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- ItemEm-power lifting : a case study of women’s weightlifting in Aotearoa : a research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of International Development, Institute of Development Studies, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Ogilvy, Jamie R. I.Through application of an Indigenous (Māori) informed theoretical framing, articulated as Mana Wāhine values, this research report explores the phenomenon of weightlifting with Indigenous (Māori) women from Aotearoa New Zealand, as a vehicle for empowerment. The research project was guided by two main research questions, firstly, what is the role of weightlifting in developing personal, relational, and collective empowerment for Aotearoa New Zealand Indigenous (Māori) women? Secondly, how does this empowerment align with strengthening the values, understood as Mana Wāhine values, of Indigenous (Māori) women? Data was collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews, nine wāhine (female) participants and one tane (male) participant. All participants were aged between 20 – 50 years old and had been participating in strength sports as an athlete or coach or both; six female and one male who were current or past Olympic weightlifters, two female strong women competitors and one power lifter. All participants were of Māori decent or coached wāhine Māori or were allies/accomplices (Whitinui, 2021) of Māori women in strength sport. Findings suggest that weightlifting and strength-based training enhanced the development of the self, increased body satisfaction thus positivity towards body image because women identifying as feeling physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually strong and thus powerful. Their ability to set and achieve goals was enhanced and this carried over into other areas of life. While seemingly an individual sport, feelings of belonging and camaraderie indicated better relational empowerment, as well as collective empowerment due to being part of the lifting community and subscribing to a similar kaupapa. In terms of how these changes aligned with Mana Wāhine values, wāhine spoke about having a sense of authority, notions of manaakitanga and giving back to others and the kaupapa of strong wāhine. Overall, this research highlights that strength-based sport like weightlifting can be a vehicle for personal, relational, and collective empowerment with these elements lending themselves towards strengthening Mana Wāhine values. Of great importance here was the transformative implications noted for women. However, any broader transformative impacts beyond the individuals will require the ongoing challenges of predetermined ideologies i.e., stereotypes of women not being strong, or norms, rules, exclusionary practices and under resourcing, for example, which sees women’s lifting to be situated at the margins. Empowerment of the individual is all well and good, but the individual can only go so far. “Empowerment requires changes to systems, rules, and norms, which undermine large groups of people [Māori women], as well as changes at the level of the individual” (Scheyvens, 2020, p. 120).
- ItemThe United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and te reo Māori : is the Aotearoa New Zealand government fulfilling its responsibilities? : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Institute of Development Studies, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Mato, Paula JaneTe reo Māori is the Indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and its survival and revitalisation is of paramount importance to Māori and others who commit to the language, and to te reo Māori having a rightful place in the fabric of Aotearoa New Zealand society. International Indigenous rights instruments, such as the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), are one mechanism through which Indigenous languages such as te reo Māori can be protected and revitalised. An important part of implementing such mechanisms is the establishment of monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that progress (or lack thereof) towards implementation is tracked. Through an Indigenous rights and Kaupapa Māori lens, this research report seeks to determine the extent to which the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to the revitalisation of te reo Māori, aligns with its responsibilities as a signatory to the UNDRIP. Three research questions are posed. Firstly, what responsibilities does the Aotearoa New Zealand government have as a signatory to the UNDRIP? Secondly, what has been the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to the revitalisation of te reo Māori? Thirdly, how has the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s approach to te reo Māori revitalisation aligned (or not) with its responsibilities as a signatory to the UNDRIP? This research used a document analysis as its primary method. An UNDRIP Compliance Assessment Tool developed in Canada by Smith & Mitchell (2020) was adapted to assess the government in Aotearoa New Zealand’s compliance with selected UNDRIP articles as it relates to te reo Māori. When looking at the performance of government here, the overall assessment is that there is evidence of some good practice albeit within the boundaries and systems of the state. For the Aotearoa New Zealand government to fully meet its responsibilities under the UNDRIP, there would need to be more of an effort to support Māori to lead the protection and revitalisation of te reo Māori (through self-determination). However, this is unlikely to happen in the current political environment. The current National-led coalition government has made clear its unwillingness to provide support for either te reo Māori or for progressing the UNDRIP implementation plan – He Puapua. Similar research or an evaluation undertaken in three plus years’ time would help uncover the likely negative impact of this policy position, on both the revitalisation of te reo Māori and on progressing Indigenous rights through the UNDRIP in this country.
