Journal articles on the topic 'Bangladesh. Ministry of Women and Children Affairs'

In Bangladesh, a large number of children are deprived of their basic human rights due to unacceptable health, nutrition, education as well as social conditions. In addition, children are exposed to severe forms of sexual, physical and mental abuses at home, in the work place, in institutions and other public places. The nature and extent of violence against children irrespective of age, sex and class has been increasing day by day. These include physical torture, rape, homicide and sometimes heinous attacks with acid. Children are also victims of child labor and trafficking, both of which are treated as the most severe form of child exploitation and child abuse in the world today. This review article is aimed to focus on the present situation of various forms of child abuses in our country. Data collection is based on secondary sources of information from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, One Stop Crisis Center (OCC),UNICEF, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, several Dhaka based organizations and news paper clipping.Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2015; 9(1): 18-21

The study is about international kinship care arrangements in Ethiopia, focusing on Ethiopian children who applied for an Australian Orphan Relative Visa. A qualitative case study research method was used. Study participants were nine children between the ages of 13-17 years and nine parents/guardians of those children. Other participants were five experts from the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs, and Federal First Instance Court. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guides. Additional data were also derived from observations and document reviews. Thematic data analysis was used. Data from all sources were triangulated and categorized under the themes that emerged from the data. This study identified two categories of children: those who cannot get proper care either due to the loss of parents or due to incapacity of parents to take care of them, and those children who use international kinship arrangement as a mechanism to access a better life in Australia. Children expressed their expectations to get a better education, employment, material benefits, and living conditions after placement abroad. They also expressed concerns about how well relatives abroad will treat them. The findings further revealed that the Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs was not appropriately documenting pre-placement and post-placement information. Since international kinship care is different from international adoption in its nature, there was a lack of clarity on the legal protection that should be given to children, which puts them in a precarious socio-legal situation. This study can be used as a starting point to understand and consider international kinship care arrangements as one important alternative child care option.

Acid violence is a barbaric form of violence in Bangladesh. Acid violence also called acid throwing or vitriolage, is defined as the act of throwing of strong corrosives on face and body of a person with the intention of causing permanent disfiguration, intense pain, scarring and sometimes blindness. All of these injuries are considered as ‘grievous hurt’ under section 320 of B.P.C (Bangladesh Penal Code). For the last few years it is on the rise in both urban and rural areas of Bangladesh. The perpetrators are mostly men and adolescent boys. The overwhelming majority of the victims are women and many of them are girls and young females. Recently, however, there have been acid attacks on children, older women and also men. These attacks are often the result of family and land dispute, dowry demands or a desire for revenge due to failure in love affairs or marriage proposals. It is considered as one of the extreme forms of repression and violation of women’s right. This review article is aimed to focus on the present situation of this barbaric act of vengeance against women and young adolescent girls with regard to frequency, causes, long term consequences and creating public awareness on the issue by tightly regulating the sale and transport of acid as well as enacting harsher penalties for perpetrators. Data collection is based on information from Dhaka Medical College hospital, One Stop Crisis Center (OCC), Acid Survivors’ Foundation, Naripokkho Action Aid and several Dhaka based organizations. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/imcj.v7i1.17744 Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2013; 7(1): 18-20

Abstract Objectives We examine the impact of a nutrition-sensitive agricultural program on the dietary diversity of women and children enrolled in the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM) cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Habiganj, Sylhet, Bangladesh. The homestead food production intervention, implemented by Helen Keller International, began in mid-2015 and ended in December 2018. Methods We use four data sources: 1) baseline data (all women and their youngest child, March-May 2015); 2) surveillance data (every two months - all children 6–18m and a rotating random third of women and children 19–37m, September 2015-August 2019); 3) endline data (all women and children 6–23m, September 2019-February 2020); 4) phone survey during the COVID-19 lockdown (a random two-thirds of women, May-June 2020). We calculated dietary diversity for women (MDDW-10) and children (WHO IYCF). Our analysis included 24,931 observations of 2,701 women and 17,445 observations of 2,162 children (6–37m). We estimate the impact of the intervention on dietary diversity using multi-level regression, controlling for clustering by settlement and repeated measures. Results Dietary diversity scores and the proportion of women and children classified as consuming adequate diets varied greatly over the year, peaking in May/June with 5.3 food groups for women (out of ten) and 3.8 food groups for children (out of seven). Over all program years, intervention women had 1.8 higher odds of consuming an adequate diet compared to control women (p < 0.001). However, this benefit varied from 1.3 in the first year of the intervention (p = 0.015) to 2.3 in the last year (p < 0.001), before falling to around 1.9 in the post-intervention years (p < 0.001). We saw a nearly identical pattern in children. Dietary improvement was driven through incremental increases in nearly all food groups. Conclusions The intervention successfully increased dietary diversity in women and children, and these impacts persisted after the project closed, including during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Funding Sources The German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) is the primary funder for the FAARM trial. The U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) supported the design of the surveillance system.

Background: Vaccination is one of the most effective public health tools for the prevention of infectious diseases, morbidity and disability. Little is known about the rate of maternal immunization among mothers of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), as well as any possible role of maternal immunization in development of CP in the newborns. Objective: To determine the socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported vaccination status of mothers of children with CP and compare vaccination coverage in this cohort with national data on immunization. The study also aims to assess the vaccination status of children with CP. Methods: A subset of the Bangladesh CP Register (BCPR) cohort of women who had children with CP were recruited during April 2017 from a community based early intervention and rehabilitation program going on in Shahjadpur. Socio-demographic characteristics and maternal immunization status were assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The vaccination status of the children was also assessed by interviewing mother and observing the BCG marks. All data were compared with the corresponding information among general population using national vaccination coverage survey reports of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh. Results: Sixty-eight mothers were interviewed of which 17.6% of mothers reported not receiving any vaccine during pregnancy. Tetanus vaccine was most commonly (82.0%) received during pregnancy. Overall coverage for at least two doses of tetanus toxoid (TT) among mothers of children with CP was significantly lower than the national tetanus coverage (79.4% versus 96.4%, p<0.01). Forty-two (61.7%) mothers with a child with CP reported having not received tetanus vaccine during their pregnancy compared to only twenty (29.4%) mothers with healthy children reported missing tetanus vaccination during their pregnancy. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). Hepatitis B and influenza vaccine were received by mothers of children with CP during the antenatal period (2 and 6 respectively). Conclusion: Immunization among mothers of children with CP is significantly poorer than the national coverage. Also, the immunization of the children with CP is poorer than the national EPI coverage. Our findings reflect the necessity for specific strategies to improve the vaccination coverage among mothers of children with disabilities especially CP and the children with CP.

