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Most of the challenges facing Nigerian universities are traceable to inadequate funding. The sector often blames the government for inadequate funding of public universities while the government complains of scarce resources. The incessant closure of universities as a result of unresolved issues between labour/student unions and management, as well as the government is usually as a result of funding such as unpaid outstanding allowances and dilapidated facilities among others. This paper explored other alternatives to funding university education in Nigeria as the beneficiaries of university education were identified because every rational individual will contribute to a project because of the benefit they will get from it. The paper recommended that all beneficiaries of university education should be informed through approprite medium to contribute their quotas to the funding process. Managements of universities are also challenged to judiciously use available resources.

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on healthcare utilisation by exploring its heterogeneous effects based on residential status and wealth. Design/methodology/approach: The study used the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey (GSPS) datasets. An instrumental variable strategy, specifically the two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI), was employed to control endogenous NHIS membership. Findings: Generally, the results show that NHIS improves healthcare utilisation (i.e. visits to a health facility and formal care). Concerning the heterogeneous effects of health insurance on healthcare utilisation, the results revealed that NHIS members are more likely to seek care, irrespective of their residence status. The results further indicate that the probability of visiting a health facility and utilising formal care increases for the poorest NHIS participants. Based on these, the authors conclude that NHIS provides equitable healthcare access and utilisation for its vulnerable populations, who are beneficiaries. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to explore the heterogeneous effects of NHIS on healthcare utilisation across residential and income subpopulations. Splitting the dataset by residential status to examine healthcare utilisation inequality is worthwhile. In addition, analysing utilisation in terms of health care type would show whether Ghana's NHIS may be viewed as welfare-enhancing through increased formal health care utilisation. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0330 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-trafficking programmes in Italy have been implemented for more than two decades. Yet, little empirical evidence is available regarding their functioning. This paper draws on 56 semi-structured interviews carried out in the period of 2019–2021 with practitioners and beneficiaries of the N.A.Ve anti-trafficking programme. The interviews focused on practitioners' experience working with Nigerian women and on Nigerian women's experiences of the programme upon completion. By building on critical anti-trafficking studies and the autonomy of migration perspective, this contribution looks at the relationship between practitioners and Nigerian women admitted to the programme by addressing the following questions: what is the experience of practitioners and beneficiaries in the N.A.Ve programme? To what extent is the structural violence of the counter-trafficking apparatus reproduced in the relational dynamics between practitioners, particularly Case Managers, and beneficiaries? How do beneficiaries cope with such violence? I argue that the Case Managers' approach builds on "stratified layers of institutional knowledge" and that this concept is useful to highlight how their knowledge derives both from the counter-trafficking apparatus and their social work background. Furthermore, I present evidence that such an approach reproduces structural violence through processes of "conditional inclusion". Nigerian women denounced this violence but also seized the relational capital grown from rapport, calling for more engagement with people rather than programme objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social and child protection is a set of policies and programs designed to reduce and prevent poverty, vulnerability, and social exclusion throughout the life cycle. Early childhood interventions provide an exceptional opportunity to invest in something that is both cost-effective and reasonable, cost-effective in the sense that there is an opportunity to obtain a skilled and capable workforce in the future, and fair in the sense that this intervention gives the best results for children who live in unfavourable conditions and lack adequate stimulation. The paper aims to analysethe perception of the professionals and beneficiaries regarding needs forenhancementof the child protection system in North Macedonia. The practical goal of this study is for the results to serve as guidelines for evidence-based policy making, as well as the introduction of new programs or the improvement of existing ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The present paper aims to analyze the functioning and coverage of the public distribution system in rural Haryana, India. For analyses, secondary data were taken from various government reports like the Economic Survey of Haryana, Economic Survey of India, Census of India, Food and Supply Department, Haryana, etc. The analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics. : The study's findings revealed that the public distribution system facilitates 51.45 percent of the total rural population of Haryana. As Per the guidelines of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, 75 percent of the rural population should be covered by the States under the benefits of the public distribution