- Item“Broken” pathways : understanding the licensing experiences of overseas-trained medical doctors in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Thomas-Maude, JohannaMore than 40% of registered medical doctors in Aotearoa New Zealand received their primary medical qualifications overseas. Within this landscape, the pathways that international medical graduates (IMGs) must follow to achieve professional licensing depend on their background. This research explores IMG experiences of these processes using a capabilities approach to mobility justice, finding that although pathways to registration exist on paper, many are broken, unpredictable, and often unattainable in practice. General registration is available to doctors who completed their primary qualifications, or have worked for a minimum time period, in 24 high-income, Global North countries known as Comparable Health Systems (CHS). Other IMGs must apply for registration by taking a medical knowledge examination from the United Kingdom (U.K.), Australia, Canada, or the United States of America (U.S.A.), demonstrating English language competency, and taking the New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX), which evaluates context-specific clinical skills. While completing these steps is time-consuming and costly, IMGs on the NZREX pathway are also required to complete two years of supervised work in local hospitals. First year positions, known as Postgraduate Year One (PGY1), are limited and prioritised for New Zealand medical graduates (NZMGs). As a result, a bottleneck has delayed or prevented many of these IMGs, typically originating from Global South countries, from finding PGY1 employment. This research addresses a knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between IMG experiences, professional outcomes, and their designated pathway to registration. An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was employed, consisting of semi-structured interviews of IMGs (n = 24) and local experts (n = 9), an online questionnaire of IMGs (N = 80), and a document analysis of historical policies, grey literature, and media reports (N = 370), across three phases. The project was framed by a capabilities approach to mobility justice that evolved alongside the research design, data collection, and analysis. This theoretical approach considers what IMGs in Aotearoa New Zealand are able to “be” and “do” as migrant professionals, through four key components known as the 4Ps. The 4Ps comprise professional mobilities and capabilities, (inter)personal mobilities and capabilities, mobilities and capabilities in practice, and mobilities and capabilities power regimes. Combining empirical data with this theoretical lens highlights how medical registration pathways and policies contribute to uneven mobilities and capabilities among IMGs in Aotearoa New Zealand. Injustices are produced through misrecognition and the arbitrary exclusion of individuals who did not train in CHS countries. Such arbitrary exclusions, in turn, produce brain waste, whereby some IMGs already residing in Aotearoa New Zealand were unable to work as doctors, or experienced significant delays in registration, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation is detrimental not only to these IMGs, but also to the chronically under-resourced local medical workforce and, consequently, the broader population in need of healthcare. Furthermore, colonial vestiges can be seen to have contributed to a recurring cycle of policy changes, which have culminated in contemporary licensing policies strongly resembling those from 1905. To create more just pathways for registration for IMGs in Aotearoa New Zealand, this (post)colonial cycle needs to be examined, evaluated, and broken, paving the way for more equitable medical regulation.
