9782 research outputs found
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Need for fairness in climate change negotiations: A third world perspective
No full textThis article discusses the history and the prospects of the climate change negotiations and seeks to show that they are structurally and systematically disadvantageous to the countries and the peoples of the Third World/Global South. The article uses the TWAIL approach to discuss the North-South divide and the differing approaches to climate justice. The article then discusses the history of climate change negotiations, in particular, climate finance and loss and damage, and shows that modes of these negotiations have been disadvantageous to the Third World and are unlikely to fulfil their aspirations. The article highlights the need for incorporating certain principles of fairness, not just in substantive law, but also in how negotiations are conducted. It concludes with thoughts on what these principles of fairness may look like, and the role international and domestic courts can play in evolving them
AI mediated surface waste auto-detection on water bodies using cutting edge technology
No full textThe proliferation of surface waste in water bodies poses significant environmental and ecological challenges. Traditional methods of waste detection are often labor-intensive and limited in scope. This paper presents a novel approach to surface waste detection using artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced imaging technologies. Leveraging cutting-edge techniques such as deep learning algorithms, high- resolution satellite imagery, and real-time data processing, our system offers an automated solution for identifying and monitoring waste in water bodies. We developed a robust AI model trained on diverse datasets, including satellite and drone-captured images, to detect various types of surface waste with high accuracy. The system integrates real-time processing capabilities to provide timely alerts and actionable insights for environmental management. Evaluation results demonstrate that our approach significantly improves detection accuracy and operational efficiency compared to conventional methods. This research contributes to the advancement of smart environmental monitoring systems and offers a scalable solution for mitigating the impact of surface waste on aquatic ecosystems
Hazardous landscapes and environmental justice: Indigenous documentary films from Eastern India
No full textEco-stories that stick: Sustainability-focused digital marketing strategies by rustic hue
No full textThis case study examines Rustic Hue® (RH), a sustainable fashion brand committed to ethical practices, cultural heritage, and environmental protection. RH faced challenges in effectively communicating their orientation and commitment to social, economic and environmental sustainability while differentiating themselves in a crowded market. To overcome this challenge, RH implemented strategic digital storytelling in an innovative manner. They utilized their own digital media, including social media and the website, to showcase collaborations with weaving communities, highlight design innovations and customer testimonials. These approaches helped RH to foster trust, transparency, enhanced market recognition, and establish cultural relevance. Beyond sharing product-oriented stories, they also emphasize and publish on environmental responsibility through their “Jugaad” line, which promotes upcycling and zero-waste practices. Furthermore, RH documents the lives and practices of these communities and shares research findings to promote public awareness and appreciation
Strength in adversity: A qualitative study on resilience among Indian survivors of sexual violence
No full textPurpose
Although there has been substantial research that explores pathological consequences among sexual violence survivors. However, there is not enough knowledge about how these women survivors rise beyond being mere victims and develop resilience. This qualitative study explores resilience in Indian female survivors of sexual violence.
Material and methods
The study employed qualitative semi-structured interviews with seven (n = 7) female participants. The interviews were conducted both online and face-to-face. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Four main themes emerged from data analysis: (1) Family as Both Perpetrator and Protector, illustrating the dual role of family in both harm and healing; (2) Religious and Spiritual Beliefs, providing strength and meaning; (3) Coping Mechanisms, revealing diverse recovery strategies; and (4) Establishing Boundaries, reflecting survivors’ empowerment in reclaiming autonomy.
Discussion
The findings highlight the complex interplay between family dynamics, religion, and personal resilience in the recovery process for survivors of sexual violence. Family plays a dual role as a source of harm and healing, while religious beliefs provide strength and meaning. Survivors also rely on diverse coping mechanisms and empowerment through establishing boundaries, all of which contribute to their recovery.
Conclusion
Our findings underscore the role of personal and cultural factors in resilience, informing the development of culturally sensitive support systems for trauma recovery
What Concerns About the Waqf Amendment Bill Does the JPC's Report Identify?