system. The public distribution system operates in the State with a vast network of Fair Price Shops (FPS) and a well-organized structure. The study revealed that the ratio of the beneficiaries of PDS to the FPS in Haryana is quite satisfactory and meets the criteria fixed by the Food and Supply Department of India. The State of Haryana does not meet the criteria of NFSA, 2013. One primary reason is that a large part of the population falls under the APL category, which has been excluded from the benefits of PDS after the implementation of NFSA, 2013.While the ratio of beneficiaries to FPS indicates the magnificent functioning of FPSs in the State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Authors provide practical examples of how to apply competencies to real-time learning in complex environments to support learning and adaptation to improve the lives of those most impacted by inequitable and unsustainable global systems. This paper was initially conceptualized to support evaluation competencies training for a country-level-public sector evaluation capacity building effort. Purpose: To enhance understanding of the evaluation competencies required to integrate across local and global levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia follows a federal state administrative structure. Regional states are organized on ethnic basis. The country has over 85 ethnic groups and languages, but only majority ethnic groups, with a few exceptions, have their own standalone regional states. The Constitution of the country categorizes land as a public property and gives land administration responsibilities to regional states. Although the Constitution confirms land access right to all citizens, regional states' constitutions and land laws put restrictions to prioritize residents. Goal and Objectives: The paper aims at revealing some of the linkage between ethnic-based federalism and its impact on access to land and tenure security. By gathering and analyzing evidence from literatures and land experts, the paper provides with important recommendations for the way forward helping to improve access to land and tenure security for all. Methodology: Literature review and observation of dynamics in access to land and tenure security led the Author to administer a quick survey among land experts. About 25 experts who have knowledge and experience in the country's land administration system responded to survey questions. After data was collected and compiled, a simple descriptive statistics method was applied to analyze and generate understandable, tangible, and acceptable results. Results: Findings from the survey indicated that regional and local authorities' unfair treatment towards people coming outside of regional states discourages investment and provokes conflict. The country experienced hundreds of conflicts since ethnic-based federalism was introduced in 1991. In addition to ethnic categorization, the conflicts have their root in landholding arrangements. Although there are major steps being taken in reforming the macroeconomy including privatizing government owned enterprises like telecom, it is not yet clear if the government will continue to reform the land tenure system and ethnic-based federalism. Respondents in the survey indicated that the current land tenure and governance systems need changes allowing free movement of citizens, encouraging investment, prevailing peace, and improving access to land and tenure security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background Presently, in developing countries, growth of major cities is characterized by pressure on livelihood activities especially on potential inner-streets which attract variety of users including petty traders to interact on prime spaces hence leading to increased pressure on governing informal activities. Legally, in a conventional point of view, local government authorities are considered as key actors for successful petty trading governance capacity. Despite current development agendas and policies on informal economy and space governance, still there is an observed practical and theoretical gap thus making knowledge on the capacity of local government authorities' governance in petty trading being limited. Goal and Objectives: The present paper explores capacity of local government authorities in governing inner-city petty trading. Particularly, it focuses on examining local government authorities' petty trading governance objectives, actors, coordination and rationality with regard to their contribution towards effective local government authorities petty trading governance capacity. Methodology: This paper uncovered empirical evidences from Dodoma city council actors and selected commercial, institutional, pedestrian, recreational inner streets accommodating petty trading activities in Dodoma National capital city. Mixed research strategy was adopted and qualitative and quantitative data were collected using official interviews to the city council officials, interviews to the petty traders, focus group discussion with city council officials and street observations. Results: The findings uncovered that, local government authority petty trading governance is complex structured with involvement of more than one actor within and yet, its capacity is being restrained by disjointed execution of their functions and limited potential permanent spaces with the continuum demand on timely decisions to make rational space governance. Land officials and Trade and finance officials hold more powers over other actors within local government authorities thus, limiting the effective governance power capacity to be more replicable. The study suggests on the need to balance power and mandates of each actor to avoid conflicting interests and maximize execution commitment through timely and well-constructed cross-sectorial institutional framework which sensitize representatives from ground beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that access to financial capital is a significant challenge for operators of informal income activities, exposing financial inequality. However, there is a need to understand why operators are not disposed to access loans even when offered. Drawing on qualitative research in Soweto, South Africa, beneficiaries of cash transfers who also engage in various income-generating activities were found to be sceptical of loans, even when the receipt of transfers in cash would allow them to borrow. This paper contributes to the debate about strengthening participation in the informal economy as a mechanism for dealing with poverty, unemployment, and inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tiempos Modernos is the property of Tiempos Modernos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This study offers a critical inquiry into accountability vis-à-vis organizational identity formation. It investigates how accountability evolves in the transformation of an NGO operating in the field of migration management from an informal grassroots group into a fully-fledged organization. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is the outcome of a participatory action research project on Welcome Refugees (WR), a UK-based NGO. The project involved documentary analysis, focus group and semi-structured interviews, field notes, and participant observation. The analysis draws from poststructuralist theorization to explain the interplay between organizational identity and different forms of NGO accountability over time. Findings: The study shows how different forms of accountability became salient over time and were experienced differently by organizational members, thus leading to competing collective identity narratives. Organizational members felt accountable to beneficiaries in different ways, and this was reflected in their identification with the organization. Some advocated a rights-based approach that partially resonated with the accountability demands of external donors, while others aimed at enacting their feelings of accountability by preserving their closeness with beneficiaries and using a need-based approach. These differences led to an identity struggle that was ultimately solved through the silencing of marginalized narratives and the adoption of an adaptive regime of accountability. Practical implications: The findings of the case are of practical relevance to quasi-organizations that struggle to form and maintain organizational identity in their first years of operation. Their survival depends not only on their ability to accommodate and/or resist a multiplicity of accountability demands but also on their ability to develop a shared and common understanding of identity accountability. Originality/value: The paper problematizes rather than takes for granted the process through which organizations acquire a viable identity and the role of accountability within them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queue systems are essential in the modelling of transport systems. Increasing requirements from the beneficiaries of logistic services have led to a broadening of offerings. Consequently, models need to consider transport entities with priorities being assigned in relation to the costs corresponding to different classes of customers and/or processes. Waiting lines and queue disciplines substantially affect queue system performance. This paper aims to identify a solution for decreasing the waiting time, the total time in the system, and, overall, the cost linked to queueing delays. The influence of queue discipline on the waiting time and the total time in the system is analysed for several cases: (i) service for priority classes at the same rate of service with and without interruptions, and (ii) service for several priority classes with different service rates. The presented analysis is appropriate for increasing the performance of services dedicated to freight for two priority classes. It demonstrates how priority service can increase system performance by reducing the time in the system for customers with high costs. In addition, in the considered settings, the total time in the system is reduced for all customers, which leads to resource savings for system infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effects of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for retirement‐age workers. It shows that UI benefits can raise reported search effort and labor force participation for this population. Estimated effects on subsequent employment are positive but small and statistically indistinguishable from zero. The results are contrasted with estimates showing negative effects of UI on reemployment for younger workers. The identifying variation is generated by the elimination of Social Security offsets: state‐level policies that reduce unemployment benefits for Social Security beneficiaries. The findings are consistent with a simple model of UI claiming with participation and work search requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosquitoes spread malaria parasites in closed/open environment when they feed endophagously/ exophagously. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticide nets (LLIN) are control measures adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) that have not led to malaria elimination. Delay in defeating mosquito/malaria is attributed to WHO’s espousal of the last line of intervention that at-risk persons often ignore. Mosquito control methods will have to change if we must make progress in this direction. This paper shows that mosquitoes must survive four barriers before successfully attacking a host in a bed net. Correspondingly, indoor hosts have four levels of defenses where mosquitoes could be challenged albeit with increasing impediments. The first line of defense consists of net-screened windows, doors and eaves which circumscribe houses-outdoor environment. At-risk persons do not resist/refuse net-screening the openings in their houses. The last defensive intervention which most at-risk persons often resist most is sleeping in bed nets. The Achilles heel of IRS and LLIN include but not limited to vector resistance to insecticides, discomfort to beneficiaries, harm to non-target organisms, inequity in supply and distribution of control materials. List of advantages attributable to LLIN use has only 7 items whereas disadvantages have 37 items. House screening has better appeal to control mosquito/malaria indoors. The WHO should replace LLIN and IRS with house screening as the primary control method. Governments in endemic regions must use legislation to drive house screening especially with the s/o channel/grip devices that is accessible, cheap, effective and sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guaranteed minimum income GMI is a recognized tool in practice of reducing poverty and its severe and extreme forms among people facing this social risk. In order to ensure the guaranteed minimum income necessary to cover the needs of persons who are at a certain moment unable to ensure a minimum subsistence, a social aid is granted in addition to the monthly net income of the family or the single person. The purpose of this program was to provide some form of social assistance to these people in difficulty, who have very low incomes or even no incomes. The guaranteed minimum income is thus the most important measure taken into action to reduce poverty and social exclusion, which has a major impact on the existence of the most vulnerable people affected by this social risk. On the other hand, the program aims to increase participation of the recipients in the labour market, by containing certain activation components. Over time, it has been proven that these activation elements are not sufficiently stimulating to mobilize beneficiaries of social aid to transition from their social assistance state to labour market participant (with reference to the activable persons, respectively the working-age people with work capacity). For this reason, more acutely, the guaranteed minimum income is increasingly seen as an incentive tool to encourage work among activable recipients. Thus, the program is aimed at stimulation the social aid beneficiaries in their transition into employment and to get out of the social assistance network. In this sense, one solution is to insert more stimulating activation elements in the GMI program, which would support poverty alleviation among these people and families and increase their level of wellbeing. The paper considers an ex-ante evaluation of the introduction in the guaranteed minimum income program of an incentive to work, more active that the present one, and to estimate some effects that this simulation of introducing a pro-active work incentive in the social aid could have in contributing to poverty alleviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Socioloski Pregled is the property of Srpsko Sociolosko Drustvo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Informed by the critical perspective of dialogic accounting theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the use of evaluation as a means of enhancing accountability to beneficiaries within nonprofit organisations (NPOs). As a stakeholder group frequently marginalised by traditional accounting practices, the participation of beneficiaries within a NPO's accountability structure is presented as a means of increasing social justice. Design/methodology/approach: The research design used case studies involving two NPOs, examining documents and conducting interviews across three stakeholder groups, within each organisation. Findings: Findings reveal that when viewed on beneficiaries' terms, accountability to beneficiaries, through participative evaluation, needs to consider the particular timeframe of beneficiary engagement within each organisation. This temporal element positions downwards accountability to beneficiaries within NPOs as multi-modal. Research limitations/implications: The research poses a limit to statistical generalisability outside of the specific research context. However, the research prioritises theoretical generalisation to social forms and meanings, and as such provides insights for literature. Practical implications: In acknowledging that beneficiaries have accountability needs dependent upon their timeframe of participation, NPOs can better target their downwards accountability structures. This research also has practical implications in its attempt to action two of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. Originality/value: This paper makes a contribution to the limited research into nonprofit accountability towards beneficiaries. Dialogic accounting theory is enacted to explore how accountability can be practised on beneficiaries' terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both English benefactive constructions (John baked Mary a cake) and German kriegen/bekommenpassives (Er kriegte einen Stift geschenkt 'He got a pen gifted'), the theme argument is accusative-marked but has no (immediately obvious) way of getting structural accusative case. In English benefactive constructions, this is because the beneficiary argument intervenes between the voice head and the theme, and in German kriegen/bekommen-passives, it is because there is no active voice head. This paper proposes that, in both languages, the applicative head introducing the beneficiary/recipient (more generally, the affectee argument), comes with an extra case feature that can license case on the theme argument. In English, this non-canonical accusative case feature comes with the regular applicative head introducing the beneficiary argument. In contrast, in German, it comes with a defective applicative head which introduces the recipient but is unable to assign