Social Policy

The Impact of Ramadan during COVID-19 Confinement on Weight, Dietary, and Lifestyle Habits in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

BMC Public Health This article aims to investigate the influence of COVID-19 lockdown measures during Ramadan fasting on weight change in 481 participants in Saudi Arabia. Journal Article

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Jordan: COVID-19 Impact on Micro-Businesses and Landless Labourers – Final Report (August 2022)

REACH This report focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (lockdown measures and restrictions, and their economic impacts) on agricultural microenterprises, income-generating activities, and income-diversification activities in Jordan. The enterprises and activities selected for this study correspond to four specific occupational groups: farming micro-businesses, food processing micro-businesses, artisanal micro-businesses, and landless laborers. Report

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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, Financial Wellness, and Online Teaching on Schoolteachers’ Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in Lebanon

International Journal of Clinical Research This article aims to assess stress, anxiety, and depression levels among Lebanese schoolteachers based on the COVID-19 outbreak, the Lebanese economic crisis, and online education. Journal Article

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Menstrual Health and Period Poverty in Lebanon during Economic Crisis: A Qualitative Analysis of the Challenges and Recommendations

Frontiers in Reproductive Health This article aims to explore stakeholder’s perspective on the Lebanese public health policy regarding menstrual health, the evolving challenges it faces in the context of the current economic collapse and the COVID-19 pandemic, and to suggest recommendations for solutions. Journal Article

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First, Do No Harm? The World Health Organization in the MENA Region

Arab Center Washington D.C. This article reflects on the successes and the failures of the World Health Organization in the MENA region during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies challenges facing the WHO in the region including the exodus of health professionals, resource-poor health facilities, and a lack of specialized resources for women, children, refugees, people…

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Fighting COVID-19 in a Multicrisis Context: The Case of Lebanon

Community, Economy and COVID-19 This article studies the way in which the pandemic was successfully managed in the short term in Lebanon, but also how the lack of sustainable policies, low government trust, and limited monetary means led to an economic catastrophe and eventual large-scale spread of COVID-19. Journal Article

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COVID, Care and the City: Perspectives from MENA

London School of Economics This article inquires whether the interval of COVID-19 produced particular challenges and practices in the MENA region, and how these shifted over the period from 2020-2022. The authors draw on contributions related to different urban centres including Lebanon, Egypt and Tunis, and with a special focus on Palestine and Palestinians in…

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Aggression and Violence during the Lockdown Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kuwait

Journal of Affective Disorders Reports This article investigates whether there are significant sociodemographic differences in reported cases of physical and verbal aggression, anger, hostility, and violence among 815 Kuwaiti residents during the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal Article

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Women’s Employment and Care Work in MENA during the Pandemic

Economic Research Forum This article assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s employment and gender disparities in the MENA region. It shows that the experience of the pandemic underscores the persistent gender inequality in unpaid care work in MENA, and the necessity of redressing gender norms underlying this inequality to allow women equal…

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Contributing Factors in Whether Displaced Households Want to Receive Humanitarian Information from Humanitarian Actors: Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health This article investigates factors related to desire of displaced households to receive humanitarian information. The authors show that the desire to receive humanitarian information was related to whether household members were unemployed due to COVID-19, displacement status, and walking time to reach the nearest health care facility…

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