Browsing by Person "Jailobaeva, Kanykey"

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A new look: professionalization of NGOs in Kyrgyzstan
(Taylor & Francis, 2014-09-12) Jailobaeva, Kanykey
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan have become visible players in the social and political scene. However, despite being portrayed as professional organizations in the literature, the professionalization of NGOs in Kyrgyzstan has been understudied. This article aims to rectify this gap. It presents and discusses the findings of a study analysing NGOs from an organizational perspective using semi-structured interviews with 45 NGOs, self-administered questionnaires with their leaders and employees, and observation of their working environment. The key conclusion is that the NGO sector can be described as semi-professional. NGOs use different tactics to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. However, they face such challenges as limited funding, high staff turnover and poor coordination. The article provides an account of the NGO sector by mapping it into professional and non-professional groups that can serve as a new benchmark for better understanding NGOs in Kyrgyzstan.
An analysis of policy and funding priorities of global actors regarding noncommunicable disease in low- and middle-income countries
(BMC, 2021-06-29) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Falconer, Jennifer; Loffreda, Giulia; Arakelyan, Stella; Witter, Sophie; Ager, Alastair
Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including mental health, have become a major concern in low- and middle-income countries. Despite increased attention to them over the past decade, progress toward addressing NCDs has been slow. A lack of bold policy commitments has been suggested as one of the contributors to limited progress in NCD prevention and management. However, the policies of key global actors (bilateral, multilateral, and not-for-profit organisations) have been understudied. Methods: This study aimed to map the key global actors investing in action regarding NCDs and review their policies to examine the articulation of priorities regarding NCDs. Narrative synthesis of 70 documents and 31 policy papers was completed, and related to data collated from the Global Health Data Visualisation Tool. Results: In 2019 41% of development assistance for health committed to NCDs came from private philanthropies, while that for other global health priorities from this source was just 20%. Through a range of channels, bilateral donors were the other major source of NCD funding (contributing 41% of NCD funding). The UK and the US were the largest bilateral investors in NCDs, each contributing 8%. However, NCDs are still under-prioritised within bilateral portfolios – receiving just 0.48% of US funding and 1.66% of the UK. NGOs were the key channels of funding for NCDs, spending 48% of the funds from donors in 2019. The reviewed literature generally focused on NCD policies of WHO, with policies of multilateral and bilateral donors given limited attention. The analysis of policies indicated a limited prioritisation of NCDs in policy documents. NCDs are framed in the policies as a barrier to economic growth, poverty reduction, and health system sustainability. Bilateral donors prioritise prevention, while multilateral actors offer policy options for NCD prevention and care. Even where stated as a priority, however, funding allocations are not aligned. Conclusion: The growing threat of NCDs and their drivers are increasingly recognised. However, global actors’ policy priorities and funding allocations need to align better to address these NCD threats. Given the level of their investment and engagement, more research is needed into the role of private philanthropies and NGOs in this area.
Child protection practices and attitudes of faith leaders across Senegal, Uganda, and Guatemala
(Routledge, 2021-03-08) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Diaconu, Karin; Ager, Alastair; Eyber, Carola
Faith leaders are well-positioned to address violence against children, but the extent to which they do so is unclear. This mixed-method study examined faith leaders’ child protection practices, attitudes towards child rights, and views around physical punishment in Senegal, Uganda, and Guatemala. Child protection practices—specifically listening to children and reporting abuse—were strongest among faith leaders in Uganda, although they also most favored use of physical punishment. Overall, findings documented how faith leaders play an important role in promoting the wellbeing of children in their communities. Building on this contribution, however, requires sensitivity to important contextual differences.
Development of the Faith Community Child Protection Scale with Faith Leaders and their Spouses in Senegal, Uganda and Guatemala.
(2022-10-15) Diaconu, Karin; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Jailobaev, Temirlan; Eyber, Carola; Ager, Alastair
Violence, abuse and neglect constitute major threats to children's health and wellbeing globally. However, until recently, relatively little systematic attention has been paid to the role of faith communities in shaping the protective environment for children. This paper describes the development of a measure to capture child-protective disposition amongst faith communities through field studies with faith leaders and their spouses in Senegal, Uganda and Guatemala. Identifying common factors related to child care and protection practices, orientation to child rights and approaches to discipline, the measure potentially serves to both inform and evaluate interventions seeking to engage with the beliefs and behaviours of faith communities to support children's health and wellbeing. [Abstract copyright: © 2022. The Author(s).]
