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Ten years ago, in March 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope, taking the papal name Francis. Pope Francis has had a profound impact—some would argue a transformational impact, on the Catholic Church and on the world. To celebrate ten years of his papacy, the idea came about to put together a special issue of The Review of Faith & International Affairs on one aspect of his magisterium: his vision for education and integral human development, including the idea of a Global Compact on Education. The essays gathered in this special issue consider Pope Francis' vision and how it may be relevant for schools and universities (Catholic or not) as well as for businesses and our understanding of the economy and integral human development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particularly in low- and lower middle-income countries, petty corruption remains prevalent in service delivery, whether in schools, health centers, administrative services, or other institutions. In reference to Pope Francis' call to say no to corruption in his recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, this article measures the extent of corruption in schools in Africa using data collected by the Afrobarometer. More than one in four respondents have encountered problems to obtain the education services they need for their children and nearly one in five have had to pay bribes or do other favors for education providers. This proportion does not appear to have declined significantly over the past decade. Regression analysis suggests that different household characteristics are associated with the likelihood of having difficulty obtaining the services they need and the likelihood of being a victim of corruption. Interestingly for this special issue, while faith affiliation does not seem to affect the likelihood of providing favors to obtain services, religiosity does appear to matter—and therefore so may faith leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pope Francis has made the protection of our common home a central theme of his Papacy. This may be nowhere more important than in Africa, a continent that is already today highly vulnerable to climate shocks due in part to high levels of water stress in many countries, food insecurity, and forced displacement, among others. In this paper, we use household surveys from West African countries to explore the impact of covariate shocks (most of which are weather-related) and international migration as a potential response to shocks on educational outcomes for children of primary school age. The results suggest that shocks affect educational outcomes substantially, but that international migration may generate benefits for children of migrants. The paper also briefly discusses policy prescriptions on how to tackle climate change, arguing that education to sustainable development should be a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pope Francis' vision for a global compact on education, including the role that Catholic universities should play, is in sharp contrast to the vision that dominates the higher education sector: that of producing graduates for gainful employment. Can Catholic colleges and universities rise to the challenge? This article provides a partial answer to that question by first considering four trends affecting higher education globally: (i) the impact of Covid; (ii) the technologization of higher education; (iii) the promise of employability; and (iv) the great unbundling towards micro-credentials. Thereafter, using data for the United States, the article provides a brief assessment of whether Catholic universities may be losing ground, while nevertheless keeping some sources of comparative advantage. The analysis remains explorative and tentative. What seems clear is that there is a lot of heterogeneity between institutions, with some struggling and others finding ways to maintain their comparative advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, Catholic universities operate in an increasingly competitive market. They tend to have a strong academic reputation in many countries and their graduates tend to do well professionally. One explanation for this success could be that many universities are selective: they may attract motivated students. In addition, it is sometimes suggested that the values emphasized in Catholic education may also play a role, including for the choice of students to attend a particular university. Whether values and the Catholic faith matter for students, or rather how much they matter, is important for the future of Catholic universities in a context of rising competition as well as pluralism, including in terms of the views held by students. After a review of broad trends in enrollment in Catholic higher education globally and regionally over the last four decades, and a discussion of some of the increasing competitive pressures Catholic (and other) universities are confronted with, this article explores some of the factors that may lead students to enroll in Catholic higher education institutions. Values and faith matter, but (not surprisingly) other factors matter more. The paper also discusses the possibility for Catholic universities to invest in service learning as an opportunity to strengthen their Catholic identity in a way that respects pluralism in the student body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries, those considering enrolling in a Catholic college or university may have a choice between a few universities or none at all. In the United States, they can choose between more than 240 Catholic colleges and universities. This provides a rich array of choices, but it may also make the decision of where to apply and ultimately enroll more complicated. This article provides a simple framework to discuss some of the factors that affect the decision to enroll in higher education and where to enroll. Four basic sequential questions that students may ask are considered: (1) Should I go to college? (2) How should I select a college? (3) How can I compare different colleges? (4) Should I go to a Catholic college? By providing elements of response to these questions, the article provides insights into the decision to enroll in Catholic education and its implications for universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Catholic schools contribution to a religious plausibility structure is by supporting the development of religious belief. Topics include the increasing evidence from cognitive psychology research that underscores the importance of K-8 education in Christian belief formation; religious adults talk differently about supernatural entities than nonreligious adults, and subtle variation in adult testimony surrounding scientific unobservable entities.

