by Herman Bailey | Jul 25, 2023 | Essays |
Introduction
Sustainability as a concept is increasingly being applied in the 21st century in diverse engineering fields such as construction, power, automobile industries amongst others. The grave challenges posed by global warming particularly resulting from rising human population, environmental pollution, widespread depletion of natural resources, scarcity of food and water as well as threats to energy security have necessitated a paradigm shift in engineering and design solutions. To achieve sustainable outcomes in the field of engineering and engineering management, it is critical to embrace sustainability by adopting sustainable engineering practices and thereby facilitate sustainable development. Sustainability is defined as the capacity to ensure that we maintain an improving the quality of life for all people, now as well as in the future is, while also simultaneously ensuring that ecosystem services and natural resources critical for life to sustain on earth are available on a continues basis (Hood 1999). Sustainable engineering implies the application of engineering in systems sustainably by utilizing sustainable resources so that the system provides a sustainable output (Rosen 2012). Sustainable development, on the other hand, is an approach towards development such that the needs of the present-day world are met and at the same time there is no compromise on the capability of the future generations to meet their own needs (WECD 1987, p. 8).
Sustainability consists of three pillars: environmental, economic, and societal sustainability, and engineering is directly linked to each of these components (Rosen 2012). Balancing these aspects is a challenging task faced by organizations but successful implementation of these principles is crucial to achieve good standards of living, foster social and cultural development, social stability, minimize wastage of resources thereby ensuring continuous availability of ecosystem services. This indicates that sustainability and sustainable development involves the balancing of the fine line between our need to advance economically and technologically and at the same time ensure that we protect the environment in which we live so that the ecosystem services critical to the survival of earth are readily available to us as well as our future generations. This report will firstly review and critique existing literature about sustainability in the engineering management sector and finally address the importance of embracing sustainable engineering management practices to achieve a functioning sustainable society.
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Annotated Bibliography on Sustainable Engineering & Management
2.1 Journal Article 1
Bhutto, AW, Bazmi, AA, Zahedi, G & Klemeš, JJ 2014, ‘A review of progress in renewable energy implementation in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 71, pp. 168-180.
This article assesses the benefits of funding and investments in renewable energy projects, explores potential sources and avenues for the development of renewable energy, and debates the policies and strategies to help promote and develop renewable energy for GCC to counter the increasing use of non-renewable energy sources, diversify economies, reduce dependency on oil and address the challenges of a post-oil future. This environmental awakening among GCC is attributed to their accession to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol as these frameworks demand continuous commitment towards the reduction of greenhouse gases. Developing and adopting technologies and management strategies about alternative energy sources, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and energy efficiency is the way forward for GCC to simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and enhance economic diversity. The article states that strategic location and climatic conditions have created huge opportunities for the development of photovoltaic and wind systems and in that regard, the GCC countries need to create subsidies for investments and develop specific legislation to promote renewable energy and foreign investments in their energy-intensive markets. The information presented in the article is of critical interest to engineering professionals and companies looking to capture the energy-intensive markets of the middle-east as renewable energy is the only way forward to ensure that human development takes place sustainably, now and into the future. By highlighting the need to train and support new generations on renewable energy technologies, the article addresses the need for national planning so that new, niche, and competitive technologies are developed which suit their climatic conditions.
2.2 Journal Article 2
Islam, KMA & Salma, U 2016, ‘The renewable energy and sustainable development: a case study of Bangladesh’, International Journal of Finance and Banking Research, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 139-146.
This article assesses the potential of various renewable energy sources to generate power and examines the different promising technologies available for sustainable power generation in Bangladesh such as solar homes, wind, and hydro energy amongst others. A review of the current energy situation in Bangladesh suggests that the existing energy generation infrastructure is dependent on fossil fuels and hence is not in the interest of sustainability. With the demand for power expected to grow exponentially in the future, the article’s focus on integrating various impacts on the environment. Industrial sectors should practice the consumption of renewable energy technologies in the power sector is highly relevant to achieving sustainability in the country’s power sector and these sources also have the potential to ease the bottleneck caused by the power sector about overall development in Bangladesh. Furthermore, it is seen that renewable energy projects are becoming popular in Bangladesh in recent times owing to relevant government policies and institutional facilitation, however, the country still faces issues in accelerating the growth of these projects due to fluctuating stakeholder interests. The article addresses this issue by suggesting that mechanisms be developed to maximize stakeholder participation by collaborating between the public sector, private sector as well as NGOs’ to ensure a wide range of knowledgeable inputs flows into the development of a strong policy framework to effectively move towards sustainable energy development. The most important highlight of the article is its emphasis on implementing sustainable projects under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to help the country meet its energy requirements sustainably. Upon successful implementation of the above policies, renewable energy sources can be used efficiently to generate power and it is also possible to penetrate isolated rural areas thereby lifting the living and social standards of the people.
2.3 Journal Article 3
Liew, WH, Hassim, MH & NG, DKS 2014, ‘Review of evolution, technology and sustainability assessments of biofuel productions’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 71, pp. 11-29.
This article acknowledges the importance of biofuels to counter the dual problems of fossil fuel depletion and climate change to achieve sustainable engineering outcomes which are attributed to the fact that these fuels are derived from sustainable sources and help in minimizing the greenhouse effect. By reviewing the evolution of biofuels, the article examines the current state-of-the-art technologies for biodiesel and bioethanol production, lignocellulosic biomass conversion, technology for algae processing as well as bio-refineries where biomass is converted into products like biofuels, bio-oils for power generation. Emphasizing the large-scale opportunity of biofuel production, the article highlights the importance of assessing the potential impacts of the production technologies for biofuels and in that regard, review the impact of biofuels on the three pillars of sustainability; economic, environmental, societal impacts, and subsequent performance. It is seen that despite the numerous advantages of biofuels, there are certain economic barriers towards commercializing biofuel production such as capital and feedstock cost, process yield, plant capacity, and availability. On the contrary, while assessing the social impacts of biofuels, the authors state that the biofuels will considerably aid towards societal sustainability because of the increased demand for agricultural feedstock which would result in higher income generation and creation of job opportunities particularly in the rural areas of poor countries resulting in the development of the agricultural economy. A concentrated effort towards the development of biofuel production technologies as well as an assessment of the biofuel production process in its design phase is required to optimize engineering and installation costs so that sustainability is guaranteed in all its aspects thereby benefiting humans and the environment in the long run.
2.4 Journal Article 4
Rosen, MA 2012, ‘Engineering sustainability: a technical approach to sustainability’, Sustainability, vol. 4, no. 9, pp. 2270-2292.
This article addresses the key components such as the selection of sustainable resources, use of sustainable processes, enhancing the efficiency of engineering processes while reducing environmental impact, and fulfilling other sustainability aspects like equity, economic affordability, stakeholder involvement, and appropriate land use to achieve sustainability in engineering and ultimately, the overall sustainability for human development. A key takeaway from this article is that pathways and options for engineering sustainability can be achieved by addressing the above factors. The advantages of various sustainable resources useful in engineering such as biomass, renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal energy with special emphasis on the use of wastes as inputs to engineering processes to reduce or eliminate the need for new natural resources are reviewed in the article. While discussing sustainable processes, the article acknowledges the need for a sustainable approach to design and manufacturing as well as the need to control and monitor the processes so that they remain sustainable in the long run. An interesting highlight of this article is its emphasis on using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach to assess the cradle-to-grave impacts of an engineering activity or a product on the environment (Figure 1). The focus on the need to transition towards Net-Zero Energy Buildings and Communities which generate the same amount of electricity as they consume finally illustrates how all the above-mentioned sustainable aspects such as resources, processes can be integrated to function as one sustainable system. This literature is highly relevant to the field of engineering sustainability as we get a comprehensive understanding of how the different aspects of sustainability can be integrated to get an effective and sustainable engineering output.