Children most times are vulnerable to abuse, unable to decide what happen to them and that is why intervention is necessary for the lives of children that are sold to unknown destinations in Nigeria. This study investigates social work intervention strategies against illegal child adoption in Enugu State, Nigeria. Mixed method design is used to authenticate data collected from questionnaire. Ministry of Gender Affairs (Welfare Unit Staff) Enugu and Welfare Office Nsukka were interviewed on the process of adoption and its efficacy. Two hundred questionnaires were shared to 200 respondents using availability sampling as method of their selection. The data were computed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). The findings show that majority 142 (71%) of the respondents saw adoption as acceptable and government approved while 58 (29%) said it stigmatizes and culturally disapproved. It also showed that majority 126 (63%) go for illegal adoption while 74 (37%) follow legal means. The reasons for illegal adoption – 88 (44%) said cheaper avoiding bottlenecked procedures at the social welfare; 81 (40.5%) said fear of being stigmatized by neighbours and 24 (12%) ignorance of its consequences. Some 72 (36%) said that some sell off their babies to avoid the stigma, shame, family/society’s prosecutions, 85 (42.5%) for economic reasons; 24 (12%) is to do away with the baby and continue with life and 19 (9.5%) supports all of the above reasons. Majority 157 (78.5%) said no serious attention has been given by the government to stop baby selling due to corruption of the law enforcement agencies. The entire 200 (100%) respondents agreed that social workers have many roles in preventing illegal adoption like working with the federal ministry of women or gender affairs to ensure proper child adoption and follow up after adoption to ensure the safety of the baby, since many baby buyers use them for rituals. These findings have obvious implications for social policies and future research on child welfare.

Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority society with more than 163 million people. Most Bangladeshis hold the ideals of Islamic norms and values which is manifest in all sorts of socio-cultural behaviour. In reference to such values, the tradition of legitimizing child marriage in Bangladesh is the issue that needs to be addressed in a holistic yet rigorous approach. Currently Bangladesh ranks 4th in the world and 1st in Asia in terms of child marriage. Recently the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 has been abolished and it has been replaced by the Act of 2017 preserving article 2 of the previous statute, the legal age for marriage for a boy 21 and for a girl 18. This Act adds article 19 which legalizes minors (below 18 years of age) to be married off with the consent of the parents/guardians at the presence of a magistrate under “special circumstances” deemed with securing the best interest for them. The law artfully coincides with the Muslim Marriage Law which allows participants of 15 years and above to get legally married and as such contradicts the international law and the Act of 2017 itself. In the West intimate relationships including extra-marital cohabitation before reaching 18 years of age are culturally accepted. In contrast, such extra-marital and intimate relationships are strictly prohibited in Muslim-majority societies, which are dearly adhered in Bangladeshi Muslim culture. This study examines how the religious cultural and socio-economic realities influence child marriage practice in Bangladesh. Along with secondary documents, we interviewed 22 individuals including the Deputy Commissioner, the District Women and Children Affairs Officer, elected Union Parishad Chairman and Members, Social Workers, married couples and their parents/guardians at Manikganj district. In addition, we also conducted a mass survey with 62 randomly selected participants, and a voluntary online survey where the opinion of another 53 young students were collected to find broad opinion. We also collected stories of how marriages take place at the rural, urban and sub-urban areas in Bangladesh. The study has revealed that Bangladeshis does not support marriage at early ages but socio-economic reality often pushes poor into getting their children married at early ages. Many view that the special provision may encourage child marriage in the country. This study suggests that the government of Bangladesh should redefine public policy in regard to finding a middle ground between Islamic ethics and international values by exploring isomorphic mimicry and other socio-culturally accepted measures with a view to abolishing child marriage successfully.

The objective of the paper is to examine the current status, trend and growth of the social security program over the years in Nepal. The secondary data for four years has been used and data were obtained from the websites of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development. There are ten different categories of beneficiaries viz. senior citizens, senior Dalits, widow, single women, endangered indigenous nationalities, Dalit children, Karnali zone children, severe affected disable, fully disable, Karnali zone senior citizens who are receiving allowances as social security benefits. The study concludes that during the study period, all allowances except treatment for senior citizens (70 years and above) increased by 100 percent. The rate of allowances was lowest for children (Karnali and Dalit) and highest rate for fully disabled, Endangered Indigenous/Nationalities. It is seen that the government is more concerned towards the health of the senior citizens 70 years and above. The number of beneficiaries viz. senior citizens all (Dalits, Karnali and others), disable (Fully and severly affected), Endangered ethnic group is in increasing trend while Single/widow and Children (Dalit and Karnali) have been found in decreasing trend. Out of five clusters, the number of elder citizens is highest followed by single widow and children of Dalit and Karnali zone. Disable (Fully and severly affected) and Endangered ethnic group are only 4 percent of total beneficiaries in 2015/16. The growth of the total beneficiaries is less than 1 percent during three year period but number of disabled increased by 95% while widow/single women decreased by 10 percent in three years. Throughout the last three fiscal years, the largest number of beneficiaries were senior citizens followed by Single women/widow and children.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of serum retinol (SR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) in determining vitamin A deficiency (VAD) using the modified relative dose-response (MRDR) test as the reference. Methods Subjects included a subset of women and children participating in the Ghana Micronutrient Survey 2017. VAD was determined by the following cut-offs: SR or RBP &lt; 0.7 mmol/L; MRDR ratio of 3,4-didehydroretinol to SR ³0.060. Sensitivity, specificity and the area-under-the-receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were calculated for unadjusted and inflammation-adjusted VAD cut-offs (based on C-reactive protein (CRP) and a1-acid-glycoprotein (AGP) for SR and RBP using the MRDR test as the reference. Results In 167 children and 178 women, inflammation (elevated CRP and/or elevated AGP) was present in 41% and 16%, respectively. Prevalence of VAD ranged, depending on the indicator used, from 7% (MRDR) to 40% (unadjusted SR) in children and 1% (RBP) to 4% (SR and MRDR) in women. Among children, sensitivity and specificity of unadjusted and adjusted SR and RBP were highly variable among the children. Highest sensitivity was achieved by unadjusted SR (80% of children with VAD correctly identified), while highest specificity was achieved by adjusted RBP (86% of children without VAD correctly identified). The best predictor of VAD in children compared with MRDR was adjusted SR, with a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 73%, and an area under the ROC curve of 0.76. Among women, specificity was 97% for unadjusted and adjusted SR with an area under the ROC curve of 0.48; additional values could not be calculated due to lack of VAD cases. Conclusions SR and RBP were only moderately sensitive and specific for identifying VAD in children in Ghana. Low specificity—falsely identifying VAD—is especially problematic when populations are covered by one or more vitamin A interventions. Overlapping sources of preformed vitamin A can lead to hypervitaminosis, which may affect bone metabolism and growth. More accurate measures should be used in conjunction with SR and RBP for evaluating VAD especially in vulnerable populations. Funding Sources UNICEF, Canada's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

Abstract Objectives Our objective was to compare hemoglobin concentration and anemia prevalence between (1) analysis methods, i.e., the portable HemoCue 201 + and the Sysmex XP-100 automated hematology analyzer, and (2) blood matrix, i.e., venous and capillary, in women and young children. Methods We collected capillary and venous blood samples from 349 non-pregnant women (NPW), 45 pregnant women (PW), and 167 children aged 6–36 months in rural Sylhet Division, Bangladesh in late 2019. We measured hemoglobin concentration in capillary and venous blood using HemoCue 201 + at the point of blood collection in the villages. In addition, hemoglobin concentration was measured in venous EDTA blood samples in the lab using the XP-100 Sysmex automated hematology analyzer within 6 hours of collection. Hemoglobin values were compared using paired t-tests, while anemia prevalence estimates were compared using McNemar tests. Results Venous hemoglobin concentrations were similar (mean difference: 0.3 g/L) when measured by HemoCue and the hematology analyzer. However, among NPW, there was strong evidence that anemia prevalence was higher when measured by HemoCue compared to the hematology analyzer, with similar trends in PW and children. Mean hemoglobin concentrations in capillary blood were lower overall (mean difference: 5 g/L; P ≤ 0.001) and in all subgroups (NPW, PW, and children) compared to venous blood. Anemia prevalence was higher in each population group using capillary (NPW: 37%; PW: 51%; children: 21%) compared to venous measures (NPW: 23%; PW: 36%; children: 10%). Conclusions Across all groups, capillary measures resulted in significantly lower hemoglobin concentrations and higher anemia prevalence estimates, thus likely overestimating anemia in the population. Venous blood samples measured by the two analytic methods were similar. This may point to a biological difference between capillary and venous blood. Funding Sources Data collection was primarily supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The first author received support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and a Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award.

