The study explores the 1951 Convention’s dilemmas to assess whether it is abreast with modern refugee trends or not. Mixed-bag migration is explored under the Convention, unlike previous studies that concentrated on pull and push factors. Mixed-bag migration adoption sets this study apart from others. Aims- The study is necessary due to the open arms and solidarity of Europeans to receive Ukrainian refugees. In contrast, Syrian and Afghan refugees were discriminated against. Design- Grounded in Civil Solidarity as a Transformative Practice, and Building an infrastructure of Dissent, to explore the Convention’s dilemmas. The study adopts a literature review, otherwise known as a ‘‘meta-study. Findings-The findings reveal that the Convention is outdated with modern refugee trends; mostly children, women, and ordinary men. They commit no crimes to warrant any persecution. They migrated due to unbearable conditions, whereas in the 1950s, refugees were intellectuals, Soviet dissident men with different political opinions. The Protocol’s implementation triggered a ‘‘refugee floodgate. Refugees nowadays are non-Europeans, unlike 1950s. Refugees' floodgate led to civil solidarity withdrawal, and financial costs outweighed human rights, which contravenes the non-refoulement principle. Unsuccessful applicants are repatriated. The Convention neglects internal but protects international refugees. Contribution-I argue that a seventy-four-year refugee policy on inclusivity is needed with refugee-led organizations and governments for a public-private partnership. I recommend the Convention’s re-examination to ensure modern refugee law, which should contain burden-sharing mechanisms. Conclusion-In-depth academic debates on the Convention’s dilemmas and factors that trigger current refugee situations are needed. Since refugee demography has changed, but non-refoulement remains static.
This study investigates the relationship between procurement practices and supply chain performance among manufacturing firms in Kampala, Uganda. Motivated by the operational challenges faced by the manufacturing sector, the study focuses on three key procurement practices: purchasing risk-taking, purchasing knowledge and skills, and strategic purchasing. The Resource-Based View (RBV) theory serves as the conceptual foundation, positioning procurement as a strategic internal resource capable of enhancing organizational performance. A cross-sectional, quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from 327 manufacturing firms using stratified random sampling. Analysis was conducted using correlation and multiple regression techniques. Results indicate that both strategic purchasing and purchasing risk-taking are significant and positive predictors of supply chain performance (? = 0.449 and ? = 0.295, respectively), while purchasing knowledge and skills showed a negative but marginally insignificant effect (? = -0.085, p = 0.051). Together, the procurement practices explained 31.5% of the variance in supply chain performance (Adjusted R² = 0.315). These findings underscore the importance of integrating procurement within long-term business strategy and embracing innovative procurement behavior while ensuring continuous application of practical skills. The study recommends investment in procurement training, digital systems, and risk-responsive strategies to improve supply chain efficiency in Uganda’s manufacturing sector.
Teenage motherhood remains a significant public health and socio-economic challenge in Uganda, especially in rural areas where access to education and health care services and economic opportunities is limited and social stigma and rejection are prevalent. The study explores the agency applied by teenage mothers to improve their well-being in rural Uganda particularly in Kanungu District. The study employed a phenomenological research design, and data were collected through in-depth interviews that involved Community Development Officers (CDO’s) and parents, focus group discussions (FGDs) which involved the teenage mothers, and key informant interviews (KIIs) that involved the District officials, Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s), Religious and community leaders. Findings reveal that family structures, parenting styles, cultural norms and institutional gaps significantly shape teenage mothers’ ability to act independently, access services, and plan for their prospects positively. Supportive family relationships were found to be essential in strengthening resilience, self-confidence, and decision-making capability, whereas neglectful and harsh environments compounded vulnerability and isolation. Teenage mothers employed different forms of agency for them to survive such as engaging in vocational training, informal labor and seeking support from (NGO’s). Community actors, particularly CDO’s emphasized the urgent need for family sensitization, better adolescent-friendly services, increased family awareness and targeted empowerment programs. The study recommends community sensitization, strengthening family and institutional support systems, increasing access to youth-friendly health and education services, and integrating tailored vocational and financial programs for young mothers and pregnant teenagers to advance their agency and holistic well-being in rural Uganda.