Figure 2. 1. Scope of life cycle assessment of a product or process, showing steps in the life
cycle vertically and inputs and outputs horizontally.
Source: Rosen (2012)
2.5 Journal Article 5
Sharma, R 2016, ‘Sustainable buildings in the hot and dry climate of India’, International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 134-144.
With regards to the increasing use of energy in commercial buildings in India and its detrimental effect on the environment due to increased greenhouse gas emissions, this article focuses on the critical attributes of sustainability in construction engineering by examining the model of sustainable buildings. By reviewing the sustainable building concept, the article highlights an engineering idea that can be employed across the world to reduce energy consumption and at the same time not hamper the development rate. Focussing on the built environment in hot and dry places such as in the city of Jodhpur in India, the article argues that Solar Passive technology needs to be integrated into the building materials and elements to mitigate the undesirable effects of the dry and hot climate so that the interiors stay warm in winter and cool in summer. Passive systems contribute to a great extent in achieving sustainability because they considerably reduce the size of traditional cooling or heating systems as well as the quantity of non-renewable fuels required to maintain optimum temperatures in the buildings. A key takeaway from this article which is in the interest of sustainability is that these buildings will balance all the aspects of energy use such as ventilation, space conditioning, and lighting through the use of passive solar technologies, renewable sources of energy, and energy efficiency machinery. Despite all the advantages of this technology mentioned in the article, there is a need to also address the limitations, conduct more research, and design practical solutions especially in the case of developing countries. However, it is worth noting that infrastructure needs and costs can be greatly reduced by enacting sustainable building policies and using an integrated approach to urban planning.
Journal Article 6
Sutar, BH & Gokhale, VA 2016, ‘Conceptualising sustainable transportation for the city of Pune, India’, International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 83-89.
With regards to the increasing traffic, road congestion, air, and noise pollution changing land-use patterns, and taking care of future generations in terms of environmental and financial capacities, this article stresses the need for the development of a sustainable transport system in the western city of Pune in India. With the city witnessing large-scale urban sprawl and rapid growth in car ownership, traffic congestions and air pollution are increasing at an alarming rate and in that regard, this article calls for the development of a mass rapid transit system in the city covering long distances. The article also surveys the primary advantages of such a rapid transport system such as a reduction in greenhouse emissions due to the reduced number of cars on the road, lower levels of pollution, reduced energy conservations amongst others. Furthermore, various initiatives like urban case study in Los Angeles. Los Angeles: School of Architecture and Urban planning, strict control of parking spaces, and access regulations will influence people’s choice of transport and lead to an increase in the use of the rapid transit system. However, successful completion of this project requires the large-scale land acquisition and this issue must be resolved at the earliest.
2.7 Journal Article 7
Urbanic, K, Mikulčić, H, Wang, Y & Duić, N 2018, ‘System integration is a necessity for sustainable development’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 195, pp. 122-132.
This article highlights the importance of integrating various engineering systems by utilizing the waste from one system as a resource for another and at a time when it benefits all to foster a sustainable, balanced and inclusive development. By reviewing the recent advances, the article provides a good insight into different areas strategic to sustainable system integration including water and energy issues, sustainable engineering solutions, environmental engineering and management, and large-scale sustainability approaches. By surveying different ways of integrating various systems about energy, water, and the environment about sustainability, the article has touched on many important aspects of sustainability in engineering. Various aspects of sustainable energy use like biomass as a replacement for solid fuels in iron-producing factories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, using flammable waste gases instead of fossil fuels from the steel industry for the iron-ore sintering process have been mentioned in this article. By modifying those processes, these principles could even be applied in coal-based power plants and other factories responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions and thereby contribute to sustainability. However, this article does not mention the limitations of any of these technologies as it is critical to consider the limitations of each process, assess the system as a whole, examine its sustainability about the triple bottom line framework so that we reap the benefits of a fully functioning, efficient and a truly sustainable system.
Towards Effective Sustainable Engineering Management Practices – Lessons from Literature
Increasing existential threats to ecosystem services, our future generations, and the environment calls for engineers across the world to not only provide solutions by solving problems within fixed boundaries but to also pay special attention to the upstream and downstream impacts of the proposed perfect solution. In other words, engineers must have an innovative and holistic approach to account for the whole of life impacts so that there is a net sustainability benefit in terms of its social, environmental, and economic aspects. Moreover, there is a need to practice responsible engagement with the community and relevant stakeholders from the private sector as well as various non-governmental organizations and eventually practice engineering to promote an environment where health, safety, and well-being of the environment and the broader community is of paramount importance. It is required that the governments, industries, and enterprises must embrace sustainable business models and integrate sustainable best practices into their operations so that sustainability engineering becomes the new corporate world order. Diffusion of renewable energy technologies must be accelerated to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and to facilitate this, the engineering cohort must actively work with government agencies to design relevant policies. Furthermore, the Life Cycle Assessment approach must be made mandatory to assess every engineering activity, process, and product from its infancy till handover so that the environmental, social, and economic impacts of that activity are addressed appropriately. Embracing “Design Thinking” in engineering products or activities is an efficient way of achieving sustainability because of the human-centric approach of the concept. It is recommended that practicing engineering professionals work closely with engineering students so that sustainability principles are embedded in the students and they help develop the responses to our sustainability challenges that will shape our current and future life. Table 3.1 shown below summarises the sustainability approaches in engineering.
Table 3.1 Sustainability Approaches in Engineering
Source: PennState College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (2018)
Conclusion
After reviewing the literature, it is seen that sustainable engineering is not only about designing and constructing economically efficient systems, but it is also about addressing the social and environmental aspects of sustainability so that we do not compromise the natural environment or the rights of the future generations to live and satisfy their own needs. Even though the current technologies are in their nascent phase, investments directed towards the research and further development of these technologies is the need of the hour. Furthermore, future engineers must adapt and increasingly engage with society so that the ultimate potential of sustainable engineering is realized and societies across the world become truly sustainable in all respects. Finally, it is worth noting that through sustainable engineering, we can further accelerate the shift towards overall sustainability since engineering activities are embedded in almost every activity in the society and plays a major role in economic development as well as enhancing living standards.
References
Hood, D 1999, Lecture Series for Engineers Australia, Canberra.
PennState College of Earth and Mineral Sciences 2018, Principles of Sustainable Engineering, viewed 09 December 2018, https://www.e-education.psu.edu/eme807/node/688
World Commission on Environment and Development 1987, Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 25, 2023 | Essays |
INTRODUCTION
Cultural values play an active role in every human’s life which is defined in varied ways in different parts of the world. These values can be understood as particular standards that define any course of action as acceptable or unacceptable, right or wrong within society. These values bind a person within various courses of action because of which a human decides beforehand to do any action or not (Andaya & Andaya, 2016). However, as per the current scenario, it has been witnessed that with various kinds of advancements within any country, people of society tend to become more opulent. In this setting, the noble values, morals, and spirit of society often tend to reduce. The extinction of these values within different nations is due to several reasons which must be understood and tried to be recovered.
