Should China’s Economic Policy Be Resisted?

China's economic policies were transformed during the reform period that started in 1979, when the most populated country in the world adopted market-based reforms. Currently, China not only has grown to become the second largest and mid income economy in the world from one of the world's poorest countries, but also actively advances the free trade policy and fills the developing niches, although the latter has caused some concerns. The Chines active economic policy along with its economic and political strengthening in addition to the tensions with the United States rise the question whether the Chinese economic policy should be resisted? This paper analyses the different aspects of China’s economic policy and intents to answer the question based on the importance of the Chinese role in the world economy and development while the public opinion toward China’s economic strengthening has been considered as well.

Peran Zakat dalam Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Mustahiq

West Bandung Regency as one of the pemekaran districts in West Java, where the poverty rate in West Bandung Regency in 2017 stands at 11.49. While the average in West Java is 8.71. From the perspective of shari'a law in relation to community empowerment, there are several ways to overcome poverty, namely by creating employment by using zakat funds as capital to create an industry that will accommodate a number of revenues channeled to msutahiq as a means of helping venture capital.The purpose of this study is to determine the role of zakat in economic empowerment mustahiq seen from the aspects of revolving capital, economic strengthening, strengthening human resources, providing infrastructure and partnerships between MSMEs. The research method used is quantitative descriptive method. The population in this study was 73 mustahiq. Abstrak.Kabupaten Bandung Barat sebagai salah satu kabupaten pemekaran di Jawa Barat, dimana angka kemiskinan Kabupaten Bandung Barat pada tahun 2017 berada pada angka 11,49. Sedangkan rata-rata di Jawa Barat yaitu 8,71. Ditinjau dari sudut pandang hukum kesyariahan dalam kaitannya dengan pemberdayaan masyarakat, maka terdapat beberapa cara dalam menanggulangi kemiskinan yaitu dengan menciptakan lapangan kerja dengan menggunakan dana zakat yang dijadikan modal untuk menciptakan industri yang akan menampung sejumlah penerimaan yang disalurkan kepada msutahiq sebagai sarana untuk perbantuan modal usaha.Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui peran zakat dalam pemberdayaan ekonomi mustahiq yang dilihat dari aspek modal bergulir, penguatan ekonomi, penguatan SDM, penyediaan prasarana dan kemitraan antar UMKM. Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu metode deskriptif kuantitatif. Populasi dalam penelitian ini yaitu sebanyak 73 mustahiq

Integrated psychosocial, economic strengthening, and clinical service-delivery to improve health and resilience of adolescents living with HIV and their caregivers: Findings from a prospective cohort study in Zambia

Background Children and youth are profoundly impacted groups in Zambia’s HIV epidemic. To evaluate delivery of integrated psychosocial, economic strengthening, and clinical services to HIV-affected households through the Zambia Family (ZAMFAM) Project, a prospective cohort study compared socio-economic, psychosocial, and health outcomes among ZAMFAM beneficiaries to non-beneficiaries. Methods In July–October 2017, 544 adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) aged 5–17 years and their adult caregivers were recruited from Central (ZAMFAM implementation sites) and Eastern (non-intervention sites) Provinces. Structured interviews at baseline and one-year follow-up assessed household characteristics, socio-economic wellbeing, and health service utilization. Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations measured one-year changes in key health and socio-economic indicators, comparing ZAMFAM beneficiaries to non-beneficiaries. Results Overall, 494 households completed two rounds of assessment (retention rate: 91%) Among ALHIV, improvements in current antiretroviral therapy use over time (Adjusted Prevalence Rate Ratio [aPRR] = 1.06, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]: 1.01–1.11) and reductions in non-household labor (aPRR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.20–0.99) were significantly larger among ZAMFAM beneficiaries than non-beneficiaries. For caregivers, receiving ZAMFAM services was associated with significant reductions in HIV-related stigma (aPRR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28–0.88) and perceived negative community attitudes towards HIV (aPRR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62–0.96). Improvements in caregiver capacity to pay for unexpected (aPRR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.17–2.04) and food-related expenses (aPRR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16–1.90), as well as shared decision-making authority in household spending (aPRR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.04–1.93) and self-reported good or very good health status (aPRR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.14–1.87), were also significantly larger among ZAMFAM beneficiaries. Conclusions Significant improvements in caregivers’ financial capacity were observed among households receiving ZAMFAM services, with few changes in health or wellbeing among ALHIV. Integrated service-delivery approaches like ZAMFAM may yield observable socio-economic improvements in the short-term. Strengthening community-based delivery of psychosocial and health support to ALHIV is encouraged.

The ASHA (Hope) Project: Testing an Integrated Depression Treatment and Economic Strengthening Intervention in Rural Bangladesh: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Depression, a debilitating disorder, is highly prevalent among low-income women in low- and middle-income countries. Standard psychotherapeutic approaches may be helpful, but low treatment uptake, low retention, and transient treatment effects reduce the benefit of therapy. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness and feasibility of an integrated depression treatment/economic strengthening intervention. The study took place in two villages in the Sirajganj district in rural Bangladesh. Forty-eight low-income women with depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10) were recruited and randomized to intervention or control arms. The intervention included a six-month group-based, fortnightly depression management and financial literacy intervention, which was followed by a cash-transfer of $186 (equivalent to the cost of two goats) at 12 months’ follow-up. The cash transfer could be used to purchase a productive asset (e.g., agricultural animals). The control arm received no intervention. Findings showed significant reduction in depression scores in the intervention group. The mean PHQ-9 score decreased from 14.5 to 5.5 (B ± SE, −9.2 ± 0.8 95% CI −10.9, −7.5, p < 0.01) compared to no change in the control group. Most other psycho-social outcomes, including tension, self-esteem, hope, social-support, and participation in household economic decision-making, also improved with intervention. An integrated depression treatment and financial empowerment intervention was found to be highly effective among rural low-income women with depression. Next steps involve formal testing of the model in a larger trial.

Peran Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil (BMT) dalam Mewujudkan Ekonomi Syariah yang Kompetitif

Sharia microfinance institution Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil (BMT) is perfect for tackling economic problems on the microeconomic base. BMT uses Sharia principles and is free of riba which is banned in Islam. The function of this institution is as a supporter of the enhancement of economic efforts of micro and small entrepreneurs based on sharia systems. The objective of BMT activities that have a close relationship with the Sharia economics business, first is target result, second is growth, third is sustainability, last is blessing. Entrepreneurs should keep the orientation of this blessing to be the vision of its business, so that always in business activities always be in control of the sharia and the scourge of Allah. These four points became the main principle of BMT in its realization in the field. The role of BMT in economic strengthening is the increased employment opportunities and the application of financial systems based on the outcome in realizing equality, honesty, and fairness. By implementing the principles of Sharia and the Islamic power into real life, the spiritual values are aimed at directing and mobilizing dynamic, proactive, progressive, fair and moral ethics.