Participatory system dynamics modelling for dairy value chain development in Nicaragua

The use of system dynamics tools can add valuable insights when identifying and evaluating priorities for pro-poor value chain upgrading. However, to better understand the complex systems in agricultural value chains and to develop useful models, a participatory modelling process is important. This article highlights the group model building process of the dairy value chain in Matiguás, Nicaragua, one of a few examples of participatory model building in developing countries. The results confirm several benefits with participatory system dynamics modelling, including team learning, a greater understanding of the value of modelling, and a tool for decision-making and priority setting.     

Stakeholders’ relations and power dynamics in development cooperation: lessons learnt from Egypt

One of the key factors why international development cooperation programmes do not achieve sustainable results is their failure to respond to the dynamics of local stakeholders’ relations. This article highlights the case of a fruit and vegetable market in an informal area of Greater Cairo that was redeveloped by a programme supported by German International Cooperation. Although the market was developed using participatory methods, the vendors deserted it. Analysis reveals the conflicting interests of vendors and the district administration were reflected in divergent models of market operation. The paper recommends that development cooperation recognise the legitimacy of existing power structures and stakeholders’ relations.     

Does women’s empowerment increase accessibility to healthcare among women facing domestic violence?

This article aims to understand whether women’s empowerment increases access to healthcare among women facing domestic violence within the Indian context. It reports on a multi-centre cross-sectional study covering 18 states of India, with 14,405 women respondents through a systematic multi-stage sampling strategy. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Despite substantive possession of the existing attributes of empowerment, women fail to receive necessary healthcare services. This reflects a situation of biased policy processes and institutional frameworks, which are a manifestation of existing patriarchal norms and which result in the piecemeal processes of entitlements.     

Why is basic service access worse in slums? A synthesis of obstacles

Many residents of urban areas face joint obstacles to basic service access, but these barriers are more prevalent and severe in slum settlements. Analyses of obstacles have typically been conducted in a piecemeal rather than synthetic framework and have focused on access to single services rather than the range of services needed to support household welfare. By contrast, this study uses data from fieldwork in four slum settlements situated in Hyderabad, India to develop a typology synthesising the obstacles – economic, spatial, social, institutional, and political – to the full range of service access desired by residents. Economic differences explain little of the access deficit within this population. While social and institutional obstacles are more likely to explain slum formation and residence over the long term, variation in spatial and political factors present the most acute short-term access barriers. The article concludes by suggesting the most promising means for slum residents and supporting stakeholders to overcome multi-faceted obstacles.     

Implementing national food policies to promote local family agriculture: Belo Horizonte's story

Policies in Brazil promoting family agriculture such as the Food Acquisition Programme (PAA) and the 30% minimum procurement law for the National School Meals Programme have had varying success across the country. To understand why these policies work effectively only in some areas, the implementation processes must be clarified. This exploratory, ethnographic study identifies the causal mechanisms involved in implementing PAA and the 30% law in the city of Belo Horizonte. The findings reveal that although beneficial, large supply volumes and transportation costs are challenges faced by farmers in the implementation process.     

从平民保护到安全治理 ——加强联合国与所在国政府及民间组织的合作

冲突中的平民保护问题已经与人权、人道主义干预、保护责任等涉及《联合国宪章》基本原则和国际法基本原则的问题密切相关，是联合国维持和平、建设和平授权的主要内容之一，也是国际法院、国际刑事法院判案的重要依据之一。虽然联合国在平民保护问题上已做出相关决议，但在实践方面，其效果与预期设想还存在差距，也存在诸多困难。将“平民保护”与“安全治理”联系起来，使“平民保护”成为安全治理的一个部分，加强联合国与所在国政府和民间社会在平民保护问题上的积极合作与相互监督，这对提高联合国平民保护效果是非常必要的。     

*论政府必须在法治轨道上开展工作

法律的生命力在于实施，法律的权威也在于实施。政府必须在法治轨道上开展工作是对政府思维方式和行为方式的基本要求。从国际进程、现实挑战、未来要求看，政府必须在法治轨道上开展工作具有客观必然性和现实紧迫性；当前政府在法治轨道上开展工作存在着重法制轻法治、重权力轻权利、重结果轻过程、重执法轻问责等落差；推进政府在法治轨道上开展工作除了坚持党的领导之外，政府职能法治化是前提、政府决策法治化是基础、政府执法法治化是关键、政府责任法治化是保障、政府政务公开化是要求。     

中国新型政党制度的治理意蕴

新中国成立七十年来,中国新型政党制度作为产生于中国土壤的一项基本政治制度,不断发展成熟。中国新型政党制度是极具中国特色的制度设计,也是国家治理体系的重要组成部分,其中国共产党领导下的"多党合作与政治协商"特征淡化了长久以来政党制度的"管理"倾向,凸显了"治理"特性。中国新型政党制度所具有的主体多元性、过程协商性和实践合作性等治理特征,使得多党合作的治理效能得以真正发挥,彰显了中国新型政党制度的优越性。     

党建引领与治理体系建设:十八大以来城乡社区治理的实践走向

新时期,我国城乡社区治理面临利益主体多样化、风险集聚化、社区异质化等多重挑战。党的十八大以来,城乡社区治理上升为党中央执政战略,提出了人民中心、党建引领、重心下移、社会协同、基层群众自治、治理机制创新等新要求,实践层面更加突出党建引领下的治理体系建设。推动社区治理体系建设,要着重处理好"一个核心、两化关系、三层联动"三个关键议题,即发挥党的核心领导作用,处理好社区治理政治化与社会化关系,建构好宏观层面价值整合、中层法律制度与机构平台整合、基层达成积极的微观行动机制。     

Performance-Related Payments in Local Governments: Do They Improve Performance or Only Increase Salary?

Personnel policies in public sector organizations are fundamental to improving public services, since they have an impact on both individual and organizational performance. Within the broad area of Human Resources Management (HRM), Performance-Related Pay Systems (PRPSs) are widely considered one of the cornerstones of public sector managerial reforms. Monetary incentives should be paid for performance achievements of single employees and/or teams, according to a defined set of objectives. While the role and appropriateness of PRPSs in the public sector have been widely discussed in the literature, in some countries monetary incentives have been used as a tool to increase individual salaries, without considering them as a motivating instrument in a wider HRM system. A small number of studies have been conducted to understand the limitations of this form of incentives and to investigate whether it can be replaced by different and more effective incentives in order to avoid the de-motivating effect caused by money, as recognized in the literature. This study tries to fill this gap investigating, through twenty-five interviews to informed respondents the effectiveness of existing PRPSs at Local government level in Italy both in terms of performance and motivation and the possibility to substitute monetary with non-monetary incentives. The findings suggest that the limitations of monetary incentives have been widely recognized, but it is still difficult to replace them with different and more effective alternatives.