In Malaysia, the lack of practice of Malaysian values and the spirit of being a good citizen is a recent issue that is more common among the young generation. The reason behind this set-up is various challenges for which it is essential to implement some concrete practices. The major reasons can be enlisted as greater westernization in culture, reduced attention of families towards children, lesser education related to citizenship values, etc. (Merriam & Muhamad, 2013).
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Decreasing citizenship Cultural values in Malaysia
In the current scenario, there is a greater influence of western countries over lots of nations which has impacted the culture and values of these places. Malaysia is also not an exception in this case. Within the country, there can be seen numerous things that are based on westernized affects both the organization and its employees. The effects of culture. Clothing, accessories, languages, TV shows, products, and services, and many more things are western cultures. There are many schools of international standards where, languages like Spanish, English, and French are given more importance than the mother tongue of Malaysia like Mandarin or Malay. Students have also developed more interest in these languages and foreign cultures as they are seeing more scope towards this (Teik, 2014). Many TV shows and entertainment channels showing western shows have also played an active role in encouraging closeness with foreign values. These have posed a challenge among Malaysian citizens to save their identity as an individual.
The younger generation is more prone to this situation as they are the future of their country and they are not aware of their very own culture and values. Besides this, the young generation comes across these products and services more often owing to which the impact is also greater. In such a situation, it is significant to grow understanding about values and morals since childhood among them. For an instance, in Hindus, the cow is considered to be the mother and should not be slaughtered for any purpose. This may be deemed as a cultural value or a custom that is very strongly believed by every Hindu because of which they will accept to die from starving rather than slaughtering a cow for eating. This makes it clear that properly developed humans from centuries back as early as the 14th century. It has been a backbone of cultures and values among people always help them to bind with the right action. Further, it is also quite useful for making a person responsible and a good citizen (Juhdi, Pa’wan & Hansaram, 2013).
From various studies and observations, it is also witnessed frequently that increasing the trend of competition within the market is also one of the reasons behind it. Most of the parents are not able to manage the household spending alone therefore both of them start making money. While on other hand, many parents are very much career-oriented that they always give higher priority to the job. In such a scenario, children are generally left on their own and they are not paid enough attention when they need it. Therefore, they do not have a good understanding of the right values and spirit towards their nation. This gradually has resulted in ignorance among youngsters towards Malaysian social infrastructure improvement like healthcare institutions, libraries, and schools. Furthermore, if the local culture (Rahman & Khambali, 2013). They are not prioritizing said exist sub cultural lifestyles that are rooted in level of education and personal characteristics that govern behavior. The culture and values which might result in the loss of true Malaysian values. This situation can be very perilous and need to be improved to encourage youths to retain their international marketing and could definitely affect the process of marketing adversely. The constraint of language and culture and spirit.
This situation also states that school education is not really enough for children in cultivating social values. Their home is the first place of education where parents are responsible for growing this understanding among them. A strong family institution is vital to make children realize that they have some responsibility towards their nation, and they are responsible for keeping it alive for years (Ahmad, Rahim & Seman, 2013). In the case of Malaysia, it is mandatory to understand that with economic development, they have to make the right balance of moral values as well to retain and save their own culture. Youths are getting more inclined towards social ills like bullying, rules breaking, not respecting old ones, lack of courtesy, etc. Therefore, this situation states that countries should start thinking about it seriously.
Lack of Patriotism
Another challenge for Malaysia is the lack of patriotism among citizens. It is worth mentioning that patriotism is a significant fact which shapes society (Mohamed Yunos, Ismail & Smith, 2012). The history of Malaysia is quite rich and infers the struggle faced by people for making it a free and independent nation. The development of a country can be expected only if it is progressed in all of its spheres. For instance, from the studies, it is found that most of the population born after the independence of Malaysia is anti-patriotic. This idea shows less sense of patriotism among the young generation that requires to be improved. In Malaysia, people belonging to varied law is normally enforced. One can see the reasons for the difference in deviance between cultures, races, and customs are dwelling. Hence, added efforts are required to enhance patriotism among them. The imbalance in relations based on race and ethnicity is a major threat that impedes the level of patriotism within citizens (Grapragasem, Krishnan & Mansor, 2014).
To mitigate the above-mentioned challenges related to patriotism, the education system may play an active role. The higher education institutions must emphasize ethnic relations. Many students do not make greater interaction with other fellow students as they differ in ethnicity and religion. Therefore, the entire society needs to be developed which comprises people belonging to different castes and races. So, the practice related to patriotism must be focused on economic, political well as social, and cultural atmospheres (Chua, 2012). After getting liberty, the concerned people made many efforts to put in more value for developing the country on an overall basis. These values must be inculcated within children as well as among young generations so that they can have a feeling of pride in their country.
Another suggestion includes making stress on using other languages to keep in touch with the motherland. In the present case, the major challenge is posed in the form of greater individualism among the young generation where youths put their individual interest higher over national interest. As a result, they keep on searching for better alternatives in all aspects. From the western culture, they have found more fascinating spheres by learning many foreign languages (Asnawi, Gravell & Wills, 2012). In such a scenario, they completely ignore their mother language which is found in the research that the use of Malay language is reducing day by day as compared to foreign languages. From the studies, it has been discovered that language plays a critical role in accelerating harmony among people. Thus, encouraging the use of national language among people will definitely aid in getting objective accomplished.
Other causes of reducing moral values
There are some scientific grounds as well which can be blamed for the discussed situations among teenagers. From the studies, it is revealed that the development of the brain among teenagers is different from adults. Consequently, youths differ in thinking capacity from adults and sometimes make poor decisions as well (Farooqui & et.al., 2012). Therefore, it is necessary to understand this concept as well and make the process of inculcating moral values and ethos among them in a structured way. They do not have expertise in decision-making skills and therefore they should be given opportunities to develop their capacity within proper guidance. Similarly, there can be some other aspects as well in the same realm of critical setting which must be given apt thought.
The influence of parents among children is likely to have a large impact on many of their activities. The skill of making decisions, behavior, attitudes, and perceptions of teenagers may have great similarities with their parents (Habidin & et.al., 2014). As a result, the parents must be aware of the very beginning of this fact to behave accordingly. They must strive to create a favorable environment for their children with a greater number of positive elements. The values and spirit that are grown in childhood continue to thrive lifelong. In teenagers, it is common to influence peers on children. With growing age, children come into contact with several persons who become their friends, colleagues, partners, etc. In this condition, they are influenced by them in various ways which may shape their values in further ways. At this time, it is essential to keep a watch over these influences and guide them in the right direction (Zakaria, Samad & Shafii, 2012).
In current conditions, the influence of the press and media has also accelerated. It is quite obvious that children learn from their observations a lot. As a result, if they do not have a good role model, may towards arts in the wrong direction. In the present time, celebrities and TV shows telecasts on various channels are is viewed by many teenage populations. Consequently, they try to imitate their behavior and lifestyles to look like them. If their choice is not good in this setting, it may become a major concern. Therefore, parents must pay attention to the actions of their children and be a good guide. Parents must also exercise noble values and education within their daily lives in front of their children so that they can also learn by observing them (Tohit, Browning & Radermacher, 2012).