Do parental priorities for what children should learn in school differ depending on the type of school chosen by parents? Does this, in turn, have potential implications for the future of Catholic schools in the United States? This article considers these questions in the context of the long-term decline in enrollment in U.S. Catholic schools. Specifically, the article considers three questions: 1) What are the priorities of parents for what their children should learn in school in the overall population? 2) Do these priorities differ between different groups of parents, including parents with children in Catholic schools and parents willing to consider Catholic schools for their children but not having enrolled their children in one? And 3) Are there individual parental characteristics associated with particular views about what children should learn in schools? Implications of the findings are discussed, specifically concerning targeted efforts to attract new students. The analysis is based on a market research survey implemented in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is not a lot of support in the international community today for the role played by the private sector, including faith-based schools, towards achieving the fourth sustainable development goal (SDG), which calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education. Yet, education pluralism is called for in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In a separate paper published in this journal, a measure of education pluralism was suggested to reflect this idea. In this paper, that measure is combined with data on educational outcomes to assess whether taking pluralism seriously may affect assessments of the fulfillment of the right to education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In education systems that support pluralism, students or parents can choose the type of school or university they attend. Given heterogeneity in priorities for what should be taught, education pluralism has a value in itself. It may also boost schooling and learning. The fact that there is heterogeneity is clear, otherwise we would not have different types of schools. What is less clear is the extent to which education systems are pluralistic. Rather than looking at inputs for pluralism such as laws and regulations, this article introduces a measure of education pluralism based on outputs, i.e. enrollment in different types of schools and universities. The normalized education pluralism index is inspired by the literature on market concentration. Estimates are provided based on data for public, private non-Catholic, and Catholic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While enrollment in Catholic schools is rising in the global south, it is declining in many Western countries. Providing a quality and holistic education experience remains essential in both developed and developing countries, especially for disadvantaged groups. But in addition, in developed countries, trade-offs may have to be confronted to stem the decline in enrollment that affects the financial sustainability of schools. Building on a presentation made at the closing plenary of OIEC's World Congress in New York, this paper focuses on the United States where enrollment in Catholic schools has been dropping for more than 50 years. In the absence of state support for Catholic schools and in a context of rising operating costs and therefore tuition, the decline in enrollment is due in part to a lack of affordability of schools given high out-of-pocket costs paid by parents. But other factors related to perceptions about Catholic schools also play a role. To stem the decline in enrollment, market research can help, including to assess how favorably Catholic and other types of schools are perceived in the population. The paper relies on data collected for the National Catholic Education Association to compare favorability ratings by type of schools and assess factors associated with these perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on a presentation made at the closing plenary of OIEC's World Congress in New York, this paper considers two trends affecting Catholic education globally and their potential implications for university research and programs in support of K12 schools. The first trend is the shift of enrollment in K12 Catholic education towards the global south and especially Africa in terms of the sheer number of students enrolled in schools. The second trend relates to the deepening learning crisis in K12 education affecting much of the developing world, and again especially Africa. These two trends have implications for university research and programs in support of K12 Catholic schools on the continent. The paper argues that apart from discussions related to Catholic identity, which are of course important, more attention should be placed by universities, including in the West, on the related but distinct issue of how to improve basic learning for students enrolled in K12 Catholic schools in the global south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low income countries in sub-Saharan Africa are confronted with a major challenge in terms of expanding access to secondary education. This is also the case in Uganda. This article considers two questions. First, where should new secondary schools be built if the aim is to reduce geographic disparities in access? Second, have new schools, and in particular faith-based schools, been built in the areas that need schools the most? The analysis considers Catholic as well as public and other private schools. Results suggest that new schools are often not located in the areas that need them the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries as in developed countries, the COVID-19 crisis has led to near universal school closures that will affect children's ability to learn, especially in countries with limited infrastructure for distance learning. While most children are likely to return to school when they reopen, quite a few may drop out. In addition, the economic recession generated by the crisis will affect livelihoods, leading to higher rates of poverty and food insecurity. This also may have negative impacts on both Catholic schools and their students. This paper, the second in a set of two, looks at likely impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on Catholic Schools in developing countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa, a vulnerable region given the comparatively weak performance of its education systems and the limited availability of resources for governments to protect education budgets (acknowledging that many Catholic schools in the region are public schools). How Catholic schools will be able to respond to the twin challenges of school closures and the economic downturn may affect their comparative advantage for the medium term. A key aim of the paper is to make Catholic school teachers and leaders aware of some of the discussions on how to respond to the crisis, and provide links to resources online that may be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 crisis has led to widespread temporary school closures and a deep economic recession. School closures have threatened children's ability to learn and later return to school well prepared. The impact of the economic recession is going to be even more devastating: first for students, but also for the ability of some Catholic schools to maintain their enrollment and remain sustainable financially in countries where they do not benefit from government support. This paper, the first in a set of two, looks at some of the likely impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on Catholic Schools in developed countries with a particular focus on the United States, a country not only hard hit by the crisis but also where Catholic schools are especially vulnerable to downturns. While Catholic schools may be able to respond to the immediate challenge of school closures among others through distance learning options, their ability to maintain enrollment during the economic downturn is less clear. How schools will respond to the twin challenges of ensuring learning during school closures and beyond, and remaining affordable for families at a time of economic stress, may affect whether they are able to maintain their comparative advantage. A key aim of the paper is to make Catholic school teachers and leaders aware of some of the discussions on how to respond to the crisis, and provide links to online resources that may be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 crisis has generated unprecedented challenges for Catholic schools and their students, as is the case for other school networks. First, school closures have affected 9 in 10 school-aged children globally, with risks for the children's ability to learn when the schools are closed, and later return to school when the crisis subsides. Second, the