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Work is an essential activity that provides goods or services of value to oneself and others. Paradoxically, in a bid for self-realisation, workers are seriously endangered. Work-related or induced diseases and stresses pose serious threats to workers’ health and the general well-being, hence, the need to seriously consider the issue of occupational health and safety of workers. In terms of safety at work, the experience of small and medium scale enterprises (SMSEs) worldwide is that of neglect. Their incomes are very low and uncertain, coupled with high levels of risk and hazard in their work, with little or no social protection coverage (Chen, 2008). This study therefore examines how environmental and sociological factors determine occupational health and safety of workers in SMSEs in Lagos State, Nigeria. Ulrich Beck “Risk Society” theory, Political Economy of Health framework (PEH) (Minkler et al 1994, Linnan et al, 2001) and Labour Process Theory (LPT) (Braverman, 1974; Marx, 1976; Bottome, 1991) underpinned the study. The study adopts both the qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The qualitative method includes field observation of the selected workplaces, six Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and eight In-depth interviews (IDIs). The quantitative involved the use of structured questionnaire. The sample survey involved 180 respondents in a multi-stage sampling technique from purposively selected sawmills, mechanic villages and blacksmith cottages in three Local Government Areas in Lagos State. The quantitative data analysis uses simple percentile and univariate analyses, while the qualitative data are content-analysed, based on the objectives of the study. The findings identified low level of education (60.5%), and poor awareness of OHS in SMSEs (86.1%). It further reveals poor physical (69.5%) and technological environment (70.5%), unavailability of OHS facilities (60.5%) and prevention methods by manager/owners (60.5%), carefree attitudes of workers/managers/owners to OHS (69.5), non-acquaintance of workers to OHS laws (86.1%), workers’ economic incapacitation to deal with issues of occupational hazard (76.1%), lack of enforcement of OHS (88.3%), and transferring knowledge on OHS (82.2%) in the selected SMSEs. The study recommends roles for managers/owners, workers, trade associations, government, non-governmental organisations to promote effective OHS in the selected SMSEs. / Sociology / D.Phil. (Sociology)

The study is a two-part study that utilized the comparative method of content analysis and Policy Analysis of legal documents. Part one of the study compared special education policy documents of two systems; the Lagos State Special People’s Law and its Inclusive Education Policy to the United States’ Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) to figure out how they compare for the sole purpose of mutual improvement and global competitiveness. Part two of the study is the policy analysis of the Lagos State policies that utilized the results and recommendations from the comparative document analysis (part one). This section of the study focused mainly on how the Lagos State special education documents could be improved using the IDEA of the United States as a model. It also offered alternatives that could be explored as well as recommendations that policymakers in Lagos State could use in order to improve the life outcomes of all children with disabilities in the State. The study addressed explicitly how the United States special education policies could inform the Lagos state policies and vice versa. The overarching purpose of the study was for mutual improvement that could influence special education policy revisions of both systems by respective stakeholders. The study concluded that there is a need for a special education-specific law in Lagos state that will be comparable to the IDEA of the United States so that children with disabilities in the state could become fully integrated into the system and be able to achieve their highest potentials. The study also offers directions for future research. / Special Education

Magister Scientiae (Nutrition Management) - MSc(NM) / Globally, health workers play a critical role in the establishment and sustenance of breastfeeding due to their frequent contacts with mothers at the antenatal clinics, maternity/birthing units, Primary Health Care Centres (PHC) and postpartum clinics. Their knowledge and attitude regarding breastfeeding will affect the quality of information about infant and young child feeding practices passed along to mothers who visit their health facilities.

This is a two-stage study of HIV/AIDS prevention. In Stage One, the study examines the HIV/AIDS approach of Western aid organisations (INGOs) and compares it to the lived realities of people who are most 'at risk', sex workers, unemployed street youth, and married low income families, in the poor migrant community of Ajegunle in Nigeria�s Lagos state. The study found that INGOs and their client NGOs emphasised Western medical models of HIV/AIDS for both intervention (e.g. testing and ARV drugs for management) and prevention (e.g. through education and behaviour change). In contrast, among 'at-risk' groups, the study revealed a high degree of knowledge about the transmission of HIV/AIDS (contrary to Western medical assumptions), but also detected strong feelings of powerlessness in being able to address it. INGOs and their client organisations were operating at the levels of tertiary or curative and secondary or behaviour change prevention, whereas the views of the local 'at-risk people' indicated relevance of the primary prevention level, the social structural conditions of the people. In analysing the results of the first stage of the study, the findings identified a process of 'talking past each other' by official aid agencies and those most at risk, thereby inhibiting effective prevention. The INGOs and NGOs used their financial power, based on the gross inequality in the world distribution of resources, to dictate their own agendas, omitting primary intervention and instead concentrating on secondary and tertiary prevention. The study suggests that new thinking about multi-sectoral responses with full community participation is necessary in order to engage in more effective preventive action. The study then sought out alternative sources of power that might permit that to happen, notably the strengths of the local Ajegunle community. As a poor community, they lacked financial resources and human capital, such as skilled workers, but they had significant knowledge capital about their own circumstances and the realities people faced. The community also had considerable cultural capital and local organisations with considerable relational capital around community links, broad based support and commitment to such action. This analysis suggests the need to identify and work through the power differentials using community development processes, especially seeking to empower local communities to take part in decision-making over prevention, if effective action is to take place. The process required is one of a negotiated, inclusive partnerships for sharing information, experience, and decision-making, involving all the relevant stakeholders - the International Organisations (INGOs), National NGOs, Community Groups and the community itself.

This is a two-stage study of HIV/AIDS prevention. In Stage One, the study examines the HIV/AIDS approach of Western aid organisations (INGOs) and compares it to the lived realities of people who are most 'at risk', sex workers, unemployed street youth, and married low income families, in the poor migrant community of Ajegunle in Nigeria�s Lagos state. The study found that INGOs and their client NGOs emphasised Western medical models of HIV/AIDS for both intervention (e.g. testing and ARV drugs for management) and prevention (e.g. through education and behaviour change). In contrast, among 'at-risk' groups, the study revealed a high degree of knowledge about the transmission of HIV/AIDS (contrary to Western medical assumptions), but also detected strong feelings of powerlessness in being able to address it. INGOs and their client organisations were operating at the levels of tertiary or curative and secondary or behaviour change prevention, whereas the views of the local 'at-risk people' indicated relevance of the primary prevention level, the social structural conditions of the people. In analysing the results of the first stage of the study, the findings identified a process of 'talking past each other' by official aid agencies and those most at risk, thereby inhibiting effective prevention. The INGOs and NGOs used their financial power, based on the gross inequality in the world distribution of resources, to dictate their own agendas, omitting primary intervention and instead concentrating on secondary and tertiary prevention. The study suggests that new thinking about multi-sectoral responses with full community participation is necessary in order to engage in more effective preventive action. The study then sought out alternative sources of power that might permit that to happen, notably the strengths of the local Ajegunle community. As a poor community, they lacked financial resources and human capital, such as skilled workers, but they had significant knowledge capital about their own circumstances and the realities people faced. The community also had considerable cultural capital and local organisations with considerable relational capital around community links, broad based support and commitment to such action. This analysis suggests the need to identify and work through the power differentials using community development processes, especially seeking to empower local communities to take part in decision-making over prevention, if effective action is to take place. The process required is one of a negotiated, inclusive partnerships for sharing information, experience, and decision-making, involving all the relevant stakeholders - the International Organisations (INGOs), National NGOs, Community Groups and the community itself.

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