The study examined the influence of governance on the development of Uganda's agro-processing sector against four governance indices: regulatory quality, control of corruption, government effectiveness, and voice and accountability. Rooted in the institutional growth theory, the research employed a quantitative longitudinal study design based on time series data from 2000 to 2023. The secondary data were collected from the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and Uganda's Ministry of Finance Macro Data Portal. Estimation was done using the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, with the diagnostic tests such as the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test for stationarity and the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) test for multicollinearity. Facts revealed that regulatory quality had a statistically significant positive effect on agro-processing development (? = 0.425, p < 0.01), so also did control of corruption (? = 0.318, p < 0.05), and government effectiveness (? = 0.267, p < 0.05). Voice and accountability, while positive, were not statistically significant (? = 0.112, p > 0.05). The model was strongly explanatory with an adjusted R² being 0.716, indicating that 71.6% of the variation in growth in agro-processing was attributed to governance variables in the model. It was therefore concluded that the quality of governance, particularly regulatory quality and corruption control, plays a critical role in encouraging agro-processing industry development in Uganda through uncertainty mitigation, giving confidence to the investor, and the addition of value. The study recommends periodic review and enforcement of the regulatory frameworks, merger of anti-corruption institutions, and improvement of the service delivery mechanisms in order to foster a conducive environment for industrialization. These findings present significant policy implications for the achievement of Uganda's Vision 2040 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly industrial development and job creation.
The research investigated how incentive alignment, together with information sharing and joint decision-making, impacts the supply chain performance of small and medium enterprises in Bushenyi District, Uganda. The study employed Relational Exchange Theory to analyze the supply chain performance of SMEs through a cross-sectional quantitative design, which collected data from 327 owners/managers using structured questionnaires. The results from Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis showed that information sharing and joint decision-making positively affected supply chain performance but incentive alignment failed to produce a significant impact. The research results showed information sharing produced the most significant impact (? = 0.559, p < 0.01) followed by joint decision-making (? = 0.073, p < 0.05) yet incentive alignment did not produce a significant effect (? = –0.068, p > 0.05). The model explained 29.5% of the variance in supply chain performance (Adjusted R² = 0.295). The research indicates that better communication and collaborative planning serve as essential factors for achieving supply chain efficiency among rural SMEs. The study reveals that informal SME networks face specific challenges when attempting to establish formal reward systems because incentive alignment shows minimal impact. The research demonstrates that Bushenyi requires improved information systems together with enhanced participatory planning and digital infrastructure development to enhance supply chain outcomes. The recommendations include supporting digital communication platforms and providing institutional backing for collaborative decision-making processes and educating stakeholders about incentive-based partnership models.
This study examines the impact of stakeholder involvement and availability of resources on the performance of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)-managed road works in Uganda. Road building is essential to the acceleration of economic growth and the quality of life, but delays and cost escalation threaten its success. The study aims to understand the extent to which the two variables contribute to ensuring the success of projects. Data were gathered over two months from 62 out of 76 road projects, including project managers, division councillors, and KCCA supervision team members. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used, including surveys and questionnaires, and statistical analysis was done using SPSS. The findings reveal a positive correlation between stakeholder participation, available resources, and project performance. All these variables together explain 33.3% of the difference in the quality of the projects done. It emphasizes the importance of effective stakeholder engagement and adequate resources to ensure road projects are completed within time, budget, and quality. It proposes implementing formal policies for stakeholder interaction, improving accountability, encouraging public-private partnerships, and merging stakeholder feedback with resource planning. The study further calls upon additional research to facilitate comparison with other regions of the globe to determine better ways of improving project performance.
Parents are children’s first compass in the journey of life. Moral decadence in contemporary society is alarming even among teenagers, thus demanding a home-based approach to mitigate crimes, and incivility. This explorative study engaged a descriptive design to assess the integration of ethical leadership experienced at home, including parenting climate’s influence on morals and students’ character development. The multistage sampling technique resulted in 292 sample size drawn from Agbado/Oke-Odo, Zone 2, Education District 1, Alimosho, Lagos State. A 26-item questionnaire was used for data collection with content analysis of Ethical Leadership Theory. The findings showed parents often displayed ethical characteristics while the quality of parenting influence on students’ moral development was very good. Similarly, there is a significant relationship between the quality of parenting influence on students’ moral development and the decision-making process engaged by secondary school students. However, 6% respondents reported sexual abuse at home. The study conceptualised five ethical leadership tasks in parenting (ELIP) which demand parents to Model, Teach, Create, Practice and Encourage (MTCPE), to mitigate moral decadence in society. The study recommended that sexually abused students should report to the school authority for professional help. Parents are advised to adopt especially positive discipline to sustain good behaviours in children rather than negative discipline of physical beatings and emotional abuse.