economic recession generated by the crisis will not only affect children, but also in some cases the ability of Catholic and other private schools to maintain their enrollment, and thereby their financial sustainability, at least in countries where the schools do not benefit from government support. A wide range of policy notes are being written about potential responses to the crisis by national and international organizations, think tanks, and civil society organizations. Few of those analyses consider specifically Catholic schools and their students, but some do, and the others are still relevant. It is likely that much of this wide-ranging analytical effort is not reaching Catholic schools leaders, as the focus is typically on policy dialogue with governments. The main aim of this introduction and the twopart paper that follows is to provide a synthesis of some of those materials, so that they become more accessible to Catholic school teachers and leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faith-based schools play an important role today in the provision of education globally. Are the schools likely to continue to play such a role in the future? If so, where is that role likely to be most prominent? This paper considers these questions on the basis of long-term demographic, religious, and school enrollment trends. The trends suggest that enrollment in faith-based schools will continue to grow rapidly, as has been the case over the last few decades. But there will also be a fundamental shift, with a rising concentration of students in faith-based schools located in Africa. This may have implications given the learning crisis affecting the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that faith-based schools serve tens of millions of students (the estimate for the Catholic Church is at 62 million students enrolled in K12 schools globally in 2016), the role of faith-based schools remains largely ignored in policy discussions. The articles and essays in this symposium aim to inform current debates on the role of faith-based schools, and particularly Catholic schools. The focus on Catholic schools is driven by the fact that they are the largest network of faith-based schools globally. It is clear however that many issues faced by Catholic schools are also faced by other faith-based schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides estimates of the contribution of faith-based schools to human capital wealth using recent World Bank data. Wealth is the assets base that enables nations to generate future income. Estimates suggest that human capital wealth accounts for two thirds of global wealth, a much larger proportion than natural capital and produced capital. This paper's analysis relies on an assessment of the share of human capital wealth attributed to educational attainment, and the share of contribution of Catholic schools to educational attainment. The analysis suggests that Catholic schools contribute at least US$ 12 trillion to the changing wealth of nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Catholic Church estimates that nine million children were enrolled in K12 Catholic schools in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016. How has the number of students in Catholic schools evolved over the last two decades? In which countries is enrollment larger, whether in absolute terms or in terms of market share? Are Catholic schools performing better than other schools once controls are introduced for the students that enroll in Catholic schools? Finally, what can be learned from the practices of well-performing schools such as those managed by the Fe y Alegría network? To answer these questions, this paper provides trends in enrollment in Catholic schools in the region, estimates their market share, and discusses lessons from the literature with a focus on Fe y Alegría schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Church statistics, the Catholic Church has 35 million children enrolled in its primary schools globally, and 20 million children enrolled in its secondary schools. At both levels, enrollment has increased over time globally. While there are debates on whether Catholic schools perform better than public schools, they clearly generate savings for state budgets in many countries since parents choosing these schools often pay for most of the cost of their children's education. This paper estimates budget savings for states from Catholic schools in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and selected partner countries. In the 38 countries for which estimates are computed, total annual savings are valued at US$ 63 billion in purchasing power parity terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the governments of China and India, the Catholic Church is probably the third largest provider of K12 education in the world. How has growth in enrollment in K12 Catholic schools varied across countries over the last two decades? Which countries have accounted for most of the growth at the regional and global level? What has been the role of the number of schools and the size of schools in enrollment growth, or in the decline observed in some countries? Given trends towards higher enrollment in the developing world due to population growth and higher educational attainment, has enrollment growth in Catholic schools enabled them to maintain their market share over time? Finally, what do the data suggest for some of the constraints and strategic choices faced by Catholic schools in various countries? The objective of this paper is to answer these questions with a focus on trends in Catholic school enrollment and market shares across countries from 1995 to 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child marriage has significant negative impacts, not only for girls, but also for a range of development outcomes. This study aimed to assess, in a more detailed way than done so far, the magnitude of the relationship between child marriage and total fertility in multiple countries representing diverse settings. Data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys in the fifteen countries of interest were used. Analysis was restricted to a subsample of women aged 35-49 years in order to capture completed fertility. Poisson regression was conducted to estimate the impact of each additional year of early marriage on the total number of births women have, controlling for selected sociodemographic characteristics. Counterfactual analyses were carried out to estimate the reduction in the number of children that women would have over their lifetime in the absence of child marriage. Controlling for socioeconomic and other characteristics, girls who marry as children have more children over their lifetime than women marrying after the age of 18. Nationally, across fifteen countries, the reduction in total fertility from ending child marriage ranges from 0.24 to 1.06 children per woman. The simulated change in total fertility that would result from ending child marriage tends to be higher in countries that have a higher incidence of child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the relationship between human rights and extreme poverty at the United Nations owes much to Joseph Wresinski, the founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World. While Wresinski was a Catholic priest, he deliberately created an inter-denominational organization and developed a unique spirituality rooted in a shared life experience with the extreme poor. He considered that spirituality, broadly understood, should be at the heart of the fight against extreme poverty and social exclusion. He hoped that his message could be heard by men and women from all faiths who are concerned about the plight of the extreme poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital cutting(FGC) is a major issue at the interplay of faith and health in development. The practice is in part faith-inspired, and has clear negative health impacts. The prevalence of FGC remains especially high in Egypt. This article reflects on some of the factors that lead to the perpetuation of the practice by analysing data from the 2014 Survey of Young People in Egypt. The focus is on whether religiosity, acceptance of traditional gender roles and discrimination, attitudes towards women’s autonomy, and age at marriage affect attitudes towards FGC, controlling for other factors. The results suggest that all these factors do indeed play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the qualitative analysis of One World Education (OWEd) which is a college-ready writing instruction program that involves selected students of the District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) and the District of Columbia charter school seniors. It states that OWEd is the first and largest formalization of argumentative writing in the urban school systems and that it brings the curriculum to life for the students.