Empowering parents and promoting school and teacher accountability and responsiveness: Case of Kyrgyzstan
(Elsevier, 2023-10-02) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Jailobaev, Temirlan; Baialieva, Gulsaadat; Ismanbaeva, Rakhat; Kirbasheva, Dilbara; Adam, Marc-Antoine
The Aga Khan Foundation in Kyrgyzstan implemented the Community Engagement for Better Schools project in Kyrgyzstan in 2017–2022. The project promoted three key mechanisms - performance and budget hearings, social contracts, and community scorecards – that were innovative for schools in the post-Soviet lower-middle-income country with multiple education reforms. This paper examines to what extent the project succeeded in improving the accountability and responsiveness of teachers and school management and empowering parents from the perspective of parents/caregivers. It draws on the survey with 1750 parents/caregivers from the project and comparison schools collected at the baseline and endline stages. The paper concludes that the project improved the accountability and responsiveness of teachers and school management to some extent from the perspective of parents/caregivers, especially women and those from low-income households. Most changes were observed in relation to making budget information available and reporting on school expenses. The project outcomes offer validated mechanisms for promoting accountability and responsiveness of schools that can be rolled out to other schools. However, a multi-actor commitment at the national and local levels is required for long-term sustainable results.
Faith community contributions to ending violence against children: A final report for World Vision International
(Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, 2021-08) Eyber, Carola; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Diaconu, Karin; Ager, Alastair
False Choice?: The War on Terror and Its Impact on Civil Society in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
(Kumarian Press, 2009) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Howell, Jude; Lind, Jeremy
New Donor Strategies: Implications for NGOs in Kyrgyzstan
(Springer, 2017-05-10) Jailobaeva, Kanykey
Abstract This article examines the changes that have taken place since the mid-2000s in the donor agenda in Kyrgyzstan, and what implications these changes have had for Kyrgyzstani NGOs. It uses two-stage longitudinal research. The findings reveal that donors changed their priorities after the mid-2000s by closing the civil society building programmes and grants they initiated in the 1990s. Donors now prioritize promoting NGOs in advocacy roles for policy reform. Interviewed NGOs reported that donor grants had decreased, aggravating the existing competition for donor funding among NGOs. This article suggests that as a result of these changes NGOs that are organizationally and professionally stronger are in a better position to obtain funding and, thus, continue their work. The research findings also indicate that some NGOs expanded their funding sources between 2008 and 2016.
The Role of Faith in Child Marriage: Empirical Evidence from Mozambique, Nepal, and the Philippines
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-08-16) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Kraft, Kathryn; Barrett, Hazel; Niyonkuru, Pascal; Lim, Desmond; Marin, Alberto; Cossa, Eduardo
Traditional and religious justifications have been identified to support the continued practice of child marriage. However, the role of faith in child marriage has not been widely studied. This mixed-method study investigates the role of faith in child marriage in Mozambique, Nepal, and the Philippines. Faith and religion are deeply ingrained in these communities, as most survey respondents identified with a faith group and practiced their religion in both private and public domains. Faith was found to have an impact on child marriage through beliefs around gender roles. Although this trend was observed in all countries, there were variations between them, highlighting the significance of local context. Addressing child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that considers both faith and gender norms.