The objectives of this study are to: 1) find out and analyze the role of investigator of the Women and Child Protection Unit in applying diversion to children in conflict with the law, 2) determine and analyze the implementation of diversion carried out by the Women and Child Protection Unit against children in conflict with law, 3) identify and analyze the obstacles of investigators of the Women and Child Protection Unit in applying diversion to children in conflict with the law. This research employs the sociological juridical method, a research in the discipline of law that is based on the reality that occurs in society where the type of study in this study is specifically descriptive. The results of this study found that: 1) the implementation of diversion in Padang City Police had been going well where there were 14 (fourteen) cases that were successfully resolved through diversion channels throughout 2015-2017, 2) the implementation of diversion in Padang City Police was guided by the Law on the Criminal Justice System for Children (UU SPPA), Secret Telegram of the Head of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Republic of Indonesia Police TR/1124/XI/2006 and TR/395/DIT,VI/2008, and Government Regulation No. 65 of 2015, 3) in applying the diversion, Padang City Police investigators faced several obstacles such as: the victim felt that his/her rights were not protected because the suspect was given privileges in the legal process and the victim or his/her family considered the law to be biased and favored the suspect. It is the reason for the failure of deliberation regarding diversion. To anticipate this failure, there are a number of suggestions in which human resources in the Children’s Criminal Justice Unit (PPA) of Padang City Police should be given training in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs in the framework of developing human resource competencies. It is better if the internal police regulations relating to the implementation of diversion are revised and adjusted to the applicable laws and regulations.

The article publishes and analyzes the documents of the Soviet special services on the deportation of the group of Germans from Stanislav region (October–December 1946). Eight documents presented in this article demonstrate the circumstances of the deportation of a large group of Germans from the territory of Stanislav region of Ukrainian SSR in late 1946. These documents are stored in the State Archives of the Security Service of Ukraine. These are official correspondence between the heads of institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) at various levels. The first of these documents is the report of one of the executives of the Department of the MIA in Stanislav region, Hrytsenko, on the case of the registration of Germans in Stanislav region who are subject to resettlement. It was reported that 38 German families (34 men, 51 women, 70 children under the age of 16) live in the Dolyna district of Stanislav region – a total of 155 people. They allegedly fled with the German Army as early as 1944, but were intercepted by Red Army and sent home. The Soviet authorities planned to send them to a special settlement in Aktubinsk region of Russia, but temporarily used this group of Germans to build a railway station. The Document № 3 is very important. The telegram was sent from Moscow to Kyiv on November 14, 1946, ordering the German families from Stanislav region of the USSR to be sent to a special settlement in the Mary Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in Russia. They were to be handed over to the Suslonger Forestry, which was a structural part of the “Marybumles” Trust. Personal farms and cattle were allowed to be sold. Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR were obliged to find the required number of vans for the deportation of Germans. The conditions for organizing the deportation of these German families are disclosed in other documents. In the end, according to L. Pastelnyak, the Deputy Head of the Anti-Banditry Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Stanislav region (document № 8), the echelon with the Germans was sent from the Dolyna station on December 29, 1946. Unfortunately, we do not know the circumstances of transporting the group of Germans to Suslonger railway station, as well as the circumstances of their stay at the special settlements and the subsequent fate after the liquidation of the special settlement system in the 1950-ies. Thus, the published documents reveal some circumstances of the deportation of one and a half hundred people of German nationality from the territory of Dolyna of Stanislav region to Russia at the end of 1946. Of course, the operation carried out by the Soviet repressive authorities should be called deportation, i.e. “forced eviction from the place of permanent residence of a person, group of persons or people”. Documents are published in the original language (Russian) in compliance with the necessary archaeographic requirements.

The establishment of the Court for Children in the juvenile justice system is to provide legal protection for children. This court consists of a Magistrate and two advisors which one of them is a woman as provided in section 11 (2) of the Child Act 2001. Basically, the role of the advisor of the Court for Children is to advise the Magistrate relating to the orders (punishment) to be imposed on children who are in conflict with the law and to advise the parents or guardians whenever necessary. However, Section 11 of the Child Act 2001 is the only provision as regards the advisor of the Court for Children in Malaysia. There are no other guidelines or regulations on the mechanism of execution of duties of the advisor, its appointments, and training requirements. Thus, this study aims to identify the issues and challenges relating to the position and roles of the advisor. An analysis is made of legal documents and academic journals. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the Social Welfare Department (JKM), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU), Prime Minister Department (JPM), and five Children Court advisors (who are representing the urban and rural areas). The study found that the Children Court advisor was recognized in 1947 via the Juvenile Court Act 1947. However, there are several issues and challenges to be addressed including the jurisdiction, governance structure, a mechanism of execution of duties, appointment criteria, the appointment process, modules, and training for Children Court advisors. The absence of guidelines, specific regulations, or manuals has limited the functions and roles of the Children Court advisor. This study suggests a better legal framework for the Children Court advisors to increase their credibility and professionalism. Thus, they can play an effective role in the juvenile justice system in Malaysia.

The Ministry of Social Family's Hope Program (Program Keluarga Harapan) is a conditional cash transfer program for poor families or known internationally as Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT). Social Family's Hope Program (Program Keluarga Harapan) is a social protection program that provides cash assistance to underprivileged households and for members of Keluarga Penerima Manfaat (KPM) Beneficiary Families who have health components (toddlers and pregnant women), education (elementary, junior high, and high school children), and welfare social (elderly and social disability).This program, in the short term aims to reduce the burden of underprivileged households and in the long run it is expected to break the intergenerational poverty chain, so that the next generation can get out of the poverty trap. The effectiveness of the Ministry of Social Family Hope Program is measured by several indicators, namely the accuracy of the targets, the implementation of program socialization, the achievement of program objectives, and program evaluation.This research was conducted in Medan Johor District. The methods in this research is descriptive research with quantitative research methods. Quantitative descriptive research uses words, images, and not entirely numbers when data is collected. The population in this research was 2,589 and using the multi-stage sampling method, through the proportionate stratified and simple random sampling stages a sample of 259 members of beneficiary families was taken.The results of the research indicate that in general, the implementation of the Ministry of Social Affairs' Family Hope Program in Medan Johor District has been running effectively. However, there are still some aspects that have not fully met the effectiveness of this program, such as officers (assistants) who have not performed their duties properly, Beneficiary Families who often do not attend group meetings, and issues such as zero balance, damaged or lost cards that there is no substitute yet, and the Beneficiary Families' behavior and point of view regarding assistance from the Government are not yet correct.

