Your search found 20 records
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: IWMI 616.96 G204 YAP Record No: H038173)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H041375)
Nandita Singh and her colleagues look at children’s right to water in India. They argue for the exercise of the right by children by analyzing the universal normative-legal framework and its difference to the local socio-culturally defined framework. They suggest that defining problems and designing actions only within the normative-legal framework can obscure understanding the critical realities at the right-holders’ end. They suggest that interventions at various levels, such as through policy and targeted programmes, have at best provided an ‘enabling environment’, but the process of implementation of children’s rights at the right-holders’ end is to date an incomplete socio-cultural process.
3 Punch, S.; Sugden, Fraser. 2013. Work, education and out-migration among children and youth in upland Asia: changing patterns of labour and ecological knowledge in an era of globalisation. Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, Special Issue. 18(3):255-270. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2012.716410]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046674)
(0.15 MB)
In the context of ecological and economic change, this paper identifies the impact of ongoing transformations in young people's labour contribution in four natural resource-dependent regions in India, Vietnam and China. Children's work is important to maximise household labour productivity, while also endowing them with the ecological knowledge necessary to sustain key productive livelihood activities. However, today, an increased emphasis on education and the out-migration of youth is reducing their labour contribution, particularly in the more economically developed case study communities in Northern Vietnam and China. While selective in its extent, these changes have increased the labour burden of older household members and women, while the economic opportunities young people aspire to following schooling or migration frequently prove elusive in a competitive liberalised economy. Another implication of young people diverting their labour and learning away from traditional natural resource-based livelihood activities is the loss of valuable ecological knowledge.
4 Hagos, Fitsum; Mulugeta, A.; Erkossa, Teklu; Lefore, Nicole; Langan, Simon. 2014. Diversion of flashy floods for agricultural use and its effect on nutrition in Ethiopia. In Erkossa, Teklu; Hagos, Fitsum; Lefore, Nicole. (Eds.). 2014. Proceedings of the Workshop on Flood-based Farming for Food Security and Adaption to Climate Change in Ethiopia: Potential and Challenges, Adama, Ethiopia, 30-31 October 2013. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). pp.53-66.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046927)
The study examined whether access to spate irrigation leads to better nutrition outcomes. The results showed that there is an overall improvement in the study sites compared to the 2011 DHS study. As far as households with access to spate irrigation are concerned, weight-for-height z-scores indicated that 8.2% of the children had prevalence of global acute malnutrition; 8.2% of them had moderate acute malnutrition. None of the children had severe acute malnutrition. The weight-for-age results indicated that 27.5, 17.6 and 9.8% of the children showed prevalence of underweight, moderate underweight and severe underweight, respectively. The height-for-age z-scores showed 56.5, 30.8 and 21.7% of the children had prevalence of stunting, moderate stunting and severe stunting, respectively. On the other hand, households without access to spate irrigation indicated that as far as the weight-for-height z-scores of children are concerned, there were no children (boys and girls) with prevalence of global acute malnutrition; weight for-age z-score showed that 13.6, 10.2 and 3.4% of the children had prevalence of underweight, moderate underweight and severe underweight, respectively. The height-for-age z-scores showed that 45.5, 25.5 and 20.0% of the children had prevalence of stunting, moderate stunting and severe stunting, respectively. The anthropometric measures, thus, showed the nutritional outcomes of users were worse-off than of nonusers of spate irrigation. This happens in the face of better income and consumption expenditures, mainly nonfood, for users compared to nonusers. This underlines the importance of nutrition education alongside efforts to improve access to irrigation. Moreover, multisectoral collaborations are needed between the health, agriculture, water, social protection, education, gender and other sectors to improve the nutrition outcome of children.