The role of trust in health-seeking for non-communicable disease services in fragile contexts: A cross-country comparative study
(Elsevier, 2021-10-09) Arakelyan, Stella; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Dakessian, Arek; Diaconu, Karin; Caperon, Lizzie; Strang, Alison; Bou-Orm, Ibrahim; Witter, Sophie; Ager, Alastair
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) disproportionately affect people living in fragile contexts marked by poor governance and health systems struggling to deliver quality services for the benefit of all. This combination can lead to the erosion of trust in the health system, affecting health-seeking behaviours and the ability of individuals to sustain their health. In this cross-country multiple-case study, we analyse the role of trust in health-seeking for NCD services in fragile contexts. Our analysis triangulates multiple data sources, including semi-structured interviews (n=102) and Group Model Building workshops (n=8) with individuals affected by NCDs and health providers delivering NCD services. Data were collected in Freetown and Makeni (Sierra Leone), Beirut and Beqaa (Lebanon), and Morazán, Chalatenango and Bajo Lempa (El Salvador) between April 2018 and April 2019. We present a conceptual model depicting key dynamics and feedback loops between contextual factors, institutional, interpersonal and social trust and health-seeking pathways. Our findings signal that firstly, the way health services are delivered and experienced shapes institutional trust in health systems, interpersonal trust in health providers and future health-seeking pathways. Secondly, historical narratives about public institutions and state authorities’ responses to contextual fragility drivers impact institutional trust and utilisation of services from public health institutions. Thirdly, social trust mediates health-seeking behaviour through social bonds and links between health systems and individuals affected by NCDs. Given the repeated and sustained utilisation of health services required with these chronic diseases, (re)building and maintaining trust in public health institutions and providers is a crucial task in fragile contexts. This requires interventions at community, district and national levels, with a key focus on promoting links and mutual accountability between health systems and communities affected by NCDs.
Social determinants of psychological distress in Sierra Leone
(Springer, 2022-04-19) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Horn, Rebecca; Arakelyan, Stella; Diaconu, Karin; Kamara, Ajaratu; Ager, Alastair
Purpose Growing evidence demonstrates that daily stressors such as family violence, unemployment, and living conditions play an important part in causing psychological distress. This paper investigates the impact of distressing events and day-to-day living conditions on psychological distress in the fragile context of Sierra Leone.
Sponsored study abroad and civic engagement in Kyrgyzstan
(Taylor & Francis, 2020-08-13) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Baialieva, Myrzagul
The article explores whether study abroad programmes sponsored by multilateral and bilateral development organizations and private philanthropic foundations promote civic engagement of their alumni upon their return to their home country. The article focuses on the case of Kyrgyzstan, which has had a number of international study abroad scholarship programmes since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The research was exploratory and utilized in-depth interviews for collecting data. In agreement with the literature, the research found that the alumni of scholarship programmes had experienced changes in their values and worldviews as a result of being exposed to a new environment but also of having a formalized study programme that enabled them to critically reflect on their own country and culture and to expand their knowledge in the new context. These changes prompted most participants in the research to be civically engaged in the social and political issues of their society in their home country through voluntarism. Importantly, the article expands the literature by arguing that this civic engagement has positive implications for the development of civil society and democratic values and practices in Kyrgyzstan.
The development of a contextually appropriate measure of psychological distress in Sierra Leone
(BMC, 2021-07-21) Horn, Rebecca; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Arakelyan, Stella; Ager, Alastair
Abstract: Background: Studies of psychological distress in Sierra Leone have typically used measures which were developed for use in other contexts, and which often have not been adapted or validated for use in Sierra Leone. This has resulted in a lack of reliable information about the patterns of psychological distress within the population, which is a barrier to the development of effective and appropriate mental health services. The aim of the study was to develop a locally-appropriate measure of psychological distress for Sierra Leone. Methods: The new measure consists of two instruments: the Sierra Leone Psychological Distress Scale (SLPDS) and a gendered measure of ability to carry out daily tasks—a Function scale—as an indication of the severity of distress. A three-phase mixed methods exploratory sequential study was conducted. Phase 1 was item generation and testing, leading to the development of a set of potential items for both instruments. Phase 2 was a small pilot study (N = 202) leading to the selection of the final set of items for both measures. Phase 3 was a validation phase where the SLPDS and the Function scale were administered with a larger sample of 904 respondents. Item analysis was used to assess the internal consistency of the scales, and Exploratory Factor Analysis to explore the properties of the SLPDS. Results: Exploratory factor analysis using the principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation identified a three-factor structure for the 18-item SLPDS. Internal consistency for the SLPDS (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) and three subscales was good (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.73). The internal reliability of the male and female versions of the Function scale was also found to be acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90 for the female scale and 0.79 for the male scale). Conclusions: Together the SLPD and Function scales provide a locally-validated tool which will enable government bodies and local and international non-governmental organisations in Sierra Leone to assess mental health and psychosocial needs. This will support both effective service provision and the evaluation of initiatives designed to improve mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.