Zusammenfassung Seit 2015 viele Menschen mit Fluchthintergrund nach Deutschland gezogen sind, stand häufig deren Arbeitsmarktintegration im Zentrum des gesellschaftlichen, politischen und wissenschaftlichen Interesses. Lebenslagen und Lebensformen der geflüchteten Familien wurden hingegen viel weniger thematisiert. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert familiendemografische Daten für Geflüchtete der Herkunftsländer Syrien, Afghanistan, Irak und Eritrea und verdeutlicht den großen Anteil von Familien mit kleinen Kindern unter den nach Deutschland Geflüchteten. Daten zur Nutzung von Kinderbetreuungseinrichtungen von Kindern geflüchteter Familien zeigen, dass institutionelle Kinderbetreuung wesentlich zur Integration und Bildung beitragen kann. Der Wissenschaftliche Beirat für Familienfragen des BMFSFJ versucht, diesen für die Integration zentralen Aspekt in den Diskurs zu Flüchtlingen einzubringen und evidenzbasierte Handlungsempfehlungen zu geben. Abstract: Refugees, Families and Their Children Since 2015, many refugees have moved to Germany. So far, scholarly and political interests have focused on the possibilities of their labour market integration. However, the well-being and living arrangements of refugee families have been less investigated. This paper provides family-demographic data on refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Eritrea, and illustrates the high proportion of families with young children among them. The literature review of refugee families’ usage of public funded day care demonstrates the potential of positive effects of early childhood education and care services on the integration and education of refugee children. The Scientific Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth aims to bring this important issue for integration into the discourse on refugees and to provide evidence-based policy advice.

The article analyzes the life path of Heorhii I. Khodorovskyi − Ukrainian public figure, diplomat, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, People’s Deputy of Ukraine. The major areas of his activity at different life stages, academic interests, contribution to the development of medicine and diplomacy are studied. The paper examines the childhood of Heorhii Khodorovskyi, his parents, educators and school years. After school, Heorhii studied at Chernivtsi Medical Institute, pursued post-graduate studies and gained a degree of Doctor of Medicine. From 1961 to 1969, Heorhii Khodorovskyi – a postgraduate student, assistant professor, Associate Professor at Chernivtsi National University. In 1968, he was assigned to the Institute for Doctors Improvement in Moscow and later to the USSR Academy of Sciences to study foreign languages. Between 1969 and 1973, he was Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zambia. Heorhii also held position of a chairman of the local committee of the Embassy of the USSR in Zambia. The following stage of Heorhii’s life went in Afghanistan, where he gained experience of people management in a foreign country under hazardous environment, terrorist acts, kidnapping and military operations. Between 1987 and 1990, Khodorovskyi was an advisor to the Rector of Kabul Medical Institute, head of a group of scientific and pedagogical staff of the USSR in Afghanistan, advisor to the Minister for Health of Afghanistan; worked in the trade mission of the USSR in Kabul. In February 1989, he returned from Afghanistan to Chernivtsi, where the staff of the Medical Institute nominated him as a candidate for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deputy. From 1990 till 1992, Heorhii acted as People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the 1st calling, was Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Women Affairs, Family Protection, Motherhood and Childhood. Heorhii was also engaged in operations on eliminating consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, worked with foreign delegations, was a member of the escort group during the visit of the President of Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan. He frequently went on foreign business trips, in the course of which took part in international conferences. At the Verkhovna Rada sessions, Khodorovskyi invariably put an emphasis on the issues of health protection of Ukrainian women and children, working and recreation environment, labour compensation and family support. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine Committee headed by Heorhii Khodorovskyi adopted a decision on the creation of the National Family Planning Program. In October 1992, he was transferred from the Verkhovna Rada to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. From 1992 to 1998, Heorhii Khodorovskyi served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of India. Keywords: Verkhovna Rada, Afghanistan, University of Zambia, Chernivtsi, People’s Deputy.

Currently, the prevention of family and domestic offenses is one of the priority areas of activity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Poor-quality and untimely response of police officers to this type of offense, as well as heinous crimes, garnered media coverage, preceded by family conflicts, create a negative public opinion about the activities of the police and the state as a whole. This work deals with the improvement of the effectiveness of the work carried out by the internal affairs bodies to prevent and suppress the facts of family and domestic conflicts, including those accompanied by the violence against children and women. Within the framework of the research, the authors pay special attention to the concept of family and domestic offenses, the analysis of the causes and conditions of the occurrence of family and domestic offenses, legal foundations of regulating the liability in the sphere of family and domestic conflicts according to the laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The authors analyzed the main directions of prevention of domestic crimes and administrative violations by district police officers, identified tactical aspects of work with people registered with law enforcement agencies when executing preventive patrolling in an administrative area. The paper proposes a mechanism of involvement of the public and specific categories of citizens in the assistance to law enforcement agencies to timely domestic violations detection and suppression. Following the analysis, the authors conclude that the insurance of effective work on the eradication of considered negative social phenomenon is the patrolling in an administrative area, preventive conversations based on the study of a psychological maker of persons, their past, and basic personality characteristics, as well as on the awareness of their immediate environment and relations carrying both positive and negative connotation. The study shows that the issues of protection of family members’ life and health against offenses should be solved holistically, in cooperation with other agencies and institutes of civil society.

AbstractThe problem in this study is the extent to which the quality of the children of the Family Hope Program (KPM) Family Hope Program (PKH) after the parents, especially the mother, received assistance at PKH, known as the Assistance of Family Capacity Building Meeting (P2K2). PKH is a program of the Republic of Indonesia government in breaking the poverty chain in Indonesia. P2K2 assistance itself is the implementation of Out of School Education (PLS) because in practice there is a process of education and training, transfer of non-formal knowledge and skills in the fields of family management, education, health, and economics. When PKH KPM gets knowledge and skills in these fields, it is hoped that there will be an influence on the quality of KPM PKH children with indicators set by the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, namely: (1) Poor nutritional status for children under five (2) Increase food consumption energy and protein for children, (3) Increasing average length of schooling for children, (4) Increasing the average number of children's school participation, and (5) Reducing the number of working hours of children or the absence of working children. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Based on the results of the study, the P2K2 mentoring program run by PPKH Bandung which began in 2017 has been able to improve the quality of children in the form of increasing numbers of children who are absent from school more than 85% and toddlers or pregnant women who do not routinely assess their health at the service health facilities between 478% -687% from before the implementation of P2K2 counterpart program in 2016. Even so, the number of school drop out (DO) children and malnourished children also experienced a significant decline, from 48 children who DO in 2016 to 17 children in the year 2017, while children with malnutrition 0 (none) both in 2016 and 2017. Even so, the process of P2K2 Assistance will run less optimally during 2017 as the average number of implementation is 62%, the presence of KPM follows P2K2 assistance 79%, and the delivered curriculum is only about 61%. Thus the P2K2 mentoring program needs to continue to be developed because the results are good and to further maximize the implementation process.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has afflicted every individual and has initiated a cascade of directly or indirectly involved events in precipitating mental health issues. The human species is a wanderer and hunter-gatherer by nature, and physical social distancing and nationwide lockdown have confined an individual to physical isolation. The present review article was conceived to address psychosocial and other issues and their aetiology related to the current pandemic of COVID-19. The elderly age group has most suffered the wrath of SARS-CoV-2, and social isolation as a preventive measure may further induce mental health issues. Animal model studies have demonstrated an inappropriate interacting endogenous neurotransmitter milieu of dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and opioids, induced by social isolation that could probably lead to observable phenomena of deviant psychosocial behavior. Conflicting and manipulated information related to COVID-19 on social media has also been recognized as a global threat. Psychological stress during the current pandemic in frontline health care workers, migrant workers, children, and adolescents is also a serious concern. Mental health issues in the current situation could also be induced by being quarantined, uncertainty in business, jobs, economy, hampered academic activities, increased screen time on social media, and domestic violence incidences. The gravity of mental health issues associated with the pandemic of COVID-19 should be identified at the earliest. Mental health organization dedicated to current and future pandemics should be established along with Government policies addressing psychological issues to prevent and treat mental health issues need to be developed. References World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. 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Children with disabilities (CWDs) are one of the most marginalised and excluded groups in the society. Facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and legislation, they are effectively barred from realising their rights to healthcare, education and even survival. It has been estimated that exposure towards all forms of violence against CWDs is four-time greater than that of children without disabilities. Bangladesh has an estimated 7–10 million CWDs (out of a total of 72 million children, World Health Organisation Report). Most of the time, these children are treated as a burden to their families or the community and thus become subject to violence. There are very few specialised institutions with residential facility to take care of them. So, they are institutionalised in general residential institutions at a significantly higher rate than other children. But both the special and general residential institutions have lack of skilled human resources and knowledge of the special situation and needs of CWDs. Peer groups of the CWDs are also less sensitised, which result in further stigma and discrimination of CWDs. A 2010 study was done by the Ministry of Women and children Affairs. The findings from interviews with adolescents’ aged 13–16 in 12 locations of Dhaka City revealed their extreme vulnerability. In 2010, a study by Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation that conducted a survey supported by the Save the Children Sweden–Denmark found that 51.4% of CWDs are either at risk of sexual abuse (12.5%) or have been sexually abused (38.9%).The government of Bangladesh has taken a number of legislative and policy steps that indicate commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. In terms of international instruments, Department of Social Services under Ministry of Social Welfare operates various types of institutions for the children and also CWDs. The study will adopt qualitative and quantitative methods to collect information from both primary and secondary sources and also assess the situation of government non-government organisations/religious institutions where CWDs have residential facilities in order to understand which factors contribute to increased vulnerability of these children.

