Drawing on personal reflections of my research experience on eldercare in East Asia, I suggest some directions for future research on demographic patterns and social welfare that complicate the concepts of care work and filial piety in understanding the population. Since the global pandemic has made its mark, existential anxieties grounded in the coupling of declining fertility rates and rising elderly dependence (lengthening lifespans amidst advances in medical technology) are running high. In this broader social problematic, I advocate for colleagues especially in East Asia to unpack the social dynamics of age relations and the specific predicaments of eldercare amidst an increasing overreliance on foreign domestic workers for live-in eldercare. The literature on changing trends of eldercare policy and practice is highly contextual and dynamic, and thus does not have a one-size-fits-all model. Nonetheless, broader commonalities in the commodification of family care, including its rising privatization and outsourcing to paid market options, leaves much to be uncovered across diverse cultural contexts and geographical locations. Crucially, ageism in market society is openly recognized in Western cultural contexts but less so, if at all, among East Asian populations where Confucian virtues of filial piety in (stay-at-home/live-in) care take precedence. In this paper, I weave together fieldwork observations and secondary literature to suggest that there is much analytical merit in pushing the boundaries of social reproduction concepts that make room for later-life issues.

Climate change has become a crucial factor driving migration and human displacement. High temperatures lead to higher incidences of phenomena such as extreme weather, rising sea levels, and altered environmental conditions that threaten governance, human security, and sustainable development. This paper seeks to establish the intersections of climate change and migration vis-à-vis displacements and sociopolitical challenges to address them. The research methodology included a secondary research approach that began with a detailed search of relevant literature from databases such as Web of Science, JSTOR, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink. The paper establishes the importance of risk management in advancing climate justice, resilience, and migration policies with respect to sustainable development. The paper concludes with some policy recommendations aimed at promoting favorable strategies to address climatedriven migration and displacement.

Violence against women (VAW) has significant detrimental effects on the daily lives of women and the overall development of society. Addressing VAW poses a considerable challenge for nations striving to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). Vietnamese society, deeply influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, continues to perpetuate male preferences. The persistence of gender stereotypes and discrimination shaped by societal norms serves as an underlying cause of VAW in Vietnam. Despite the Vietnamese government's efforts since 2010 to implement prevention and response programs for gender-based violence, the alarming reality is that nearly 63% of women report experiencing at least one form of violence in their lives. However, various obstacles prevent many of these women from seeking legal protection. These obstacles include inadequate support services, burdensome proof requirements, and fear of re-victimization. Thus, the crucial question of how to effectively eliminate VAW in Vietnam remains a major concern, influencing the nation's progress toward achieving the SDGs and upholding its commitment as a member country of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This paper analyzes the obstacles Vietnam faces in its efforts to prevent and respond to VAW, aiming to safeguard women's rights and advance gender equality.

High-stress levels during youth can negatively impact an individual's long-term physical and psychological health and overall well-being, potentially extending into adulthood and affecting their work life. Further investigation is required to deepen our understanding of how the stress experienced during adolescence correlates with stress in early adult work life. Furthermore, exploring how factors within the psychosocial work environment and temporary employment contribute to stressful experiences is crucial. This study followed a cohort of 1275 Danish working adults born in 1989, tracking them from age 15-28. Participants reported perceived stress levels at ages 15, 18, and 21, and the outcomes included perceived stress and work-related stress at age 28. Additional information on the psychosocial work environment and temporary employment was collected at age 28. The study consistently identified associations between perceived stress during adolescence and perceived stress or work-related stress in adulthood. The psychosocial work environment variables significantly contributed to work-related stress and partially explained general perceived stress, particularly among those with more work experience. Occupational health professionals should be aware that stress during adolescence can result in stress in future work life. It is important to understand that perceived stress and work-related stress are distinct facets, requiring different prevention approaches.

From enrolment in elementary school until acceptance at university, South Korean children pursue a uniform, arduous goal assigned to them by their mothers, community, and popular culture. Where this personal struggle will lead adolescents, and how, why, and at what cost? This study conceptualizes education as the rite of passage, not only for the children's social initiation but also in their mothers' pursuit of self-validation and self-worth. This social ritual aims to raise successful workers and righteous citizens but also inflicts various harms on the children, posing significant costs to them, their parents, and their teachers. We document evidence that youths endure various hardships and even long-term harms from being blindly and unidirectionally steered during their adolescence by their ostensibly emotionally cold "manager moms." We assert that giving children their own voice, shifting the prevailing social norms, and reforming the educational and career-access systems would help children attain better outcomes with lower collateral damage.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is characterized by high gender inequality and a high rate of early marriages of girl children, which could have a negative influence on child health outcomes and child mortality in the region. This study examined the influence of child marriage on infant mortality in selected countries in SSA. We used Cox proportional hazard models to analyze pooled data ( N=33,549 children) from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 28 SSA countries. Our study established that children of child brides faced heightened risks of infant mortality compared with children of women who married after the age of 18, although this relationship became insignificant after controlling for women's empowerment and other control variables. Therefore, the findings support the hypothesis that a certain extent of women's empowerment could moderate the relationship between early marriage and infant mortality in regions where early marriages occur due to the low socioeconomic status of women. We conclude that ensuring women empowerment and increasing their economic opportunities (such as involvement in the agriculture and formal employment sectors) will lead to decreases in child marriage, thereby reducing infant mortality in SSA.