Access to quality early childhood development (ECD), care, and pre-primary education is essential for child development and is now recognized as a priority under the Sustainable Development Goals. Investments in ECD by major donors have been rising rapidly in recent years. This makes the task of understanding better what works to promote ECD, and what may not work as well, a priority. The objective of this special issue of theJournal of Human Development and Capabilitiesis to contribute to the evidence base in three areas—the roles of program interventions, family contexts, and broader policies in ensuring optimal child development. The issue consists of five research articles, most of which provide evaluations of specific interventions, as well as three shorter notes considering broader policy issues. The main conclusions of the various contributions are summarized in this article together with a brief introduction to simple conceptual frameworks that countries, donors, and other stakeholders may find useful when considering alternative ways to invest in ECD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood is a critical period in a child’s development. Poor conditions early in life affect not only children’s physical growth, but also their brain development and capabilities, with lasting consequences in adulthood. A child’s family is the first and most important support system to ensure healthy growth and development. This also means that when the family and especially the mother is vulnerable, this can have lasting negative consequences for young children. This article illustrates the impact that family conditions can have on early childhood development by considering the specific case of child marriage, defined as a girl marrying before the age of 18, as well as early childbirth, defined as a girl having a child before the age of 18, itself in most cases a consequence of child marriage. The article also discusses interventions that could help in reducing both the likelihood of child marriage and its intergenerational impacts on young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the authors' insight related to the commitment of religious groups and leaders such as faith-based organizations (FBOs) to environmental issues and global warming. Topics include roles of religious leaders on climate and environmental concerns, several FBOs that advocates on climate change such as the Christian Aid in the United Kingdom, and the impact of religiosity and religious affiliation on attitudes towards global warming and environment.