- ItemKia rauka I te tūranga memeitaki no te iti tangata ānuanua o te Kuki Airani = Towards attaining holistic wellbeing for the Rainbow community of the Cook Islands : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in International Development, Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Wichman, Valentino (Valery) Tefa'atauKia Orana and welcome to this scholarly exploration of Tūranga Memeitaki, or Wellbeing, within the Ānuanua, or Rainbow, Community of the Cook Islands, guided by the principles of Akapapa’anga (genealogies) and Kai Vānanga (elevated conversations). This thesis is a deliberate endeavor to shed light on the experiences of a unique and often marginalized community. It aims to address the question of what is Tūranga Memeitaki for the Ānuanua community? Grounded in the Akapapa'anga methodology, which delves into the intricate web of relationships and connections among individuals and groups, this research employs Māori genealogical analysis to unearth the nuanced dimensions of Tūranga Memeitaki within the Ānuanua community. By drawing upon family trees, oral traditions, historical records, and diverse information sources, this approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the community's wellbeing dynamics. To navigate the sensitive nature of discussions and the subject matter concerning the Ānuanua community, a novel method known as Kai Vānanga Vatavata has been developed. Inspired by other Pacific approaches, this method has been customized to accommodate the specific needs and concerns of marginalized communities, ensuring respectful and culturally appropriate data collection and interpretation. Throughout the enquiry, the Kai Vānanga Vatavata method has undergone continuous refinement to optimize its efficacy in capturing the diverse perspectives and experiences within the Ānuanua community. Given the distinct challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities worldwide, a nuanced understanding of Tūranga Memeitaki for the Ānuanua community holds significant implications for addressing these challenges effectively. The research methodology incorporated interviews, focus groups, and literature analysis to explore the multifaceted dimensions of wellbeing and its impact on holistic human experience. By engaging directly with members of the Ānuanua community, this study aims to amplify their voices, illuminate their narratives, and contribute to the development of tailored policy solutions and research recommendations aimed at enhancing their overall wellbeing. The principal outcomes derived from the Kai Vānanga Vatavata highlight the imperative of conducting research that is culturally relevant and led by Ānuanua for Ānuanua. It underscores the urgency of ceasing the compartmentalization or 'othering' of the Ānuanua community, recognizing resilience and beyond both within this community and more broadly, and transitioning from a focus on wellbeing to an emphasis on wholebeing.
- ItemExploring the potential of Green Tourism Bonds as a climate financing initiative in Samoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of International Development, Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Patrick, Isabella GraceThis research aimed to explore the potential of a climate financing initiative, namely Green Tourism Bonds, in Samoa. Green Tourism Bonds are a climate financing initiative that allows the tourism sector to adapt and mitigate to the impacts of climate change through providing financial capital where needed. With only one prominent case of Green Tourism Bonds being used globally, there is a research gap in Samoa to explore how these bonds could be implemented in line with Samoan aspirations. Therefore, this research undertook an approach that is driven by the sustainable tourism development aspirations of the Samoan Tourism Authority and the Government of Samoa. The development research problem is that globally-led climate financing initiatives are hard to access for Small Island Developing States, and do not encourage them to tap into their already present forms of community resilience. An example of this resilience can be seen through Latai‐Niusulu, Binns, et al., (2020) cultural-ecological lens on climate change resilience, which directly draws from the knowledge that Samoans have been resilient throughout their history. These historic, dynamic and adaptable patterns of resilience continue to be drawn upon in the contemporary climate change environment (Latai‐Niusulu et al., 2020). This research found that for Green Tourism Bonds to have potential in Samoa, they would have to align with their sustainable tourism development and climate financing approaches. Ultimately, for climate financing to contribute to long-term, in-country resilience, cultural ecological resilience needs to be at the forefront. If it is to be connected to tourism, climate financing needs to also uphold how the sustainability principles established by the Pacific Tourism Organisation are conceptualised in Samoa. Green Tourism Bonds have made proven contributions to the sustainable tourism development in other places. However, due to the challenges posed by the economic COVID-19 recovery, the ‘newness’ of climate financing, capacity of the Government of Samoa and the tourism sector in Samoa, this approach is not recommended in the short- to medium-term in Samoa. This research connects sustainable tourism development and climate financing together in the Samoan context and recommends further options for Samoa.