to it the inherent dative case that normally comes with the Affectee theta-role. The paper offers a unified analysis of English and German double object constructions and also of German werden ('be') and kriegen/bekommen ('get')-passives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper shows relationships between the characteristics of residents and the places, where they live. A combination of three criteria of place attractiveness (retention and attraction, conditions for natural growth, and settling) was chosen to classify places, and profiles of their beneficiaries on the theoretical level. The results of the empirical study partially confirm the developed theoretical typologies. Two methods to segment place market are equal only if expectations of population are constant. Study results allow place marketers to identify emerging shifts in the structure of beneficiaries of specific places and predict their further evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lockdowns imposed by the European Union (EU) Member States produced significant consequences in the form of losses to companies, which is why the Member States decided to assist businesses from public funds. This paper aims to identify and initially assess the implementation of schemes under which coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-related state aid was granted in Poland in 2020 for different instruments and beneficiary sizes. The idea was to find out how well aforementioned schemes responded to the needs of companies affected the most by the COVID-19-inflicted crisis. To this end, statistical analysis was deployed to learn about the share of individual groups of businesses of different sizes in support instruments granted in relation with COVID-19 by type of aid. The study helped to demonstrate that Polish aid schemes approved by the European Commission in 2020 assisted mainly micro- and small-sized companies, which usually suffered from poor liquidity, by predominantly soft instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the hardcore poor, moderately poor and just poor among zakat recipients in southwest Nigeria. It seeks to explain the criteria and basis used in determining the most deprived among zakat recipients considering the multi-dimensional nature of poverty and modern-day situations.Design/methodology/approach Out of 200 questionnaires that were randomly distributed among the recipients of zakat from Al-Hayat Relief Foundation and Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation in southwest Nigeria, only 150 were completed. Headcount poverty index, poverty gap index, multi-dimensional index on standard of living, income ranges and monthly per-capita household expenditures using the national workers’ minimum wage as poverty threshold were adopted for analyzing the data collected.Findings On the basis of the income range of the recipients, 128 out of 150 recipients were found to be poor, whereas on using the MMPCHE 93 out of 150 recipients were found to be poor. Both results were further classified into hardcore poor, moderately poor and just poor recipients. The multi-dimensional index on standard of living was also used to capture poverty in terms of deprivation in standard of living, such as non-availability of electricity, drinking water, cooking fuel, sanitation, flooring and assets.Research limitations/implications A limited number of recipients were evaluated in this study, and hence it would be difficult to generalize. Also, some recipients had difficulty in answering the survey questionnaire used in this study, which reduced the amount of information derived. Thus, an in-depth interview method coupled with a survey can be used in future studies.Practical implications The implication of this result is either that the threshold and measures adopted are not capturing the poor and the needy or that the zakat institutions are not reaching out enough to the poor and the needy eligible to receive zakat. This paper suggests the introduction of a more uniform and comprehensive zakat-based poverty threshold for the poor and the needy that will continuously be examined by Shariah scholars and researchers to best engage with the modern-day situation.Social implications This paper examines the measures of poverty and concludes on the introduction of a well-comprehensive threshold that is Shariah compliant and based on the plight of the modern-day poor and needy, which can go a long way in achieving the objectives of zakat.Originality/value This study recommends a more comprehensive zakat-based poverty threshold that will capture the multi-dimensional nature of poverty in the present day for better outreach to the most deprived needy and poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of volunteers and its impact on related accountability practices towards beneficiaries by a large humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: The authors adopted a qualitative case study design. The empirical evidence comes from rich fieldwork carried out in an Indonesian NGO. The authors collected the evidence mainly via 46 interviews and five focus groups. Findings: The authors found that the case NGO drew heavily on the social and cultural capitals of volunteers in the process of serving its beneficiaries, which, in turn, facilitated the enhancement of its accountability to the beneficiaries. The authors also found that volunteers play a bridging role to reduce the distance between NGOs and beneficiaries. Research limitations/implications: For NGO managers, this study provides necessary empirical evidence on the positive role played by the volunteers in the development and operationalisation of accountability to the beneficiaries. In the authors' case, beneficiary accountability is enhanced by the social conduct and practices performed by the NGO's numerous volunteers. Beneficiary accountability is of significant concern to the policy makers