The platform of social media is currently playing a significant role in shaping the culture and values of many countries. Social mediaallowing exchanging different cultures, values, languages, and many more aspects. However, this phenomenon is acceptable until it is for knowledge purposes or for satisfying curiosities. While, the fact is teenagers are becoming more oriented towards social media sites and have a deeper influence (Cairns, Gardner & Lawton, 2013). They have created their own world around it and have started living in this very own place ignoring real facts and specifics. In such a scenario, it is recommendable for parents to interfere and make their children aware of the good and bad of their usage on social media platforms.
A rare cause of this increasing concern related to a lack of moral values and spirit can be mental health. Many teenagers are nowadays suffering from some disorders which are the reason for their inability of showing empathy towards others (Mohamad & et.al., 2012). Besides this, they lack courtesy and make poor choices more often. However, this condition is rare but parents need to be aware of this situation to know the reason behind the unexpected behavior of children. Such mental disorders must be treated by only professionals for better results and the right treatment.
In the case of Malaysia, the above-stated reasons and challenges are quite applicable which is supported by many types of research and studies observed by many scholars. From these studies, the major reasons behind diminishing cultural values and spirit have been found out (Asnawi, Gravell & Wills, 2012). For mitigating these situations, there can be several possible solutions that are required to be implemented in a structured way.
Possible solutions
The causes stated for the decrease in the practice of Malaysian values and spirit especially the young generation are very common in many other countries as well. The primary step towards this must be started by the parents. As per the current scenario, they ought to understand that creating a strong base for their children is crucial. Developing moral education and making them aware of noble values, courtesy, and spirit for their nation should be taught in childhood. The parents who are doing jobs must also realize that paying attention to their children is also a compulsory aspect that must not be ignored. Today’s teenagers are very advanced and have the potential to learn things faster (Salleh & et.al. 2014). Also, they are influenced easily by negative aspects which makes it quite essential to keep them on the watch. They are also required to be guided regularly to keep them on track.
Usually, at the time teenagers, they do not have a very good skill in making choices so they may not show much interest in learning values and spirit. Therefore, they are needed to be handled with patience and give more information about learning these things and their importance for them. As mentioned above about decreasing trend of using the mother language is also making them isolated from required values and humans from centuries back as early as 14th century. It has been a backbone of cultures (Teik, 2014). Therefore, they must be encouraged to learn foreign languages for knowledge and enhancing their skills but that should not be done by ignoring the importance of learning their own language. This can be a small but strong step towards conserving the noble values and spirit among the young generation. Along with this, they must be made aware of historical education. Malaysian history has stories of struggle and sacrifices which must be in knowledge of the teenagers so that they can learn to respect their liberty. In addition to this, it has been pointed out that interaction among students is less as everyone belongs to different ethnicity or culture. The tutors may also help in this regard by persuading populations are the students and the staff of Miami Dade School. Emphasis will be placed on the students to interact more and make a good bonding (Juhdi, Pa’wan & Hansaram, 2013). In this way, they can also learn to respect their own culture as well as others. Moreover, courtesy and noble values can also be inculcated easily.
Lastly, the major attention should be made from childhood by giving more time and care by parents to spend their time teaching those required values and culture towards their nation. Moreover, making them conscious of various social media and role models is also a work of responsibility so that they can start with making the right choices. The family institutions, as well as the education system, should make combined efforts to make the young generation, a responsible and valued citizen (Ahmad, Rahim & Seman, 2013).
CONCLUSION
The present essay is based on a contemporary to that which is common for almost every country. In the present essay, a discussion is made over reducing noble values and spirit mainly in the young generation of Malaysia. As per this, the effort has been made to understand the importance of these values for citizens and countries. Accordingly, the challenges that are posed in present situations have been enlisted which highlights some of the common reasons behind it. The chief ones are increasing westernization, lack of patriotism, and lesser attention of parents on their children. From the studies, it is discovered that there is a lack of courtesy as well where there is no place of thanks and please among children. However, it is the question more of how everyone treats others regardless of their religion, ethnicity, and other differences (Grapragasem, Krishnan, & Mansor, 2014). Therefore, some suggestions have been made which states that family institutions and the education system can play a great role in improving this situation. Children come across with their parents and teachers more often because of which they must be given proper teachings related to what course of action is right or wrong.
REFERENCES
Ahmad, A. R., Rahim, A., & Seman, A. A. (2013). Active learning through history subject towards racial unity in Malaysia. The Social Science, 8(1), 19-24.
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Asnawi, A. L., Gravell, A. M., & Wills, G. B. (2012, February). Factor analysis: Investigating important aspects of agile adoption in Malaysia. In AGILE India (AGILE INDIA), 2012 (pp. 60-63). IEEE.
Asnawi, A. L., Gravell, A. M., & Wills, G. B. (2012, February). Factor analysis: Investigating important aspects of agile adoption in Malaysia. In AGILE India (AGILE INDIA), 2012 (pp. 60-63). IEEE.
Cairns, J., Gardner, R., & Lawton, D. (2013). Education for values: morals, ethics, and citizenship in contemporary teaching. Routledge.
Chua, L. (2012). Conversion, continuity, and moral dilemmas among Christian Bidayuhs in Malaysian Borneo. American Ethnologist, 39(3), 511-526.
Farooqui, M., Hassali, M. A., Shatar, A. K. A., Shafie, A. A., Seang, T. B., & Farooqui, M. A. (2012). Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by Malaysian oncology patients. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 18(2), 114-120.
Grapragasem, S., Krishnan, A., & Mansor, A. N. (2014). Current trends in Malaysian higher education and the effect on education policy and practice: An overview. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(1), 85.
Habidin, N. F., Shazali, N. A., Ali, N., Khaidir, N. A., & Jamaludin, N. H. (2014). Exploring lean healthcare practice and supply chain innovation for the Malaysian healthcare industry. International Journal of Business Excellence, 7(3), 394-410.
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Mohamad, Z. F., Idris, N., Baharuddin, A., Muhammad, A., & Sulaiman, N. M. N. (2012). The role of the religious community in recycling: Empirical insights from Malaysia. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 58, 143-151.
Mohamed Yunos, R., Ismail, Z., & Smith, M. (2012). Ethnicity and accounting conservatism: Malaysian evidence. Asian Review of Accounting, 20(1), 34-57.
Rahman, N. F. A., & Khambali, K. M. (2013). Religious tolerance in Malaysia: Problems and challenges. International Journal of Islamic thought, 3, 81.
Salleh, N. Z. M., Hamid, A. B. A., Hashim, N. H., & Omain, S. Z. (2014). The practice of Shariah-compliant hotels in Malaysia. International Journal of Trade, Economics, and Finance, 5(1), 26.
Teik, K. B. (2014). Nationalism, Capitalism, and Asian Values’. In Democracy in Malaysia (pp. 65-87). Routledge.
Tohit, N., Browning, C. J., & Radermacher, H. (2012). ‘We want a peaceful life here and hereafter’: healthy aging perspectives of older Malays in Malaysia. Ageing & Society, 32(3), 405-424.