This study explores the deeply rooted issue of sex trafficking and clandestine sex work among Rohingya refugee women in Bangladesh. Taking a 100-sample size and drawing on mixed methods, including structured interviews, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and case studies, the study examines the socio-economic and structural vulnerabilities that contribute to the exploitation of Rohingya women. Findings reveal that gender-based violence, dowry practices, poverty, statelessness, and lack of employment are major drivers of trafficking. The research also uncovers the roles of brokers, local complicity, and transnational networks in perpetuating this crisis. With trafficking occurring both within and beyond the refugee camps, and victims often lured through deception, coercion, or fake marriages, the need for urgent intervention is evident. Four interrelated theories (1. Intersectionality Theory, 2. Social Disorganization, 3. Rational Choice Theory, and 4. Demand Theory) have upheld the situations of Rohingya women’s trafficking and clandestine sex work at the Bangladeshi refugee camps. The study recommends a multi-tiered response, including legal reforms, economic empowerment, community surveillance, and international resettlement initiatives to ensure safety, dignity and justice for Rohingya women.
This study examines the effect of government spending, taxation, and borrowing on the development of Uganda's manufacturing sector in both the short and long term based on the ARDL model. The study was focused on three main objectives: examining the role of government consumption expenditure, the effect of value-added tax (VAT), and the role of short-term debt on manufacturing value-added (MVA). The results show that government spending contributes slightly to MVA in the short term but supports growth in the long term. VAT contributes to MVA in the short term but reduces it in the long term, showing how excessive taxation can damage industrial competitiveness. Short-term debt reduces the growth of MVA in the short term but is positive in the long term, showing the need for careful management of debt. In general, the evidence suggests that firm government support, moderate taxation, and prudent borrowing are central to the development of Uganda's manufacturing. However, the study identifies a number of limitations, such as the reliance on secondary data, exclusion of possible determinants, and failure to fully establish causality. It recommends that future research take into account a wider range of variables and more disaggregated data in an effort to shed more light on the determinants of manufacturing growth.
This study critically investigates Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts to vocationalize secondary and higher education curricula as a strategy to enhance relevance, employability, and socio-economic transformation. Unlike prior research that treats Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in isolation, the study conceptualizes vocationalization as a system-wide integration of competency-based pedagogy. Employing a policy-to-practice analytical framework, it reviews national policy documents and comparative international experiences to evaluate implementation progress and challenges. The findings reveal persistent gaps, including inadequate work-based learning opportunities, shortages of qualified educators, fragmented governance structures, and cultural stigmas that limit student participation. Comparative insights from countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, China, Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, and South Africa demonstrate promising design options, including modular curricula, employer-led assessment, recognition of prior learning, and sustainable financing models. The analysis shows that Ethiopia’s reforms remain fragmented, with limited employer engagement and poor alignment with national industrialization priorities. The study contributes to the literature by offering a context-sensitive reform pathway, emphasizing sequenced strategies that integrate vocationalization as a transformative driver rather than a technical add-on. It argues that embedding adaptive competencies in education is vital for inclusive growth and industrial transformation in Ethiopia.
This study explores Italy-Albania’s refugees pact asylum processing to create awareness about humanitarian issues, the 1951 Convention’s contravention, and to expose Italy's (Europeans') asylum paradox. Asylum successful applicants get access to Italy, whereas unsuccessful applicants are repatriated. This study is significant because of the open arms Europeans received Ukrainian refugees, whereas Syrian and Afghan refugees were neglected. The paper adopts Building an infrastructure of Dissent, and Civil Solidarity as a Transformative Practice, exploring Italy-Albania’s pact. The study adopts a literature review, otherwise known as a ‘meta study’. The study identifies that Europeans, through civil solidarity, signed the Convention, protected European descent refugees. However, the 1967 Protocol results in refugees floodgate’. Most refugees are non-Europeans. Regarding priorities shift from humanitarian issues to infrastructural development. This explains the European asylum paradox. Far-right ideologies deemed nations safe in the absence of war. Conflicts and cultural practices tantamount to persecution are ignored in asylum seeking. Modern migration consists of a mixed bag is frowned upon in processing asylum. Only push and pull factors are considered. Some nations are deemed ‘safe’. Applications from such nations are ignored. Unsuccessful applicants are repatriated, which violates human rights and contravenes the 1951 Convention. This study argues that, unlike in the 1950s, when humanitarian and civil solidarity concerned Contracting States, nowadays, nations prioritize infrastructure over human rights. Far-right ideologies ‘fan’ Italy-Albania’s pact violates human rights and contravenes the Convention. The paper recommends the Convention’s re-examination to be abreast with time, since Contracting States nowadays value infrastructure over civil solidarity.