- ItemWomen's empowerment : a case study on the Female Community Health Volunteer programme in Balkumari, Nepal : a research project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters in International Development, Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Thompson, FrancescaThe Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) Programme in Nepal is considered the backbone of the national health system. With over 52,000 female volunteers trained across the country, they have gained the ability to provide intimate support to mothers and young children, acting as the interface between community and national health (MoHP, 2014, p. 23). As Nepal is a patriarchal nation, women’s and children’s health can often be not prioritised or dismissed. Prioritising women’s health is linked with women’s empowerment and a step towards addressing poverty. This study focuses on one NGO, the FCHV Programme that works towards women’s health, and aims at understanding in what areas the programme actively works towards women’s empowerment. The FCHV programme operates with female volunteers, whose responsibility is working with women that need health support. This study is framed within a gender and development context. It utilises a qualitative methodology and an empowerment framework to explore how the FCHV programme operates within a local Nepalese context, and in what ways the programme includes empowerment of women. The primary research method applied were semi-structured interviews throughout the seven-weeks of fieldwork in the village of Balkumari in Bardiya District. This study found that despite a lack of financial remuneration, the female volunteers in Balkumari have had some empowering experiences through the education they received. By sharing their education within the community, other women also benefited. In the process, the women experienced increased self-esteem and social status.
- ItemThe effects of COVID-19 on ni-Vanuatu workers in New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of International Development at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Tonkin, CameronOn March 11, 2020, the United Nations World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic, initiating widespread government-imposed restrictions affecting peoples’ mobility, social engagement and livelihoods (United Nations, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted global structural inequalities and recognised the importance of migrant workers in their contributions to the global economy (International Labour Organisation, 2021). This context has placed increased recognition on the temporary migration policies that facilitate mobility and their evolution over time (International Labour Organisation, 2021). For temporary workers, participation under these policies had placed restrictions on their already limited social integration and has had an undeniable restrain on their labour rights (Rosewarne, 2010). Temporary workers are often not eligible to access the social and economic safety nets provided to national residents, which has exacerbated their vulnerability from the impacts of the pandemic (Mukumbang, 2021). This study aims to explore how ni-Vanuatu participants in the New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme have exercised agency during the pandemic. This research has focused on workers in Te Puke, New Zealand. The exploration of their lived experiences is harnessed through a qualitative approach and methods that have facilitated discussion in semi-structured interviews along with personal observations and reflections. The research findings demonstrate RSE scheme stakeholders consisting of RSE employers, local community organisations and respective national governments have made concerted efforts at the initial stages of the pandemic to engage RSE participants and provide the means to sustain themselves. However, as the pandemic had continued, ni-Vanuatu workers shifted their focus towards personal responsibility to supporting themselves and helping other workers. This research shows that even in the most restrictive environments, ni-Vanuatu RSE scheme participants as individuals are conscious and capable of making decisions for themselves. Contributions of this research could be reflected in the design and implementation of the RSE scheme post-pandemic to allow participants to define their needs and promote a better understanding of their experiences.
- ItemEngaging with the private sector for development : a critical analysis of attempts to partner with business for women's economic empowerment in Vietnam : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Nguyen, Lan Phuong ThiDevelopment agencies have increasingly recognised the private sector as playing an important role in the progress toward achieving sustainable development. While scholars contest the private sector’s role in development, development agencies and NGOs continue collaborating with the private sector to deliver social results for the poor. There have been numerous studies on the role of large companies, mostly multinational corporations, in development. However, limited literature sheds light on the engagement of donors with micro and small enterprises in development as well as their impacts on women’s economic empowerment. This research aims to fill this gap by critically investigating donor-private sector partnerships implemented under an Australian aid programme in which micro and small enterprises are engaged to economically empower ethnic minority women in Vietnam. My findings suggest that micro and small businesses are important development partners in creating economic opportunities for low-income women. Locally- and socially-embedded businesses can achieve success and sustainability through their ability to engage with ethnic minority women. They also have the potential to create economic, social, and cultural impacts. They can be inclusive, with some small businesses reaching poor ethnic minority women regardless of production scales, and they can help women improve their incomes by supporting women to cultivate and sell unique, traditional, and cultural products. However, these private sector partners face challenges that constrain their partnership with development agencies and limit the objective of empowering ethnic minority women. My research findings challenge the instrumentalist notion of women’s economic empowerment, which donors commonly deploy in partnerships with a business by focusing solely on providing training and access to productive resources for market integration. It confirms that this instrumentalist approach is insufficient to genuinely empower women. Instead, my research recommends a holistic donor-private sector partnership framework for women’s empowerment to plug the gaps and transform the prevailing women’s economic empowerment approach. This proposed framework includes two elements which emerged from the research findings: relational and collective empowerment. Relational empowerment emphasises the importance of the relational aspects of empowerment and how changes in power relations in the surrounding environment affect women's empowerment. Collective empowerment reflects the need for collective action to influence changes in social norms and rules to recognise and improve women’s positions within households and the broader community. The proposed framework also involves civil society organisations, non-government organisations, and local governments as important partners in addressing unequal structures and barriers to women and enabling transformative outcomes for women. These research findings will support development agencies to better engage with the private sector to enable ethnic minority women’s empowerment.
