Anxiety and Depression Among Working and Non-Working Women

Anxiety and Depression Among Working and Non-Working Women DISCUSSION Results in the previous chapter had been very informative and will be discussed in context to hypothesis discussed in chapter 4. The present study was carried out to assess the level of anxiety and depression among working and non working women. A sample of 60 women was taken consisting of 30 working and 30 non-working women from Delhi and NCR region. The independent variables used for the study were working and non working women and the dependent variables studied were anxiety and depression. The results obtained in chapter 4 were analyzed and the discussion related to the hypothesis is presented below. In addition to this, the anxiety and depression was compared in the following groups. Levels of anxiety and depression were compared between working and non working women in anxiety and depression. Levels of anxiety and depression were compared between working and non working women on the basis of nuclear and joint family. Levels of anxiety and depression were compared between working and non working women belonging to the age group 25-35 and 36-50. Correlation between anxiety and depression was also calculated and interpreted. Keeping in view the objectives, four hypotheses were formulated and their discussion and interpretation is as follows. Problem 1: There will be significant difference between anxiety levels of working and non working women A comparison was made between the working and non working women on the basis of their anxiety levels. As it can be seen from the analysis of table 4.2(chapter 4), the anxiety levels of working women is higher than the non working women. The mean value for the working women was 25.00 whereas for non working women the value was 20.23. From the same table it was inferred that there was no statistically significant difference in the anxiety levels of working and non working women. Many studies have been done relevant to this research. A research done by Aleem and Danish (2008) on Marital satisfaction and Anxiety among single and dual career women at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi summarized that pressure and hassles of jobs not only affect marital life but also proved to be a major source of anxiety particularly among women and also marital satisfaction among working women hardly get disturbed due to their multiple roles but the thought processes seemed to be disturbed that is manifested in the higher anxiety among women. This study supports the findings which show higher mean values in working women than non working women. Mukhopadhyay et al (1993) researched on Working status and anxiety levels of urban educated women in Calcutta and summarized that non working mothers showed higher anxiety levels than their working counterparts with respect to the total anxiety score as well as components, although the differences were statistically non-significant. This s tudy supports the statistically insignificant difference in the results of the present research. Problem 2: There will be significant differences between the levels of depression in working and non working women. A comparison was made between the working and non working women on the basis of their levels of depression. As it can be seen from the analysis of table 4.2(chapter 4), the depression levels of working women are higher than that of non working women. The mean value of depression levels of working women is 11.13 whereas the mean value of the non working women which is 6.1000 showing difference in the depression levels of the two groups. From the table it is inferred that there is statistically significant difference between the two groups (sig 2 tailed=0.034). Many researchers have worked in this field, one such research done by Weiclaw et al(2008) Psychosocial working conditions and the risk of depression and anxiety disorders in the Danish workforce show high risks of depression related to high emotional demands and working with people. Results of another research done by Netterstom et al (2008) The Relation between Work-related Psychosocial Factors and the Development of Depression showed moderate evidence for a relation between development of depression and the psychological demands of the job. Yet another research done by Melchior et al (2007) studied depression and anxiety in young, working women and men due to work stress. The results showed that participants exposed to high psychological job demands (excessive workload, extreme time pressures) had a twofold risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder compared to those with low job demands. The study stated that in previously healthy young workers, diagnosable depression and anxiety is precipitated by work stress. Another research relevant to the present research was done by Balaji et al (2014). A Comparative Study on Depression among Working and Non-Working Women in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This study was done to assess the burden of depression its risk factors among adult female working and non working population. The results indicated that working women suffer more from depression than non-working women. The risk factors for depression were identified as economic problems workplace problems, relationship problems and no personal life satisfaction. The above studies support the results in the present research. The reasons for higher levels of depression among working women could be due to the reason that working women have to focus not only on their work sphere but also on their family life. It has also been observed that working women are not clear about their expectations which not only affect their daily routine but also health status of each and every woman especially in the developing nations like India remains precarious. Also since working women are unable to spend time with their family and not able to give time to their children due to their work it leads to depression in them. And working women also do not have enough time to look after themselves leading to a lot of health issues. These reasons are also supported by a research done by Greenhaus Beutell (2000) Sources of Conflict between Work and Family Roles. This study examined the literature on the conflict between work and family roles and found out that work-family conflict exists when: (a) time devoted to the requirements of one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; (b) strain from participation in one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; and (c) specific behaviors required by one role make it difficult to fulfill the requirements of another. Whereas non working women have more time to spend with their family, they are able to concentrate on their health, family life and have a lot of time for themselves. These might be some of the reasons why working women rate higher levels of depression than non working women. Problem 3: There will be higher levels of anxiety and depression in females belonging to nuclear families than those staying in joint families. A comparison was done on the basis of anxiety and depression levels among working women of nuclear and joint families. As can be inferred from table 4.4(chapter 4) the anxiety levels of working women from nuclear families is higher than those from joint families. The mean scores of working women from nuclear families is 39.1667 which is higher than working women from joint families which is 15.5556. There is a statistically significant difference between the two groups as can be seen from the value of sig. (2 tailed) =.000 It was also inferred from the same table that the depression levels of working women belonging to nuclear families was higher than those working women belonging to joint families. The mean scores of working women from nuclear families is 18.33 which is higher than those of joint families which is 6.33.There is also a statistically significant difference between the two groups as seen from the value of sig. (2 tailed) = .003 Then another comparison was done on the basis of anxiety and depression levels among