Beyond Representation in Pandemic Responses: Independent and International Institutions

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the marked centralization and exertion of executive power, and, more broadly, a focus on the response of other elected organs. However, the pandemic has also shone a light on the key roles played by unelected independent institutions and international bodies, from public health actors to courts to international organizations and beyond. Constitutional INSIGHTS No. 8 explores the types of independent institutions that have shaped state action to suppress the virus, focusing on four principal functions: sources of expertise; implementation mechanisms; constraints on government action; and linkage actors mediating between the domestic, transnational and international spheres.

A modern method of diagnosing the interaction of the university complex with the institution of additional education for school students

В статье представлен метод диагностики взаимодействия между университетским комплексом и учреждением дополнительного образования школьников, являющегося частью такого комплекса. Известно, что университетский комплекс – образовательная метасреда, включающая образовательные среды различных типов и интегрирующая различные уровни (ступени) системы непрерывного образования; такие метасреды нередко включают и относительно самостоятельные учреждения для дополнительного образования детей и подростков. Эффективность функционирования отдельной образовательной среды в составе университетского комплекса детерминирована многими факторами, прежде всего – ее взаимодействием с социально-педагогической метасистемой. Опираясь на современные модели образовательных сред, авторы настоящей статьи разработали первичные модели взаимодействия между университетским комплексом и его составляющими (структурами для дополнительного образования детей и подростков), обосновали критерии указанного взаимодействия. The article presents a method for diagnosing the interaction between the university complex and the institution of additional education of schoolchildren, which is part of such a complex. It is known that the university complex is an educational meta-environment that includes educational environments of various types and integrates various levels (stages) of the system of continuing education; such meta-environments often include relatively independent institutions for additional education of children and adolescents. The effectiveness of the functioning of a separate educational environment within the university complex is determined by many factors, primarily its interaction with the socio-pedagogical metasystem. Based on modern models of educational environments, the authors of this article have developed primary models of interaction between the university complex and its components (structures for additional education of children and adolescents), and have justified the criteria for this interaction.

Factors contributing to under-reporting of patient safety incidents in Indonesia: leaders’ perspectives

Background: Understanding the causes of patient safety incidents is essential for improving patient safety; therefore, reporting and analysis of these incidents is a key imperative. Despite its implemention more than 15 years ago, the institutionalization of incident reporting in Indonesian hospitals is far from satisfactory. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors responsible for under-reporting of patient safety incidents in Indonesian public hospitals from the perspectives of leaders of hospitals, government departments, and independent institutions. Methods: A qualitative research methodology was adopted for this study using semi-structured interviews of key informants. 25 participants working at nine organizations (government departments, independent institutions, and public hospitals) were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analyzed using a deductive analytic approach. Nvivo 10 was used to for data processing prior to thematic analysis. Results: The key factors contributing to the under-reporting of patient safety incidents were categorized as hospital related and nonhospital related (government or independent agency). The hospital-related factors were: lack of understanding, knowledge, and responsibility for reporting; lack of leadership and institutional culture of reporting incidents; perception of reporting as an additional burden. The nonhospital-related factors were: lack of feedback and training; lack of confidentiality mechanisms in the system; absence of policy safeguards to prevent any punitive measures against the reporting hospital; lack of leadership. Conclusion: Our study identified factors contributing to the under-reporting of patient safety incidents in Indonesia. The lack of government support and absence of political will to improve patient safety incident reporting appear to be the root causes of under-reporting. Our findings call for concerted efforts involving government, independent agencies, hospitals, and other stakeholders for instituting reforms in the patient safety incident reporting system.

Relationship of Pay and Job Satisfaction

The study measures the relationships of pay satisfaction and its dimensions (pay level, benefits, pay raises and administration/structure) with job satisfaction. A total of 200 public sector employees, from different companies and non-governmental, independent institutions participated. The results showed that overall pay satisfaction and pay level affected job satisfaction while pay raises, benefits and administration/structure did not. The results and limitations of the study were discussed and suggestions on future research were given.

Polish Lessons: Backsliding, Sabotage, and the Rule of Law

Why have Kaczyński in Poland and Orbán in Hungary found so apparently easy what Donald Trump, whose power and ambitions are not small and whose motivations appear to tend in similar directions, finds so hard: to overwhelm and take over independent institutions that were hoped by many to be able to temper power? The chapter suggests that a fundamental part of the answer stems from a specific failure of understanding—of the significance of institutionalization—among those who led the optimistic projects of the 1990s that now seem to be unravelling at speed. Next, it argues that their populist opponents have unfortunately displayed a better awareness in these matters. Finally, it suggests some responses that lawyers might and are right to make to the onslaughts they face. In this struggle, the efforts of lawyers are not sufficient, because the crisis is fundamentally social and political, but they are necessary.

Increased success of participatory development designing: the role of independent institution as moderation between community involvement and legislative institution responsiveness

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of independent institution as moderation between community involvement and legislative institution responsiveness in Mataram City. Design/methodology/approach This research is explanatory research, which explains the effect between variables by hypothesis testing. This research was conducted in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara. Population in this study included all stakeholders involved in Mataram City’s participatory planning, including community leaders, legislative institutions (starting from the village/subdistrict, district to city levels) and independent institutions. The sampling was performed using nonprobability sampling technique, namely, quota sampling. The research model with inferential analysis used a structural equation modelling (SEM) with WarpPLS to answer the statements of problems and test the desired hypotheses. Findings The research results conclude that community involvement has a direct effect on legislative institution responsiveness and legislative institution responsiveness has a direct effect on the success of participatory development planning. This indicates that all variables in this research influence the success of participatory development planning. However, the indirect effect of legislative institution responsiveness on the success of participatory development planning through the role of independent institution is not significant. Originality/value The role of independent institutions as a moderation of the relationship between community involvement and legislative institution responsiveness can be learned as the novelty in this study.

Integrated transitional care for older patients discharged from hospital and ED

Background Care integration through high level care continuation for older patients discharged from the hospital may secure positive health outcomes and reduce subsequent emergency visits. Integrated transitional care is, however, challenged by fragmented care delivery systems. We explored integrated transitional care from the delivery system perspective in three Nordic cities (Copenhagen, Stockholm and Tampere) to compare levels of integration of social and health service delivery systems and care paths for older patients discharged from hospital. Methods Information on organizational structure and care integration was obtained from administrative documents, legislation and statistics, webpages of the cities, and empirical studies. Based on the material we outlined the degree of integration at different levels and mapped the possible care paths for older patients discharged from the hospital for each city. Results All three cities are characterized by fragmented care systems for older patients based on financially and organizationally independent institutions. Sweden and Denmark, however, have introduced legislation to steer the integration of services between the local and regional level actors. However, older patients still have complex care paths after discharge from hospital care. Conclusions The fragmented care systems for older patients consisting of independent institutions across local and regional levels may impede integrated transitional care. Alternative care settings for older people with different needs could be an asset, but they can also form a hurdle for care continuation if the responsibilities and liaison between these sites are not clear. Key messages The fragmented organisation of care systems for older patients may impede integrated transitional care. The care facilities for older patients after discharge is targeted to accommodate the complex and varying needs, but pose challenges for continuity of care.

Rethinking Transitional Justice in South Sudan: Critical Perspectives on Justice and Reconciliation

The horrific violations committed in South Sudan’s civil war led to the establishment of mechanisms ensuring the prosecution of serious crimes and reconciliation within communities shattered by war. Through a peace deal, three mutually supportive but independent institutions of transitional justice were formed: The Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, The Hybrid Court for South Sudan and The Compensation and Reparation Authority. This article examines the extent to which these mechanisms can achieve their respective aims, and argues that prosecutions need to be implemented in an integrated manner alongside reconciliation and healing because of the massive scale of abuses and enormous number of perpetrators. The article further contends that their collaboration with local, indigenous justice mechanisms is crucial because of the latter’s extensive experience in facilitating accountability and reconciliation within divided communities in South Sudan. The article concludes that whilst a limited amnesty is inevitable, a blanket amnesty is counterproductive to the aims of transitional justice in post-conflict South Sudan. Further, the article cautions against the use of immunity, arguing that this would deny justice to victims and could lead to a rise in revenge or private retribution, lawlessness and impunity.

A Human Rights Approach to Emergency Response? The Advocacy of Canada's Human Rights Commissions during the COVID-19 Crisis

Emergencies can threaten human rights by disrupting societies, increasing vulnerabilities, and instigating exceptional measures from governments and other actors. As independent institutions mandated to protect and promote the human rights embedded in Canada's federal, provincial and territorial legislation, Canada's human rights commissions (HRCs) have mobilized to advocate for human rights during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Assessing the Security of TEMPEST Fonts against Electromagnetic Eavesdropping by Using Different Specialized Receivers

The main topic of the present paper is the printed text protection against electromagnetic infiltration. There are many solutions to protect such data. One of these methods is the one that uses computer fonts that are characterized by special shapes. The suitability of the solution has to be confirmed by many tests and analyses. An important element of such researches is the class of receiving devices used. In the case of measurements of the valuable emissions arising from electronic data processing of the printed text, typical receivers that are used for measurements of electromagnetic compatibility cannot be used. They have to be dedicated devices for measuring the very low level of signal that arises unintentionally. The sensitivity of the receiver must be very high in wide measuring bands. In addition, in order to assess the method of preventing electromagnetic infiltration, it is important to verify it by independent institutions. An additional advantage is the use of different receivers in the assessment process. This paper presents the results of studies made regarding the suitability of two sets of fonts with special shapes (secure symmetrical and secure asymmetrical) in secure information processing. The analysis of the fonts was based on visual examination, a basic method of preliminary assessment of electromagnetic emissions correlated with processed text information, of the images reproduced from unwanted emissions. The tests were carried out at two independent institutions, Military Communication Institute—Poland, Special Telecommunications Services—Romania, using three different types of receivers: Tempest Test System DSI-1550A, Rohde & Schwarz FSET22 and Rohde & Schwarz FSWT. The images obtained in the two independent laboratories with different setup and test equipment confirmed thus without doubt the possibility of using special fonts as the solution against an effectiveness of electromagnetic infiltration. The above assessment is correct, regardless of the used receiver and the environment of implementation of the secure fonts.