ABSTRACT Introduction Obstetric fistulae are a leading scourge for women in developing countries resulting, in severe individual suffering and devastating socio-economic repercussions for her family and community. The underlying causes of obstetric fistula stem from multiple factors to include poor nutrition, early marriage, insufficient education and inferior social status of women as well as substandard medical care. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has invested more than $100 million globally since 2004 to address these factors as well as support women suffering with fistulae. The ultimate goal is to eradicate obstetric fistula in Bangladesh in the next 20 years. Despite these efforts, nearly 20,000 women in Bangladesh, still suffer with this malady. Methods To close this gap, USAID and the Department of Defense (DOD) developed a novel Interagency Agreement (IAA) leveraging the surgical skills of military health professionals to scale-up the ongoing fistula care program. The agreement outlined three lines of effort: (1) treat existing fistulae by bolstering surgical capacity of the existing USAID fistula care program; (2) promote fistula mitigation with lectures and hands-on teaching of obstetric care as well as safe gynecologic surgery; and (3) assist with advocacy at higher levels of the Bangladesh government. A Bangladesh Fistula Mission Partnership working group was formed to design and implement this IAA. Critical partners from the US Embassy in Dhaka included USAID (Health, Legal, Contracting), the DOD (Office of Defense Cooperation), and Department of State (Regional Security Officer). Partners from the US Army included United States Army-Pacific Command (Surgeon, Legal, Finance, Security Cooperation, Contracting), Regional Health Command-Pacific (Operations, Legal, Public Affairs), and Tripler Army Medical Center (Department of OBGYN, Operations, Public Affairs). Institutional Review Board approval was not required as the treatments offered were standard of care. Results The Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) health professionals executed the IAA with one pre-deployment site survey and two surgical missions in 2016–2017. The military team supported the surgical repair of 40 pelvic fistulae and perineal tears and provided operative management for an additional 25 patients with pelvic organ prolapse. Furthermore, the team conducted 19 professional lectures and multiple educational forums at hospitals in Kumudini, Khulna and the premier medical university in Dhaka for over 800 attendees including physicians, nurses and students to help prevent obstetric and surgical fistulae. Importantly, the team assisted USAID as subject matter experts in its advocacy to the Bangladesh Ministry of Health for improved maternity care and regulatory oversight. During the missions, the team enhanced their readiness by exercising individual and collective tasks while exposing personnel to the cultural context of the region. Conclusion This IAA was the first USAID funded and DoD-executed health mission in the US Indo-Pacific Command Area of Responsibility. Direct participation in the IAA enabled TAMC to support the US Indo-Pacific Command Theater Campaign Plan, the Department of Defense Instruction 2000.30 on Global Health Engagements, the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy, and the US Ambassadors Integrated Country Strategy Objectives in Bangladesh. This effort can serve as a model for future cooperation between USAID and the DoD.

Abstract Objectives To examine the etiology of anemia among women and children in Habiganj District, Sylhet considering nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Methods We analyzed data from 366 non-pregnant women and 204 children (6–37 months) collected at the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM) cluster-randomized trial's 2015 baseline survey in 96 settlements. Blood samples were analyzed for anemia (hemoglobin), iron status (serum ferritin, serum transferrin receptor), vitamin A status (retinol binding protein (RBP)), inflammation (c-reactive protein and α-1-acid glycoprotein), vitamin B-12 status (methylmalonic acid (MMA)), and hemoglobinopathies (α-, β-thalassemia, Hemoglobin E and S). Logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with anemia, adjusting iron and vitamin A for inflammation using internal regression correction. Results Almost half of women and children were anemic (45% and 46%) though only 2% of women and 17% of children were iron-deficient (total body iron <0 mg/kg). Almost 20% of women and 60% of children had deficient or insufficient vitamin A levels (RBP <1.05 µmol/L). Vitamin B-12 deficiency (MMA: <210 nM) was high among women (27%) and children (70%). About 10% of women and children had any thalassemia or hemoglobinopathy; 5% had either β-thalassemia or HbE. Despite little iron deficiency among women, total body iron (mg/kg) was strongly associated with anemia, as was RBP (µmol/L) (OR (95% CI): iron: 0.8 (0.7, 0.8); vitamin A: 0.5 (0.3, 0.8)). In children, total body iron and age were also protective for anemia. In both women and children, having β-thalassemia or Hemoglobin E was associated with increased odds of anemia. Vitamin B-12 status was not associated with anemia. Conclusions Although iron deficiency was uncommon, there remained a strong association between total body iron and anemia. Vitamin A was also strongly associated with anemia and may be a key intervention strategy as Vitamin A levels were low. However, further research is still needed as a large proportion of anemia remains unexplained. Funding Sources The FAARM trial was supported by the Germany Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The first author received support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and a Thrasher Research Fund Early Career Award.

Compilation of Islamic laws (KHI) consists of some gender bias points such as point of Wali, Saksi, Nusyuz, Polygamy as well as wife-husband’s right and obligation. It is not only causing various religious understanding which are bias but also to the marriage practice and to the asymmetrical pattern of relation. Those, further, may result in gender inequality problems of which women (mostly wives) and children are the most vulnerable group to experience the problems although men may experience that such kind of problems. Fiqh as the product of Ulama’s interpretation and judgment toward normative doctrines (Qur’an and Hadith) are influenced by socio-cultural and political setting under patriarchal social system. Nurture theory on women and men’ social role contributes also to the marginalization and sub-ordination toward women in husband-wife relation in the family. Then, Counter Legal Draft (CLD) that is compiled by gender mainstreaming working group of Ministry of Religious Affairs (DEPAG) is an alternative Marital Laws formula which are more considering women and marginalized minority group.

