This paper examines and problematize the effects of biofuel production by focusing on local communities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The premise lays in a critique of neoliberal thoughts of development and the concept of sustainable development. The establishment of biofuel production in SSA has been depicted to carry with it opportunities of development for the rural population. However, there have been a big interest from foreign actors looking to invest in sub-Saharan biofuel production which have raced concern for land grabbing. A conflict of interest has emerged between Southern and Northern interests. A literature study is used as the method to examine reported outcomes on local communities in the proximity of biofuel production in order to determine if sub-Saharan biofuel production is established for the development need of SSA or the interest of the North. To analyze the results a theoretical framework has been constructed from concepts of large-scale land acquisition (land grabbing), environmental justice and the four worldviews market liberalism, institutionalism, bioenvironmentalism and social greens. The paper concludes that the large-scale production of biofuels is highly problematic due to the risk of land grabbing and Northern mitigation schemes are based on Southern lands raises the question of environmental justice. Depending on which worldview one adopts there can be several explanations to why this occur.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between two phenomena which are much-disputed and whose mechanisms and processes are interlaced with each other: trade and human development. The focus is a specific type of South-South trade; interregional trade in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as international trade to and from Sub-Saharan Africa.A quantitate method, using a deductive approach, was utilized in this study. The quantitative research data was accessed from the World Bank database and the human development reports of the UNDP. The data was processed in regressions and the level of co-variation (a term used in this paper as the statistical relation between data) between the variables is established and shown through the unit of measurement r².The results tend to indicate that the level of statistical co-variation between interregional trade and international trade in various commodities and human development in Sub-Saharan Africa exist but are varied. Interregional trade does not seem to have a stronger co-variation with human development than general international trade despite the structural viewpoint of the academic field. Interestingly, the commodity traded with does have a varied impact on the level of co-variation with human development.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Bionomics of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) is a complex phenomenon that involves understanding the ecology of arthropod borne pathogens and vertebrate hosts potentially involved in their transmission cycles. Investigations into the bionomics of viral and bacterial VBPs circulating in Baringo and Homa Bay Counties of Kenya were carried out. Specifically, vertebrate hosts represented in mosquito bloodmeals, presence of arboviruses in blood fed mosquitoes and patients presenting with acute undiagnosed febrile illnesses in rural health facilities, and tick borne pathogens (TBPs) diversity in ticks of animals were identified. Mosquitoes were trapped by BG sentinel and CDC light traps, while ticks were sampled directly from domestic animals and tortoises close to human habitation along the shores and adjacent islands of Lakes Victoria and Baringo in Kenya. Blood and sera were also sampled from patients presenting with acute febrile illnesses visiting four rural health facilities in Homa Bay County. Mosquitoes and ticks were sorted and identified to species using standard morphological taxonomic keys. All the biological samples (blood-fed mosquitoes, ticks and blood/sera) were processed using molecular and culture procedures for detection of VBPs (arboviruses, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia and protozoa). Among 445 blood-fed Aedeomyia, Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, Mansonia, and Mimomyia mosquitoes, 33 bloodmeal hosts were identified including humans, eight domestic animal species, six peridomestic animal species and 18 wildlife species. Further detection of Sindbis and Bunyamwera viruses was done on blood-fed mosquito homogenates by Vero cell culture and RTPCR in Culex, Aedeomyia, Anopheles and Mansonia mosquitoes from Baringo that had fed on humans and livestock. In TBPs assay, 585 tick pools were analysed consisting of 4,126 ticks collected in both study areas. More ticks were sampled in Baringo (80.5%), compared to Homa Bay (19.5%). In Baringo, agents of ehrlichiosis were detected from Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus ticks including Ehrlichia ruminantium (12.3%), Ehrichia canis (10.5%) and Paracoccus sp. (4.4%). Agents of anaplasmosis included Anaplasma ovis (7.2%), Anaplasma platys (4.4%) and Anaplasma bovis (4.0%), all from Hyalomma, Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus ticks, as well as agents of rickettsiosis, including Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia rhipicephali, Rickettsia montanensis and a Rickettsia sp. that was not conclusively characterized. Babesia caballi, Theileria sp. and Hepatozoon fitzsimonsi were also detected from both Rhipicephalus ticks and Amblyomma ticks. In Homa Bay, Ehrichia ruminantium (17.5%) and Ehrichia canis (9.3%) were isolated from Amblyomma latum and Rhipicephalus pulchellus, as well as Anaplasma platys (14.4%) and Anaplasma ovis (14.4%) from Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus species. In determination of the occurrence of arboviruses among patients presenting with acute febrile illnesses, acute Bunyamwera 3 (0.9%) and Sindbis 2 (0.6%) infections were detected by RT-PCR and cell culture and Sindbis seroprevalence was determined by plaque assay. Though a significant proportion of these patients tested positive for low Plasmodium parasitemia, none were co-infected with Plasmodium parasites and arboviruses. This study highlights the presence and relative importance of zoonotic VBPs in both study areas.