This contribution relies on four different approaches and data sources to assess and discuss the impact of child marriage on secondary school enrollment and completion in Uganda. The four data sources are: (1) qualitative evidence on differences in community and parental preferences for the education of boys and girls and on the higher likelihood of girls to drop out of school in comparison to boys; (2) reasons declared by parents as to why their children have dropped out of school; (3) reasons declared by secondary school principals as to why students drop out; and (4) econometric estimation of the impact of child marriage on secondary school enrollment and completion. Together, the four approaches provide strong evidence that child marriage reduces secondary school enrollment and completion for girls with substantial implications for agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role and importance of legal nature of Islamic law shari'a in guiding legislation in Muslim societies to prohibit Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and end of child marriage. Topics discussed include new family code adopted by National Assembly of Mali to set the age of marriage and protection of the integrity of the human body, women's right in Islamic law, Qur'an as a source of Islamic law, FGC practiced across Africa, and risk of medical side effects due to FCG.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various articles within the issue on topics including extent of child marriage, impact on education and health due to child marriage, and actions to engage Islamic Opinion Leaders (ISOLs) to eliminate child marriage.

The article analyzes the global and regional trends in child marriage incidence, child marriage gap and squared child marriage gap for the past few decades. Topics discussed include legal prohibition of child marriage in various countries like India and Nigeria; the use of data about age at first marriage in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) to estimate the trends; and the high risk of maternal mortality for girls who give birth at an early age.

The article presents a case study of child marriage in Burkina Faso and discusses its high prevalence in Africa and the role of faith in the persistence of the practice. Topics discussed include higher child marriage among Muslim, Animist/traditional belief populations; fear of pregnancy before marriage, gender roles and social expectations as the cause of prevalence of the practice; and heterogeneity of attitudes towards child marriage.

