites also reported that the presence of a companion improved their labor, delivery and postpartum experience (82%–97%).Health providers also found companions very helpful because they assisted with their workload, alerted the provider about changes in the woman’s status, and provided emotional support. When comparing intervention and comparison sites, providers at intervention sites were significantly more likely to: respond to women who called for help (p=0.003), interact in a friendly way (p<0.001), greet women respectfully (p<0.001), and try to make them more comfortable (p=0.003). Higher proportions of women who gave birth at intervention sites reported being “very satisfied” with the care they received (p<0.001), and that the staff were “very kind” (p<0.001) and “very encouraging” (p<0.001). Conclusion: Birth companionship was feasible and well accepted by health providers, government officials and most importantly, women who delivered at intervention facilities. The introduction of birth companionship improved women’s experience of birth and the maternity ward environment overall.

scholarly journals A comparative study of the use of the Istanbul Protocol amongst civil society organizations in low-income countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Tobias Kelly ◽  
Steffen Jensen ◽  
Morten Koch Andersen ◽  
Catrine Christiansen ◽  
Jeevan Raj Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Legal Cases ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Effective Form ◽  
Istanbul Protocol

The Istanbul Protocol (IP) is one of the great success stories of the global anti-torture movement, setting out universal guidelines for the production of rigorous, objective and reliable evidence about allegations of torture and ill-treatment. The IP is explicitly designed to outline ‘minimum standards for States’. However, it is all too often left to civil society organizations to investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment. In this context, important questions remain as to how and where the IP can be used best by such organizations. These questions are particularly acute in situations where human rights groups may have limited institutional capacity. This paper explores the practical challenges faced by civil society in using the IP in Low-Income Countries. It is based on qualitative research in three case studies: Nepal, Kenya, and Bangladesh. This research involved over 80 interviews with human rights practitioners. The conclusions of the paper are that the Istanbul Protocol provides a useful framework for documentation, but more comprehensive forms of documentation will often be limited to a very small – albeit important - number of legal cases. In many cases, the creation of precise and standardized forms of evidence is not necessarily the most effective form of documentation for redress or accountability. In the absence of legal systems willing and able to respond effectively to allegations of torture and ill-treatment, there are severe limitations on the practical effectiveness of detailed and technical forms of documentation.

scholarly journals Acceptability and feasibility of strategies to shield the vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak: a qualitative study in six Sudanese communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Abdelmagid ◽  
Salma A. E. Ahmed ◽  
Nazik Nurelhuda ◽  
Israa Zainalabdeen ◽  
Aljaile Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

Abstract Background Shielding of high-risk groups from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been suggested as a realistic alternative to severe movement restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic in low-income countries. The intervention entails the establishment of ‘green zones’ for high-risk persons to live in, either within their homes or in communal structures, in a safe and dignified manner, for extended periods of time during the epidemic. To our knowledge, this concept has not been tested or evaluated in resource-poor settings. This study aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of strategies to shield persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, during the COVID-19 epidemic in six communities in Sudan. Methods We purposively sampled participants from six communities, illustrative of urban, rural and forcibly-displaced settings. In-depth telephone interviews were held with 59 members of households with one or more members at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Follow-up interviews were held with 30 community members after movement restrictions were eased across the country. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a two-stage deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Results Most participants were aware that some people are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes but were unaware of the concept of shielding. Most participants found shielding acceptable and consistent with cultural inclinations to respect elders and protect the vulnerable. However, extra-household shielding arrangements were mostly seen as socially unacceptable. Participants reported feasibility concerns related to the reduced socialisation of shielded persons and loss of income for shielding families. The acceptability and feasibility of shielding strategies were reduced after movement restrictions were eased, as participants reported lower perception of risk in their communities and increased pressure to comply with social commitments outside the house. Conclusion Shielding is generally acceptable in the study communities. Acceptability is influenced by feasibility, and by contextual changes in the epidemic and associated policy response. The promotion of shielding should capitalise on the cultural and moral sense of duty towards elders and vulnerable groups. Communities and households should be provided with practical guidance to implement feasible shielding options. Households must be socially, psychologically and financially supported to adopt and sustain shielding effectively.

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