This study explores the impact and role of refugee remittances to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as part of the repertoire of financial coping strategies of displaced people, with a focus on the Al-Raeai region in northwestern Syria. Our paper examines the ‘dual precarity’ of both refugees and IDPs, contributing to the literature on refugee studies. The paper outlines the frequency and unique features of remittances, and the extent to which they contribute to household income and spending patterns. Moreover, it highlights the IDPs' concerns when remittances are interrupted and the potential alternatives. Factors other than war and conflict, COVID-19 and the earthquake (natural disasters) for instance, are also explored. Our research shows that remittances are indispensable for the IDPs, are determined by the senders’ country of origin, and enhance the bonds between families and social circles, especially in emergency events.
The research investigates how managerial competency affects the financial success of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) operating in the Mitooma District of Uganda. The research investigates rural VSLA underperformance because these organizations serve as essential tools for financial inclusion and community development. The research uses human capital and resource-based theories to define managerial competency through its knowledge and skill, and ability dimensions while studying their effects on Return on Equity, Return on Assets, and Net Interest Margin financial performance metrics. The research used a cross-sectional quantitative approach to gather data from 138 participants who including 124 VSLA chairpersons and 14 Community Development Officers, through structured questionnaires. The analysis of data through Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses showed that all managerial competency components, including knowledge (? =.147), skills (? =.644), and abilities (? =.194), produced positive and significant predictions of VSLA profitability. The results show that managerial skills play the largest role in determining VSLA profitability. The regression model demonstrated that 48.6% of profitability variation exists, while other contextual elements influence the results. The research demonstrates that leadership capacity-building investments should be considered essential for improving financial outcomes in rural savings groups. The research supports the implementation of customized managerial training programs and practical financial governance modules, and structured mentorship initiatives to boost VSLA sustainability in low-resource settings.
This study explores global warming’s impact on the economy, recommending solutions to reduce poverty. Its most important implications are for policy economists who present global warming’s effects as impacting intergenerational equity. Grounded in production theory, the specific emphasis of this study is public-goods investment and agricultural productivity’s dependency on nature. A focus on these two areas is what sets this study apart from similar research. After conducting a meta-study of the relevant qualitative information on these areas, my findings reveal that global warming’s effects are always a trade-off between present and future generations’ consumption of resources. Since the global population increases while resources are limited, historical inequalities are likely to persist if concerted interventions are not widely adopted. I argue that if global warming’s effects are economic problems, the over-exploitation of limited resources needs to be addressed directly and that economic solutions without follow-through cannot fix the problem. Ultimately, the study recommends that reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, despite negative economic outcomes in the short term, will be beneficial over time. As a result, the present generation needs to invest wisely in environmentally sustainable technologies, rather than short-term goods, so that future generations will enjoy the economic benefits of a clean environment. Research confirms that restricting global warming will affect agricultural productivity now, but trillions of dollars will be recuperated by 2300 as a result. The sooner environmentally friendly technologies are adopted by businesses, the better. Although these findings are not novel, they are timely because meta-studies such as this combat disinformation.
This study investigates the convergence relationship between fiscal policy and economic growth in Nigeria over 38 years. Fiscal policy was captured with public expenditure, revenue, and debt, while economic growth was captured with gross domestic product. The study adopted an expo factor design and a quantitative research approach. Balanced secondary data from 1986 to 2023 were gathered through the National Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using trend analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, and OLS regression analysis. The findings reveal that public spending significantly and positively impacts Nigeria’s economic growth. Specifically, a 1% increase in government expenditure results in an 8.62% increase in GDP, with a coefficient of 8.62 and a probability value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). This underscores the autonomous capacity of government spending to drive economic growth. Conversely, tax revenue, while positively related to GDP, has a minimal and statistically insignificant effect on economic growth (coefficient = 2.99, probability = 0.4072, p > 0.05), indicating that a 1% rise in tax revenue corresponds to a 3% increase in GDP. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that public debt exerts a negative but statistically insignificant impact on GDP, with a coefficient of -0.617 and a probability value of 0.6565 (p > 0.05), implying that a 1% rise in public debt leads to a 0.6% decline in GDP. The study concludes that government spending plays a critical role in stimulating economic growth in Nigeria, while the current contributions of tax revenue and public debt remain limited. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for effective fiscal strategies that prioritize productive public spending to enhance long-term economic development in Nigeria.