The article explores the impact of religious affiliation on reproductive health and sexual behaviors as in the case of Ghana. It notes that faith affiliation does not tend to affect reproductive health and sexual behavior. It mentions the limited available evidence to consider whether religion can affect health behaviors. It also suggests the need to conduct impact assessments and case study work to better understand how interventions through religious leaders and communities affect behaviors.

In September 2019, Pope Francis called for a broad alliance to renew our commitment to education to build a more fraternal humanity. To understand the Pope's call for a Global Compact on Education, it is useful to explore his vision for education. For Pope Francis, education can no longer be reduced to what happens in the classroom. We need educational strategies that give a chance to the transformation and above all to the humanization of the world. We need an "education village" in which parents, communities, and societies are fully engaged. The call for a Global Compact on Education can be understood as a new paradigm for thinking about education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the assessment of the role of faith-inspired primary and secondary schools in Africa using evidence from multi-purpose household surveys. It suggests a market share for FISs for primary education of about 14 percent on average in the countries where information has been collected for the study. It also reveals that FISs serve the poor slightly less than public schools.

An introduction to the article is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the cost for households of faith-inspired schools (FISs) in Africa, the Islamic private schools in Mali and the gap in educational attainment between Christians and Muslims.

The article explores a historical case on the faith-inspired education in Ghana as faith-inspired schools (FISs) have distinguished tradition in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents the history of mission schools divided into pre- and post-independence periods, the origin of Islamic education in Ghana and the role of missionary education in the colonial oppression and suppression of African culture. The significant advocacy voice of Christian and Islamic bodies in educational policy is outlined.

The article discusses the estimated percentage of market share of faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) in providing health care in sub-Saharan Africa. It explores the estimates on market share from data and listings of FII health facilities in providing support to HIV/AIDS patients through programs, activities, and community services. It reveals that FIIs in Africa has a 30 to 40 percent market share in health care provision.

An introduction to the special Spring 2014 issue of "The Review of Faith & International Affairs" is presented.

The article discusses the impact of global budgetary constraints to the international funding provided for faith-based HIV/AIDS organizations in Africa. It explores the specific funding patterns and resourcing of nonprofit organizations engaged in supporting HIV/AIDS victims. It describes the dramatic differences between faith-based organizations that benefit from international donors and other fundings.