5 Wijenayake, V. 2014. Addressing climate change in South Asia, with more focus on children. Soba Parisara Prakashanaya, 23(2):27-29.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: P 8158 Record No: H047160)
(1.02 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 338.19 G744 JAY Record No: H047185)
(0.46 MB)
7 Wise, R. D.; Veltmeyer, H. 2016. Agrarian change, migration and development. Black Point, NS, Canada: Fernwood Publishing. 146p. (Agrarian Change and Peasant Studies Series 6)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 331.12791 G000 WIS Record No: H047707)
(0.39 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049299)
(1.13 MB)
Microplastics are ubiquitous across ecosystems, yet the exposure risk to humans is unresolved. Focusing on the American diet, we evaluated the number of microplastic particles in commonly consumed foods in relation to their recommended daily intake. The potential for microplastic inhalation and how the source of drinking water may affect microplastic consumption were also explored. Our analysis used 402 data points from 26 studies, which represents over 3600 processed samples. Evaluating approximately 15% of Americans’ caloric intake, we estimate that annual microplastics consumption ranges from 39000 to 52000 particles depending on age and sex. These estimates increase to 74000 and 121000 when inhalation is considered. Additionally, individuals who meet their recommended water intake through only bottled sources may be ingesting an additional 90000 microplastics annually, compared to 4000 microplastics for those who consume only tap water. These estimates are subject to large amounts of variation; however, given methodological and data limitations, these values are likely underestimates.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H049581)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050244)
(0.34 MB)
This paper examines women’s power relative to that of their husbands in 23 Sub-Saharan African countries to determine how it affects women’s health, reproductive outcomes, children’s health and children’s education. The analysis uses a novel measure of women’s empowerment that is closely linked to classical theories of power, built from spouses’ often-conflicting reports of intrahousehold decision-making. We find, as in previous literature, that well-being outcomes for women and children are often best in scenarios where the woman’s power is recognized by her husband. We also find that women taking power—assigning themselves more decision-making power than their husbands do to them—is better for her reproductive health and children’s health, but is worse for emotional violence, compared to being given power by their husbands. The results show the conceptual and analytical value of intrahousehold contention over decision-making and expand the breadth of evidence on the importance of women’s power for economic development.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050283)
(1.01 MB)
Climate change and modern slavery are two of the most significant human rights crises of our time. Women and children are disproportionately vulnerable to such crises, which are intensified under inequitable social conditions and driven by structural barriers to female equality. No research has yet looked at the complex relationship between climate crisis, structural gender inequality, human insecurity, and vulnerability to modern slavery. Our research examined the relationship between environmental stressors associated with climate change, selected structural inequalities, and the estimated prevalence of modern slavery cases across 180 countries. Regression analysis revealed significant results. These findings suggest that indicators of poor environmental health may exacerbate structural social inequalities and increase women’s risk of falling victim to modern slavery. Results showed that women’s share of seats in parliament, education for women, tree cover loss, agricultural management, and air quality assumed more substantial roles in this prediction. Awareness of the unique relationship between environmental indicators of climate change, gender inequality, and modern slavery provides a meaningful contribution to our understanding of factors driving human exploitation. Additionally, we propose a gender analysis of environmental stressors to address both the climate crisis and structural inequalities that increases female vulnerability to insecurity.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050702)
(0.50 MB) (516 KB)
Water resources development and management are central to economic growth and poverty reduction. Despite considerable efforts, many households still rely on unimproved water sources. This research aimed to understand the reasons behind household reluctance to collect potable water from improved sources in urban and rural settings. Sixteen water points were selected purposively and a household survey conducted on the selected improved water source users. The result shows that in the urban areas people were satisfied with the water services provided. However, the poor could not afford the high cost of water and households sought unprotected alternative sources. Seventy-seven per cent of the urban and 65% of the rural households collect water from unimproved sources. Family size was the determinant factor for household water consumption from improved sources. Reliability, queuing time, high quality, and distance were associated with households' reluctance to collect potable water from improved sources. In conclusion, households' dependency on unprotected sources had a direct impact on the sustainability of schemes. Social factors are also fundamental when thinking about the sustainability of schemes.
13 Woldetsadik, D.; Llorent-Martinez, E. J.; Gebrezgabher, Solomie; Njenga, M.; Mendum, R.; Castillo-Lopez, R.; Fernandez-de Cordova, M. L.; Hailu, H.; Evans, C. T.; Madani, N.; Mafika, T. P.; Fleming, D. E. B. 2022. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) in a refugee context in East Africa: kitchen gardening helps with mineral provision. SN Applied Sciences, 4(1):32. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04898-6]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050848)
(2.20 MB) (2.20 MB)
Kitchen gardening is considered a way to reconnect with agriculture and complement the cereal-based relief food offered to refugees in East Africa. This work aimed at profiling mineral content of okra in four refugee camps and settlements located in Ethiopia and Uganda and its contribution to adequate intake (AIs) or recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for young children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW). The study also evaluated the applicability of portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) as compared with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for mineral profiling of okra powder samples. The contents of minerals (mg kg-1) from the ICP-MS readings were in the following ranges: K (14,385–33,294), Ca (2610–14,090), P (3178–13,248), Mg (3896–7986), Cu (3.81–19.3), Fe (75.7–1243), Zn (33–141) and Mn (23.1–261). Regardless of geographic origin, at low-end consumption probability (17 g day-1 for young children and 68 g day-1 for PLW), okra could contribute 15% (2.7–12.9%) AI for macro-minerals (K and Ca). In addition, the contributions to RDA values for Fe and Zn, elements of known public health interest, ranged from 4.5 to 34.7% for young children. Interestingly, regression lines revealed strong agreement between ICP-MS and PXRF readings for Mn and Zn, with R2 values>0.91. This information is useful in support of nutrition-sensitive kitchen gardening programs through scaling culturally important crops in refugee settings.