Get PDFThe Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 has recently returned to public attention following the report of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) tasked with examining it. This legislative amendment, aimed at reforming the governance of waqf properties, has faced substantial opposition, particularly regarding its implications for the long-standing principle of ‘waqf by user’
The persistence of failure in water, sanitation and hygiene programming: a qualitative study
Get PDFIntroduction Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) causes millions of deaths and disability-adjusted life-years annually. Despite global progress towards universal WASH, much of WASH programming continues to fail to improve health outcomes or be sustainable in the longer term, consistently falling short of internal performance indicators and sometimes negatively impacting the well-being of local stakeholders. Although sector experts in high-income countries have often provided explanations for such failures, the opinions of those implementing WASH programming at the ground level are rarely published.
Methods In 2020, we purposively recruited 108 front-line WASH professionals in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to participate in 96 in-depth interviews, explaining why they believe WASH failure persists. Through participatory analysis, including framework analysis with additional axial coding and member-checking of our findings, we determined the core reasons for WASH failure as perceived by participants.
Results Interviewees reported poor engagement and commitment of intended users, unrealistic and idealistic expectations held by funders and implementers, and a general lack of workforce and financial capacity as significant contributors to WASH failure. Our analysis shows that these issues stem from WASH programming being implemented as time and budget-constrained projects. This projectisation has led to reduced accountability of funders and implementers to intended users and a focus on measuring inputs and outputs rather than outcomes and impacts. It has also placed high expectations on intended users to sustain WASH services and behaviour change after projects officially end.
Conclusions Our findings imply that WASH programming needs to move away from projectisation towards long-term investments with associated accountability to local governments and longitudinal measurements of WASH access, as well as realistic considerations of the needs, abilities and priorities of intended users. Funders need to reconsider the status quo and how adjusting their systems could support sustainable WASH services
Guest post: Judicial review of parliamentary process in Dr Sunil Kumar Singh v. Bihar legislative council
Get PDFIn a recent Supreme Court judgment dealing with the determination of the Court’s power to review the decision of the Bihar Legislative Council to expel one of its members—Dr Sunil Kumar Singh—from the membership of the House on account of calling Nitish Kumar paltu ram, among other things, the Court made certain important remarks on the interpretation Article 212 of the Indian Constitution. Beyond the facts of this case and the question of expulsion—and punishment in general—of the members of legislative assemblies, these observations are of critical relevance to other matters concerning the relationship of the legislature with the judiciary and the scope of judicial oversight of legislative actions. One such matter is the scope of judicial review of the Speaker’s decisions, including that of certifying a bill as a money bill. In the following paragraphs, I show how the interpretative framework adopted by the Court to creatively delimit the boundaries of Article 212 could help it answer the question about its power to review the decisions of the Speaker in the affirmative
Geopolitics | Donald trump's tectonic shifts in us foreign policy and Russia-Ukraine war
Get PDFThe press conference by Presidents Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky (28 February) was more of an angry public spat before the world media, unprecedented in the history of White House press conferences. This press conference/ public spat demonstrated that Zelensky used the opportunity to tell the world that he was unhappy with the 'deal' with the Americans, he wanted better terms like Ukrainian territory Back, unconditional US support and security guarantees before accepting ceasefire. The Trump team stated that Zelensky remained ungrateful for the support ($350 billion) the US had given, held no 'cards to continue this war that could lead to a third world war'
Tourist innovativeness: Scale development and validation
No full textThe present study introduces the Tourist Innovativeness (TI) scale by incorporating insights from consumer innovativeness. This addresses the increasing need for tourism destinations to comprehend and cater to innovative tourists. Understanding tourists’ innovativeness is essential for tourism enterprises striving to enhance their competitiveness and stay ahead in the ever-evolving tourism industry. Existing tourism literature lacks a comprehensive measurement scale that broadly captures the concept of TI. Our research design comprises three stages to ensure the rigorous development of the scale: (a) item generation and experts’ survey, (b) purification and dimensionality of the scale, and (c) assessing the reliability and validity of the scale. The scale includes five dimensions and nineteen items, providing a comprehensive tool for measuring TI. The study also explores the aspects of the actual visit experience that tourists aim to capture during their travels, offering a holistic representation of TI. Additionally, it discusses implications and future research directions for the tourism industry, highlighting opportunities for further exploration and practical applications. Overall, this study advances the understanding of TI and presents a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners in the field of tourism