A Mexico city statue during the early days of swine flu. Photo: Flickr user olivcris

With concerns rising in the U.S. and abroad about the H1N1 virus, we want to hear your thoughts.

Do you think the U.S. government is doing enough to protect American citizens from H1N1?

Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Please remember to be respectful and on-point in your comments. Malicious or offensive comments will be deleted and repeat offenders will be banned.

Should governments make laws about how to punish children? Or it is a private matter?

In a nationwide non-binding referendum that ended on Friday, nearly 88 percent of New Zealanders voted “NO” when asked this question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offense?”

There is already a law on the books in New Zealand that prohibits parents from hitting their children. Some parents think the law is intrusive and that this form of discipline is a private family matter.

The government has said that the existing law will not be changed.

Should governments make laws about how to punish children? Or it is a private matter? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

New Zealand bloggers weighed in on the issue.

Kiwi blogger Kelvin Hartnall takes issue with the language of the referendum:

My first complaint is with the unnecessary adjective ‘good’; how can ‘good’ parenting be wrong? To see the effect of this word, just try rereading the question by placing a negative adjective in this place such as ‘abusive’.

My second complaint is with the word ‘smack’ in the question. My issue is that this word doesn’t actually appear in the Act at all. In this question it helps conjure up a loving gentle smack on the bottom. The Act was passed to prevent physical assaults on children that would be prosecutable if the child was an adult.

Blogger “KiwiPolitico” explains why s/he voted yes to overturn the smacking ban:

I voted yes because I believe smacking children is wrong.

I voted yes because I want to reaffirm that the Christian right do not speak for me. Many many (many) Christians in New Zealand believe, as I do, that smacking is wrong.

I voted yes because countless people gained the signatures of 300,000 voters to give me the opportunity to say out loud what I believe.

I voted yes because I want to live in a country where children are hugged, held, comforted, and raised to be non-violent adults.

At a Facebook group urging a “NO” vote, “Bart” writes:

It demotes Parents from being the highest authority in their childrens lives and devalues the role of parents in the family, and the family is the cornerstone of civilised society.

It leaves children without guidance, a quick smack is effective at communicating without resorting to emotional blackmail and other methods which are actually more damaging and have a longer lasting “scaring” effect.

It supposes that behaviour (if it is bad, but it’s not when done normally in loving correction) can be changed by legislation. If it is such a good thing to not smack (for the correct reasons) then why is there not several years of education instead of the intrusive law telling good parents how to bring up their own children.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Stephen Poff under a Creative Commons license.

Chosen by Haitian President Rene Preval, Pierre-Louis — the country’s second female prime minister — directed the Foundation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL), a non-governmental organization that works for economic empowerment.

But she faces enormous challenges in a country with a history of government instability and pervasive political, economic and social upheaval.

In January, Worldfocus correspondent Benno Schmidt interviewed Pierre-Louis. In this extended interview, she discusses how she and the rest of the government can work to overcome Haitians’ ingrained distrust of political leaders.

Schoolgirls in Manila.

In the U.S., schools in several cities have implemented “cash for grades” programs to encourage disadvantaged students’ achievement in the classroom.

Now, developing countries are testing out cash incentives as a possible method of fighting poor health and education. In the Philippines, the government’s new “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” provides cash assistance to poor families that follow human development guidelines. Approximately 4.7 million families in the Philippines, or 27.6 million people, were considered poor in 2006.

Gilberto M. Llanto is a research fellow with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of the Philippines. He writes at the “East Asia Forum” blog about the new program and its likelihood of success. 

Philippines rolls out cash in return for health and education

A growing number of developing countries have implemented conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs, a new intervention funded by donors that seeks to improve the health and education status of mothers and poor children, respectively, and reduce poverty in the long run. The CCT is a targeted transfer program whereby cash is directly transferred to poor household beneficiaries on condition of doing certain activities such as keeping children in school. This intervention rests on the importance given to human capital in stimulating growth and social development.

Recently, the Philippine government has designed its own version called “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” (4Ps), allocated a budget and knocked on the doors of donors such as the World Bank for supplemental funding.

The 4Ps will provide cash to targeted poor households on condition of regular school attendance by the households’ children and visits to health centers by family members.