Background: Child abuse occurs very frequently in Nigeria with approximately 6 out of every 10 children experiencing some form of violence. An estimate of 1 in every 4 girls and 1 in every 10 boys have undergone some form of sexual violence. Unfortunately this human violation often elicits little or no attention particularly where the abuser happens to be a close relative. Case: A 12 year old female adolescent was admitted into the children emergency room of a Nigerian tertiary institution with high grade fever and bilateral painful leg swelling following physical abuse by her biological father. This was buttressed with the findings made on examination. Parenteral anti-inflammatory and antibiotics were administered with surgical drainage of the lesions. The mental state of the Patient was evaluated by the Psychological Medicine Experts /Psychiatrist and also had counselling sessions during the course of treatment and shortly before discharge. Patient responded well to treatment and was discharged to the care of the women and children welfare unit of the State Ministry of Women Affairs. Conclusion: This case report underscores the need for continuous awareness creation on the inherent dangers of child abuse for both the general public and the Health practitioners.

Abstract Background: Most medical emergencies requiring first-aid occur at home. Little is known about the prevalence of these medical emergencies. Objective: The objective of this study is to describe medical emergencies occurring at people’s homes requiring first aid; characteristics, burdens and impact on functional outcome, and to address the national public knowledge and practice of first aid. Method: A confidential, cross-sectional survey, primarily based on the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross first aid guidelines, was conducted among adults (>18 years) from 12 educational centers, under the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, State of Kuwait. Results: A total of 3000 self-administered questionnaires were distributed from September 16 2019 to November 30, 2019. The response rate was 34% (n = 1033 participants) of which 1% (n = 11) were partially answered questionnaires leaving 1022 questionnaires for valid statistical analysis. The prevalence of medical emergencies was 118.5 out of 100000 per year and the level of public knowledge was 19%. Medical emergencies were more likely to occur in Hawali province (49%, n = 149), women were more likely to encounter medical emergencies (78%, n = 238). Victims above 18 years of age were more likely to experience hypoglycemia (39%, n = 55) and children were more likely to suffer from hypoglycemia (19%, n = 22) or burns (17%, n = 20). Compliance with First aid guidelines was seen in hypoglycemia (31%, n = 44) but lacking in burn incidents (44%, n = 15). Participants called the ambulance in seizures (50%, n = 13), with 62% of medical emergencies requiring attendance at a health-care facility and 29% requiring hospital admission. Of the victims, 15% missed school or a day of work, and 25% had impaired functional outcomes. Conclusion: Medical emergencies occurring at home are relatively common in Kuwait, and public training on first aid is low. Kuwait has unique medical emergencies, with hypoglycemia, seizures and burns being the most frequent emergencies that occur at home. These emergencies cause a burden on the health-care system with a quarter of them having negative impact on the victim’s functional outcome.

