18336 research outputs found
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Direction of Energizing Change: The Potential of Tunisian SMEs in the Energy Transition
No full textIn a nutshellTunisia's energy transition is delayed due to economic challenges, slow reforms, and the dominance of fossil fuels, thereby hindering progress toward employing renewable energy (RE).Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are vital to Tunisia's economy but struggle with energy efficiency and market reach, limiting their impact on the energy transition.While MSMEs are aware of solar and wind energy, they lack an understanding of broader energy concepts, highlighting the need for targeted education.The adoption of RE in Tunisia presents barriers like regulatory and financial challenges, requiring tailored strategies and collaboration.The energy transition offers economic opportunities for marginalized groups, particularly youth and women, through targeted programs that promote inclusion and empowerment.Arabic translation available.</p
The Outlook for Energy Demand Growth in the Middle East and North Africa: Regional Supply as a Critical Driver of Demand
No full textThe Middle East and North Africa region is set to experience substantial growth in demand for energy during the remaining years of the present decade. Factors driving this growth vary enormously by sub-region and individual country, but there are broad similarities in the forms of both primary and final energy demand growth that are expected to materialize by 2030. Additionally, as most regional energy consumption is minimally integrated with global markets due to the availability of local supply, there is often an insufficient amount of attention paid to the granular aspects of demand growth from the region itself, as oil and gas exports from this part of the world, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region as well as Iraq, are major determinants of the global supply and demand balance.Indeed, the GCC region has largely been able to guarantee energy security for its population via the development of local supply, although there have been some exceptions to this dynamic. For example, strong natural gas demand growth in Kuwait, driven heavily by the power sector, has led the country to become a major importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG).Additionally, the abundance of local supply does not guarantee that local demand growth can be met. This challenge becomes evident when taking a closer look at the natural gas balances of countries like Egypt and Iran, where local supply is increasingly constrained due to demand growth that has been largely unmanaged on the policy side. This will be a key area to watch in the coming years; major forecasters expect the region’s electricity demand to grow by between 29% and 37% from 2020 to 2030.</p
WFP’s Support to Strengthening the National Social Protection System in the Philippines
No full textThis case study reviews WFP’s support to the national social protection system in the Philippines since 2018, in particular to the government’s flagship nutrition-sensitive social protection programme Walang Gutom. It also examines WFP’s efforts aimed at improving the shock-responsiveness of the national system. It assesses how WFP has supported the various building blocks of the national system, emphasizing the recent shift from direct implementation to capacity strengthening and enabling the national system. This is a light-touch exercise, undertaken through a rapid literature review and four interviews with WFP current and former staff. It is part of a suite of country case studies undertaken by researchers at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) for WFP, creating a portfolio of learning on WFP’s work on enabling social protection around the world.</p
Pre-existing Conditions Leading to Violence and Instability During Political Transitions
No full textThis review looks at pre-existing conditions that can lead to instability and violence during political transitions. A broad range of factors can be influential. Economic factors, such as low GDP and economic inequality; population diversity and a history of recent conflict; the nature of the pre-transition regime, strength of governance institutions, level of democracy and influence of elite actors; the role and capacity of the military; and external influences, notably being in a volatile neighbourhood and having active diasporas. However, it is important to stress that the relevance of these pre-existing conditions will vary from one context to another.</p
Crime and Harm in the Food and Water Supply
No full textThis report examines crime and harm in the food and water supply in two parts, first in the food supply, and then in the water supply.These parts were researched and written as standalone pieces, but there are many parallels between the two topics. Both food and water are a human right, protected by international law and UN conventions. Food and water supplies fall victim to criminality in certain common ways, including fraud, corruption and in organised crime. They can both be the object of crime – e.g. theft, as well as the means of crime – e.g. poisoning water or using food deliveries to traffic weapons. Water is distinct in terms of being the victim of crime via pollution and although this has a type of analogue in food adulteration, it is of a much larger scale, particularly in terms of the harm it does to humans and ecosystems</p