India has a high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. IPV has been observed to increase during natural disasters. Many studies have attempted to unravel the effect of drought on IPV; however, the evidence remains mixed. There is a gap in such studies in the Indian context, and this study seeks to fill this gap. We used data from the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) (2015-2016) and NFHS-5 (2019 - 2021) to examine the effect of drought caused by the failure of the northeastern monsoon (NEM) in 2016 - 2018. Our analysis included data from 19 states and Union Territories of India ( N=34,590 ) in a difference-in-differences setup to evaluate the effect of the NEM drought on IPV. Exposure to the NEM drought was positively associated with physical violence (PV) and emotional violence, with results significant at the 95% and 99% confidence levels, respectively. A subsample analysis of rural and urban populations revealed that drought is significantly associated with an increase in sexual violence in urban areas, whereas it correlates with PV in rural areas. Additionally, exposure to drought is linked to a considerable rise in the controlling behavior of partners, for example, "He (is/was) jealous or angry if you (talk/talked) to other men,"'he (does/did) not permit you to meet your female friends)."These findings call for a two-fold policy action: providing support in the form of wage employment programs, subsidies, and other financial assistance during drought periods to help households cope with financial stress and implementing awareness programs aimed at changing partners' mindsets, thereby reducing controlling behaviors in marriages.

With China's population aging rapidly, the challenge of preserving and enhancing the health of its older citizens has gained paramount importance. Leveraging data from the fourth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this study examines the relationship between socioeconomic status and well-being of older adults in the context of China's evolving demographic landscape. Empirical analysis reveals compelling statistical evidence that underscores the significant influence of socioeconomic status on the health outcomes of older adults. Notably, socioeconomic factors such as education level, place of residence, household registration (hukou [戶口]) type, and Communist Party of China membership significantly affect the mental and cognitive well-being of older adults, with a more pronounced impact on mental health. These findings emphasize the need for targeted policies to address disparities and promote holistic well-being as China grapples with an aging population.

With the demographic changes toward the aging population, the role of intergenerational support and transfers has become increasingly prominent in the family support network. Using the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey Wave 1 conducted in 2018/2019, this study analyzed the flow and factors associated with the amount of intergenerational financial transfers across three generations via multiple regression analysis. The results showed an upstream flow of financial support from younger to older generations. Variables with significant capability in determining the amount of intergenerational financial transfers include age, gender, ethnicity, education level, marital status, employment, health status, number of living children or parents, income, and financial assistance received from the government. Findings from this study are useful for policymakers to understand the issues of old-age financial security in Malaysia and thus implement relevant policies such as improving the coverage and adequacy of existing social protection programs, strengthening family support networks, as well as educating the public on the importance of having sound financial knowledge.

Quality of life is a complex and multidimensional concept that reflects the level of development across various spheres of society. This paper focuses on one of the most important yet underdeveloped aspects. The study aims to assess the impact of environmental components on the quality of life in the Carpathian region of Ukraine and to present the authors' approach to improving it. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using annual statistical data on mortality rates, air, and water pollutants, gross regional product per capita, and foreign direct investment in the Carpathian region of Ukraine from 2001 to 2020. The analysis showed a direct negative impact of water and air pollution on the mortality rate in the region. The study also noted that foreign investment can sometimes increase mortality, indicating that the Carpathian region may act as a "haven for polluters" for foreign investors, which requires further detailed studies. The Carpathian Eco-Way Strategy was developed to address the region's most urgent ecological issues. It focuses on restoring natural capital, ensuring environmental cleanliness, transitioning to a green economy, and promoting environmentally efficient behavior among residents, visitors, and businesses. The study presents a model of environmentally efficient behavior that illustrates the interaction between legal and informational mechanisms and individual sociopsychological characteristics. Such behavior involves an active component and aims to preserve and improve the environment. The Eco-Way Strategy and model for environmentally efficient behavior development presented in the article are not only applicable to the Carpathian region of Ukraine; they can also be used as a basis for state policy development tools to solve environmental problems in other regions or countries. The authors' methodological approach can serve as the framework for further studies in this field.