Current awareness is the term used to describe staying informed by keeping up to date with the latest publications, research and news in your field.
The perspective of current awareness is the present and the forthcoming, as opposed to the retrospective.
Current awareness ranges from looking for information on specific topics on a regular basis (and this usually involves the assistance of your Personal Librarian to help you set up a search profile matched to your research interests) to embracing a wider, more general, and cross-disciplinary view that brings an element of serendipity into your search for the latest information.
Informally, researchers remain alert in all contexts for useful information and insights that will inform their daily practice, their research, and spark off innovative and creative ideas for new avenues of research.
Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. The traffickers often use violence or fraudulent employment agencies and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.
Migrant Smuggling is the facilitation, for financial or other material gain, of irregular entry into a country where the migrant is not a national or resident. The criminals behind this highly profitable business seize the opportunity created by the need or desire of people to escape not just poverty and lack of employment opportunities but also natural disaster, conflict or persecution.
The year is marked with many special days, weeks, and months dedicated and devoted to raising awareness about important issues.
This monthly post, compiled by the Information Search Librarians Team, will note special dates and themes, and draw your attention to possibly interesting cross-disciplinary topical references intended to inform and to inspire ideas for research.
1 to 31 July Nelson Mandela Month 2022
In July, South Africa celebrates former President Nelson Mandela's birthday. 18 July has been declared Nelson Mandela International Day, but as South Africans we embrace the chance to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life for the whole of July. This gives everyone the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them.
Nelson Mandela Day Goals 2019-2029:
Education and Literacy
Food and Nutrition
Shelter
Sanitation
Active Citizenship
1 to 31 July Moral Regeneration Month 2022
July marks the commemoration of Moral Regeneration Month, an initiative of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM), which is aimed at encouraging people to recommit to efforts of building communities grounded on positive values and rededicate to building a caring society in pursuit of creating lasting peace and prosperity in the country.
The commemoration takes place specifically in July to coincide with the celebration of Mandela Day on 18 July and the birthday month of former President Nelson Mandela, an icon who is considered to be the main leader of the formation of the Moral Regeneration Movement, and Mark the adoption of the Charter for Positive Values on 28 July 2008.
2 July International Day of Cooperatives
Brief History
The earliest record of a co-operative comes from Scotland in March 14 1761. In 1844 a group of 28 artisans working in the cotton mills in north of England established the first modern co-operative business.
11 July World Population Day
An outgrowth of the day of five billion celebrated on 11 July 1987, World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions for these issues.
As the world population edged to 7 billion people in 2011 (up from 2.5 billion in 1950), it has had profound implications for development. A world of 7 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity with implications on sustainability, urbanisation, access to health services and youth empowerment.
15 July to 15 August Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month
15 July World Youth Skills Day
18 July Nelson Mandela International Day
20 July World Chess Day
Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games, with a combination of sport, scientific thinking and elements of art. As an affordable and inclusive activity, it can be exercised anywhere and played by all, across the barriers of language, age, gender, physical ability or social status.
Chess is a global game, which promotes fairness, inclusion and mutual respect, and noting in this regard that it can contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding among peoples and nations.
Chess also offers important opportunities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, including strengthening education, realizing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and fostering inclusion, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect.
More …
20 Jul Inaugural Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference in Sandton
South Africa will host the inaugural Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference (BIEC) on 20 July 2022 at the Sandton International Convention Centre.
The Conference aims to reflect on the performance of government’s Black Industrialists programme since its inception. The gathering will further highlight and showcase the importance of the Africa Free Continental Trade Area (AfCTA) towards enhancing economic development and promoting intra-trade on the continent.
25 July World Drowning Prevention Day
28 July World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes. It provides an opportunity to focus on specific actions such as:
strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases
increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integration into national immunisation programmes
coordinating a global response to hepatitis.
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. These viruses constitute a major global health risk.
30 July World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
If you are looking for forthcoming conferences, the following websites are helpful:
You will be prompted to enter your Unisa student number and myUnisa password, or, your Unisa staff Network username and password to access the dissertation and the article.
Trends, Manifestations and Challenges of Human Trafficking in Africa
Victor H. Mlambo0 Nduduzo C. Ndebele
Published Online:1 Jun 2021 https://0-hdl-handle-net.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10520/ejc-aa_afren-v18-n2-a2
Abstract
This study sought to examine the trends, manifestations and challenges of human trafficking in Africa. To accomplish this, a qualitative research approach was adopted to enable the use of secondary data. The research methodology was undertaken by systematically reviewing and contextualising the literature regarding the topic under study. In Africa, human trafficking has evolved into a multibillion dollar business aided by the entrenchment of international syndicates which has further exacerbated the problem. The study found that human trafficking is growing in Africa particularly because governments lack the necessary resources, technical expertise, political will and effective legislation. These were all factors exacerbating the human trafficking problem in Africa. The study recommended that there is a great need for international cooperation with the international community, the strengthening of the judiciary, and the enforcement of the rule of law if the continent has any chance of combatting human trafficking.
Human trafficking during pandemics and disasters
Kotie Geldenhuys
Published Online:1 Feb 2021 https://0-hdl-handle-net.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10520/ejc-servamus-v114-n2-a12
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has put the world under enormous strain and is having a huge impact on everyone. Apart from health concerns, some people have lost their income and homes and through all of this, we have to live according to the “new normal” which includes lockdowns, quarantine, travel restrictions and curfews in an attempt to flatten the infection curve. As we all had to change our lives during this difficult time, so did criminal networks.
An Exploration of Human Trafficking and Human Rights in South Africa: A Strategic Perspective
Motseki Morero Moses
Published Online:12 Oct 2021 https://0-hdl-handle-net.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10520/ejc-genbeh_v19_n2_a18
Abstract
From its earliest days to the present, human rights law has unequivocally proclaimed the fundamental immorality and unlawfulness of one person appropriating the legal personality, labour or humanity of another. Both the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights confirm that rights are universal: they apply to everyone, irrespective of their race, sex, ethnic origin or other distinction. Trafficked persons are entitled to the full range of human rights. This article was exploring the human rights violations caused by the perpetrators of human trafficking. This research was carried out utilising a qualitative approach. Thirty-seven interviews were carried out among officials deployed in the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the Department of Social Development (DSD), the Gauteng Provincial Office, as well as with the victims regarding their views and experiences on the stakeholder’s involved in combating and investigating human trafficking. The interviews were analysed according to the phenomenographic approach to identify the participants' responses. The reason for this choice was to identify key or knowledge able participants about human trafficking in three selected areas of Gauteng province. The key findings indicated that the human rights of the victims of human trafficking are violated by both the traffickers and to some extent by the criminal justice system (CJS). The findings indicated that CJS legal response consists of existing common laws and statutory crimes in investigating and prosecuting traffickers, these legal remedies have no direct bearing on human trafficking. The findings further indicate that there is gap in the legislation when it comes to investigations and prosecution of human trafficking in South Africa. Based on the findings, the author provided with the recommendations such as: harsher sentences and punishment when it comes to perpetrators human trafficking, multi-disciplinary unit dealing with human trafficking within the criminal justice system, and tougher laws and legislations on traffickers and prostitution, women’s sexual services and sex entertainment industry.