Understanding perceptions of recovery from psychological distress in Sierra Leone through qualitative comparative analysis
(Springer, 2021-07-07) Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Horn, Rebecca; Bah, Abdulai Jawo; Loffreda, Giulia; Ager, Alastair
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a relatively new method that examines causal complexity. Its use in mental health research is nascent. In low-income and fragile settings, with weak mental health service provision, identifying pathways of recovery from psychological distress can inform the appropriate deployment of scarce community and public resources. This paper examines the use of QCA to identify predictors of recovery in Sierra Leone. Our study explored lay perceptions of the signs of recovery from psychological distress caused by such events as the loss of a family member, severe sickness, and loss of a relationship. The data drew upon 75 interviews with women and men, across four districts of Sierra Leone, who described the signs of recovery from psychological distress they have observed in one person known to them. The truth table generated through QCA software indicated two signs of recovery— work/study and healthy relations—to be the most prevalent across different combinations of predictive factors. Further analysis of the truth table and sub-set relations suggested that work/study and healthy relations frequently served as sufficient conditions for reported recovery from distress to occur. QCA provided a means to identify sufficient predictive factors for recovery from psychological distress to occur. The findings suggest that to enable recovery from psychological distress, support needs to be broad and bring together services that will enable individuals to improve their social and relational wellbeing. Responses to distress need to involve a wide range of community-based stakeholders who will help individuals to engage in constructive activity and strengthen relations with their family members, friends, and the broader community. QCA is potentially well-positioned to unpack complexity in mental health research.
WhatsApp groups in social research: New opportunities for fieldwork communication and management
(SAGE, 2021-01-07) Jailobaev, Temirlan; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Baialieva, Myrzagul; Baialieva, Gulsaadat; Asilbekova, Gulnara
WhatsApp is a popular platform primarily for informal communication. It has 1.5 billion users worldwide. Though there are increasing numbers of studies looking at the use of WhatsApp in various formal settings, its use in social research remains under-studied. We have used WhatsApp in several research projects. In this article, we analyse our use of WhatsApp within two studies conducted in 2019. We analysed the content of messages and counted the messages sent by each member to our WhatsApp groups. We also analysed the feedback received from our research assistants on the use of WhatsApp groups in research. We show in this article that WhatsApp has created new opportunities for better communication and management of fieldwork to meet a tight schedule and that this improved the overall quality of the project. We offer lessons learned for improving the use of WhatsApp in research processes.
"When a child has not made 18 years and you marry her off … don’t bother to invite me! I will not come": The role and involvement of faith leaders’ wives in child protection issues
(Routledge, 2020-03-17) Eyber, Carola; Jailobaeva, Kanykey; Kraft, Kathryn; Wilkinson, Olivia J.
This chapter draws on ongoing research conducted with World Vision’s Channels of Hope (CoH) Child Protection programme in Senegal and Uganda, and focuses on the perspectives of faith leaders’ wives on engaging with child protection issues in their communities. In the CoH programme, spouses of faith leaders are included primarily for two reasons: firstly, to jointly undergo the training with their marital partners so that the envisaged change in attitudes and behaviour is mutually understood and reinforced within the household; and secondly, as respected faith actors in their own right who have a certain status within the communities and influence over congregation members. Findings suggest that far from being a homogenous group, faith leaders’ wives constitute a diverse group of women, not only in regard to their demographic profiles, but also in regard to their varying roles and responsibilities in the Muslim and Christian congregations. As a consequence of the faith-based engagement with child protection issues in the CoH workshops, many wives initiated actions to improve the wellbeing and protection of children in their communities. These included individual, family, congregation and community-focused activities and strategies involved working alone, as part of a team, with other faith congregation members as well as collaborating with existing, formal child protection actors in the communities. Significant challenges were experienced by the wives in relation to the specific issues they sought to address, the strategies they employed as well as their own status within the communities. This was particularly noticeable when they challenged entrenched harmful attitudes and practices such as corporal punishment and early marriage. The ambiguities involved in this are explored and discussed. The wives, despite the difficulties they encounter, emerge as local faith actors who effectively use informal community mobilization mechanisms and as significant contributors to changing negative norms in their communities.