Introduction This paper explores some specific conjunctions that tie together two nations, Japan and the Philippines. Over the past 30 years both have become entwined as a transfer of people, cultures and societies have connected and formed some interesting developments. Relations between both countries have been highly influenced through the deployment of State intervention (historically colonial and post-colonial), as well as through actors’ initiatives, leading to the development of a complex network that links both countries. It is in these relations that I would like to locate a transition between two stages in Japan-Philippine relations. I argue, this is a transition, where marriages of one kind (international marriages), the bonding of social actors from two distinct cultural spheres, gives way to another form of marriage. This transition locates the term marriage as part of an ongoing process and a discursive realm in a larger ‘affective complex’ that has developed. In this paper, I focus on this term ‘affective complex’ as it offers some interesting avenues in order to understand the continuing development of relations between Japan and the Philippines. By ‘affective complex’ I refer to the ‘cultural responses’ that people use in reaction to situations in which they find themselves which are not mediated by language. I suggest that this complex is a product of a specific encounter that exists between two nations as understood and mediated by Japanese actors’ positionings vis-à-vis foreign resident Filipinos. In tracing a moment between Japan and the Philippines, I delineate emerging properties that currently allude to a transition in relations between both countries. I would like to show that the properties of this transition are creating an emergent phenomena, a complex? This is developing through interactions between human actors whose trajectories as transnational migrants and permanent foreign residents are coming under the scrutiny of Japanese State forces in a heavily contested discursive field. This paper focuses upon the nature of the complex that entwines both countries and examines Japan’s particular restructuring of parts of its workforce in an attempt to include foreign migrants. To do this I first offer an outline of my fieldwork and then delineate the complex that ties both countries within present theoretical boundaries. This paper is based on fieldwork which deals with the theme of International Marriages between Japanese and Filipino couples. In the field I have observed the different ways in which Filipinos or Japanese with a connection to the Philippines orientate themselves within Japanese society vis-à-vis the Philippines. For the purpose of this paper, I will focus exclusively on a particular moment in my field: a care-giver course run privately with approval and recognition from local government. This course was offered exclusively for Filipino nationals with permanent residency and a high level of Japanese. As part of a larger field, a number of overlapping themes and patterns were present within the attitudes of those participating in the course. These were cultural responses that social actors carry with them which constitute part of an ‘affective complex’, its gradual emergence and unfolding. To further locate this fieldwork and its theoretical boundaries, I also position this research within current understandings of complexity. Chesters and Welsh have referred to a complex system as being a non-linear, non-deterministic system. However, from my perspective, these parameters are insufficient if institutions, organisations and human actors exhibit linear and deterministic properties (properties that discursively capture, locate and define elements in a system). In my research, I am dealing with actors, in this case Filipinos who are seen first as recipients and then as providers of welfare services. Japanese actors act as suppliers of a service both to long-term residents and to the State. In this case the following question arises: whose ‘complexes’ may be defined by a mixture of both these parameters and how can it be possible to take into account relationships whose existence cuts across them? Could a complex not be any number of these terrains which have emerged through encounters between two countries? Marriage could be a starting point for complexes that can come under scrutiny at a higher level, that of the State forces. In addition, a study of complexity in the Social Sciences focuses on how structures form rather than by focusing on any prior structured existence. Any focus on a complex system is to analyze holistic multiple elements in order to descriptively locate structures, what they penetrate, and what they are penetrated by. Human actors’ actions, strategies and expectations merge under the influence of these structures, while simultaneously influencing them. As elements interact, emergent phenomena (properties that emerge at a higher level) show a system that is process dependent, organic, and always evolving (Arthur 109). Locating Affect Deleuze and Guattari refined the discursive realm to emphasise how spaces of creation, dialogue and the casting of influence are affective, institutional and State-influenced. Within these spaces I locate the existence of ‘affective complexes’ which are discursively constructed and deployed by local actors. I will to argue that international marriages have laid a groundwork in which ‘affect’ itself has become a catalyst, re-orientating perceptions of and toward Filipinos. Following Deleuze, we can understand ‘affect’ as an intensity which, to repeat, is an expression of human relationships not mediated directly through language (Rodriguez). However, I want to suggest ‘affect’ also comes under the scrutiny of, and is discursively appealed to by, State forces as ‘affective capital’. When I refer to ‘affective capital’ I mean the potential labour discursively constructed. This construction is then “projected and tapped” in response to the changing nature of Japan’s labour market – in particular, the shortage of care-givers. This construction itself exists as an ongoing management strategy that deals with certain foreign nationals in Japan. Here, in response to the transformations of service work, ‘affective capital’ is the commoditised value of care inherent the discourse. It is the kernel of ‘affective labour’. This was very clear in my fieldwork, wherein Filipinos were targeted exclusively as the recipients of training in the health-care sector based on an understanding of the form of ‘affect’ that they possess. In this context, ‘affect’ adds intensity to meaning and is used in a wide range of cultural contexts, yet its very essence eludes description, especially when that essence as used by ‘active agents’ may be misconstrued in its deployment or discursively captured. Returning to the Deleuzian interpretation of ‘affect’, it could be interpreted as the outcome of encounters between actors and as such, a ‘mode’ in which becoming can initiate possibilities. I refer to ‘affect’, the deployment of shared, performed, communicated non-verbal ‘content’, as a powerful tool and an essential component in everyday habituated practice. In other areas of my field (not included in this discussion), ‘affect’ deployed by both actors, husband and wife, within and beyond the family, manifests itself as a mode of being. This at times adds to the location of actors’ intentions, be they spoken or performative. In this sense, locating the ‘affect’ in my research has meant observing the way in which Filipinos negotiate the availability of life strategies and opportunities available to them. At the same time, ‘affect’ is also produced by Japanese actors realigning themselves vis-à-vis both foreign actors and social change, as well as by effectuating strategies to emergent situations in Japan such as care management. ‘Affective capital’ is an inherent long-term strategy which has its roots in the cultural resources at the disposal of non-Japanese partners who, over the years, in the short and long term put to use discursively produced ‘affect’. ‘Affect’, produced in reactions to situations, encounters and events, can work in favour of long-term residents who do not have access to the same conditions Japanese may find in the labour sector. From encounters in my fieldwork, the location of ‘affect’ is an asset not just within immediate relationships, but as a possible expression of strategies that have arisen in response to the recognition of reactionary elements in Japanese society. By reactionary elements I refer to the way in which a complex may realign itself when ‘interfered’ with at another level, that of the State. The Japanese State is facing labour shortages in certain sectors due to social change, therefore they must secure other potential sources of labour. Appropriation of human resources locally available has become one Japanese State solution for this labour shortage. As such, ‘affect’ is brought into the capitalist fold in response to labor shortages in the Health Sector. Background The Philippines is a prime example of a nomad nation, where an estimated eight million of the population currently work or live overseas while remitting home (Phillippines Overseas Employment Agency). Post-colonial global conditions in the Asia Pacific region have seen the Philippines cater to external national situations in order to participate in the global labour market. These have been in the form of flows of labour and capital outsourced to those economies which are entangled with the Philippines. In this context, marriage between both countries has come to be made up almost exclusively of Japanese men with Filipina women (Suzuki). These marriages have created nascent partnerships that have formed links within homes in both countries and supported the creation of a complex system tying together both nations. Yet, in the entanglement of what seems to be two economies of desire, some interesting observations can be drawn from what I consider to be the by-products of these marriages. Yet what does this have to do with a marriage? First, I would like to put forward that certain international marriages may have developed within the above discursive framework and, in the case of the Philippines and Japan, defined certain characteristics that I will explain in more detail. Over the past 20 years, Filipinos who came to Japan on entertainment visas or through encounters with Japanese partners in the Philippines have deployed discursively constructed ‘affective capital’ in strategies to secure relationships and a position in both societies. These strategies may be interpreted as being knowledgeable, creative and possessive of the language necessary for negotiating long-term dialogues, not only with partners and surrounding family, but also with Japanese society. These deployments also function as an attempt to secure additional long term benefits which include strengthening ties to the Philippines through increasing a Japanese spouse’s involvement and interest in the Philippines. It is here that Filipinos’ ‘affect’ may be traced back to a previous deployment of categories that influences local Japanese actors’ decisions in offering a course exclusively for Filipino residents. This offers the first hint as to why only Filipinos were targeted. In Japan, secure permanent work for resident Filipinos can be, at times, difficult even when married to a partner with a stable income. The reality of remitting home to support family members and raising a family in Japan is a double burden which cannot be met solely by the spouse’s salary. This is an issue which means actors (in this case, partners) recourse to their ‘affective capital’ in order to secure means towards a livelihood. In this context, marriages have acted as a primary medium entangling both countries. Yet changes in Japan are re-locating ‘possible’ resources that are rationalised as a surplus from these primary encounters. Shifts in Japan’s social landscape have over the past 10 years led to an increasing awareness of the high stakes involved in care for the ageing and invalid in Japanese society. With over 21% of the population now over 65, the care industry has seen a surge in demand for labour, of which there is currently a shortfall (Statistics Bureau Japan). With the Philippines having strategically relocated its economy to accommodate demands for the outsourcing of health care workers and nurses overseas, Japan, realigning its economy to domestic change, has shown a new type of interest (albeit reluctant) in the Philippines. In 2005, changes and reforms to Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act successfully curtailed the flow of Filipinos applying to Japan to work as entertainers. This was