non working women of nuclear and joint families. As can be inferred from table 4.5(chapter4) the anxiety levels of non working women from nuclear families was higher than that of non working belonging to joint families. The mean scores of non working women of nuclear families have a mean score of 28.5358 which is higher than the mean score of non working women of joint families which is 13.8824. There is also a statistically significant difference between the two groups as seen by the value of sig. (2 tailed) = .002. It was also inferred from the same table that the depression levels of non working women belonging to nuclear families was higher the non working women belonging to joint families. The mean scores of non working women of nuclear have a mean score of 8.2308 which is higher than that of non working women of joint families which is 4.4706. There is also a statistically significant difference between the two groups as seen by the value of sig. (2 tailed) = .047. So from tables 4.4 and 4.5 (chapter 4) it is inferred that women belonging to nuclear families report higher levels of both anxiety and depression than those belonging to joint families be it working women or non working. Many studies have been done on this and one such research was done by Doby Caplan (1995). Organizational Stress as Threat to Reputation: Effects on Anxiety at Work and at Home. The results of this study showed that high threat stressors were most likely to generate the anxiety experienced at home and for this the anxiety experienced at work was the key mediator. As the above study supports our finding in the present research some of the reasons for this finding could be as in a joint family most of the responsibilities are taken care of by the other family members. There isn’t a lot of burden alone on one woman of the family. The family members of a joint family not only provide physical support but also financial support and are also present mentally and emotionally. So this leads to the overall being of an individual. Whereas in a nuclear family all the work load and responsibility is on one person only be it of work or of the household sphere. Hence it was found that anxiety and depression levels of women belonging to nuclear families are higher than those belonging to joint families. Problem 4: There will be higher levels of anxiety and depression in females in the age group of 36-50 than those in 25-35. A comparison was done among the working women belonging to the age group of 25-35 and 36-50. As can be inferred from the table 4.7(chapter 4) that the working women belonging to age range 25-35 report higher on anxiety levels than that of age group 36-50. The mean score of working women lying in the age group of 25-35 is 30.3684 and of working women lying in the age group of 36-50 is 15.7273. There is a statistically significant difference in the two groups as seen by the value of sig. (2 tailed) =.031 It was also inferred from the same table, that working women of age group 25-35 showed higher levels of depression than the 36-50 age group. The mean score of working women lying in the age group of 25-35 is 13.7368 and that of working women lying in the age group of 36-50 is 6.6364. But there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups as seen by the value of sig. (2 tailed) = .106 Another comparison was done among the non working women belonging to the age group of 25-35 and 36-50. As can be inferred from the table 4.8(chapter 4) that the non working women belonging to the age range of 25-35 show higher mean values on anxiety scale than the age group 36-50 but there no statistically significant difference between them. The mean score of non working women lying in the age group of 25-35 is 22.2308 and of age group of 36-50 is 18.7059. But there is no statistically significant difference in the two groups as seen by the value of sig. (2 tailed) =.489 It was also inferred from the same table that the non working women of age group 25-35 show higher mean values on depression scale than age group 36-50 but there isn’t any statistically significant difference between them. The mean scores of non working women lying in the age group of 25-35 are 6.8462 and of the age group of 36-50 is 5.5294. But there is no statistically significant difference between the groups as seen from the value of sig. (2 tailed) = .499 So from the tables 4.7 and 4.8 (chapter 4) it is inferred that working women of age group 25-35 show higher levels of anxiety than 36-50 age group and other than this no other significant differences were seen in the levels of depression in these two groups. Also no significant difference was seen in the non working women for the two groups. One study which supports our findings was done by Melchior et al (2007) studied depression and anxiety in young, working women and men due to work stress. The results showed that participants exposed to high psychological job demands (excessive workload, extreme time pressures) had a twofold risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder compared to those with low job demands. The study stated that in previously healthy young workers, diagnosable depression and anxiety is precipitated by work stress. Another studied stating the importance of family support was done by Dew et al (2009) studied mental health effects of job loss in women. This study reviews literature on involuntary job loss and its effects on mental health among women. The occurrence and duration of lay-off was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, but not anxiety-related symptoms. Results showed that among women who were laid off, those who had poor levels of support from their husband and those experiencing more financial difficulties reported higher levels of depression. A study done by Fall et al (2013) on Comparative study of major depressive symptoms among pregnant women by employment status does Multivariate analyses showing that factors such as low education, low social support outside of work, having experienced acute stressful events, lack of money for basic needs, experiencing marital strain, having a chronic health problem, country of birth, and smoking were significantly associated with major depressive symptoms The reasons for higher level of anxiety in working women of age group 25-35 could be since they have just stated with their career so they are mostly anxious about their work. They are new to the professional world, burden of work, new set of responsibilities. Also in India this is the time for women to get married so the pressure of marriage, newlyweds and work leads to anxiety among this age group. Problem 5: There will be correlation between depression and anxiety among working and non working women. It was assumed that there would be a relationship between depression and anxiety. From table 4.9(chapter 4) it was seen that there is a positive correlation between depression and anxiety. This could be seen from the above mentioned table that if anxiety levels increase then so does the depression and vice versa. Research supporting our hypothesis was given by. Birch Kamli (2000) Psychological stress, anxiety, depression, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics in preregistration house officers. This study got lifestyle questionnaires filled by the officers and measured the self rated psychological stress, state anxiety, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics. It was seen that more of women suffered psychological stress, possible anxiety and possible depression Another study was done by Bhadoria (2013). Level of Anxiety and Depression Among Working Women and Non Working Women of Gwalior. As today’s women have a whole set of responsibilities and problems involving the professional and family life, this study tried to compare the levels of depression and anxiety among working and non working women. The results obtained showed significant levels of difference between working and non working women. The above mentioned researches support our hypothesis that if someone has high levels of anxiety then that person shows high levels of depression as well.

Porters Five Forces On Aviation Industry

Porters Five Forces On Aviation Industry The Indian aviation industry is one of the fastest growing aviation industries in the world with private airlines accounting for more than 75 per cent of the sector of the domestic aviation. It is stated that the Indian aviation sector will become one of the top five civil aviation markets in the world over the next five years. Currently, India ranks ninth in the global civil aviation market. The Hyderabad International Airport has been ranked amongst the worlds top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ). With the growth in the industry, airport retailing has also gained pace in the recent times. Development of new terminals and airports such as the recently inaugurated T3 in New Delhi has provided added impetus to this segment. The highest margin earners in this segment are food and beverages, beauty product, electronic items, apparel etc. It has been predicted that airports would provide around 300,000-400,000 square feet retail space by 2015. Many companies are also plan ning to leverage on this growing segment by launching specific products for air travelers. In addition, the emphasis on modernization of non-metro airports, fleet expansion by airlines, service expansion by state owned carriers, development of the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry in India, opening up of new international routes by the Indian government, establishment of new airports and renovation and restructuring of the existing airports have added to the growth of the industry. Present Indian Scenario It is a phase of rapid growth in the industry due to huge build-up of capacity in the LCC space, with capacity growing at approximately 45% annually. This has induced a phase of intense price competition with the incumbent full service carriers (Jet, Indian, Air Sahara) this- counting up to 60-70% for certain routes to match the new entrants ticket prices. This, coupled with costs pressures (a key cost element, ATF price, went up approximately 35% in recent months, while staff costs are also rising on the back of shortage of trained personnel), is exerting bottom-line pressure. The growth in supply is overshadowed by the extremely strong demand growth, led primarily by the conversion of train/bus passengers to air travel, as well as by the fact that low fares have allowed passengers to fly more frequently. There has, therefore, been an increase in both the width and depth of consumption. However, the regulatory environment, infrastructure and tax policy have not kept pace with the industrys growth. Enactment of the open sky policy between India and Saarc countries, increase in bilateral entitlements with the EU and the US, and aggressive promotion of India as an attractive tourism spot helped India attract 3.2 million tourists in 2004-05. This market is growing at 15% per annum and India is expected to attract 6 million tourists by 2010. Also, increasing per capita income has led to an increase in disposable incomes, leading to greater spend on leisure and holidays and business travel has risen sharply with increasing MNC presence. Smaller cities are also well connected now. Passenger traffic has increased and over 21 million seats have been sold, resulting in a growth of over 50%. The Indian travel market is expected to triple to $51 billion by 2011 from $16.3 billion in 2005-06. Application of Porters Five Forces strategy in the Aviation Industry Threat of New Entrants A lucrative industry is always a target for investors looking at investment. One of the foremost factors in consideration while looking at the attractiveness of an industry is the threat of new entrants. In the airlines industry, this was a major threat a few years ago. The airlines operating in the industry were limited and the industry had few players like Indian Airlines and Jet Airways. However, as the industry had scope for accommodating more players many players joined the fray. The airlines industry however comes with its fair share of barriers. The investment in the airlines is very huge and acts as a major barrier to entry. Bundled with it were different permits for running an airline company from the civil aviation company and FDI limits. Factors that can limit the threat of new entrants are known as barriers to entry. Some examples include: Existing loyalty to major brands Incentives for using a particular buyer (such as frequent shopper programs) High fixed costs Scarcity of resources High costs of switching companies Government restrictions or legislation Power of Suppliers This is how much pressure suppliers can place on a business. If one supplier has a large enough impact to affect a companys margins and volumes, then it holds substantial power. In the airlines company there is certain amount of bargaining power the suppliers have. Firstly, suppliers in the form of aircraft builders, who very often exceed the time limits. Adding to it are suppliers of oil who hold the key to running of the airlines. Here are a few other reasons that suppliers might have power. There are very few suppliers of a particular product There are no substitutes Switching to another (competitive) product is very costly The product is extremely important to buyers cant do without it The supplying industry has a higher profitability than the buying industry Power of Buyers This is how much pressure customers can place on a business. If one customer has a large enough impact to affect a companys margins and volumes, then the customer hold substantial power. Predominantly, in the airlines industry, it has been seen that the civil aviation ministry has been in favour of the customer and buyers thus have reasonable power. While most airlines companies are running with wafer thin margins, it is pretty difficult for companies to increase prices as the capacity utilization will be seriously affected. Here are a few reasons that customers might have power: Small number of buyers Purchases large volumes Switching to another (competitive) airline is simple The airline is not extremely important to buyers; they can do without the same brand for a period of time Customers are price sensitive Availability of Substitutes What is the likelihood that someone will switch to a competitive product or service? If the cost of switching is low, then this poses a serious threat. Most airline companies have similar facilities and are listed on website such as makemytrip.com, yatra.com where customers choose from the cheapest available tickets. This shows that the customer has a lot of options and would Not mind shifting to a new service. Here are a few factors that can affect the threat of substitutes: The main issue is the similarity of substitutes. All low cost airlines have similar facilities. If substitutes are similar, it can be viewed in the same light as a new entrant. Competitive Rivalry This describes the intensity of competition between existing firms in an industry. Highly competitive industries generally earn low returns because the cost of competition is high. The competition in the airline industry is cutthroat and each player is trying to gain an upper-hand based on non price factors. A highly competitive market might result from: Many players of about the same size; there is no dominant firm Little differentiation between competitors products and services A mature industry with very little growth; companies can only grow by stealing customers away from competitors SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE AVIATION INDUSTRY Strengths: Growing tourism: Due to growth in tourism, there has been an increase in number of the international and domestic passengers. The estimated growth of domestic passenger segment is at 50% per annum and growth for international passenger segment is 25% Rising income levels: Due to the rise in income levels, the disposable income is also higher which are expected to enhance the number of flyers. Growth potential Liberalization of sector. Modernization of non metro airports. Rising share of low cost carriers. Fleet expansion by state owned carriers. The opening up of new international routes by Indian government. Establishment of new airports and restructuring of old airports. Weaknesses: Under penetrated Market : The total passenger traffic was only 50 million as on 31st Dec 2005 amounting to only 0.05 trips per annum as compared to developed nations like United States have 2.02 trips per annum. Untapped Air Cargo Market: Air cargo market has not yet been fully taped in the Indian markets and is expected that in the coming years large number of players will have dedicated fleets. Infrastructural constraints: The infrastructure development has not kept pace with the growth in aviation services sector leading to a bottleneck. Huge investment requirement for physical infrastructure for airports. Shortage of qualified instructors due migration to schedule operation. Pressure on quality standard of inducted pilots. Infrastructural constraints. Opportunities: Expecting investments: investment of about US $30 billion will be made. Expected Market Size: Average growth of aviation sector is about 25%-30% and the expected market size is projected to grow up to 100 million by 2010. Economic Growth Vibrant middle class: Increasing Consumerism and Affordability common man Under-penetrated markets Growth in Tourism Currently domestic passenger market is growing at 50% Threats: Shortage of trained Pilots: There is a shortage of trained pilots, co-pilots and ground staff which is severely limiting growth prospects. Shortage of Airports: There is a shortage of airport facilities, parking bays, air traffic control facilities and takeoff and landing slots. High prices: Though enough number of low cost carriers already exists in the industry, majority of the population is still not able to fly to other destinations. Security and safety. Low profit margins and high operating costs.

Barn Burning Essay -- essays research papers

William Faulkner is concerned with the south and its problems with black slavery. The issues in Barn Burning deal with the conflict between father and son. The theme of this story focuses on justice. The boy, Sarty, objects to his father burning barns and wants people to be treated fairly. His father, Abner, believes his son should respect and support kin. Abner thinks family is right no matter what. Faulkner’s intent is to show that choosing between one’s own family and justice is very difficult to do, and in the end justice must prevail. The theme is best illustrated by its point of view, its characterization, and setting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner represents his point of view using both first and third person to translate his theme. The story is being told by Sartoris Snopes who is a boy at the time the story takes place. Throughout the story he shifts from first to third person narrative voices. At times in the story he would speak as only a child would, then something would be said by him which was too knowledgeable for a boy his age to know. This gives an impression that he is older and is remembering things of his past. Switching between first and third person shows that the choice he made greatly affected him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way the characters are portrayed remarkably depicts Faulkner’s theme. The two conflicting characters are described in similar ways to show their differences. Abner is described by how people see and think about h...

My Educational Goals and Philosophy Statement :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Educational Goals and Philosophy Statement Imagine your life without a proper education. Without the proper education you could properly provide for yourself or your family. All students are born with a different nature, however; the reason for their education remains the same. The purpose of education is to provide a foundation for students. Many methods of teaching and methods of discipline are used in the classroom. There are also many areas of curriculum that are important in the elementary level. Education provides the necessary grounds to succeed in our country today. Students’ intelligence levels vary drastically from student to student. However, their dispositions are identical at birth. All children are born with the ability to be a wonderful and loving person. Our society has the power to change the caring dispositions of our children. This is why many of our children live difficult lives; the world has made them mean or evil. This is described as having a relative nature, meaning that a child is constructed and dependent upon person, place, or time. Not all children have the ability to become one of our countries doctors or lawyers, but all of them are born with capability of living a joyful and happy life. The overall purpose of education is to prepare students for challenges that life brings to them. Challenges such as applying for a job, providing for a family, and managing a business. Education is important because it provides a solid background for the child to begin a healthy and happy life. As a teacher I hope to give my students the confidence to continue with their education. I also hope to provide a good educational foundation so that my students are well prepared as they do continue their education. I hope that my students acquire self – confidence. I hope that my students have the drive and the compassion to further their education. I also hope that my children understand that education is necessary in order to live a successful life. There are many ethics that a teacher must follow inside and outside of the classroom.

Waking up too early is unhealthy Essay -- Expository Essays

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! You’re familiar with that sound, it’s the sound of you’re alarm clock. It’s really hard for kids to wake up to the sound isn’t it? It’s not even good for them either! Yet, kids, whose appetites for sleep are the biggest, have to wake up as early as 6:00 a.m.! It’s crazy how they, the school boards, set the system up. And bus drivers, who also have to wake up quite early, might be having problems waking up. Even if they don’t, someone behind them might be and that puts the whole bus at risk! Anyways, the point is that the decision made for the school arrival time was wrong and it needs to be changed on a large scale. This means in EVERY high school. Starting school too early is not only a nuisance but it can also be very dangerous and it can have negative effects on a teen’s education. A Chicago chief of medicine states that sleep deprivation, found in many teens, can have negative affects on a teen’s mood, performance, attention, and behavior. Because teens start driving in high school, their safety in a car is also related to sleep deprivati...

About role of the United Nations in the changing World Essay

Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations†. Those are words from Preamble of Charter of the United Nations. The Charter of the United Nations was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into existence on 24 October 1945. The Statute of the International Court of Justice is an integral part of the Charter. The day is now celebrated each year around the world as United Nations Day. The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems. There are currently 191 Members of the United Nations. See more: Satirical essay about drugs They meet in the General Assembly, which is the closest thing to a world parliament. Each country, large or small, rich or poor, has a single vote; however, none of the decisions taken by the Assembly are binding. Nevertheless, the Assembly’s decisions become resolutions that carry the weight of world government opinion. The United Nations Headquarters is in New York City but the land and buildings are international territory. The United Nations has its own flag, its own post office and its own postage stamps. Six official languages are used at the United Nations – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The UN European Headquarters is in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. It has offices in Vienna, Austria and Economic Commissions in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Amman in Jordan, Bangkok in Thailand and Santiago in Chile. The senior officer of the United Nations Secretariat is the Secretary-General. The Aims of the United Nations: *To keep peace throughout the world. *To develop friendly relations between nations. *To work together to help people live better lives. * to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world. * to stop environmental destruction. * to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms. *To be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims. The Principles of the United Nations: *All Member States have sovereign equality. *All Member States must obey the Charter. *Countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means. *Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force. *The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country. All countries should try to assist the United Nations. Now some information about the UN system: The basic structure of the United Nations is outlined in an organizational chart. What the structure does not show is that decision-making within the UN system is not as easy as in many other organizations. The UN is not an independent, homogeneous organization; it is made up of states, so actions by the UN depend on the will of Member States, to accept, fund or carry them out. Especially in matters of peace-keeping and international politics, it requires a complex, often slow, process of consensus-building that must take into account national sovereignty as well as global needs. The Specialized Agencies, while part of the UN system, are separate, autonomous intergovernmental organizations which work with the UN and with each other. The agencies carry out work relating to specific fields such as trade, communications, air and maritime transport, agriculture and development. Although they have more autonomy, their work within a country or between countries is always carried out in partnership with those countries. They also depend on funds from Member States to achieve their goals. Recently, international conferences organized by the UN have gained significance. UN conferences have been held since the 1960s, but with the Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, they turned into real fora for deciding on national and international policy regarding issues that affect everyone such as the environment, human rights and economic development. Since the Earth Summit, UN conferences have turned into forums in which non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can voice their concerns alongside those of governments. Such conferences focus world attention on these issues and place them squarely on the global agenda. Yet, once the international agreements produced by these conferences are signed, it is still up to each individual country to carry them out. With the moral weight of international conferences and the pressures of media and NGOs, Member States are more likely to endorse the agreements and put them into effect. I also would like to ad some basic information about structure and budget, to make brief of UN more visible. The six principal organs of the United Nations are the: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and Secretariat. The United Nations family, however, is much larger, encompassing 15 agencies and several programmes and bodies. When it comes to a budget, the budget for the two years 2000-2001 was $2,535 million. The main source of funds is the contributions of Member States, which are assessed on a scale approved by the General Assembly. The fundamental criterion on which the scale of assessments is based is the capacity of  countries to pay. This is determined by considering their relative shares of total gross national product, adjusted to take into account a number of factors, including their per capita incomes. In addition, countries are assessed for the costs of peacekeeping operations. What is the role of the UN nations in the changing World? I already gave some simply answers at the beginning of this assignment. I will try to answer this question in depth in the following part of my work. The UN has been effective, even indispensable, in post-conflict development in Mozambique, Guatemala, Afghanistan, the Balkans and elsewhere. It also has guided and monitored political change (democracy and governance) in Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and Georgia. The UN has been involved in the conflict in Abkhazia since Georgian forces stormed the Abkhaz parliament in Sukhumi in August 1992, triggering a war that remains unresolved today. In 1993, the UN and the CSCE (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe) agreed that the international lead on the conflict in Abkhazia should be taken by the UN. In the same year the UN, faced with urgent requests from the government of Georgia to deploy a peacekeeping force to Abkhazia, decided to establish an observer mission for Georgia (UNOMIG) to monitor implementation of the July ceasefire agreement between the two sides which had been mediated and guaranteed by the Russian Federation. The decision to send an observer force rather than a fully fledged peacekeeping force reflected the desire of the Russian Federation to take the lead in the management of conflict in the ‘former Soviet space’, and the unwillingness of the other permanent members of the Security Council to challenge Russian prerogatives. There was also a general concern that the peacekeeping apparatus of the UN was overloaded, and disagreement among the parties as to what the mandate of a more substantial force would be. The UN Secretary-General also designated Swiss diplomat Eduard Brunner as Special Envoy for the conflict. He served until 1997 when Liviu Bota, a Romanian diplomat, was appointed Special Representative (SRSG) for the Abkhaz conflict. Both were responsible for the mediation of a process of negotiation leading to a political settlement of  the conflict. Bota has had a more or less permanent presence in the conflict zone, whereas Brunner was only delegated to visit intermittently. Russia’s special status in this process was recognized in its designation as ‘facilitator’ of the talks. In the early years of negotiation matters were not helped by the passive attitude taken by the Special Envoy to mediation of the conflict. The UN’s failure to take a more engaged approach was one factor among several contributing to the obvious lack of movement towards a political settlement in 1994-96. The fact that the more proactive approach adopted by Liviu Bota has also not produced a settlement would suggest, however, that the extent of UN activism is not the determining factor in conflict resolution. While the first personnel of UNOMIG were being deployed, the ceasefire collapsed and hostilities resumed. The UN Security Council condemned the renewal of conflict and associated displacement of population and demanded that the parties cease fighting. They also decided to extend the mandate of UNOMIG pending clarification of the situation. Traditionally, the UN has had a similar approach to its work since its conception in 1947. Gradually it became more and more involved; adding different organelles, agencies, and addressing more issues that weren’t necessarily new as it grew in size and scope. The International Court of Justice, the Economic and Social Council, and agencies like the International Maritime Organization were created to solve problems in these areas. It grew out of the General Assembly and the Security Council; to an organization with thousands of employees worldwide doing hundreds of completely different things. To put it simply, and to generalize, it has gotten bigger, and more involved. The Secretary General NOW has the ability to change the way a leader runs his country, make two warring countries sign a peace treaty, and even route money through areas in the world that would have never gotten any before. The Secretary has assumed power or the power of influence, he or she does not have any written or given power, Still however, this clearly shows how much more the UN has gotten involved and grown, even more like the feared â€Å"world government† that it vows to never become. It is a little misleading to speak of the role of the UN. The UN is nearly  powerless as an abstract entity or even as a representative of the world’s nations. It can act, instead, only insofar as it is given authorization by the great powers, which means primarily the United States. The UN has no standing peacekeeping force and thus is dependent on finding countries willing to contribute troops for any particular mission. The organization suffers as well from an extreme shortage of funds because of the continual U.S. refusal to pay its dues. Any peacekeepers sent to East Timor will probably not be a UN force because the U.S. Congress has required that there be a 15-day delay before the U.S. government can approve any UN peacekeeping operation and has forbidden Washington from paying its authorized share of the costs of any such operation. U.S. influence is greatest in the Security Council, but some organs of the UN, such as the General Assembly or bodies dealing with economic and social issues have had a Third World majority ever since the era of decolonization. Accordingly, U.S. policy has been to undermine and marginalize the UN. The United Nations should have an important role in world affairs, but U.S. policy and the policies of other leading states, severely limit the international organization. From the point of view of U.S. policymakers, however, there is one crucial role played by the UN: it serves as a convenient scapegoat when something goes wrong. For example, the current catastrophe in East Timor is directly attributable to the refusal of the United States and other Western powers to deter the atrocities there over a period of a quarter century, yet the UN will probably take the blame. So as we can see, we can look for the subject of my assignment from the different point of view. Another UN’s role: The Asian crisis, has become a global crisis, was by no means a purely financial matter. It had disastrous consequences for millions of people in their everyday lives. Moreover, it was the poor who are hardest hit. In Indonesia, almost 15,000 workers lost their jobs in 1998. And poverty came with its usual sorry retinue: hunger, social unrest, violence, abuse of human rights. The least developed countries, the ones least able to influence world priorities and policies, were penalized. So the human dimension was at the heart of the response (including debt relief)to this  first major crisis of globalization. Of course, the role of the seven major industrial powers, and of the world’s finance ministers and central bankers, remained crucial. But they could not undertake this task alone. All parts of the international system came together. President Clinton has suggested wide-ranging discussions on the new world â€Å"financial architecture.† Some would say that this was none of the U.N.’s business. There are other international bodies, more specialized and perhaps more competent to deal with economic problems: the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, the Bank for International Settlements. But the U.N. is the one truly global institution we all belong to. It must have a seat at the table. Economic and financial strategies will succeed only if they are applied within a clear political framework. That framework will command much wider support if, through the U.N., all affected countries have played a part in working it out. Over the long term, globalization will be positive. It draws us closer together and enables us to produce more efficiently, to control our environment, to improve our quality of life. But such benefits are not felt equally by all. For many people, â€Å"long term† is too far off to be meaningful. Millions on this planet still live in isolation, on the margins of the world economy. Millions more are experiencing globalization not as a great new opportunity but as a profoundly disruptive force that attacks both their material living standards and their culture. Some of those who had benefited most from open markets and capital flows were feeling the greatest pain. The temptation to retreat into nationalism or populism is strong. But, fortunately, in most developing countries, those false solutions are being rejected. Each country’s crisis has its own local features and causes. Each country has to address its own specific problems and shortcomings. But many countries need help, for these are not just financial or macro-economic problems. They have grave social and political consequences, and some of their causes are to be found in political and social systems. The U.N. has a responsibility, as the universal institution, to insist on the need for worldwide solutions based on rules that are fair to all. It is the UN job to ensure that nations do not react to crisis by turning their backs on universal values. In such crises, the UN must come together to find solutions based on the founding  principles which all their member states have in common: those of the U.N. Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In particular, the UN has a special responsibility to speak up for the victims or potential victims. The UN cannot forget the countries in Africa and elsewhere whose debt burdens the crisis has made even more unsustainable. Debt relief is often resisted on grounds of â€Å"moral hazard,† that it rewards the reckless and penalizes the prudent. But were not the lenders often just as reckless and irresponsible as the borrowers? Can it really be moral for them to insist on full interest and full repayment if the result is that children not yet born when the debts were contracted are denied even a subsistence diet or an elementary education? Many nations feel their interests are ignored or neglected in specialized economic bodies, where the strongest voices, for quite understandable reasons, tend to be those of countries which have already achieved economic success. But the U.N. provides a forum for informed debate among all those affected by the crisis. It has to represent all stakeholders in the global economy. The U.N. must play its part in the search for solutions that preserve the benefits of globalization while protecting those who have suffered or who have been left out. UN has kept women’s issues and interests on the agenda of change when they risked being set aside for a â€Å"later† that would never come in Afghanistan, Kosovo and East Timor. It has protected children in conflict and in post-conflict stress. The UN is bringing justice post-conflict to the repressed through ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia), ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), and the nascent Sierra Leone court. In each case, the role and the centrality of the UN have been different. The United Nations is an organization that has always been based on respect for nation’s sovereignties, peace, and judicial cooperation regarding topics which are salient to the current time period. As the entire world moves further into the â€Å"technological age†, and with the turn of the century coming (which is really only symbolic of a new era), new issues are bound to develop. The world will gradually change, and the UN ne eds to address these needs by evaluating its current state along with what it can do to change for the better. The increasingly global economy, the European Community, and the development of the sagging Asian market (with  the rest of the world in a recession also) show action needs to be taken economically. Hostility remains in the Middle East, human rights are being violated every day around the globe, and people everywhere are disgruntled with their current governmental situation. How will the UN curb nuclear terrorism, help the homeless and uneducated, and still maintain and outside role in political matters? Or should they maintain an outside role? These are merely a few of the hundreds of issues addressing the world today, and the UN must prepare for the coming decade with open minded foresight. As Secretary General Kofi A. Annan said, every conflict is different, every post-conflict is different, and each model of intervention by the international community is different. In Iraq, we have an immediate post-conflict humanitarian and reconstruction challenge in front of us. It is in eve ryone’s interests, especially in the Iraqi people’s interest, to ensure that Iraq becomes an economically functional, politically stable and self-governing state that is respectful of the rule of law, of democratic principles and of international norms. The coalition nations currently controlling Iraqi territory have distinct responsibilities as occupying powers to maintain public order and safety, to protect civilians and to provide essential services. The wider international community, especially the United Nations, also have indispensable roles to play. While systems are in place for humanitarian assistance, a framework is needed to facilitate greater engagement and support in the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq. The United Nations has extensive expertise that can and should be brought to bear. The UN and its agencies have been heavily involved in Iraq since the first Gulf War, and have an in-depth understanding of the circumstances, and the challenges. The UN is fully engaged through its agencies and has resources on the ground in Iraq, providing much-needed assistance to the Iraqi people. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the WFP (World Food Programme)- they all know Iraq. Countries need to build on the strength of the engagement of these and other UN agencies in Iraq, and determine how best they can make further use of this experience and expertise. In Iraq, as in all post-conflict situations, common over-arching goals must be to meet the needs of the people, and to support them in their course towards stability, recovery and reconstruction. After Kosovo, many thought NATO would become let say â€Å"Globocop† that the G-8 would supplant the Security Council, that the UN would be sidelined. But, in fact, the UN picked up the pieces in Kosovo, mandated the intervention in East Timor and has helped Afghanistan put itself back together. What about issues that should to be addressed in a Resolution? As for what should be addressed, there almost are more topics than one is able to think about. Should there be more staff running relief efforts in Zaire? Is the International Court of Justice really necessary, or is it wasting money and time that could be spent on other things. Analyzing this, you could say that since nations only sue each other, and no real action is taken, and the courts have no real power to enforce anything, what is the use? Possibly the funding used for this could go towards building schools in Africa. This may seem fairly ludicrous, but one needs to have the foresight to see these things, and there i s only a certain amount of money around for things like this. Possibly the UN relief troops should be allowed to use loaded weapons and fire at hostile parties, for their own safety and to help curb violence more. Maybe the Secretary General should be stripped of all his power, and put all diplomacy matters in the hands of the General Assembly or Security Council. The Secretary could have increased power that would force nations to comply with his decisions. A UN that is much like a world government could possibly work as long as there was representatives from every nation. Because the world is more complex, if the UN was simplified it might make things smoother. Instead of having an agency for every little issue, such as the ACC Sub-Committee on Nutrition, or the UN office for Outer Space affairs. Are these REALLY necessary? They may be, but it is the decision of the delegates. The UN’s image with â€Å"Security Council† and a Court System might look bad to some conservative minded citizens of a nation. Economically, are the proper funds being allocated to areas and agencies in need? Should a worldwide mandatory educational requirement be put into effect? What exactly is the most pressing area right now that needs the fiscal help the UN can offer? Again, in the past 50 years help has been going to the same places, while the Secretariat grew larger and larger, and the entire UN gradually began becoming a complex political bureaucracy, and began to focus less on its original mission as stated in the charter, to  promote peaceful relations between the nations of the world. This doesn’t seem to be working anymore, possibly because the current UN is obsolete. In summation, United Nations reform is a daunting task. As a member of UN, Poland should remember to use foresight, think of what kind of world we will live in next century, what new things will happen, and how the UN should evolve to meet these needs with vigor. The UN is still only an organization, not a government, and it is based itself on precedent. That is, actions of the past determine future decisions. If precedent is broken, we should remember what has been built for all of us for the past 51 years. Bibliography: www.alertnet.org www.globalpolicy.org www.undp.org www.globalissues.com/Geopolitics/EastTimor www.un.org/ www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/chapter1.html United Nations: 50 Years of Peace and War, University of California Press, John Taylor, Phd. 1998 United Nations Published Charter The History of The United Nations, Paladin Press, Jonathon Kingsley. 1994

Miseducation of Filipino Essay

Prof. Renato Constantino, in his essay entitled â€Å"The Miseducation of the Filipino†, writes about the coming about of the miseducation and the consequences of such action in the lives of the Filipinos, then, now, and perhaps the future. Promoting and imposing the â€Å"unFilipino† identity in Filipinos was the miseducation that Americans pursued during the time when they â€Å"posed† as a benevolent ally to the Philippines, and they proved victorious indeed because they had completely subjugated the Filipinos, both in minds and in hearts. Education is a very vital factor for one’s development. And as we all know, through education, one’s mind is molded because of the teachings, ideas, and values taught to him. Due to this fact, it’s only either of the two that will happen: the person will become productive provided that he was taught with the right things, or, the person will become otherwise since he acquired negative things. Personally, I learned and realized many things about the history and relationship between the Americans and the Filipinos upon reading this paper. It is quite intriguing what the main reasons really were the Americans in taking power over the Philippines. Was it for the good of the Filipinos or the Americans’ good? Whatever it was, they succeeded in almost every aspect of conquering the land because they knew the most effective way to subjugate Filipinos minds: by controlling our education. They created a new generation of good colonials, the â€Å"unFilipino† Filipinos. The indigenous ways of life of Filipinos had been changed to the American way of life. That was ridiculous because certainly, America and Philippines vastly differed from each other in so many ways, and therefore, their ways of life based on their differing needs should be entirely different. But the Americans insisted on creating a â€Å"carbon-copy† of themselves in Filipinos through the imposition of their language in their education. I went to elementary and high school in the Philippines, and I know for a fact they used both English and Tagalog as the media of teaching. In the long run, I think this resulted in both positive and negative ways — positively, because I was uprooted to the U. S. and I was able to use the â€Å"smattering† English I know to communicate with others, and negatively, because as I have just realized, I feel the â€Å"impediment† in my thought process because I cannot think consistently in one language. All in all, I liked this piece because it reiterates the importance of education to not only produce literate people but also to produce people who would use that education to better their nation.