- ItemNarratives of Creole islandness : exploring the relational practices of public servants and community leaders in Jamaica : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Waite, SueAnn GeorgiaUnderstanding islands as spaces that amplify relational phenomena, Creole as produced by the experience of plantation colonialism; and narratives as sense-making tools which sustain cultural repertoires, this thesis uses a case study of public servants and community leaders involved in local development planning in Jamaica to explore the extent to which relational practices of islanders are explainable through narratives of Creole islandness. Assuming relations as the building blocks of institutions, the thesis proposes that examining relations and their cultural context is instrumental to understanding institutional change (and maintenance). The research uses Jamaica as an example of a Creole island, with the local sustainable development planning process and the participatory governance framework as the institutional context. Three subnational jurisdictions in Jamaica provided the basis for identifying a network of public servants and community leaders to produce the conversation data used for analysis. Members of the diaspora involved in related development initiatives were also included. Conversations produced two sets of research data: 1) identity narratives of Creole islanders, and 2) relational practices in the design and implementation of the local development planning and participatory governance processes. Analysis of the data set revealed patterns among public servants and community leaders in their emphasis on different elements of shared narratives of Creole island identity and conceptions of development, as well as patterns of relational practices between public servants and community leaders in their roles in the local development planning and participatory governance processes. The findings provide insight into how cultural narratives and repertoires support actors in their navigation of governance processes on a Creole island and suggest the importance of planning for relational practices when designing and managing development and institutional change processes.
- ItemRural livelihoods and natural resource sustainability : a case study of two communities on Chiloé Island : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Rural Development at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2005) Bannister Hepp, AlanThis research examines the relationship between livelihood strategies of rural communities in Chile and local environmental sustainability. It determines livelihood options adopted by local communities and identifies their impact on the surrounding environment. Two case studies are presented using the sustainable livelihood approach as a framework to describe the livelihood strategies of two rural communities in Chiloé Island. Environmental sustainability is investigated using elements and concepts of the FESLM (Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Land Management) approach and of agroecosystem analysis. Both communities were selected because of their location close to extensive areas of native forests. One community is relatively isolated, has a “Huilliche” ethnic tradition, with a predominance of subsistence activities; the other is closer to markets and their livelihoods are primarily derived from farming-forestry systems. Data for the study was collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews with local leaders, relevant local government staff, NGOs, and community members. For the examined cases, results suggest that rural subsistence communities are highly diversified, using their resources in a non-sustainable way; generating livelihood strategies that fail to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. Low productivity soils, steep slopes, and depleted fragile forest ecosystems create a complex natural resource base. The main causes for the community economic problems are the lack of road networks and markets to sell products to. Organisations in charge of development interventions are aware of the situation but find it difficult to start a sustainable development process, mostly due to a lack of human capital in the communities, notably education, organisational skills, and technology adoption. Future development interventions should tackle the issues that constrain development in these communities, consider rural communities’ context-specific characteristics, value local culture and tradition, facilitate to build social and human capital, ensure integrated management of natural resources, and assist with markets for existing and value-added products produced by local households.