in part due to pressure from the interventionary power of the U.S: in 2006 the U.S. State department published the Trafficking in Persons Report, which stipulated that Japan had yet to comply in improving the situation of persons trafficked to Japan (U.S. State Department). This watershed reform has become a precursor to the Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement ratified by Japan and the Philippines to promote the ‘trans-border flow of goods, person, services and capital between Japan and the Philippines (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and has now temporarily realigned both economies into a new relationship. Under the terms ‘movement of natural persons’, Filipino candidates for qualified nurses and certified care workers would be allowed a stay of up to three years as nurses, or four for certified care workers (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Nonetheless, this lip service in showing openness to admit a new category of Filipino is the continuation of a mode of ‘servicing’ within the Japanese nation, albeit under the guise of ‘care work’, and rests upon the capitalist rationalisation of hired workers for Japan’s tertiary sectors. The Philippines, a nation which is positively export-orientated in terms of its human resources in response to care inequalities that exist between nations at a global level (Parreñas 12-30), is now responding to the problematic issue of care that has become a serious concern in Japan. Fieldwork To place these issues in context I want to locate the above issues within a part of my present fieldwork. In 2006, I participated in a privately funded non-profit venture set up for Filipino residents with the aim of training them to be care-givers. The course was validated and acknowledged by the local prefectural government and primarily limited to a group of 20 participants who paid approximately sixty thousand yen ($485) for the three month course including training and text books. One Filipina acquaintance enthusiastically introduced me to the retired bank manager who had set up a fund for the three month care-giver course for Filipina residents. Through interviews with the course providers, one underlying theme in the planning of the course was clear: the core idea that Filipinos have a predisposition to care for the elderly, reflecting Filipino social values no longer existent in Japan. In particular, two Japanese words employed to reflect these views – ‘omoiyari’ (思いやり), meaning “compassion” or “considerateness” and ‘yasashisa’ (優しさ) meaning “kindness toward others” – were reiterated throughout the course as a requisite for dealing with the elderly or those in need of care. One core presupposition underlining the course was that the Philippines still cherishes values which are on the decline in Japan, offering a care ethos based on Christian values ready for deployment in such work. I believe this marks a transition point in how both countries’ relations are moving away from ‘entertainment-based’ care to ‘care within an institutional setting’, such as private nursing homes or hospitals. In both cases, ‘care’ (as it is ironically known in both industries, the deployment of hospitality and attendance), operates as a dynamic of desire within a social field which orientates how residents (i.e. foreign female residents with permanent residency) are used. Yet, why would the Philippines be such an attractor? It is not difficult to see how ‘affect’ is discursively rationalised and deployed and projected onto Philippine society. This ‘affect’ acts as an attractor and belongs to an ‘imagined’ cultural repertoire that Japan has created in response to its turbulent marriage to the Philippines. In this sense, the care course promoted this ‘caring affective side’ of Filipinas here in Japan, and provided a dynamic engagement for potential negotiation, persuasion and tension between ‘local actors’ (course providers and participants) who come under the direct remit of the Japanese State (care institutions, hospitals and nursing homes). I say “tension”, as to date only a handful (three women out of a total of sixty) of those who participated in the course have taken up employment in the care industry. As one participant, a divorcee, commented, the reluctance to seek work as a qualified care worker resided in an economic framework, she says: this is a useful investment, but I don’t know if I can do this work full time to live off and support my families…but it is another arrow in my bow if the situation changes. Yet, for another woman, care work was an extension of something that they were familiar with. She jokingly added with a sigh of resignation: Oh well, this is something we are used to, after all we did nothing but care for our papa-san (husband)! When I discussed these comments with an N.G.O. worker connected to the course she pessimistically summed up what she thought by saying: The problem of care in Japan was until very recently an issue of unpaid work that women have had to bear. In a sense, looking after the aged living at home has been a traditional way to treat people with respect. Yet, here in Japan we have experienced an excessively long period whereby it was de facto that when a woman married into someone’s family, she would care for the husband and his family. Now, this isn’t an individual problem anymore, it’s a societal one. Care is now becoming an institutional practice which is increasing paid work, yet the State works on the assumption that this is low paid work for people who have finished raising their children; hard labour for low wages. All the women have graduated and are licensed to work, yet at 1000 yen (U.S. $8) an hour for psychologically demanding hard labour they will not work, or start and finish realising the demands. Travelling between locations also is also unpaid, so at the most in one day they will work 2-3 hours. It is the worst situation possible for those who choose to work. The above opinion highlights the ambiguities that exist in the constant re-alignment of offering work to foreign residents in the effort to help integrate people into Japan’s tertiary ‘care sector’ in response to the crisis of a lack of manpower. To date most women who trained on this course have not pursued positions within the health sector. This indicates a resistance to the social beliefs that continue to categorise female foreign residents for gendered care work. Through three successive batches of students (sixty women in total) the president, staff and companies who participated in this pilot scheme have been introduced to Filipino residents in Japanese society. In one respect, this has been an opportunity for the course providers to face those who have worked, or continue to work at night. Yet, even this exposure does not reduce the hyper-feminisation of care; rather, it emphasises positions. One male coordinator brazenly mentioned the phrase ashi wo aratte hoshii, meaning ‘we want to give them a clean break’. This expression is pregnant with the connotation that these women have been involved in night work have done or still participate in. These categorisations still do not shake themselves free from previous classifications of female others located in Japanese society; the ongoing legacy that locates Filipinos in a feminised discursive space. As Butler has elucidated, ‘cultural inscriptions’ and ‘political forces with strategic interests’ work to keep the ‘body bounded and constituted’ (Butler 175). It is possible to see that this care course resides within a continuously produced genealogy that tries to constitute bodies. This resides under the rubric of a dominant fantasy that locates the Philippines in Japan as a source of caring and hospitality. Now, those here are relocated under a restructuring industry outsourcing work to those located in the lower tiers of the labour sector. Why other nationals have not been allowed to participate in the course is, I stress, a testimony to this powerful discourse. Major national and international media coverage of both the course and company and those women who found employment has also raised interest in the curious complex that has arisen from this dynamic, including a series of specials aired on Japanese television by NHK (NHK Kaigo no Jinzai ga Nigete iku). This is very reminiscent of a ‘citationary’ network where writings, news items and articles enter into a perpetuating relationship that foments and bolsters the building up of a body of work (Said) to portray Japan’s changing circumstances. As seen from a traced genealogy, initial entanglements between two nations, in conjunction with societal change in Japan, have created a specific moment in both countries’ trajectories. Here, we can see an emergent phenomena and the relocation of a discursive structure. An affective complex can be located that marks a shift in how foreign residents are perceived and on what terms they can participate or contribute to Japanese society. Within this structure, ‘care’ is relocated – or, rather, trapped – and extracted as labour surplus that resides in an antagonistic relationship of domination highlighting how a specific moment existing between two countries can be ‘structured’ by needs in the ‘engaging’ country, in this case Japan. Non-linear elements in a complex system that contest how discursive practices in Japanese society locate foreign residents, within the rubric of an ‘imagined’ ethos of compassion and kindness that emanates from outside of Japan, seem to display ‘affective’ qualities. Yet, are these not projected categories deployed to continue to locate migrant labour (be they permanent or temporary residents) within an ongoing matrix that defines what resources can be discursively produced? However, these categories do not take into account the diverse structures of experience that both Japanese nationals and Filipino nationals experience in Japan (Suzuki). Conclusion In this paper I have briefly delineated a moment which rests between specific trajectories that tie two nations. A complex of marriages brought about within a specific historic post-colonial encounter has contributed to feminising the Philippines: firstly, for women in marriages, and now secondly for ‘potential resources’ available to tackle societal problems in Japan. As I have argued a discursively produced ‘affective complex’ is an authorising source of otherness and could be part of a precursor complex which is now discursively relocating human resources within one country (Japan) as a ‘reluctant source’ of labour, while entering into a new discursive mode of production that shapes attitudes toward others. I also suggest that there is a very specific complex at work here which follows an as of yet faint trajectory that points to the re-organisation of a relationship between Japan and the Philippines. Yet, there are linear elements (macro-level forces rooted in the Japanese State’s approach to care vis-à-vis the Philippines) operating at the fundamental core of this care-giver course that are being constantly challenged and cut across by non-linear elements, that is, human actors and their ambivalence as the beneficiaries/practitioners of such practices. This is the continued feminisation of a highly gendered dynamic that locates labour as and when it sees fit, but through the willing coercion of local agents, with an interest in mediating services through and for the State, for the welfare of the Nation. The desiring-machine that brings together Japan and the Philippines is also one that continues to locate the potential in foreign actors located within Japan’s institutional interpellation for its care market. Within these newly emergent relationships, available political and social capital is being reshaped and imagined in reaction to social change in Japan. By exploring two entangled nations situated within global capitalist production in the twenty-first century, my research points towards new ways of looking at emerged complexes (international marriages) that precludes the reconfigurations of ongoing emerging complexes that discursively locate residents as caregivers, who fall under the jurisdiction and glare of political powers, government subjects and State forces. References Artur, W. Brian. “Complexity and the Economy.” Science 284.2 (1999): 107-109. Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 2006. Chester, Graeme, and Ian Welsh. “Complexity and Social Movement(s): Process and Emergence in Planetary Action Systems.” Theory, Culture & Society 22.5 (2005): 187-211. Deleuze, Giles, and Felix Guattari. A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. Minnesota: U of Minnesota P, 1987. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). 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