too. This study shows that volunteers and NGO can work in a reciprocal relationship where social and cultural capital can be mobilised to each other's advantage. To facilitate beneficiary accountability, NGOs can draw on the socio-cultural capitals held by the volunteers who appear to share the same norms and expectations with the beneficiaries. This process can also lead to the building of social and cultural capital by the volunteers themselves as they achieve great satisfaction and gain valuable experience in this process that could lead to greater satisfaction in their spiritual and material lives. Originality/value: The authors extend the previous literature on beneficiary accountability by highlighting the under-researched role of volunteers in such accountability practices. In this paper, the authors first discuss the facilitating role of volunteers in enhancing NGOs' accountability towards beneficiaries. Then, this is illustrated empirically. In addition, the authors argue that although Bourdieusian concepts like field and capital have been widely used in the analysis of various organisational practices the concept of habitus received limited attention particularly from the context of developing countries. The authors undertake an examination of the habitus of volunteers in the Indonesian case organisation and explore their linkages with the field and associated capitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the challenges facing Nigerian universities are traceable to inadequate funding. The sector often blames the government for inadequate funding of public universities while the government complains of scarce resources. The incessant closure of universities as a result of unresolved issues between labour/student unions and management, as well as the government is usually as a result of funding such as unpaid outstanding allowances and dilapidated facilities among others. This paper explored other alternatives to funding university education in Nigeria as the beneficiaries of university education were identified because every rational individual will contribute to a project because of the benefit they will get from it. The paper recommended that all beneficiaries of university education should be informed through approprite medium to contribute their quotas to the funding process. Managements of universities are also challenged to judiciously use available resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Recently, the Indian government launched health insurance schemes for the poor both to protect them from high health spending and to improve access to high-quality health services. This article aims to review the potentials of health insurance interventions in order to improve access to quality care in India based on experiences of community health insurance schemes. Data sources PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE (R), All EBM Reviews, CSA Sociological Abstracts, CSA Social Service Abstracts, EconLit, Science Direct, the ISI Web of Knowledge, Social Science Research Network and databases of research centers were searched up to September 2010. An Internet search was executed. Study selection One thousand hundred and thirty-three papers were assessed for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty-five papers were selected providing information on eight schemes. Data extraction A realist review was performed using Hirschman's exit-voice theory: mechanisms to improve exit strategies (financial assets and infrastructure) and strengthen patient's long voice route (quality management) and short voice route (patient pressure). Results of data synthesis All schemes use a mix of measures to improve exit strategies and the long voice route. Most mechanisms are not effective in reality. Schemes that focus on the patients’ bargaining position at the patient-provider interface seem to improve access to quality care. Conclusion Top-down health insurance interventions with focus on exit strategies will not work out fully in the Indian context. Government must actively facilitate the potential of CHI schemes to emancipate the target group so that they may transform from mere passive beneficiaries into active participants in their health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article explains why the traditional defense of the basic income policy is flawed in its assumptions about uniform allocations. This paper argues that treating everybody identically by way of a uniform grant is ultimately in tension with the egalitarian rationale behind the basic income. Philippe Van Parijs, the champion defender of the policy proposal, has fervently argued that unconditional receipt of a universal grant will render society more just by way of the egalitarian distribution of 'real freedom' that the policy would elicit. Although Van Parijs is right in supposing that basic income will enhance real freedom, his theoretical apparatus is not prepared to address questions of differences in the level of opportunity already enjoyed by the beneficiaries of the policy. This failure poses a problem for normative reasoning, namely, that morally relevant differences among individuals are ignored. This paper concentrates on the implications of this oversight and provides an equality metric that is better equipped to recognize disparity and its moral implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the social life of the staff and beneficiaries of the Gătaia psychiatric hospital in Timiș County. The aim of the research was to analyze the effects of the pandemic on an emotional and social level, but also to approach elements related to the media pressures on the targeted subjects. We conducted a qualitative data collection, by interviewing 11 employees of the Gătaia psychiatric hospital. The results showed that the respondents felt conditions such as: anxiety, stress and marginalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]