Zakaria, A. A. M., Samad, R. R. A., & Shafii, Z. (2012). Venture Philanthropy-Waqf practices and its implementation: Scenario in Malaysia. International Journal of Business, Economics, and Law, 1, 108-115.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 24, 2023 | Essays |
Henrik Ibsen creates many fascinating and compound characters in his play A Doll’s House. Both the Krogstad, Christine, and Helmers have very interesting relationships. According to Ibsen Torvald and Nora have a very weak relationship in which Nora is denied the right to speak and also she lacks independence as Torvald controls everything to the core (3). Though Krogstad and Christine have their portion of issues, they can sort them out like rational adults. Christine/ Krogstad and Nora/Torvald are two basically different sets of people (3).
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Torvald’s and Nora’s marriage was the traditional type of marriage where it required a man to make all the decisions mostly when it involves finance and investments (4). In this case, Torvald takes the traditional decision and he makes all the financial decisions except that which touched on Nora’s upkeep allowance the children’s expenses, and also the house (4). With this in mind, Ibnes indicate n the play that Torvald never respected Nora’s intellect, and mostly she was seen as a child who cants make sober financial decisions. This is contrary to Mrs. Linde and Krogstad’s marriage, which comes from a tarnished past, and are in line with challenging the social norms and the traditional stereotypes (2).
Mrs.Linde having been left a jobless widow following the death of the husband and Krogstad having been found guilty of forgery they are shunned by the community and this is what binds them together in love (2). Unlike Torvald, Ibness brings contrast by showing how Krogstad treats Mrs. Linde. He treats her as an equal in all regards to life and even allows her opinions in matters that concerns finances. Besides this, Mrs. Lnde is also given freedom contrary to what a normal wife in Victorian society is entitled to (7).
Mrs. Linde relationship was built on the foundation of truth, she stood by what is right and according to her honesty overrode secrecy, this is seen towards the end of the play as she tries to bring Torvald and Nora’s marriage into the right path, she tries to make Torvald understand the sacrifices that Nora has made, she furthers goes ahead and advise them to choose honesty over secrecy as this was the foundation of her good relationship with her husband Krogstad (14).
Nora and Torvald’s nature of marriage appears to be a conservative one consistent with the fundamental middle-class standard of respectability (5). Torvald as the head of the house is the sole breadwinner whose purpose of protecting and providing for his family overrides any other thing in life (5). Though Torvald loves Nora so much, Nora is forced to be a submissive wife whose husband despised as she is treated like the trash being called funny names like “scatterbrain” and also pet names like “my little squirrel” which shows disrespect in the relationship (4).
The marriage between Torvald and Nora had a lot of secrecy they were not able to deal with each other in an honest way (8). For instance, when Torvald realizes he needs to rest for a whole year after falling sick, he needed help from financial help from Nora, though his pride took over him and he was unable to ask for help. Nora makes Torvald believe that the trip money is a gift from her father and in a real sense, she forged her father’s signature to get the loan illegally (15).
Linde and Krogstad were initially madly in love. After they got married after a questionable past from both parties, the nature of their relationship is absolutely different from the Helmers’s marriage. Linde can communicate freely without any fear (7). They have no secrets as their relationship is based on mutual respect and they are constantly willing to stand side by a stand.
Nora and Torvald relationship is full of pretense, Nora constantly pretends that she is happy, she works hard by going to the extent of dancing and doing tricks just to put a smile on Torvald face, Torvald, on the other hand, treats her as any other tool or a pet that he possesses (20). Though Nora works hard to get genuine love from Torvald, she gladly takes care of him when he fell ill this does not stop Torvald from despising her and calling her a squandered bird (6). The type of marriage relationship they had was unequal and this could be illustrated by the banality of the dialogue between them.
On the other hand, there is true love between Linde and Krogstad, even after Linde left her for years (8). Linde tells him frankly in his face that he has come to rekindle their love which was never lost in the first place though they never mention the word “love” it is clear from the play that this is the kind of love that may be referred to as perfect. Krogstad doesn’t have to sugarcoat anything or hide anything from Linde, they are very honest and tells each other exactly how things are (11).
In conclusion, Ibsen outlines the fundamental issues which should be considered for a marriage to work, He uses the Character Linde and Krogstad to show us how openness, mutual respect, and communication tightens the bond of the married and on the other hand, Ibsen uses Nora and Torvald to illustrate how bad the marriage can be when couples keep secret and treat each other with disrespect and view a partner as an inferior person.
Works cited
Ibsen, H. (2018). A doll’s house: A play.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 24, 2023 | Essays |
Health Care Crisis
The American Health care system is facing so many problems that if immediate action is not taken, the system will collapse. America might be a great nation but when compared to other developed nations in terms of medical care provision, the nation is lagging far much behind. Mukau (32) describes the American health care system as “bloated, wasteful and insufficient”. This is proven right by the Sicko documentary filmed by Michel Moor which focuses on the healthcare system in the United States and how it affects its citizens.
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Causes of Heath Care Crisis
The problems facing the current healthcare system include the high and unsustainable cost of medication, poor investment, uneven distribution of healthcare leaving a portion of the citizens uncovered and the system is more focused on the business side of health care rather than the wellbeing of people (Mukau, 33). The root cause of this problem is not mainly the cost of health care but the selfishness that some leaders or the influential people have that denies American Citizens their rights to medical care. According to the Sicko documentary, when Hillary Clinton was the first lady of the United States back in the 1980s she was doing everything possible to make quality medical services available to all by coming up with policies. This did not last long because she was met with strong opposition from the healthcare industry. Accessing medical services without insurance become impossible which greatly affected the low-income citizens. Health care insurance companies made huge returns from the hard earned money of desperate Americans.
Due to the high demand for health care insurance, the companies have taken advantage of this and heightened the insurance premiums compared to previous years. As if that is not enough, the quality of the services offered is going down by day. Many Americans have come out to complain about these issues and the problem they face with these health care insurance companies. From the documentary, these insurances are more focused on making a profit from the citizens instead of being considerate and trustworthy. They use every excuse available to cut people from insurance in times of need.
The healthcare issue has been politicized in a way that once one government comes up with a solution, a different government makes changes to the policies and this becomes a cycle on the expenses of Americans’ lives. A good example is the Obama Care Heath Program; this program has been a savior to millions of people for its lower and charges on Medicare and drug prescription. This affordable care act has been met with a lot of opposition from the current Trump’s government (Luhby, 1).
Personal Impact of Obama Care
Obama care is a program that has made an impact on every individual’s life. It has made reasonable changes to the healthcare system making more people to be insured hence lowering the rate of uninsured people to 8.6%. I am personally a beneficiary of the Obama Care Program. As a Medicare enrollee, I have received free preventive benefits by going for heart disease and diabetes screening. This assessment is important because it makes it possible for me to know my risk factors and the chances of getting these chronic illnesses. The program has considered people with preexisting conditions unlike other insurance programs; it includes covers for people with preexisting conditions. I personally have close family members with high blood pressure and diabetes who were turned away or charged more in other insurance companies.
In addition to this, the program has made the cost of drugs affordable to all. This is such a relief since other insurance companies offer “partial” services. For instance, insurance can pay for a chemotherapy session for a client but decline to cater to the drugs prescribed. It has also affected me personally because it is a requirement by the program for every citizen to have insurance or pay a penalty. According to my opinion, this is a very bold move but necessary because it is a way of helping people easily access medical services. In one way or another, this made me insured and I have never regretted that decision because I have no worries concerning medical insurance.