<p> "Bantu" is a term used to describe lineages of people in around 600 different ethnic groups on the African continent ranging from modern-day Cameroon to South Africa. The migration of the Bantu people, which occurred around 3,000 years ago, was influential in spreading culture, language, and genetic traits and helped to shape human diversity on the continent. Research in the 1970s was completed to geographically divide the Bantu languages into 16 zones now known as "Guthrie zones" (Guthrie, 1971). </p><p> Researchers have postulated the migratory pattern of the Bantu people by examining cultural information, linguistic traits, or small genetic datasets. These studies offer differing results due to variations in the data type used. Here, an assessment of the Bantu migration is made using a large dataset of combined cultural data and genetic (Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial) data. </p><p> One working hypothesis is that the Bantu expansion can be characterized by a primary split in lineages, which occurred early on and prior to the population spreading south through what is now called the Congolese forest (i.e. "early split"). A competing hypothesis is that the split occurred south of the forest (i.e. "late split"). </p><p> Using the comprehensive dataset, a phylogenetic tree was developed on which to reconstruct the relationships of the Bantu lineages. With an understanding of these lineages in hand, the changes between Guthrie zones were traced geospatially. </p><p> Evidence supporting the "early split" hypothesis was found, however, evidence for several complex and convoluted paths across the continent were also shown. These findings were then analyzed using dimensionality reduction and machine learning techniques to further understand the confidence of the model.</p><p>

Master of Public Health - MPH / It is well documented that mortality rates have decreased and the survival of HIV and AIDS patients has been prolonged since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996. Although HAART has dramatically improved the prognosis of HIV disease, some HIV patients on HAART still die of HIV related illnesses. It is important to understand what these factors are in order to mitigate the impact on these factors on patient survival and achieve better outcome for these patients. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for long term survival of patients on HAART in Uganda. Data for 2,244 out of 30,000 clients receiving care and treatment at TASO Entebbe was retrospectively analyzed. TASO Entebbe is a non-governmental HIV clinic that provides care and treatment to HIV positive clients. Long term survival in this case was defined as survival for more than 5 years after initiation on HAART. Logistic regression and survival analysis were conducted. Female clients had a 12% lower risk of death compared to the male clients (AHR=0.88 [CI: 0.443- 0.936]). Clients that had pulmonary TB had 1.3 times higher risk of death compared to clients that did not have pulmonary TB (AHR=1.33 [CI: 1.162-2.733]). Clients initiated at CD4 cell counts less than 250 cells/μl had almost 7 times higher adjusted odds of death compared to those initiated at CD4 cell counts greater than 500 cells/μl (AOR= 6.95 [CI: 2.882-16.744]) and clients initiated at CD4 cell counts between 250 cells/μl and 500 cells/μl almost 3 times higher adjusted odds of death compared to clients initiated at CD4 cell counts greater than 500 cells/μl (AOR 2.56 [CI: 1.004-6.520]). It is recommended that an aggressive HIV testing strategy be put in place to facilitate early identification of HIV positive patients. Early identification would enable early initiation into HAART well before the CD4 cell counts fall below 500 cells/μl. The observed higher risk of mortality amongst men suggests interventions to promote early HIV testing and treatment initiation amongst men. The observed high risk of mortality for patients with pulmonary TB, calls for aggressive TB case finding and treatment of positive in order to reduce the HIV/TB related mortality.

Peacekeepers are widely viewed as being at growing risk of direct and deliberate violence. Attacks are recorded in many and diverse contexts, targeting interventions deployed by both the United Nations and other organisations. This dissertation seeks to advance the understanding of such violence, studying its causes, characteristics and consequences. The impact of deliberate violence against peacekeepers can be severe; it often extends past those immediately affected and impacts interveners’ ability to accomplish their aims. As a topic of scientific inquiry, however, violence against peacekeepers has only recently seen a growth in interest, and systematic study has so far been sparse. This dissertation makes a number of theoretical and empirical contributions to this emerging area of research. The dissertation contains four individual essays. To set the stage and provide foundations for further studies, Essay I specifies key concepts and maps the research field to date. It promotes a wider, and arguably more theoretically appropriate, conceptualisation of violence against peacekeepers than used in earlier studies. Essay II presents new, systematically collected event data on violence against UN and non-UN peacekeepers deployed to conflict-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 1989 and 2009. Patterns from the data demonstrate that, while widely prevalent, violence against peacekeepers is not ubiquitous to peacekeeping and displays considerable variation within and across interventions. Drawing on this novel data, Essay III provides one of the first systematic studies on the time-varying determinants of rebel attacks on peacekeepers, showing its occurrence to be closely linked to rebel performance on the battlefield. Finally, Essay IV explores how operating in a challenging security environment can affect peacekeepers’ ability to perform core mission functions, drawing on the case of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The analysis illustrates how such an environment may expose and further constrain already limited capabilities and willingness for robust and armed action in UN peacekeeping operations. Taken together, the essays advance our understanding of the causes, characteristics and consequences of violence against peacekeepers.