In the literature on the religious contribution to health and development, it is commonly stated that faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) provide from 30 to 70 per cent of all health care provision in Africa. This article tracks the sources of such statements back to the 1960s, highlighting a process of ‘broken telephone’ whereby estimates are passed on and frequently distorted by policy- and advocacy-oriented influences at both the national and international levels. This demonstrates how estimates are being wielded bluntly, often resulting in poorly substantiated claims to the detriment of more careful research, thereby weakening the empirical knowledge-base and improved practice. Jouer au téléphone arabe : évaluation de la prestation de services de santé par les institutions inspirées par la religion en Afrique Dans les écrits portant sur la contribution de la religion à la santé et au développement, il est souvent affirmé que les institutions inspirées par la religion (IIR) fournissent entre 30 et 70 pour cent de tous les services de santé en Afrique. Cet article remonte à la source de ces déclarations, qui date des années 1960, et met en évidence un processus de « téléphone arabe » par lequel les estimations sont retransmises et fréquemment déformées par des influences axées sur les politiques publiques et le plaidoyer, aux niveaux national et international. Cela démontre la manière dont les estimations sont présentées à la va-vite, entraînant souvent des affirmations non fondées, au détriment de recherches plus minutieuses, ce qui a pour effet d'affaiblir la base de connaissances empirique et l'amélioration des pratiques. Brincando de telefone sem fio: avaliando a provisão de serviço de saúde inspirado na fé na África Na literatura sobre a contribuição religiosa para a saúde e desenvolvimento, é comumente afirmado que as Instituições Inspiradas na Fé (FIIs) são responsáveis por 30 a 70 por cento de toda a provisão de serviço de saúde na África. Este artigo investiga as fontes de tais afirmações desde a década de 1960, destacando um processo de “telefone sem fio” em que estimativas são apresentadas e frequentemente distorcidas por influências orientadas por políticas - e defesa de direitos – no âmbito nacional e internacional. Isto demonstra como as estimativas estão sendo manipuladas sem rodeios, frequentemente resultando em afirmações sem fundamento em detrimento de pesquisas mais cuidadosas, enfraquecendo assim a base de conhecimento empírico e melhores práticas. Jugando al teléfono roto: evaluando los servicios de salud inspirados en la fe en África En lo que se ha escrito sobre la contribución de las organizaciones religiosas a la salud y al desarrollo, se afirma a menudo que las instituciones inspiradas en la fe proporcionan del 30 al 70 por ciento de la atención a la salud en África. Este ensayo sostiene que el origen de estas afirmaciones se remonta a los años 60 y que se produjo un proceso de “teléfono roto” porque, al trasmitirse las cifras, a menudo se tergiversaron por motivos políticos o de incidencia, tanto a niveles nacionales como internacionales. El ensayo demuestra que las cifras se manejan sin precisión, lo cual conduce a que a menudo se hagan acusaciones sin sustento que perjudican a las investigaciones más minuciosas y debilitan los conocimientos empíricos y las mejores prácticas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution provides a new definition of time poverty as working long hours without choice because an individual's household is poor or would be at risk of falling into poverty if the individual reduced her working hours below a certain time-poverty line. Time poverty is thus understood as the lack of enough time for rest and leisure after accounting for the time that has to be spent working, whether in the labor market, doing domestic work, or performing other activities such as fetching water and wood. The study applies the concepts used in the traditional poverty literature to measure time poverty defined in this new way to analyze its determinants in Guinea from 2002 to 2003. It finds that women are more likely to be time poor than men in Guinea, and even more so according to this new definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for adjusting measures of income and poverty for the risk faced by a household. The approach draws on the standard economic concept of risk aversion, and it is based on the intuition that households will prefer a steady stream of income to a variable one with the same mean. Relying on a Constant Relative Risk Aversion utility function, we use panel data for Argentina to compute risk-adjusted income and poverty measures. At the aggregate level, we find that taking risk into account substantially increases the poverty headcount. Moreover, a regression analysis suggests that many household characteristics are correlated not only with the average income of the household over time, but also with its variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model is provided for the optimal allocation by parents of a child's time between schooling and labor given access to publicly funded schooling programs. If the budget of the Government is constrained, and if policy makers cannot differentiate program benefits among the poor, they will fund programs that will help the poor, but whose value may not be high enough for take-up by the poorest if conditionalities are imposed for receiving the program's benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While it may be feasible to target those receiving relief after a natural disaster, it is difficult to differentiate the amount of relief provided among beneficiaries. This is because much of the relief consists of food, clothing, and medicine, all goods for which the absorptive capacity of households is limited. Empirical tests using data from Honduras following Hurricane Mitch confirm this hypothesis. The probability of receiving relief was negatively correlated with wealth and positively correlated with assets losses (with a higher weight placed on losses than pre-disaster wealth) and the fact that households suffered damage to their dwelling. By contrast, controlling for whether households suffered damage to their dwelling, the amount of relief received was related neither to pre-Mitch wealth, nor to assets losses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the effect of geographic structures on household living standards in Bangladesh. Difference of welfare between urban and rural areas; Comparison of household consumption and poverty between urban and rural areas; Significance of anti-poverty programs for poor areas.

Presents a study which measured poverty in Bangladesh based on the food energy intake and cost of basic needs methods. Introduction of the energy intake method used by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics for setting poverty lines; Comparison between the food intake method and the cost of basic needs methods; Estimation of the impact of household characteristics on the probability of being poor.