Effects of the Heath Care Crisis on My Profession
As an aspiring nurse, these healthcare crises have a huge effect on my career choice. The country is already facing a shortage of nurses and these crises do not make the situation better. As noted in the documentary, it is so demotivating to work in a system that will require you to go against your ethics. What I mean is when a caregiver is required to turn a needy patient way just because his /her insurance does not cover certain services. As medical practitioners, we vow to protect lives no matter the situation. What saddens me more is the way that the caregivers have to live with the tragedies that are a result of the collapsing health care system.
Possible Realistic Solutions
When America Heath care system is compared to other countries such as Great Britain and Canada, the cost is too high in America and the quality of services is deteriorating as well. The national fee schedule should be made from the extended Medicare fee schedule to lower costs and provide Medicare for all. Another realistic solution is having transparency in our medical prices, having the National fee Schedule will make this easier. From my point of view tight competition results in lowered insurance prices therefore the system should make it easier for insurers to enter the health insurance market (Strauss, 1).
Work Cited
Luhby, Tami. “How Obamacare Affects Everyone”. CNNMoney, 2017, https://money.cnn.com/2017/03/27/news/economy/obamacare-health-insurance/index.html. Accessed 31 July 2018.
Moore, Michael, Meghan O’Hara, Christoph Vitt, Geoffrey Richman, Christopher Seward, Dan Swietlik, and Erin O’Hara. Sicko. Montréal: Distributed exclusively in Canada by Alliance Films, 2007.
Mukau, Leslie. “American Health Care In Crisis: Fundamentals Of Health Care Reforms”. American Journal Of Clinical Medicine, vol 6, no. 4, 2009, pp. 32 – 33.,
Strauss, Matt. “A Practical, Non-Partisan Solution To America’s Healthcare Crisis”. Medium, 2017,
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 24, 2023 | Essays |
Strategic context
Exposure of children to risk and abusive tendencies has become a more complex and intricate form of crime. Abusers have now altered their mechanisms so that the child at risk is often difficult to rescue and even find. More and more children in Australia are exposed to risky behavior, facing abuse, and in dire need of help.
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The child care excellence policy is formulated to encourage and possibly restructure the fundamental guidelines for child abuse and abduction cases. The policy is built of previous records of good practice among police and family agencies, where cases have been resolved faster and children brought to full protection within a much shorter period. The policy works towards:
- Involving individuals and professionals who interact and are responsible for child protection and especially family agencies in the investigation at an early stage.
- Enhance skills and professionalism of the investigation agencies through tailored targeted and user-friendly technologies and processes directed at both speed and accuracy.
- Provide a platform for sharing information between agencies professionally and within the Privacy act of 1988, highlighting the type and nature of the information that can and should be shared between the agencies.
This policy ensures that the needs and interests of the child remain at the forefront of every community rather than satisfying legal principles of punishing the lawbreaker. Therefore, the positivists advocate for scientific investigation. It gives the foundation from which investigators and local authorities and upholds their duties effectively when it comes to responding to cases of children at risk. It allows for a proportionate, timely, and ethical response to situations where any child may be suspected of being at risk or experiencing any form of abuse whether emotional, sexual, or physical. The policy refocuses the attention of agencies from the crime and the crime; that is, the actual nature of abuse and the abuser involved and instead puts the needs of the child at the forefront ensuring that all decisions made within the agencies and in cooperation with other agencies are within the guidelines of the human rights and child protection policies of the country.
Scope of the policy
According to Edwards and Turnell (2009), the police and child protection agencies are commissioned to minimize any harm that could come to a child, whether at home or within the community. Waldfogel (2000) further connotes that an important aspect of such activities is to undertake proper preventive and corrective actions where the life and wellbeing of a child are concerned. Agency coordination within this policy is not just directed at the police and investigative officers but also includes social workers, caseworkers, and company is registered as a limited liability company in New York. “Tom and jack” owns 65 % of the company. Other family agencies who all work towards ensuring the protection of the child. Each local child safeguarding agency is expected to adopt the policy to ensure consistency across the board. Partons and Mathews (2001) indicate that majority of the time, child protection agencies fall short because procedures and guidelines on inter-agency cooperation differ between agencies. This in turn delays the flow of information and forces investigators to continually work through unnecessary bureaucracies. Meanwhile, the child is left to more dangerous and abusive situations until it is too later for the agencies to do anything.
The policy will ensure that there are robust systems for reporting and monitoring the performance of all commissioned agencies. The community holds that there s an expectation that all cases of child abuse, suspected or actual, serious or simple will be investigated thoroughly to ensure the highest protection of the children involved. This will be done through the establishment of a center where wall information n child abuse, neglect, kidnapping, and other aspects will be recorded, monitored actively, amassed, and distributed among the agencies. This will in turn ensure that both preventive and corrective actions implemented are effective in addressing the situations.
Initiative one: Identifying a child at risk
Threat
Scott (2002) from his study found that most cases of suspected child abuse, in fact, he indicates at least 68% of the cases are never reported or adequately followed up. Police officers as supported by Lonne et al. (2008) only become involved when the child is severely injured, has disappeared or in worse cases is found dead. The majority of the cases show major loopholes in which the system let down the child and allowed them to continue surviving and living in danger.
Current framework
Perhaps one of the reasons is the difficulty in agency guidelines for addressing the needs of a child at risk. Agency guidelines differ from agency to agency which in turn limits the cooperation that could be implemented within the agencies. The focus all agencies should include:
The response:
The focus all agencies should include:
- All services provided should have the child as the focal point of interest for all agencies. Services should be appropriate for all children found or suspected to be at risk, such children should not be discriminated against because of their race, social class, culture gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
- The primary decision-making focus should be rendered as close as it can be to the child at risk. This ensures that the officers responsible can react and respond immediately an emergency occurs.
- It is presumed that children especially those in abusive situations lack the capacity to make decisions that support their own wellbeing. As such, all agencies must make efforts to ensure that decisions are made supporting the child’s welfare according to the precepts of the children and young people’s act of 2008 and the Family’s act of 1997
- All decisions made about the welfare of the child should be timely, reasonable, justified, proportionate, and effective in ensuring the wellbeing of the child. Agency cooperation in decision making should therefore be treated as an emergency rather than normal day to day task force activities.
Initiative two: enhancing investigative and rescue measures
Threat:
Perhaps the biggest challenge in understanding the value of inter-agency cooperation is the understanding of various roles and responsibilities of the organization. Often when a child abuse case becomes too critical, agencies begin pointing fingers at who was responsible for the neglect and the continued exposure of the child.
Current framework
Currently, Child abuse cases are addressed by territorial agencies. Few of these cases make it to the national and international forum. Social workers and poverty on America’s families:Assessing our research knowledge”. Journal of family agencies are separated from the police agencies, making investigation difficult. This policy calls for a combined effort in an investigation involving psychologists and health agencies, police agencies, and family caretaker agencies.
Response
- All social workers, childcare, and family agency staffs within the agencies have a duty to report promptly and immediately they develop concerns over a child at risk. When such reports are made, police officers should be assigned immediately to the case to carry out an emergency and prompt investigation. All information about the child should be promptly shared with all other agencies involved.
- Actions to protect the child from an abusive and risky environment should be taken promptly and given high priority. All allegations should be taken as an emergency and reported immediately to the agency taskforce.
