Counting the costs of HIV and AIDS to civil-society organisations

HIV threatens the survival of many civil-society organisations (CSOs) in Africa. While we know the range of potential costs to such groups, we lack a detailed picture of the extent of the impact. This article highlights important findings from exploratory research in Malawi. Respondents perceived that overall performance in the four CSOs studied declined by an average 20 per cent because they were working in a context of high HIV prevalence. Yet the CSOs' workplace response to this threat was very limited, and they remain highly vulnerable to future impact. We consider why the CSOs have not been more proactive, and we recommend that donor policy should help partners to respond to the epidemic and enable them to remain effective.     

Identifying barriers to GIS-based land management in Guatemala

The development of a cadastral system for the Republic of Guatemala was one of the priorities of the 1997 Peace Accord which ended 30 years of civil war. In response to uncertainty about land ownership and land titles, the development of a national cadastre, the equitable distribution of land, and transparent records of land tenancy are viewed as key to maintaining peace in Guatemala. This article addresses the most significant barriers to developing a National Land Information System to support cadastral reform. Interviews with government agencies indicate that, although technical improvements can be readily implemented, social problems and governance factors seriously hinder the completion of the cadastral process. These findings are discussed in the light of international aid and development policy.     

On the agenda: North–South research partnerships and agenda-setting processes

Co-operation between researchers in the global North and South is critical to the production of new knowledge to inform development policies. However, the agenda-setting process is a formidable obstacle in many development research partnerships. The first section of this article examines how bilateral donor strategies affect collaborative agenda-setting processes. The second section explores researchers' motivations for entering into North–South partnerships; the obstacles that Southern researchers encounter in agenda-setting processes; and the strategies that they employ to ensure that research partnerships respond to their concerns. This analysis suggests that while strong Southern research organisations are best placed to maximise the benefits of collaboration, donors and researchers alike are well advised to recognise the limitations of this approach and use it prudently, because North–South partnerships are not necessarily the best way to advance research agendas rooted in Southern priorities.     

Rethinking poverty alleviation: a ‘poverties’ approach

This article argues that the practice of poverty alleviation is greatly limited by a vision of poverty that fails to capture the locally specific causes of and solutions to the challenges that threaten human well-being. This problematic vision of poverty takes real-world form in such initiatives as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. It is a key reason why this and other contemporary poverty-alleviation efforts do not show greatly improved results compared with previous efforts. By reframing our understanding of the challenges to human well-being from poverty to ‘poverties’, however, we might envisage a new approach to policy development in relation to poverty that moves us towards a truly sustainable development.     

Post-disaster reconstruction: lessons from Nagapattinam district,India

As disaster losses continue to rise around the world, it has become increasingly important to understand the long-term outcomes of post-disaster recovery programmes. Often, disaster recovery projects have an abbreviated planning period, involve multiple NGOs, and lack long-term plans for evaluation. This article describes outcomes of the shelter reconstruction programme following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Nagapattinam, India. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess the effect of the programme on housing, community infrastructure, and livelihoods. The study provides useful lessons for future reconstruction programmes and demonstrates the importance of evaluating post-disaster recovery programmes after projects end.     

Ruralisation: a tool for rural transformation

There is a concept that development practitioners have either not heard of or not read, or have chosen to ignore – ruralisation. Unlike urbanisation in urban studies, ruralisation is rarely used as a concept in rural research. It remains a poorly explored concept. By challenging existing notions about the use of the concept, this article attempts to (re)introduce ruralisation as a fundamental concept in rural studies. What is ruralisation? Why do we need it? How can we use it for rural transformations? The article addresses these critical questions. It defines ruralisation and presents its conceptual framework for rural transformation.     

Commentary on "the organization of work as a factor in social well-being"∗

The work cooperative as a social institution offers us a radical alternative to transnational market-based workplaces. Models such as the Mondragon coop network in Spain tell us it is possible for people to have their work-life's cake and eat it too. The coop movement is part of a movement to transform power-based work arrangements into a cooperative commonwealth in which the needs of all are met.     

A case for integrated development: pathways to improve child well-being

Economic strengthening interventions may increase income, assets, and food security. Donors and implementers see the potential for improvements in child well-being. This article presents lessons learnt from the implementation of two economic strengthening interventions. It finds missed opportunities with regard to child nutrition, and recommends: (1) integrating economic strengthening interventions with complementary development activities; (2) deep formative assessment to inform programme design; and (3) the use of community-based feedback loops. Development practitioners, funders, policymakers, and researchers must take every opportunity to improve the lives of children as young as possible to build healthy families, communities, and nations.     

倾向度匹配、救助依赖与瞄准机制——基于社会救助制度实施效应的经验分析

为更好地了解社会救助制度实施状况,笔者第一次尝试性地利用实际调查微观住户数据资料,结合倾向度匹配方法分析了目前中国社会救助体系对贫困家庭的瞄准机制、实施效果等问题。分析结果显示,中国社会救助方式在经济和社会体制转型过程中产生了显著性的改变。并且从"救助依赖"产生的视角来看,中国社会救助制度在设定的过程中能在一定程度上规避制度本身产生的"救助依赖"问题。针对这个问题我们分析了受助群体再就业家庭对社会救助制度待遇高低的反应,通过其再就业行为的变化,提出了规避受助家庭成员在再就业市场上产生的负面影响,从而更好地促进社会救助制度实施正面效应。     

美国公设辩护人制度及其对我国的启示——兼论我国公设辩护人制度的构建

美国是目前刑事法律援助运作最有效率的国家之一，其健全的刑事法律援助制度为美国刑事案件的法律援助工作开展提供了强有力的保障，特别是公设辩护人制度，作为美国刑事法律援助的重要手段，为实现经济困难的被告人的辩护权提供了切实保障。在评介美国刑事法律援助体系之公设辩护人制度的基础上，结合我国现有的刑事法律援助体系，构建我国公设辩护人制度，将其作为我国刑事法律援助手段之一，实行多元化的刑事法律援助制度，使我国的刑事法律援助事业变得真实有效，进一步完善我国司法保障体系。