The 4Ps are based on the following rationale:

• Investment in human capital (e.g., basic education, health) leads to long-run poverty alleviation. Early interventions provide much higher returns over the lifecycle, and
• Cash transfers have an immediate impact on the poverty situation.

That poor households—which do not have the means to improve their education and health status—need some form of subsidies is undeniable. That cash transfers provide immediate relief, especially to poor households suffering from hunger and various deprivations, is obvious.

The policy question, however, is whether or not the 4Ps constitutes an efficient and effective instrument for providing subsidies. More importantly, will conditional cash transfers yield the expected outcomes on education, nutrition, and health? Will the expected human capital investment outcomes be realized?

The budgetary implications of this program are staggering and more so if funded by borrowing. In the next five years, the government hopes to transfer cash to 500,000 poor households. It cannot do this, though, without passing the hat to donors since it simply does not have the resources to fund the envisaged massive program of conditional cash transfer.

To read more, see the original post.

The views expressed by contributing bloggers do not reflect the views of Worldfocus or its partners.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user hellochris under a Creative Commons license.

Here is a selection of major government shifts around the globe and bloggers’ reactions:

	CUBA: In February, Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba’s president after ruling since 1959. His brother Raúl Castro, also of the Communist Party, is now serving as president. (Feb. 18)	Blogger “Circles Robinson” outlines Cuba’s future under the new Castro, arguing that U.S.-Cuba relations will not change.
	PARAGUAY: Left-wing candidate Fernando Lugo swept to victory in Paraguay’s April elections, ending more than six decades of rule by the right-wing Colorado Party. (April 20)	A writer at “Upside Down World” writes about the historic election from Asunción.
	RUSSIA: Vladimir Putin stepped down as president of Russia after eight years in office in May, handing the job to chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev. (May 7)	Blogger Eugene Ivanov reccomends that Medvedev take several steps to repair U.S.-Russian relations.
	LEBANON: The parliament elected army chief Michel Suleiman as head of state in May, ending a standoff between the U.S.-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition that had lasted for over a year. (May 25)	A blogger at “Independence” writes that calm was somewhat restored to Beirut after Suleiman’s election.
	MAURITANIA: The African nation held its first free elections in more than 20 years in 2007, but in August 2008, a group of military officers staged a coup and took power from the elected government. The coup leader says that Mauritania will hold presidential elections in May 2009. (August 6)	A local government official in Mauritania blogs about the current political situation there.
	PAKISTAN: Pervez Musharraf, who came to power in a 1999 coup, resigned in August. Asif Ali Zardari — head of the Pakistan People Party and husband of its slain former leader Benazir Bhutto — assumed office in September. (August 18)	A blogger bids farewell to the Musharraf era.
	MALDIVES: The small island nation went to the polls for the first time in three decades this year and unseated Asia’s longest-serving ruler. Former political prisoner Mohamed “Anni” Nasheed won a runoff vote. (October 28)	Read the Worldfocus Blogwatch here.
	UNITED STATES: Democrat Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States in November, and will succeed two-term Republican President George W. Bush in late January. (Nov. 4)	Hear how the world reacted to Obama’s election here.
	THAILAND: Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was forced to resign. Replacement Somchai Wongsawat later resigned as a result of anti-government demonstrations. A ruling coalition led by Abhisit Vejjajiva took power in December. (Dec. 17)	Read what a Worldfocus contributing blogger had to say about the future of Thailand.
	GHANA: President John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party stepped down after two terms in office. A tight presidential race followed, and John Atta Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress party narrowly won in December’s runoff vote. (Dec. 28)	Read what a Worldfocus contributer wrote about the significance of the peaceful election for Africa.
	SOMALIA: President Abdullahi Yusuf resigned in December after acknowledging that Islamist insurgents had gained control over much of the country. The country’s parliament can select a new leader. (Dec. 29)	Read what a Worldfocus contributing blogger had to say about possible Islamist rule in Somalia.
	BANGLADESH: An army-backed interim government lifted the country’s state of emergency to allow for elections for prime minister, and Sheikh Hasina Wajed won a landslide victory. (Dec. 29)	A blogger at “In Asia” writes about Bangladeshis’ hope that the election will lead to successful governance.