- Every effort should be made by all agencies involved to ensure that the child is protected from future abuse and is afforded appropriate protection within the confines of the awl.
- Partner agencies will have a responsibility to contribute to the database information about children at risk and adults who may expose children to risk to ensure that the partnerships are set to provide the most effective channels of protecting children at risk.
Initiative three: prevention of abuse
Threat
Although agencies must focus all their efforts on working together to improve and take corrective measures in cases of abuse, the primary goals of cooperation should always be directed at ensuring that child abuse is prevented. It is best to remember that prevention is far much better and effective than protection.
Current framework
Currently, the majority of the child abuse cases found on file, show a disconnect between the social work agencies, the territory attorney’s office, and the police agencies. Unfortunately, the disconnect almost always means that there is little effort directed towards reaching a permanent solution for the child until it is too late.
Response
The duties of the different agencies will include:
- Organizations should develop a robust system of information sharing which clearly identifies potentially risky situations both environmentally and individually, that is, adults who can potentially expose a child to risk. Once such information is disseminated children within their vicinity should immediately be considered as at-risk children and therefore safeguarded adequately.
- The community will be educated on the various measures of safeguarding a child and how to identify children at risk and report the same for investigation
- Each organization involved should ensure that prevention is embedded in every contractual procedure with clear instructions, expectations, and reporting procedures for any situation involving the prevention of harm, neglect, and abuse of children. With procedures in place, it is easy to implement the process of safeguarding children at risk, take responsibility, and measure the performance of each agency in enhancing cooperation and protection of all children within the community.
Initiative four: reducing timescale for decision making and enhancing immediate action
Threat
The majority of the time, individuals and professionals such as social workers and counselors are ill-equipped to make an immediate evaluation of the situation and take immediate corrective measures to remove the child from a risky situation. Because of this, many children at risk have fallen through the cracks.
Current framework
The current framework puts little emphasis on the need for an investigation. It falls short in providing guidelines for the collection of affected by mental or emotional health disabilities. However, research evidence in child abuse scenarios. This leads to lenient sentences and sometimes causes a case to fall apart in court. In retrospect, there should be a coming together of both the social work agencies, police officers, healthcare agencies, and the prosecutor’s office to ensure a stronger and unbroken chain of evidence.
The response
This policy is directed at ensuring that all agency workers are trained and equipped to make an immediate evaluation of the child and the situation which they are facing, and take immediate corrective actions without fear of backlash. In the situation where a child shows bruises, it could be difficult to evaluate where such risks have been self-inflicted or otherwise gained by accident or an actual case of abuse. As such the agency will include a medical practitioner, provided and assigned to the caseworkers during the period of evaluation and decision making from the general hospital. The main duties of the medical practitioner will be providing crucial research should address pediatric infections and resistant organisms in Aseptic Technique for peripheral IV insertion. There are much evidence that would otherwise be difficult and take a long time to gain. Such evidence coupled with the advice of immediate and available counselors and psychologists will allow the team to make an immediate response, rescuing and removing the child from any potential of child abuse. Also, the referral center can provide immediate forensic evidence on the presence of any form of sexual abuse. Therefore, for every allegation of sexual abuse, referrals must be made immediately with the counselor being given the support to be present at the examination of the victim to avoid any exposure to further trauma to the child.
Initiative five: strengthening information sharing capabilities
Enhanced information sharing allows the different agencies to identify offenders and children at risk much faster and also bring about successful prosecution of those putting children at risk. There are specific aspects towards improving agency information sharing:
- Investigations often bring about a wealth of information some of which may not be relevant to a particular case but could prove insightful in others. Agencies are required to put forward methodologies and processes by which they ensure that all information is available for the different agencies. Information especially about children at risk should be easily available for all investigative officers to allow for more immediate and prompt corrective actions.
- Offenders involved in crimes against children often tend to cross borders and move far places in an attempt to avoid apprehension. They may go undetected for years simply because there is no understanding of their whereabouts and no particular way to trace them and bring them to justice. To cover this aspect, agencies should engage not just in national sharing but also international sharing of information; keeping track of children at risk actively and possible offenders in the same manner. This will lead to faster identification and prevention of possible crimes.
- There are strong laws and policies within the country structured to protect children. However, the changing nature of child abuse requires that such laws be put under constant reviews to ensure that all aspects are covered and that children are not left in risky environments simply because there lacks a proper framework to ensure their protection and wellbeing. This includes covering the new forms of crime as well as inconsistencies in the jurisdiction.
Justification for the policy
Prevalence and changing nature of child abuse
According to Higgins and Katz (2008), more and more children are being exposed to the risky abuse environment in the country. Unfortunately, the majority of these cases are not reported neither are they investigated until it’s too late. Previously the blame has been laid on the fact that the agencies responsible for caring and securing the wellbeing of the children lack the personnel as well as the resources. However, it has become clear that even with the right resources, cases of child abuse are still falling through the cracks. The rate of child abuse has become so high that the police and social workers agencies are proving inadequate in addressing the problem. Children are forced to live in unhealthy situations simply because caseworkers lack the fore withal and ability to make the right decisions on their behalf, investigate the cases fully and provide or access the necessary information that would further their ability to make the right decisions for the children at risk.
Also, technology has advanced so much that today abusers can hide their identity and find easy access to children. The changing nature of abuse has proven to be a stumbling block in providing and instilling the right measures to address the problem. The majority of the time, caseworkers lack the training and knowledge necessary in identifying potential cases of child abuse. Further, the changing nature of the crime, means that there are new loopholes in the legal framework that can be exploited for the benefit of the abusers exposing the children to a more dangerous and risky environment.
Loopholes in the reporting framework
In Australia, state and territory governments are responsible for addressing the problem of child abuse. All child abuse cases are dealt with within the state and territory jurisdiction. This in itself provides several weaknesses: the first is that records of child abuse are found within the state offices. Such recourses are difficult to find and access. It is therefore much easier for an abused children to fall through the cracks as they are transported from one state to another. This is especially the case where parents and relatives of the child are involved in the abuse. Upon suspicion of abuse, as investigations continue and with the current framework being marred by continued slow decision making, the child and perpetrators are likely to move across borders.
Secondly, perpetrators of child abuse have learned of the weakness of the systems, they therefore often transport the children beyond stateliness. As information is low to access across the states, investigators may not easily trace the victim and perpetrator until it is too late. Cooperation between agencies allows the agencies to enjoy free access to information and to prove cases that may have moved beyond their jurisdiction. Finally, it allows for the cooperation of state agencies so that perpetrators are easily located and apprehended. Children in risky situations are also easily located since it’s not just the state and territorial machinery that is involved in the investigation but rather the national machinery is directed at tracking and locating the child and ensuring that such child is brought out of the risky situation effectively and in a prompt manner. Inter-agency cooperation covers the loopholes in the current reporting framework.
Screening, evidence, and investigation
Perhaps the biggest challenge in dealing with child abuse cases comes in the form of the investigation process. Once abuse has been reported, officers and legalcaretakers are not at liberty to take immediate action. Rather, a tedious process of investigation must be carried out. Unfortunately, the process itself has several loopholes which include medical evidence which in itself might be difficult to record and access. The majority of the time, perpetrators are alerted by the investigation process of the suspicions of the officers. The result is that they are likely to move the child or take measures to hide the evidence that would put them in an answerable position. With inter-agency cooperation, the evidence is collected immediately suspicion is confirmed, and coupled with his, medical investigations are attended to immediately. Armed with such evidence decisions can be made much more easily and the protection of the child ensured by the officers. This means that the child can be taken from the risky situation immediately, promptly, andpromptlyr to prevent abuse or protect them from further abuse.