South-South Peer Exchange Knowledge Platforms: Good Practice and Learning from Existing Models
No full textThis rapid evidence review collates shared learning and good practices around peer knowledge exchange platforms, with a focus on South-South peer-to-peer learning. However, given the breadth of peer learning activities, the importance of context and the lack of standardisation in terms and guidance, there are difficulties in directly comparing knowledge exchange platforms and producing proscribed ‘best practices’. Although there is a large literature base on knowledge exchange and South-Sotuh cooperation more generally, there were limitations in the literature capturing practical lessons from peer exchange platforms specifically.</p
The Sustainability of Tunisia’s Water Resources
No full textThis rapid bibliography elaborates on four dimensions of Tunisia’s water sector. The first and second sections deal with sustainable water use and equality of access in Tunisia, outlining how certain sectors and government policies affect water supply and access. In the third section, Tunisia’s transboundary groundwater aquifer and rivers and the international bodies coordinating their use are discussed in detail. The last section deals with how climate change will affect the water sector in Tunisia.</p
تعزيز قدرات تقديم المساعدات الاجتماعية في اليمن: دروس مستفادة من عقدٍ من الحرب
No full textُعتبر اليمن أحياناً مثالاً يُحتذى به على كيفية الحفاظ على نُظُم وقدرات الحماية الاجتماعية القائمة ودعمها حتى خلال حربٍ طال أمدها. في حين يُعدّ تقديم الدعم لتلبية الاحتياجات الفورية المنقذة للحياة الأولوية الإنسانية في اليمن، إلا أن المنظمات الفاعلة في مجال تقديم المعونة حريصة أيضاً على ضمان تنفيذ عمليات الطوارئ المتكررة بطريقة تساند عملية إعادة الإعمار وإعادة التأهيل الوطني لليمن بعد انتهاء الصراع في البلاد، لا أن تقوضها. من خلال مراجعة للوثائق ومقابلات مع أصحاب مصلحة يمنيين ودوليين أجريت في عامي 2022 و2023، ناقشت هذه الدراسة تلك السرديّة فبحثت في البراهين التي تشير إلى القدرات المدعومة وما يعنيه ذلك بالنسبة لتقديم المساعدات بطريقة فعّالة خلال أزمةٍ طال أمدها.من المهم التسليم بالتحديات الهائلة الملقاة على عاتق جميع الجهات الفاعلة في اليمن في مساعيها لإيجاد طرق تساعد الناس على البقاء على قيد الحياة وسط الصراع والصدمات الأخرى؛ فقد صعّب انتشار النزاع وانعدام الأمن والحكم المتنازع عليه بصورة كبيرة من عملية تقديم المساعدة، كما استلزم الحجم الهائل للاحتياجات القيام بواحدة من أكبر عمليات تقديم المعونة في العالم، مما خلق دوافع للسيطرة على المعونات وتحويل مسارها. في مواجهة هذه التحديات، ومع التركيز على العمليتين الرئيسيتين لتقديم المساعدات الاجتماعية في اليمن––برنامج المساعدات الغذائية العامة التابع لبرنامج الأغذية العالمي وبرنامج الحوالات النقدية غير المشروطة التابع للبنك الدولي (ينفذهما اليونيسف والصندوق الاجتماعي للتنمية بالتعاون مع صندوق الرعاية الاجتماعية)––وجدت هذه الدراسة أن هناك إنجازات رائعة تتمثل في تقديم المساعدات للناس والحفاظ على القدرات التنظيمية والفردية اليمنية وتعزيزه قد تحققت؛إلا أنه في الوقت الذي تم فيه الحفاظ على بعض القدرات وبناؤها، ولا سيما تلك القدرات القيّمة الخاصة بالمشاركة المجتمعية والمساءلة، والتي تكتسي أهمية حيوية لتحقيق نهجاً أكثر شمولاً ومراعاةً للنزاعات هذا وقد كان من الصعب معالجة مسائل أخرى تتعلق بقضايا الاستهداف وقيمة التحويلات والتي تتسم بالتسييس الشديد. علاوةً على ما ذكر، وجدت الدراسة أيضاً أن الشراكات مع المنظمات غير الحكومية اليمنية كناية عن شراكات تعاقدية فرعية ضيقة ومحصورة في إدارة التوزيع، حيث تصل نسبة ضئيلة فقط من التمويل إلى المنظمات الوطنية مباشرةَ. يحيط الغموض إلى حدٍّ ما بعملية تقديم الدعم الخارجي الهادفة إلى تعزيز قدرات الجهات الفاعلة الوطنية. من شأن زيادة تنسيق الجهود الاستراتيجية لدعم القدرات المحلية، بالاسترشاد بالتحليلات المشتركة والتعلم من المساعي السابقة، أن يساعد مستقبلاً في التحسين من تدخلات المساعدة الاجتماعية.</p
Audio Recording Files for <i>The Handbook of Iraqi People’s Heritage</i>
No full textThe Handbook of Iraqi People’s Heritage contains accounts and personal narratives from individuals across nine communities in Iraq: Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kakeyîs, Sabean-Mandaeans, Shabak, Syriac Orthodox, Turkmen of Tal Afar, and Yazidis. These audio files comprise some of the multimedia content within the Handbook.Figure 2.2: Audio recording from Mr Strak’s interview with heritage gatherer Ara Aleksan Serop Hovsepia. Mr Strak tells the story of his grandfather and their journey during their displacement from the Dehi region of Türkiye to Zakho, Iraq and describes the situation of the Armenians at that time. Source: Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Ara Aleksan Serop Hovsepian on 19 January 2021.Figure 2.30: Audio recording of the interview with Mrs Vartanoush Markosian. An interview with Mrs Vartanoush Markosian at the Pilduk festival on 13 February 2021 at the Armenian Church in Zakho. Source: Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Levon Haykaz.Figure 2.35: Audio recording from the interview with Mrs Kanarik. An excerpt from the interview with Mrs Kanarik about the blessing of pomegranates among Armenians in the church. Source: Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Nairi Bashir Hagob on 7 April 2021.Figure 3.2: Audio recording (in Arabic) of the oral history interview with Behnam Shaba Dawood Shmooni. An interview with Behnam Shaba Dawood Shmooni, Director of the Bartella Forum for Syriac Culture and Arts. Source: Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Sargon Dinkha Rabban in Bartella on 24 June 2021.Figure 4.6: Audio recording (in Arabic) of the oral history interview with Mr Buya Markos Behnam Markoza. Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Aram Ilias Iskandar on 27 September 2023.Figure 4.7: Audio recording (in Arabic) of the oral history interview with Bishop Samir Al-Khouri. Bishop Samir Al-Khouri, aged 68, has devoted his life to serving the Chaldean Christian community in Enishke, Iraq. Source: Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Zeena Hameed Hanna on 25 September 2023.Figure 6.15: An audio recording discussing the history of goldsmithing among the Mandaean people. This recording discusses that goldsmithing among the Mandaen people has deep roots in Iraq, and how they have passed down the craft through generations. Source: Interview with Alaa Hashoush, by heritage gatherer Hatem Karim Abdul Sattar, on 29 October 2023.Figure 6.17: An audio recording about the stages of goldsmithing. The recording covers the selection of metal quality, the smelting process, the required heat to melt gold, and choosing molds to shape the gold piece. Source: Interview with Alaa Hashoush, by heritage gatherer Hatem Karim Abdul Sattar, on 29 October 2023.Figure 6.18: An audio recording from an interview with Alaa Hashoush. In this recording, Alaa Hashoush talks about the finest types of gold, how it is refined and polished, and how the Mandaeans carried their craft with them to the diaspora after many migrated from Iraq. Source: Interview with Alaa Hashoush, by heritage gatherer Hatem Karim Abdul Sattar, on 29 October 2023.Figure 6.19: An audio recording from an interview with Sheikh Anmar Awda Mahawi. Audio recording one of two. Sheikh Anmar Awda Mahawi, a religious figure holding the rank of Tarmida (meaning ‘learner’ or ‘student’, representing the first stage of religious training for a person aspiring to become a cleric), discusses Mandaean marriage, the baptism of the bride and groom, and the rituals observed by the Sabean-Mandaeans. Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Nourhan Karim Jalil, on 17 November 2023.Figure 6.20: An audio recording from an interview with Sheikh Anmar Awda Mahawi. Audio recording two of two. Sheikh Anmar Awda Mahawi, a religious figure holding the rank of Tarmida (meaning ‘learner’ or ‘student’, representing the first stage of religious training for a person aspiring to become a cleric), discusses Mandaean marriage, the baptism of the bride and groom, and the rituals observed by the Sabean-Mandaeans. Audio recorded by heritage gatherer Nourhan Karim Jalil, on 17 November 2023.Figure 7.2: Audio recording from the interview of Mr Abdul Amir Mardan, with heritage gatherer Jowan Faris Nasser. In this clip, Mr Mardan talks about the deportation of the Shabak to Dasht Harir in Erbil in 1988 because they were registered as Kurdish nationalists. Source: Audio clip recorded by heritage gatherer Rusol Hassan Rashid on 24 July 2021.Figure 7.7: Audio recording of Mr Hussein Rashid. In this clip, Mr Hussein Rashid talks about the traditional customs and traditions of Shabak marriage. Source: Audio clip recorded by heritage gatherer Marwa Hussein Rashid, on 22 January 2021.Figure 7.15: Audio recording about the clay tandoor. To light the clay tandoors in which the women bake bread, wood is placed in it to light a fire and after the fire subsides and turns into embers, they start baking. A piece of iron is placed over the tandoor opening to keep the oven hot. Source: Audio clip recorded by heritage gatherer Siraj Ali Najaf on 16 April 2021.</p
Cards Against Backlash: Forwards to a Feminist Future - Strategies for Surviving and Countering Gender Backlash
No full textThis toolkit is produced by the Countering Backlash programme. We carry out engaged research, generate new debates, and build capacity across networks and strategic partnerships with women’s, LGBTQ+ and other human rights organisations, activists, academics and policymakers, regionally and globally.Institutions and activists are constantly trying new and creative ways to counter the backlash. This toolkit draws on real-life tactics from our programme but individuals and organisations have been anonymised to keep them safe. These inspiring strategies are based on our struggles.We have three categories of strategy: Resisting, Surviving and Creating Feminist Futures.These cards are not a ‘how to’ guide; they are a provocation. We want you to connect these ideas to your own work, so we have created a blank card for your own strategies and each of the existing cards has a space to add to it.</p