14 Bastia, T. 2019. Gender, migration and social transformation: intersectionality in Bolivian itinerant migrations. Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Routledge. 180p. (Gender, space and society)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H051328)
15 Murzakulova, A.; Abdoubaetova, A. 2022. Mainstreaming the needs of migrant children and sending communities into the rural schools development agenda in Kyrgyzstan. [Policy Brief of the Migration Governance and Agricultural and Rural Change (AGRUMIG) Project]. London, UK: SOAS University of London. 7p. (AGRUMIG Policy Brief Series 8)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052219)
(1.21 MB)
Many studies indicate that labor migration is the main economic survival strategy for all population groups in Kyrgyzstan, but especially young people. Migration affects rural schools in several ways. Young people are not interested in fully completing their secondary education, and after the 9th grade, many drop out of school and start looking for jobs. This problem is compounded by the shortage of school teachers in the country. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, teaching vacancies in subjects such as computer science, English, biology, chemistry, mathematics and physical education have not been filled for years in many schools. Recent university graduates are not interested in filling these vacancies as labor migration offers a more favorable way of entering the labor market.
This migration of the working age population can, however, have a negative impact on left-behind children, worsening their academic performance. National Assessment of the Educational Achievements for grad school students (NOODU) data show that students’ performance at schools differs markedly between children whose parents are labour migrants outside of the country and their peers whose parents remain with them. The former often have the worst performances in schools. This is mostly because left behind children, mostly teens, have to fill the labour shortage in the household.
The multidimensional impacts of labor mobility are therefore closely intertwined and reflected in problems felt within the school system (lack of teachers and poor academic performance of migrant children). This can cause long-term negative impacts on education. However, despite the scale of labor migration, very little has been done to understand how rural schools cope with these challenges. This policy brief aims to raise stakeholder awareness of the impact of labor migration on the institution of secondary education in rural communities with active migration outflows, and offers key recommendations for further actions and interventions.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052139)
(0.17 MB) (176 KB)
Climate change is a complex, multisystem phenomenon that disrupts human development both directly and indirectly through the interactions of interconnected systems. This article outlines the physical, social, and psychological impacts of exposure to climate disasters, which are already increasing in frequency and ferocity across the globe. Climate change poses particular challenges for billions of people with vulnerabilities related to geography, age, injustice, poverty, and many other social or economic disadvantages. In this article, we apply resilience and positive development frameworks to describe the resources and processes at the level of the individual, the family, and the community that can prepare and support people as they contend with the impacts of climate change. To illustrate these frameworks in action, we give examples of promising interventions that focus on mobilizing powerful human adaptive systems to build hope, agency, social cohesion, and a shared sense of belonging. We conclude by calling on developmental scientists to engage in research, interventions, and collaborative advocacy to address the unprecedented and existential threat posed by climate change.
17 International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 2023. Gender mainstreaming in water reuse: guidelines for planners, investors, project designers and operators [Thematic Brief of the ReWater MENA Project]. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 4p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052313)
(2.00 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052466)
(0.10 MB)
Climate change has become a significant threat to Western African countries in recent decades, including Senegal. Further, there has been an increasing occurrence of extreme events such as droughts. Droughts, directly and indirectly, have detrimental impacts on human health and often trigger nutritional status in the respective region. Children under the age of five are more vulnerable to Droughts in terms of malnutrition. In Senegal also, drought has unforeseen impacts on health systems and impacts the nutritional dynamics of children. Besides, There has been limited understanding of how drought occurrence and frequency will influence the nutritional status of children in Senegal. In this context, we looked at spatial and temporal patterns of drought conditions in relation to nutritional status to understand, examine and explore the stunting and wasting cases and undernutrition status in children under five years of age. We analyzed all the provinces of Senegal using satellite-based datasets and drought indices in combination with demographic health surveys (USAID DHS) and Senegalese national health survey datasets. The DHS datasets are yearly based and used to evaluate the long-term patterns, whereas Senegalese government data is monthly and used to evaluate any seasonal dynamics. We employed integrated statistical methods, including factor analysis, spatial autocorrelation, bivariate maps and cross-correlation, to draw the interrelationships and spatiotemporal patterns. The research results convey that there is a significant spatial and temporal relationship between drought and underweight. Further, a significant correlation exists between stunting and wasting cases of children with drought events in the following years. Overall, our research will provide an improved understanding of the vulnerability of children’s health associated with drought events and can help local stakeholders and policymakers to understand the malnutritional status with respect to climate change in Senegal and to develop appropriate policy interventions.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052639)
(38.40 MB) (38.4 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052993)
(1.48 MB)
Years after the initial settlement, food aid remains an essential component of humanitarian assistance for protracted refugees in managed camps. From data collected among refugee households in three camps in southern Chad and an exogenous variation of time between the latest food distribution and households’ interviews, we draw the time path of household’s consumption. Consistent with the literature on intertemporal choices in high-income countries, refugee households experience an average decline of 1.1 to 1.5 percent per day in their daily caloric intake between distributions. The short-term nutritional status of children under five also responds to the distance from food aid distribution and confirms the existence of food distribution cycles. Our results suggest that households don’t smooth consumption during the interval of time between two distributions, and face regular and frequent cycles of food shortage resulting in detrimental consequences on children’s health.
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