The evidence collected in the short process of investigation also comes in handy in presenting the case against the perpetrator. Armed with such evidence, the law can be directed towards ensuring the highest form of punishment and protecting other children or the specific child from an abusive and risky environment. With more perpetrators being punished, it is also likely that other abusers may be discouraged from the same behavior and the community will be in a better position to protect and secure the children.
References
Edwards, S., & Turnell, A. (2009). Signs of safety: A solution and safety-oriented approach to child protection casework. WW Norton & Company, New York, NY.
Lonne, B., Parton, N., Thomson, J., & Harries, M. (2008). Reforming child protection. Routledge.
Parton, N., & Mathews, R. (2001). New directions in child protection and family support in Western Australia: a policy initiative to refocus child welfare practice. Child and Family Social Work, 6(2), 97-113.
Scott, D. (2006). Research Article 1: Towards a public health model of child protection in Australia. Communities, Children and Families Australia, 1(1), 9.
Waldfogel, J. (2000) The future of child protection: How to break the cycle of abuse and neglect (p. 14). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
APPENDIX A:
Australian national border targeting agency: the responsibilities of the agency include identifying possible children at risk being transported across the territorial and national border and in the same way sharing such information with the territorial coordinating agencies.
National forensic lab: with the help of territorial agencies, that is, health agencies and family agencies, the lab will process the evidence gathered to support the case against child abusers.
Joint territorial investigation agencies: this will include teams of police officers, social workers, and family agencies, whose main responsibility will be to identify children at risk, investigate the case and collect evidence that will culminate in the removal of the risk.
Australian cybercrime online reporting network: the changing nature of child abuse is such that most children are put at risk by the increasing use of the internet. This network continually assesses the nature of the cybercrime which involves children and reports the same updated information to the territorial agencies.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
by Herman Bailey | Jul 24, 2023 | Essays |
Cervical cancer is defined as a form of cancer that has its occurrence in the cervix cells (Stern & Kitchener, 2008). Stern and Kitchener (2008) define the cervix as the connection between the uterus and the vagina and are therefore found on the lower side of the uterus.
According to Barker (1987), the major cause of cervical cancer is the resulting strains of a sexually transmitted infection; the human papillomavirus is commonly known as HPV. Barker (1987) further explains that when a female’s immune system is exposed to HPV, it naturally fights the virus in an attempt to prevent it from causing any harm. Nevertheless, in a minimal percentage of the female population, the HPV virus remains resilient and survives for several years, thus leading to a menacing process which results in the cells on the cervix surface to be cancerous cells (Barker, 1987).
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World Health Organization (2014) however points out that, the risk of cervical cancer development can significantly be decreased by taking Cervical Cancer Screening tests as well as vaccination against the HPV infection.
Spencer (2007) states that the human papillomavirus emerged within the recent past decades and had established itself as the major candidate and aetiological factor concerning sexual transition in cervical cancer. Spencer (2007) further explains that papillomavirus types 16, as well as 18, appear to be significantly associated with the greater risk of the more advanced cervical neoplasia. World Health Organization (2014) states that a good number of the evidence is retrieved from studies that tend not to satisfy the most basic epidemiological requirements, thus making interpretation difficult. World Health Organization (2014) points out that, the primary problems include selection bias of study objects, small sample sizes, difficulties in the cytological identifying of the precancerous lesions, particularly from the cervix papilloma infection, as well as the undefined sensitivity and specificity of the vast range of hybridization methods utilized in the determination of the papillomavirus infection status. Besides, the statistical analysis and the presentation reports of the test results (World Health Organization, 2014).
Therefore Holcomb and Runowic (2005) conclude that, as per the existing studies, one will be forced to conclude that, whereas the experimental data tends to suggest an oncogenic potential for HPV. Holcomb and Runowic (2005) point out that the existing epidemiological evidence that implicates it as a primary cause of cervical neoplasia remains significantly limited.
Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (2014) studies show significantly firm epidemiological evidence, which brings a conclusion that HPV stands not only as a central cause amongst other causes of cervical cancer but also as a highly necessary cause globally.
Significant steps have been undertaken to furthering the policies to efficiently promote the population health in regards to cervical cancer (Luce & United States, 1981). It is therefore vital to be aware of the signs and neither symptoms of cervical cancer, noting however that the earlier stages of cervical cancer present neither signs nor symptoms. According to Spencer (2007), the advanced stages of cervical cancer exhibit the following signs and symptoms; pelvic pain especially during sexual intercourse, a heavy vaginal discharge that is watery, bloody, and producing a foul odor, and vaginal bleeding between periods, after menopause as well as after sexual intercourse.
It is therefore important to encourage women to go for the ‘pap test’. Stern and Kitchener (2008) state that, the ‘pap test’ is carried out by scraping off come cervix cells and subsequently sending them for the cytologic assessment at the laboratory. World Health Organization (2014) however points out that, there are newer and more recent screening methods utilized for cervical cancer; these include computer-assisted screening, thin-layer preparations, as well as HPV testing. Although the ‘pap test’ is the most recommended amongst all FDA approved tests (World Health Organization, 2014).
Utilization of the vaccination guidelines that were developed by the national advisory groups is encouraged towards the successful implementation of a health promotion structure, particularly against cervical cancer (Holcomb & Runowic, 2005). Spencer (2007) points out that vaccination against HPV was readily available in the United States as of 2006, and is encouraged especially for the female population from the age of 11 as well as 12. It thus requires a functional infrastructure as well as the significant cooperation of the Government, the providers, patients as well as clinicians. Spencer (2007) further explains that with effective collaboration relevant programs shall be put in place to create awareness as well as the essential testing, vaccination, and treatment.
Moreover, with the Government’s support facing the HPV testing reimbursement issues will be minimal. Furthermore, according to Stern and Kitchener (2008), it is vital to embrace and effectively implement and utilize multi-component interventions, this consists of education, communications, and media, barriers reduction, an enhancement to care access which will enable employees’ efficient awareness as well as significant participating in the prevention, screening as well as treatment.
All in all, cervical cancer stands as one of the most preventable female cancers, as a result of the existence of a vaccine as well as screening test available. Moreover, cervical cancer is significantly curable when discovered as well as treated early.
References
Barker, G. H. (1987). Your smear test: A guide to screening, colposcopy, and the prevention of cervical cancer. London: Adamson.
Holcomb, K., & Runowicz, C. D. (January 01, 2005). Cervical Cancer Screening. Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, 14, 4, 777-797.
Luce, B. R., & United States. (1981). Allocating costs and benefits in disease prevention programs: An application to cervical cancer screening. Washington, D.C: Congress of the United States, Office of Technology Assessment.
The organization, W. H. (2014). WHO Guidelines for Screening and Treatment of Precancerous Lesions for Cervical Cancer Prevention. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Spencer, J. V. (2007). Cervical cancer. New York, NY: Chelsea House.
Stern, P. L., & Kitchener, H. C. (2008). Vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancer. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.