This study examines the dual nature of AI-assisted learning tools in higher education. While AI tools enhance student learning efficiency and academic performance, they also present risks such as over-reliance, reduced critical thinking, and ethical concerns. This research investigates the benefits and drawbacks of AI adoption in higher education, using student survey responses to analyse perceptions. The findings indicate that AI tools contribute to improved efficiency and comprehension but highlight dependency and academic integrity concerns. A cross-sectional survey of 383 Malaysian university students was conducted to explore the academic and ethical dimensions of AI usage in learning
This study examines the mediating role of personal initiative in the relationship between social capital and women's self-employment in Mbarara City, Uganda. The inquiry was driven by the persistent gender gap in economic participation and the growing importance of self-employment as a pathway to women’s economic empowerment in developing contexts. Grounded in Social Capital Theory and Gender Role Theory, the study conceptualizes personal initiative as a dynamic force that channels the benefits of social capital into tangible entrepreneurial action. A cross-sectional, quantitative design was employed, with data collected from 378 self-employed women across Mbarara City using stratified random sampling. Results from Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and mediation analyses reveal that both social capital and personal initiative have a significant and positive relationship with women's self-employment (? = .229 and ? = .430, respectively). Moreover, personal initiative was found to partially mediate the relationship between social capital and women's self-employment, accounting for approximately 51.8% of the total effect. These findings highlight the necessity of fostering both structural support systems and internal motivational factors to enhance women's economic participation. Policy recommendations include integrating entrepreneurship training with network-building programs and addressing institutional barriers that constrain women's proactive engagement in business.
The organizational climate is a very important factor that provides comfort to the employee. The performance of the employee intensively depends on the working situation. The objective of this study is to find out the relationship between organizational climate (OC) and employee performance, to find out the relationship between knowledge transfer (KT) and employee performance (EP), to investigate the role of incorporating technology as a moderator between OC and KT as well as KT and EP in the context of Hail healthcare. For the data collection cross-sectional method was adopted and data was collected from medical and non-medical staff with the help of a questionnaire from February to April 2024. After the data collection, the SEM-PLS regression model was used for the extraction of the results. This study found very important results that OC has a positive and significant impact on collaboration among the employees and enhances the activity of KT. Further, KT also has a positive and significant impact on employee performance. This study also found that incorporating technology has become a very important aspect of maintaining the best OC and knowledge transfer as well as Knowledge transfer and performance of employees. This study is unique in its aspect and provides a clear path to another sector for attaining the best employee performance with the help of climate, knowledge transfer, and incorporating advanced technologies.
Despite the widespread promotion and investment in Conservation Agriculture (CA) by development partners and governments in Southern Africa, the biggest challenge is low adoption rates. This study looks at the CA adoption among maize and beans farmers in Lesotho. The study seeks to enhance the appreciation of factors driving CA adoption. They utilized a multi-stage sampling approach to select the study respondents. The study used purposive sampling to select districts and prominent CA farmers. Simple random sampling was the preferred method to select ordinary CA farmers and conventional farmers to include in the research. The study utilized a structured questionnaire to collect data from 136 households, 37 were CA adopters and 99 were non-CA adopters. The study applied the multinomial logistic regression model to analyze the factors influencing the adoption of CA in Maseru. The study findings show that age, gender, income, training, and field size influence farmers' decision to adopt CA at various adoption gradients while farming experience, land ownership, farmer group membership, access to extension services, soil fertility perceptions, education literacy, occupation, and household size do not influence the adoption of CA. The study concludes that age, gender, income, training, and field size influence farmers' decision to adopt CA at various adoption gradients. The study recommends the capacitation of extension services to improve their competencies as they should be at the center of the promotion of the adoption of sustainable farming practices. Targeted interventions for female farmers are important since the study results showed males have more chances of adopting CA compared to female counterparts.
In South Africa, the rates of sexual violence and rape are alarmingly high compared to other countries with similar populations and economies. In the 2022/2023 fiscal year, South Africa recorded 53,498 sexual offences. Therefore, approaches and interventions geared towards addressing Gender Based Violence need to correspond with the understanding of the pivotal role that men could play in dealing with this crisis. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of men in curbing the scourge of violence against women and children in KZN. The study used quantitative methods as well as qualitative methods. The results highlighted that men are not doing enough to curb GBV. Moreover, 40% of the respondents admitted to touching women inappropriately and passing sexist comments to women, whereas 25% indicated that they beat their partners if they were ‘disobedient’ or to prove their masculinity. Also, the findings depicted that the most prevalent type of abuse is physical abuse (65.8%) followed by the sexual exploitation of children (54.4%); emotional and psychological abuse (44.7%); abandonment and neglect (39.5%); and sexual violence (35.5%). Results paint a disturbing picture of South African gender relations and behove strong intervention from the authorities to stop this scourge.