Background: Women's empowerment is hypothesized as a predictor of reproductive health outcomes. It is believed that empowered girls and women are more likely to delay marriage, plan their pregnancies, receive prenatal care, and have their childbirth attended by a skilled health provider. The objective of this study was to assess the association between women's empowerment and use of modern contraception among a representative sample of Nigerian women. Methods: This study used the 2003, 2008, and 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. The analytic sample was restricted to 35,633 women who expressed no desire to have children within 2 years following each survey, were undecided about timing for children, and who reported no desire for more children. Measures of women's empowerment included their ability to partake in decisions pertaining to their healthcare, large household purchases, and visit to their family or relatives. Multivariable regression models adjusting for respondent's age at first birth, religion, education, wealth status, number of children, and geopolitical region were used to measure the association between empowerment and use of modern contraceptives. Results: The proportion of women who participated in decisions to visit their relatives increased from 42.5% in 2003 to 50.6% in 2013. The prevalence of women involved in decision-making related to large household purchases increased from 24.3% in 2003 to 41.1% in 2013, while the proportion of those who partook in decision related to their health care increased from 28.4% in 2003 to 41.9% in 2013. Use of modern contraception was positively associated with women's participation in decisions related to large household purchases [2008: adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.01-1.31] and (2013; aOR = 1.60; 1.40-1.83), health care [2008: (aOR = 1.20; 1.04-1.39) and (2013; aOR = 1.39; 1.22-1.59)], and visiting family or relatives [2013; aOR = 1.58; 1.36-1.83]. The prevalence of modern contraceptive use among women with need for contraception increased marginally from 11.1% in 2003 to 12.8% in 2013.

<p> This case study was designed to explore policies that were in place to attract, recruit, and retain qualified faculty for 4 community colleges in Sierra Leone. The research was necessitated by the apparent inability of Sierra Leone educators to train and retain faculty possessing the required academic credentials. The research questions were designed to address the policies and strategies used to attract and recruit faculty, better prepare faculty, improve the quality of classroom instruction, and retain qualified faculty at community colleges. The literature review yielded results about the benefits of community colleges in developing countries, thus reinforcing the need for qualified faculty. Case study methodology and open-ended interviews with 12 purposely selected participants were used to ensure trustworthiness and reveal the essential characteristics of how community colleges in Sierra Leone may succeed in faculty attraction, recruitment, and retention. Participants reported that word of mouth solicitation was the primary method for faculty recruitment, and that the top challenge faced by these institutions was fiscal constraints. Although findings from this study are specific to 4 institutions, they may serve as a guide for qualified faculty retention at all community colleges in Sierra Leone, and hopefully bring about social change by improving academic excellence throughout the country.</p><p>

No abstract available. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

The impact of the recent global financial crisis on the global economy has highlighted the level of integration of economies and the potential spillover effects as a result thereof. The implications are that the negative effects of the crisis can quickly spread to other economies through numerous transmission mechanisms. The response of developing or emerging economies to these unpredictable exogenous shocks becomes a topical issue. The concepts of economic vulnerability to and resilience against adverse exogenous shocks for emerging economies have since taken centre stage in many economic forums. Policy makers for emerging economies have come to the realisation that the increased economic vulnerability and a lack of economic resilience in their economies can erode the hard-fought-for gains in economic growth over the past decade and potentially harm their prospects as attractive destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI). This research analysed the resilience and vulnerability of emerging economies against adverse shocks using the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region as a case. The research used previous literature on emerging economies’ vulnerability and resilience to formulate four hypotheses around the major overarching themes of vulnerability and resilience. Two hypotheses looked at two functions of vulnerability, i.e. trade openness and financial integration, and two functions of resilience, i.e. international reserves accumulation and economic concentration. The findings of this research study were that SSA economies were vulnerable and not resilient against adverse exogenous shocks, and that few economies in the SSA region were prepared to successfully manoeuvre in an economic crisis. The structure of these economies inherently rendered these economies vulnerable. However, these economic structures also allowed the SSA region to achieve the high economic growth experienced during the past decade. The output of the methodology utilised in this research study resulted in a model that can be used to reduce the likelihood of an SSA economy being severely affected by an adverse economic shock. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / ccgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted