Saturday, January 25, 2020

Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper

Strategic Marketing Plan for the Guardian Newspaper 1. Introduction Unlike any national newspapers, the Guardian can divide readers’ opinions. It can provoke feelings of contempt in critics, who might think its publications of the world to be satisfied and smug. On the other hand, loyal readers claim that their favorite newspaper could have alternative, critical and argumentative viewpoints, which are unique, distinct and separate it from its rivals. Many Guardian supporters continue to believe that their morning newspapers are essential in a way that no other articles would dare to challenge. However, in a globalization environment and with a modernized technology platform, brands should beware of being beached. Marketing activities of the Guardian were mainly relied on price and supporting special editions a decade ago. ‘The papers marketing department is planning an extensive operation to generate trial of the newspaper by Guardian faithfuls to secure an extra 40,000 readers. The first redesigned issue was available for 10p to Guardian readers and use will also be made of The Guardian’s database to direct mail 80,000 of its readers.’ [1] Additionally, the strategic plans have not yet been successful for the past years. The Guardian feels that it should be the natural Sunday choice for Guardian and any other liberal left readers in the market and it is testimony to the success of the newspaper. Nevertheless, there are still grounds to make up. 2. Strategic marketing plan 2.1. Technological innovation – Diversifying its targets The Guardian has tried to reach as many domestic and international consumers as possible. Many agencies have created a brand campaign in order to reflect the multi-media presence of the Guardian. It has remained innovation to adapt to the new business environment by continuously changing. In 2006, the newspapers marketing director Marc Sands has mentioned ‘If you aggregate the changes weve made over the last two years, such as the decision to print news stories on our website before theyve appeared in the newspaper, youll see the direction were moving in.’ [2] All good media brands should measure and publish across brand perceptions rather than just the number of circulations. Likewise, the Guardian has ensured its brand to increase its market shares globally. Its sales team has been able to inform their clients that the newspaper brand could help them buy across many platforms, not just the ones who are interested in reading newspaper. It is working with the industry and looking at different brands and measurements to enhance both sellers and buyers of advertising to have different platforms for different kinds of currency. ‘The newspapers branding has been attached to numerous technological advances in delivering content across a range of platforms. These includes the groups blog site Comment is Free already one of the worlds top 100 blogs according to technorati.com and G24, a regularly updated printable version of breaking news for commuters to read on the journey home.’ [3] Additionally more competition has happened. Through its own research, the Guardian has found out that ‘it is perceived as worthy and dull by lapsed readers. Those between 18 and 35 find it old-fashioned, tired, lacking style and too conservative. Over the past ten years 40 per cent of all readers under 35 have deserted the newspaper with female readers providing the greatest hemorrhage 50 per cent have dropped the paper.’ [4] As a result, the Guardian should diversify its market segmentation and try to divert perceptions of the consumers in its strategic plan. To continuously promote the articles to a target market of 18 to 35-year-olds, the Guardian should ensure that the future newspaper can provide appropriate advertising contents to attract target group to sell to advertisers. Decades ago, ‘This is partly down to the fact that the Saturday Guardian is a good product and its readers dont feel the need for a Sunday.’ [5] Furthermore, it should concern the lack of loyalty in the Sunday newspaper market, since the Sunday vouchers has been dropped during promotional campaign. As part of its attempt to stay ahead of a future of declining newspaper sales, the rise of number of obsessed youth and throwaway free newspapers through online contents should consider. 2.2. Relaunching strategies – Agency promotion Another strategy is promoting the brand through free newspaper with DVD and CD. The breaking-news market has been grounded in term of content, volume, target and the frequency of the quality press. Their high growth approaching method will bring with more strategic leverage, not just with DVDs for posh papers. Our relaunch strategy was all about encouraging people to reappraise The Guardian. says Richard Furness, circulation manager for Guardian Newspapers. The two free DVDs on consecutive Saturdays did just that we enjoyed our two highest-ever sales in the history of the newspaper, and our subsequent Saturday sales show that many have stuck with us.[6] Traditionally, newspapers used to facilitate the line with primary sales promotion tools that help to be hit in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market. Since entertainment becomes a major decision for consumers to purchase a product, DVDs can lead to the right strategy to implement. Its an expensive but extremely good tool. says Dermot McPartlin, director of PD3, the agency that handled The Guardian DVD push. Essentially, the relaunch was a sampling exercise for the new product. The films that were used had a great synergy with the papers brand values and broad consumer appeal. [7] Over the past few years, due to the impacts of the World Wide Web, big newspapers have tried to transpose their brands onto the web. The obvious advantage of the online facility is that the internet can enable marketers to ask readers to register, and as a result, their customers’ concern can be responded quickly. The two-way dialogue could be promptly done and help build a meaningful relationship. When media can be effectively transferred their brand value online, demographics are essentially different from the newspapers with traditional hard copy delivery. Due to the lack of commitment on the part of print publisher, the online content is usually less well thoughtful. Additionally, print publishers have a print view of pricing, which might inhibit the realistic cost per response. Most print publishers have tried to stick to the standard rate. In fact, the newspapers have paid as little of the supposed price; but consumers have not yet realized that they have been overcharged for their online equivalents. However, the Guardian might be not the first title to adopt this template. ‘Heeding the large proportion of ads on newspaper web sites bought as part of cross-media campaigns, the Audit Bureau of Circulation has launched what it calls a Group Product Report, which aims to simplify the process of choosing a cross-media campaign by outlining the audited number of a newspapers print copies, its web sites page impressions and the footfall of any related exhibition.’ [8] The Guardian has made enormous efforts to provide compelling contents to cover all areas. To prove that the Guardian has been committed, will succeed and are succeeding, it should be more popular, both in domestic and international regions. 2.3. Facilitating banners Brand owners need to adjust their internal culture in order to persuade their customers that they have been reborn. They have different degrees of success in adapting when the ground moves beneath their feet. However, cultural difference for a big brand, like the Guardian which has a strong worldwide impact, can cause a steady and slow procedure, rather than a prompt fire remedy. The Guardian seem trapped in its culture, hardcopy print, producing innovative information, but still seems unsuited to a new technology trend, the World Wide Web. Coy about the exact revenue Guardian Unlimited is pulling in, Waldman says: Our revenues are growing very rapidly in all areas of the site, and through all types of advertising from banners and buttons through to e-commerce partnerships and sponsorships. Elaborating this point, Guardian Unlimiteds commercial development manager, Helen Mayor, says: Increasingly offline sales teams like ourselves are looking to mirror the developments and integrated structure of the agencies involved in buying traditional and online. [9] Using both digital and print in a cross-media campaign, the Guardian has tried to run an aggressive competition. The inherent conflict between the media buying community and the promoting sales can cause difficulties to implement. The sales operations in a large organization is gearing up for a cross-media sell, while the media buying operations have focused on expertise in dedicated media division, which specializes exclusively in online content for planning and purchasing. Many media agencies have established their interactive departments in response to what they have perceived, rather than what the real demand could be in the market. ‘The Guardian is to yield to commercial pressures and make people register to visit its Websites. The Guardian, which last week unveiled details of a staffing revamp in its new media division, is to introduce registration on its revamped Websites. The move is intended to improve its appeal to display and classified advertisers.’ [10] The Guardian sales team has determined that although many uncertainties have existed in the marketplace, the Internet is still a relatively new medium. The bold strategic framework to take first step to integrate into both media will help the sales teams feel confident with both media. These strategies might question the competence of the agencies in order to understand and properly facilitate the web as a media channel distribution. 3. Proposals The Guardian has created more original content than any agency in town and has led the way in online publishing. The question is not just about the internet media channel, but the growing part of the Guardian brand. ‘Its hardly surprising, because every day in the UK some 13.5 million national papers are sold, which could easily mean over 20 million people read them. Yet, if predictions from Jupiter Communications prove correct and US trends wend their way to the UK, online advertising will outstrip magazines or radio by 2005.’ [11] Additionally, the Guardian brand management should not think that consumers as people to be targeted, but people to be engaged to work for the brand. Increasing fragmentation, differentiation and proliferation of media channels are arising trends in consumer sovereignty, gained through internet technology. Consumers are establishing their own channels if they could get anything in return, such as customizing products themselves, entertaining and exploring their own world, expressing their voices, knowledge that they are buying social responsible products, or simply just saving their time, creating most convenient means for them; they are willing to pay for and work for that brand. With that concept in mind, the successful brand of the future will be most productive and efficient to facilitate the mix of consumers-employees relationship. Agencies will consider themselves as consultant for brand, which help recruit and engage consumers for ideas, dialogue, gaining consumers’ consents as well. As a result, the Guardian’s research and measurement will need to gain clear insights into the consumer-brand relationship as well as understand the value of consumers-employees. With the current technology trends, consumers can find faster and cheaper ways to get information. In fact, news publishers are challenged to engage and fulfill consumers’ expectations. Thus, the following proposals can help the Guardian engage consumers to ‘work’ for its brand. 3.1. The Guardian should increase C2C (consumer-to-consumer) business and reduce B2C (business-to-consumer) interface. The Guardian should facilitate the concept ‘the word-of mouth’ among key consumers. It should consider ‘consumers as media’. 3.2. It should have more content and dialogue and less advertising. The strength of a dialogue involves mental disciplines. Thus, these dialogues engage the customers to think and to work with the Guardian’s staff to complete the message. This strategy might fascinate the customers to promote message from the Guardian. 3.3. More emotional media should be involved in the circulations. Obviously, the more touching and vivid a story will be, the more likely it is to be remembered. The future will be in branded contact that consumers can choose to involve themselves in voluntarily, as a part of the Guardian. In this environment, the share of employment will be a major impact, not just the share of their voice or raising their opinions. 4. Conclusion Galvanizing itself ahead of technological and social trends is not easy, especially for iconic brand, which tends to navigate in cultural system that defies change. However, without successful product innovation and such progress, the Guardian could risk itself of being cast adrift. Ensuring and enhancing a brand is not just simply washed up the changing tides of technology and society. This is also a key strategic framework, which the Guardian has facilitated. Reference list Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives. London, January,p.25 Page 1 Footnotes [1] McCann, Paul 1995, ‘Observer strives for fresher image’, Marketing Week, London, vol.18,no.25, p.22 [2] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006, Marketing Week,London, 24 August, p.24 [3] ‘The Guardian: Thinking ahead’ 2006 [4] McCann, Paul 1995 [5] McCann, Paul 1995 [6] Thornton, James 2006, ‘Do quality and giveaways mix?’ Promotions Incentives, London, January,p.25 [7] Thornton, James 2006 [8] Scott, Jon 2000, ‘Do newspapers deliver online?’ Marketing,London, 21 September,p.43 [9] Scott, Jon 2000 [10] Kavanagh, Michael 1998, ‘Guardian joins in registration game’, Marketing Week.London, vol.21,no.24, 13 August,p.32 [11] Scott, Jon 2000

Friday, January 17, 2020

Awarness and Attitude of Primary Teachers Towards Child Rights Education Essay

The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines basic rights of children covering multiple needs and issues. India endorsed it on December 11, 1992. Following are a few rights in the immediate purview of Smile Foundation as well as India. The right to Education: 50% of Indian children aged 6-18 do not go to school Dropout rates increase alarmingly in class III to V, its 50% for boys, 58% for girls. The right to Expression: Every child has a right to express himself freely in which ever way he likes. Majority of children however are exploited by their elders and not allowed to express. The right to Information: Every child has a right to know his basic rights and his position in the society. High incidence of illiteracy and ignorance among the deprived and underprivileged children prevents them from having access to information about them and their society. The right to Nutrition: More than 50% of India’s children are malnourished. While one in every five adolescent boys is malnourished, one in every two girls in India is undernourished. The right to Health & Care: 58% of India’s children below the age of 2 years are not fully vaccinated. And 24% of these children do not receive any form of vaccination. Over 60% of children in India are anemic. 95 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their fifth birthday. 70 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their first birthday. The right to protection from Abuse: There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3. 3 million between 15 and 18 years. They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India. 500,000 children are forced into this trade every year. The right to protection from Exploitation: 17 million children in India work as per official estimates. A study found that children were sent to work by compulsion and not by choice, mostly by parents, but with recruiter playing a crucial role in influencing decision. When working outside the family, children put in an average of 21 hours of labour per week. Poor and bonded families often â€Å"sell† their children to contractors who promise lucrative jobs in the cities and the children end up being employed in brothels, hotels and domestic work. Many run away and find a life on the streets. The right to protection from Neglect: Every child has a right to lead a well protected and secure life away from neglect. However, children working under exploitative and inhuman conditions get neglected badly. The right to Development: Every child has the right to development that lets the child explore her/his full potential. Unfavourable living conditions of underprivileged children prevents them from growing in a free and uninhibited way. The right to Recreation: Every child has a right to spend some time on recreational pursuits like sports, entertainment and hobbies to explore and develop. Majority of poor children in India do not get time to spend on recreational activities. The right to Name & Nationality: Every child has a right to identify himself with a nation. A vast majority of underprivileged children in India are treated like commodities and exported to other countries as labour or prostitutes. The right to Survival: Of the 12 million girls born in India, 3 million do not see their fifteenth birthday, and a million of them are unable to survive even their first birthday. Every sixth girl child’s death is due to gender discrimination. Child Rights in India: An Introduction India is a party to the UN  declaration on the Rights of the Child 1959. Accordingly, it adopted a National Policy on Children in 1974. The policy reaffirmed the constitutional provisions for adequate services to children, both before and after birth and through the period of growth to ensure their full physical, mental and social development. Accordingly, the government is taking action to review the national and state legislation and bring it in line with the provisions of the Convention. It has also developed appropriate monitoring procedures to assess progress in implementing the Convention-involving various stake holders in the society. India is also a signatory to the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children. In pursuance of the commitment made at the World Summit, the Department of Women and Child Development under the Ministry of Human Resource Development has formulated a National Plan of Action for Children. Most of the recommendations of the World Summit Action Plan are reflected in India’s National Plan of Action- keeping in mind the needs, rights and aspirations of 300 million children in the country. The priority areas in the Plan are health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and environment. The Plan gives special consideration to children in difficult circumstances and aims at providing a framework, for actualization of the objectives of the Convention in the Indian context. Status of Children in India. Recent UNICEF (2005) report on the state of the world’s children under the title â€Å"Childhood Under Threat† , speaking about India, states that millions of Indian children are equally deprived of their rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and safe drinking water. It is reported that 63 per cent of them go to bed hungry and 53 per cent suffer from chronic malnutrition. The report says that 147 million children live in kuchcha houses, 77 million do not use drinking water from a tap, 85 million are not being immunized, 27 million are severely underweight and 33 million have never been to school. It estimates that 72 million children in India between five and 14 years do not have access to basic education. A girl child is the worst victim as she is often neglected and is discriminated against because of the preference for a boy child. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights In order to ensure child rights practices and in response to India’s commitment to UN declaration to this effect, the government of India set up a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The Commission is a statutory body notified under an Act of the Parliament on December 29, 2006. Besides the chairperson, it will have six members from the fields of child health, education, childcare and development, juvenile justice, children with disabilities, elimination of child labour, child psychology or sociology and laws relating to children. The Commission has the power to inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to deprivation of child’s rights and non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children among other things. Aimed at examining and reviewing the safeguards provided by the law to protect child rights, the Commission will recommend measures for their effective implementation. It will suggest amendments, if needed, and look into complaints or take suo motu notice of cases of violation of the constitutional and legal rights of children. The Commission is to ensure proper enforcement of child rights and effective implementation of laws and programmes relating to children- enquiring into complaints and take suo motu  cognizance of matters relating to deprivation of child rights; non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children and non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at their welfare and announcing relief for children and issuing remedial measures to the state governments. Convention on the Rights of the Child Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 Right to education From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search. The right to education is a universal entitlement to education, a right that is recognized as a human right. According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all[1], an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all, in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education[2], as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education, ideally by the progressive introduction of free higher education. [3] The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses the obligation to rule out discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality of education. [4] International legal basis The right to education is law in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 200 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. [5][6][7] The right to education has been reaffirmed in the 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and the 1981 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. [8] In Europe, Article 2 of the first Protocol of 20 March 1952 to the European Convention on Human Rights states that the right to education is recognized as a human right and is understood to establish an entitlement to education. According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all, an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education, as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education in particular by the progressive introduction of free higher education. The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses also the obligation to eliminate discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has applied this norm for example in the Belgian linguistic case. [9] Article 10 of the European Social Charter guarantees the right to vocational education. [10] Definition Education narrowly refers to formal institutional instructions. Generally, international instruments use the term in this sense and the right to education, as protected by international human rights instruments, refers primarily to education in a narrow sense. The 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education defines education in Article 1(2) as: â€Å"all types and levels of education, (including) access to education, the standard and quality of education, and the conditions under which it is given. â€Å"[11] In a wider sense education may describe â€Å"all activities by which a human group transmits to its descendants a body of knowledge and skills and a moral code which enable the group to subsist†. [11] In this sense education refers to the transmission to a subsequent generation of those skills needed to perform tasks of daily living, and further passing on the social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical values of the particular community. The wider meaning of education has been recognised in Article 1(a) of UNESCO’s 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. [12] The article states that education implies: â€Å"the entire process of social life by means of which individuals and social groups learn to develop consciously within, and for the benefit of, the national and international communities, the whole of their personal capabilities, attitudes, aptitudes and knowledge. â€Å"[11] The European Court of Human Rights has defined education in a narrow sense as â€Å"teaching or instructions†¦ in particular to the transmission of knowledge and to intellectual development† and in a wider sense as â€Å"the whole process whereby, in any society, adults endeavour to transmit their beliefs, culture and other values to the young. â€Å"[11] Assessment of fulfilment The fulfilment of the right to education can be assessed using the 4 As framework, which asserts that for education to be a meaningful right it must be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The 4 As framework was developed by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski, but is not necessarily the standard used in every international human rights instrument and hence not a generic guide to how the right to education is treated under national law. [13] The 4 As framework proposes that governments, as the prime duty-bearer, has to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education by making education available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The framework also places duties on other stakeholders in the education process: the child, which as the privileged subject of the right to education has the duty to comply with compulsory education requirements, the parents as the ‘first educators’, and professional educators, namely teachers. [13] The 4 As have been further elaborated as follows:[14] * Availability – funded by governments, education is universal, free and compulsory. There should be proper infrastructure and facilities in place with adequate books and materials for students. Buildings should meet both safety and sanitation standards, such as having clean drinking water. Active recruitment, proper training and appropriate retention methods should ensure that enough qualified staff is available at each school. [15] * Accessibility – all children should have equal access to school services regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Efforts should be made to ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups including children of refugees, the homeless or those with disabilities. There should be no forms of segregation or denial of access to any students. This includes ensuring that proper laws are in place against any child labour or exploitation to prevent children from obtaining primary or secondary education. Schools must be within a reasonable distance for children within the community, otherwise transportation should be provided to students, particularly those that might live in rural areas, to ensure ways to school are safe and convenient. Education should be affordable to all, with textbooks, supplies and uniforms provided to students at no additional costs. [16] * Acceptability – the quality of education provided should be free of discrimination, relevant and culturally appropriate for all students. Students should not be expected to conform to any specific religious or ideological views. Methods of teaching should be objective and unbiased and material available should reflect a wide array of ideas and beliefs. Health and safety should be emphasized within schools including the elimination of any forms of corporal punishment. Professionalism of staff and teachers should be maintained. [17] * Adaptability – educational programs should be flexible and able to adjust according to societal changes and the needs of the community. Observance of religious or cultural holidays should be respected by schools in order to accommodate students, along with providing adequate care to those students with disabilities. [18] A number of international NGOs and charities work to realise the right to education using a rights-based approach to development. [citation needed] Historical development. In Europe, before the Enlightenment of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, education was the responsibility of parents and the church. With the French and American Revolution education was established also as a public function. It was thought that the state, by assuming a more active role in the sphere of education, could help to make education available and accessible to all. Education had thus far been primarily available to the upper social classes and public education was perceived as a means of realising the egalitarian ideals underlining both revolutions. [19] However, neither the American Declaration of Independence (1776) nor the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) protected the right to education as the liberal concepts of human rights in the nineteenth century envisaged that parents retained the primary duty for providing education to their children. It was the states obligation to ensure that parents complied with this duty, and many states enacted legislation making school attendance compulsory. Furthermore child labour laws were enacted to limit the number of hours per day children could be employed, to ensure children would attend school. States also became involved in the legal regulation of curricula and established minimum educational standards. [20] In On Liberty John Stuart Mill wrote that an â€Å"education established and controlled by the State should only exist, if it exists at all, as one among many competing experiments, carried on for the purpose of example and stimulus to keep the others up to a certain standard of excellence. † Liberal thinkers of the nineteenth century pointed to the dangers to too much state involvement in the sphere of education, but relied on state intervention to reduce the dominance of the church, and to protect the right to education of children against their own parents. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, educational rights were included in domestic bills of rights. [21] The 1849 Paulskirchenverfassung, the constitution of the German Empire, strongly influenced subsequent European constitutions and devoted Article 152 to 158 of its bill of rights to education. The constitution recognised education as a function of the state, independent of the church. Remarkable at the time, the constitution proclaimed the right to free education for the poor, but the constitution did not explicitly require the state to set up educational institutions. Instead the constitution protected the rights of citizens to found and operate schools and to provide home education. The constitution also provided for freedom of science and teaching, and it guaranteed the right of everybody to choose a vocation and train for it. [22] The nineteenth century also saw the development of socialist theory, which held that the primary task of the state was to ensure the economic and social well-being of the community through government intervention and regulation. Socialist theory recognised that individuals had claims to basic welfare services against the state and education was viewed as one of these welfare entitlements. This was in contrast to liberal theory at the time, which regarded non-state actors as the prime providers of education. Socialist ideals were enshrined in the 1936 Soviet Constitution, which was the first constitution to recognise the right to education with a corresponding obligation of the state to provide such education. The constitution guaranteed free and compulsory education at all levels, a system of state scholarships and vocational training in state enterprises. Subsequently the right to education featured strongly in the constitutions of socialist states. [23] As a political goal, right to education was declared in F. D. Roosevelt’s 1944 speech on the Second Bill of Rights. Implementation. International law does not protect the right to pre-primary education and international documents generally omit references to education at this level. [24] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education, hence the right applies to all individuals, although children are understood as the main beneficiaries. [25] The rights to education are separated into three levels: * Primary (Elemental or Fundamental) Education. This shall be compulsory and free for any child regardless of their nationality, gender, place of birth, or any other discrimination. Upon ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights States must provide free primary education within two years. * Secondary (or Elementary, Technical and Professional in the UDHR) Education must be generally available and accessible. * Higher Education (at the University Level) should be provided according to capacity. That is, anyone who meets the necessary education standards should be able to go to university. Both secondary and higher education shall be made accessible â€Å"by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education†. [26] Compulsory education The realisation of the right to education on a national level may be achieved through compulsory education, or more specifically free compulsory primary education, as stated in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. [27][28] Action For Children (AFC) Action for Children (AFC) conceptualised by Wild Ganzen and supported by Net4Kids and Kids Rights aims at involving privileged citizens, civil society groups and various institutions including corporates in the development process. This programme supported by the Dutch Government promoted consortium (Wild Ganzen, Net4Kids and Kids Rights) has given a boost to the initiative. The programme is being implemented in three developing economies of the world namely Brazil, South Africa and India. Smile Foundation joined hands with the Consortium in April 2008 and since then has been executing the programme in India. The objective is to stimulate more fortunate mass to be a part of the development process and ensure sustainability of grassroots initiatives across India. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages people to ‘stand up and act’ to bring a change in the lives of underprivileged children and youth. Action For Children is based on the concept that development is a people’s issue and not just the government’s concern. With this premise, the Foundation has been striving to build a civil society that owes responsibility for societal development and participate whole-heartedly in transforming the lives of underprivileged children. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages individuals, civil society groups, corporate houses, professional associations, schools, colleges, youth wings to participate in the development process. The Action for Children programme sensitizes and involves the fortunate mass through: 1. Local Actions Local Action connotes organizing an event to raise funds for a child centric project. It can be organised by individuals, groups and institutions in their region. Local action aims at sensitization and consequent involvement of the privileged mass in raising funds for children through various activities 2. KidsXL KidsXL is a school exchange programme wherein children of privileged school and underprivileged school are brought together under one platform. Several interactive sessions and special activities are organized for the children. KidsXL aims at bringing the children from both the segments closer, thereby reducing social disparities. In the process, the children also learn to be sensitive and responsible towards the society 3. Media Advocacy The aim is to involve media in creating awareness among the people and advocating the cause before a wide audience. The Foundation sensitizes people through documentaries, Public Service Advertisements, news features, advocacy campaigns, rallies etc. 4. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR aims at sensitising and involving corporates in the development process. It gives the corporates an opportunity to give back to the society. It is based on a partnership model wherein corporates partner with Smile Foundation either to support the whole or a part of capital cost or running cost of a child centric project. The inherent objective of the programme is to ensure that the development activities become locally sustainable. For further information contact at afc. north@smilefoundationindia. org    Journal 1. Discipline for Life: Getting It Right with Children. (ED458959) Share Author(s):| Swift, Madelyn| Source:| N/A| | Pub Date:| 1999-00-00| Pub Type(s):| Books; Opinion Papers| Peer Reviewed:| | | Descriptors: Anger;  Child Rearing;  Children;  Cooperation;  Discipline;  Expectation;  Parent Child Relationship;  Parents;  Parents as Teachers;  Praise;  Problem Solving;  Self Esteem;  Teachers;  Timeout Abstract: Based on the view that how parents discipline their children in the early years plays a significant role in determining their child’s future behavior and relationships, this book offers advice for helping parents teach their children to accept responsibility for their own behavior, to form healthy relationships, develop sound and helpful communication, acquire correct principles to guide their lives, use problem solving, discover resourcefulness and negotiating skills, and deal with anger. Although addressed primarily to parents, the book is also directed to teachers and early childhood educators. The book is presented in six sections: (1) â€Å"The Journey Begins,† introducing the fundamental principles of discipline; (2) â€Å"Vision,† presenting a vision of parenting, including information on the current status of America’s children and suggestions for deciding what parents want to teach their children and how they can decide what lesson needs to be learned; (3) â€Å"Gaining Cooperation without Losing Your Mind!,† identifying barriers to cooperation and suggesting ways to use respectful language and teach children respect as a second language; (4) â€Å"Don’t Start What You Can’t Finish,† presenting tips on using various discipline strategies and the consequences of those strategies, problem-solving strategies, and dealing with temper tantrums; (5) â€Å"Building Self-Esteem,† discussing the importance of self-esteem, and presenting ways to help children develop important life beliefs paralleling the components of self-esteem (existence, accomplishment, and mistakes); and (6)†The Journey Continues,† reinforcing the view of parenting as a challenging process for everyone. (Contains 37 references. ) (KB) Journal 2. Knowledge, practice and attitude toward epilepsy among primary and secondary school teachers in South Gezira locality, Gezira State, Sudan Haydar E. Babikar and Islam M. Abbas1 Author information > Copyright and License information > Go to: Abstract Objective: The attitudes toward school pupils with epilepsy are influenced by the degree of school teachers’ knowledge of the disorder. Teachers usually do not receive any formal instructions on epilepsy during their training. This study aims to assess school teachers’ knowledge, attitude and practice when dealing with epilepsy in school children. Materials and Methods: This study was part of a series mandated by the Gezira Epilepsy Care Programme (GECP), to obtain baseline data for a community-adapted epilepsy education program. A pretested, semi-structured, 35-items questionnaire was the investigational tool. It was used to evaluate the knowledge of the basic facts about epilepsy among school teachers in this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire allowed teachers to express their opinions by means of free answers. The schools were chosen at random but not in a systematic equiprobability design. Two hundred teachers from public primary (100) and secondary (100) schools in the rural area of south Gezira Locality, Gezira State, Central Sudan, were recruited. Results: In this study, the majority of respondents had never been informed about epilepsy and therefore gave evasive answers to many questions. Few of the respondents considered epilepsy as contagious. None of participants objected to having epileptic children in their classes. Only 47 teachers (47%) in the primary schools had any knowledge of the initial procedures to help a child in seizure, presenting reasonable answers, compared to 64 (64%) teachers in the secondary schools. Recommendations: All school teachers should be given some kind of training in health services. The GECP should involve teachers in its current training programs for caregivers and lay association to help epileptic patients. INTRODUCTION Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, with a prevalence rate of 2. 8-19. 5 per 1,000 of the general population, is more prevalent in early years of life. [1,2] It accounts for 1% of the global burden of disease and about 80% of this burden is in the developing world such as Sudan, where in some areas 80-90% of affected people receive no treatment at all. Epilepsy is currently recognized by many countries and concerned associations as a public health problem. Persons with epilepsy are at the risk of developing a variety of psychological problems including depression, anxiety and psychosis. [3,4] Sociocultural attitudes continue to have a negative impact on the management of epilepsy in many African countries. [5] The disorder is associated with superstition, discrimination and stigma in many of the countries. [6] Still deeply rooted in these communities the idea that the cause of these frightening attacks is possession by evil spirits. Widespread ignorance, fear and misunderstanding has contributed negatively to the management of epilepsy. Thus, many children who have seizures of any kind are first seen and treated by religious or traditional healers. [7,8] Epileptic children suffer untold social deprivations and discrimination in education, which may be more devastating than the disease itself. [9] Children with epilepsy have the same range of intelligence and abilities as the rest of the population. [10] Most children with epilepsy can and should attend normal schools, their activities there limited only by certain factors. However, the attitudes toward school pupils with epilepsy are influenced by the degree of school teachers’ knowledge of the disorder. [2] Teachers usually do not have any formal instructions on epilepsy during their training, so they should be correctly informed about the disorder and encouraged to have a positive and optimistic attitude toward the condition. Other children may be quite helpful if they are aware that the seizure is benign. They should be motivated to offer help and pass on information on epileptic care to their family and friends. [11] To date, there is little research on public attitudes toward epileptics in the Sudan. In order to ensure the proper management of epilepsy, it is important to have a clear understanding of community attitudes toward the disease. The aim of this study is to ascertain the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of school teachers both at primary and secondary levels, in central Sudan regarding the causes, manifestations and treatment options of epilepsy in school children. MATERIALS AND METHODS A pretested, semi-structured, 35-items questionnaire was the investigational tool. It involved questions mainly of the yes/no/do not know variety; however, it also allowed teachers to express their opinions by means of free answers. It was used to evaluate the knowledge of the basic facts about epilepsy among school teachers in this cross-sectional study. Two hundred teachers from 11 public primary (n=100) and 11 secondary (n=100) schools, in the rural area of south Gezira Locality, Gezira State, in central Sudan, were invited to participate in the study by answering the questionnaire. The 22 schools were chosen at random, but not in a systematic equiprobability design. The following criteria: Stay beside the seizing child to protect and turn the head to one side to permit the saliva flow; keep breathing normal, were considered correct first-aid procedures for attending the seizing child. Removal of the child’s shirt and nearby objects or taking him to hospital, were considered less important. Pulling the tongue out or putting a spoon into the mouth were considered harmful and useless procedures. To verify the statistical significance of the two groups of staff or between genders, Pearson ? 2 test was used. RESULTS This study was part of a series mandated by the Gezira Epilepsy Care Programme (GECP), to obtain baseline data for a community-adapted epilepsy education program. It was designed to assess primary and secondary public school teachers, knowledge, practice on epilepsy and their attitudes toward epileptic pupils in the school. Two hundred school teachers who were recruited, responded to the questionnaire. The data relating to teachers’ characteristics are presented in Table 1. Their mean age was 38. 5.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Skepticism On The Search For The Truth Of Our Knowledge

Skepticism in the Search for the Truth of Our Knowledge How many times have you said, â€Å"No way, I do not believe it!† It is our natural tendency not to believe in something that we have not seen with our own eyes or experienced it personally. There is a saying, â€Å"seeing is believing† which has led us to a world full of skeptics. We want proof so we are not gullible fools. Skepticism, or scepticism, as it was spelled back in the ancient times, was pondered by philosophers who tried unsuccessfully to figure out the thought process and how we gain knowledge. Philosophers gave deep thought to determine how we arrive at such true beliefs and knowledge of the external world. Three such philosophers were Rene Descartes, David Hume and Christopher Grau. Rene Descartes was a French philosopher in the early 1600’s; David Hume was a Scottish Philosopher in the 1700’s, and Grau an American philosopher Professor born in 1970. The timeline s important because philosophical views have evolved over time. All three men were from different eras, but they each explored, argued, and addressed the topic of skepticism from their philosophical view. This proves that they take the subject of skepticism seriously, just as we should too. There is good reason to believe that a human’s knowledge of the external world results from both a posteriori knowledge acquired through sensory experience and a priori knowledge which is innate. Descartes, Hume, and Grau through their personal views and skepticalShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Knowledge Claims Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesHow are knowledge claims created? A knowledge claim is a judgment of something we believe to be true with or without sufficient evidence. Knowledge claims are what we create as a means to justify and/or rationalize our beliefs and thoughts. Knowledge claims are created in an attempt to define and categorize those thoughts. One way knowledge claims are created is through the personal convictions reinforced by others. We live in a culture where we are dependent upon others to reassure us in our beliefsRead MorePhilosophy1687 Words   |  7 Pagespossibility of knowledge Skepticism – A skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something. In ordinary skepticism this would mean someone who would doubt the existence of something. A difference between the two is normal skepticism is you try to get it clear in your head. Ordinary doubt - or local skepticism - can usually be tested - and even when it cant, there may well come a time when it can.  Many philosophers have had their own version and interpretation of skepticism. Skeptics onlyRead MoreThe Effect Of Becoming Too Smart1043 Words   |  5 PagesToday, people live in a world unlike those generations before, where time stood still and our thoughts were our real mode of entertainment, but now people have invested into a controlled and structured lifestyle. As a matter of fact, the investment into technology and new developments into stem cell, cloning, and cyber genetics, also distance people from the art of Philosophy, because most people are preoccupied on technology over thoughts abou t why we exist or what causes bad things. During, theRead MoreKnowledge And The Act Of Knowing Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesKnowledge and the act of knowing could be said to be central to the experience of humanity as we define it, and indeed the study of these things, epistemology, is one which gets to the core of who we are as a race and how we interact as individuals with the world around us. In examining these ideas and forming a personal theory of knowledge, an individual, being confronted with one of the essential questions of human existence: â€Å"What is knowledge?’, can easily become mentally overwhelmed by its scopeRead MoreDescartes And Descartes s Theories Of Skepticism And Search For The Truth1109 Words   |  5 Pageseach other about skepticism and searching for the truth, their approaches would be different and highly critical of each other, but their conclusions would be the same. A life question is one that produces an answer entirely dependent on the individual. Descartes wrote a Discourse on Method, which is his philosophy on how to answer such questions. Pascal wrote Pensees, which is his thought process on how to answer them as well. Both Pascal and Descartes address the issue of skepticism in opposing waysRead MoreTruth And Truth About Truth912 Words   |  4 Pagessomething is the â€Å"truth† the definition of truth may vary from person to person; however, it is generally something that a person believes. What is the nature of this â€Å"truth†? How do us people know when something is the truth? These questions will be answered in this paper using two different approaches and how I interpreted them. In this paper I will describe what truth is and how it is attained by using two different sections of my reference, then I will combine them into what I think truth is as a wholeRead MoreSkepticism And Inference On The Best Explanation Essay1 663 Words   |  7 PagesSkepticism and Inference to the Best Explanation: Analysis Jonathan Vogel wrote Skepticism and Inference to the Best Explanation as a solution to accept the real world hypothesis over any skeptical hypothesis. Vogel presents a compelling argument for a definitive reason to accept that the world we are experiencing is in fact the real world. I believe that Vogel’s argument falls short of proving a reason for accepting the real world hypothesis over a skeptical one. In this paper I will clearly explainRead MoreConfirmation Bias In Dante Alighieris The Divine Comedy700 Words   |  3 PagesThere is an enemy lurking about in society, hostile to tolerance and unity. Veiled as knowledge, this enemy threatens both learning and growth. It’s name is â€Å"confirmation bias†. Coined in the 1960’s by English Psychologist Peter Wason, confirmation bias is defined as an individual’s tendency to seek out and to favor information that confirms their previously held assumptions. Confirmation bias was no new phenomeno n, however, as it is referenced throughout history. Even in Dante Alighieri’sRead More`` Indians : Textualism, Morality, And The Problem Of History1423 Words   |  6 Pagespoststructuralism, both as a child and as an adult doing research in the field of history herself. A large part of the essay consists of this example of the conflict between history and poststructuralism as she analyzes various resources in search of the objective truth of what happened between the Native Americans and the British when they came to colonize the Americas. Tompkins repeatedly exposes the biases of different author s, through logical processes and comparison with other authors whose accountsRead MoreBacon : Why Humans Are Far From Perfect Essay1387 Words   |  6 Pagesmethods based on skepticism, but these were far from his only influential scientific contributions. In one his most influential works, â€Å"Novum Organum,† Bacon poses the idea of the The Four Idols.† â€Å" Idols as Bacon defines them, refer to an illusion, rather than a hero or idol in the sense of a role model. These banes of human existence and scientific progress are called idols because in a state of society in which we incessantly search for accomplishment, knowledge, and the truth, Bacon’s idols exist

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The New England Anti Vivisection Society - 1519 Words

â€Å"Would we imprison our children in cages too small for them to move? Would we violate our sisters and steal their babies? Would we deliberately infect our friends with diseases and leave them untreated? Of course not so why would we do the same to animals? We must abandon the archaic and incorrect boundary of â€Å"human,† which we use to justify the ongoing massacre of billions of beings (PETA)†. According to the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, â€Å"There is an estimate of 100 million animals that are burned, crippled, poisoned, and abused in laboratory testing every year. â€Å"Most animals in laboratories never will experience fresh air or sunshine, only bars and concrete sound more like a prison well that’s just the beginning of what animal’s experience. There are few facilities that provide some outside caging, and they typically rotate the animals, giving them limited and infrequent amounts of time outdoors. Standard lab conditions, suc h as small, crowded cages, lack of enrichment, loud noises, and bright lights are all known to create stress in animals. When it comes to animals and their rights, there is a fine line between our needs and taking advantage of these animals just because we consider them to be inferior (NEAVS).† There are approximately 2,900 animals that are abused, and tortured and eventually killed every single hour. Millions of animals each year live in terrible conditions and are forced to endure inhumane treatment all in the name of research. Here are onlyShow MoreRelatedAwa Case Study1174 Words   |  5 Pagesinspector will visit every month for another year. For a third offence the facility is shut down and the company that owns the facility will owe $50.000. The money companies pay will be split between the USDA, animal shelters, and toward research for new ways to test products. The USDA will get 40% of each fine to help pay their employees. Animal shelters will get 30% to keep them open and help house the animals that are taken from the facilities that violated the laws. The last 30% will go toward aRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Animal Rights1601 Words   |  7 Pagescalled Elixir Sulfanilamide. When the medicine was released the company was unaware that the substance was harmful because the drug was not tested, causing more than one hundred people to died. After this accident the government made animal testing of new drugs mandatory. In the twentieth century, animal experimentation was performed on a variety of species, including dogs, cats, pigs, and monkeys. The main source was the primates because it was believed that they were valuable test subjects becauseRead MoreRight For Hunt Vs. Animal Rights955 Words   |  4 PagesEvery year in the U.S., over 25 million animals are used in biomedical experimentation, product and cosmetic testing, and science education. In a piece published by the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, Harm and Suffering, addresses the institutionalized abuse animals face through vivisection. The New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS) is a national animal advocacy organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is dedicated to the ending of the use of animals in study and testing. Those attractedRead MoreMedical Research On Animal Testing1736 Words   |  7 PagesErasistratus. What exactly is medical research on animals? When we take a deeper look into the experiment that are preformed we can conclude that animals are a living model of humans in these laboratories. It is a necessity to harm and test animals with new drugs in order to market them in the medical industry to aid human illnesses. In order to better comprehend and regulate drugs one must understand what medical research on animals is described as and its benefits to pharmaceutical companies for humansRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Not Be Banned1578 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to the New England Anti-Vivisection Society on their research from Harm and Suffering, â€Å"[e]very year in the U.S., over 25 million animals are used in biomedical experimentation, product and cosmetic testing, and science education.† Animal testing has been traced back to Aristotle and Erasistratus who according to Rachel Hajar from Animal Testing and M edicine, â€Å"[were] [e]arly Greek physician-scientists† that have conducted animal experiments. Another physician who has performed animal experimentationsRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Be Banned1056 Words   |  5 Pages When using cosmetics or common house cleaning products many do not realize that they are supporting animal cruelty. Animal testing is among the most disturbing experiments being done today. Vivisection is the practice of animal experimentation. It can include administering drugs, infecting animals with diseases, poisoning for toxicity testing, brain damaging, maiming, blinding, and other painful invasive procedures. Animal testing has protocols that cause severe suffering such as long-term socialRead MoreImportance Of Animal Testing1726 Words   |  7 Pagesadoption of domestic pets that fueled interest in an anti-vivisection movement, England primarily. Adopting domestic pets culminated in the founding of the Society for the Protection of Animals Liable to Vivisection in 1875. This was followed by the formation of similar groups. Queen Victoria, of England, was an early opposer of animal testing in her country, as said in a 1875 letter written by her private secretary. Soon after t hat, the anti-vivisection campaign became strong enough and pressured lawmakersRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Be Banned2223 Words   |  9 Pagesanimals, there are better methods of testing consumer products. Scientists have to test the drugs on the animal before they can test the product on humans. If the drug is dangerous or toxic, it could initially harm the animals. Some scientists do a vivisection, which basically means operating on live animals for the purpose of research. This results in injury or even death to the animals. The US Department of Agriculture stated that in 2010 97,123 animals suffered in experiments when not given anesthesiaRead MoreAnimal Testing Is An Act Of Animal Cruelty952 Words   |  4 Pageswalks past their cage. After surviving lives of pain, isolation, and horror, near to all of them will be killed. Although animal testing brings more products and more medical discoveries, it should still be considered an act of animal cruelty. Vivisection—the practice of performing operations on live animals for the purpose of experimentation or scientific research— is one of the worst forms of animal abuse in our culture. Within-laboratory walls, what can occur to animals have no limits. ImagineRead MoreEssay on Animal Research and Testing, Is it Ethical?2175 Words   |  9 Pagesvivisection Animal Research and Testing, Is it Ethical? â€Å"It is a simple fact that many, if not most, of today’s modern medical miracles would not exist if experimental animals had not been available to medical scientists. It is equally a fact that, should we as a society decide the use of animal subjects is ethically unacceptable and therefore must be stopped, medical progress will slow to a snail’s pace. Such retardation will in itself have a huge ethical ‘price tag’ in terms of continued