Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Impact of Condom Availability on Students in High Schools Essay

Impact of Condom Availability on Students in High Schools - Essay Example Using past studies on this issue, this discussion will find out if condom availability programs in high schools have met their objectives or not. According to Schuster, Bell, Berry, and Kanouse, each day, American teenagers risk unwanted pregnancies, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases by participating in unprotected sex (67). Most sexually active teenagers do not consider the precautions, as well as the repercussions often involved in this. This is an uncontrollable fact, and so the best way to ensure their safety is by making protection available to them. This has however raised a lot of controversy, leading to a heated debate on the same. The proponents of condom availability programs argue that providing condoms to teenagers will lower their risks of unwanted pregnancies, HIV, and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Those opposed to this program argue that condom availability will compromise the teenager’s sexual decisions and plunge them into promiscuity. This move also presents an assumption that schools condone teenage sex, and this encourages teens to engage in sexual activity (Schuster, Bell, Berry, and Kanouse 68). ... Owing to this, different researches and studies have been conducted to evaluate the viability of this program. These revealed a variety of results. One study revealed that the response of students on these programs was favorable. However, males made most use of the condoms than females. In another study, an increase in the use of condoms was realized. However, no change in the students’ sexual activity was realized (American Academy of Pediatrics 1464-1467). Ideally, it is the role of parents to educate their teenage children on sexual matters. This responsibility has however transferred to teachers, since teens spend a considerable amount of their time in schools and not at home. This is incorporated in schools’ sex education. Most schools take different approaches in teaching sex education. Some insist on abstinence, while others are for both abstinence and protected sex. Those that encourage abstinence do not avail condoms to their students. On the other hand, those that advocate for both abstinence and protected sex will always make condoms available to their students in order for them to practice safe sex. Every year, a considerable number of teenagers fall victim to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections due to lack of knowledge, and the unavailability of condoms within their reach. This therefore suggests that high schools need to teach their students on the use of condoms, and make condoms available to them. Failure to do this will not solve the problems related to teenage sexuality. In 1986, a survey was undertaken on teenage sex, and the results showed that condoms would influence positively on teenage sexual

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore Dissertation

Developing a Best Practice framework for setting up an offshore jurisdiction in Islamic Finance - Dissertation Example Offshore jurisdictions that are fertile for Islamic finance include; Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bahrain, Labuan (Malaysia), Luxembourg, Dubai International Financial Centre and Dublin (Ireland). Other offshore jurisdiction favoured for investment includes Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Barbados, Cook Islands, Labua, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Cyprus and Gibraltar (Academie de Droit and International de la Haye, 1995). Most of the offshore centres in the world are anxious to become influential financial locations. These offshore locations aggressively seek investors interested in global investment from any part of the world. Growth of global investments has caused unprecedented growth of offshore jurisdictions in the past years. Accumulation of petrodollars and increasing Muslim population as well as increase in infrastructural projects demanding huge amounts of capital drive global Islamic finance. Furthermore, active participat ion of investors and independence of countries in Islamic capital markets are some of the reasons of growth and development of global Islamic finance (Muhammad 2009). Wealthy people and entities put their assets in offshore jurisdiction to avoid their legal obligations in their jurisdiction. They seek lawful lowering of tax incidence upon their wealth and avoid exposure of assets to risks such as claims that might otherwise arise in the home jurisdiction and can be legally avoided by investing away from home. A report released by Ernst & Young Islamic funds & Investment department indicated that global Islamic fund assets stagnated at US$52.3 billion in 2009 from US$51.4 billion in 2008. This is minimal growth and Islamic fund managers must adapt their strategies and operational models in line with new level expectations. Shariah investable assets have experienced strong growth over the years. Director at Ernst & Young’s Islamic Financial Services Ashar Nazim said that Sharia h investable pool grew by 20% from US$ 400 billion in 2008 to US$ 480 billion in 2009 (Investors Offshore n. d. ). Islamic Finance has remained strong despite the global credit crisis that shook global financial markets. This is because Islamic Finance has demonstrated promising banking behaviour over years. Trusts are normally set up to protect assets transferred to an offshore jurisdictions from the claims of creditors who might come into existence in future time but are nonexistent at the time of transfer of the assets of the offshore trusts. The transferors also aim to provide among members of their families in way that could not be done, were the forced heir ship provisions of the home jurisdiction enforced against the migrant property of the person. Offshore transfer of funds makes the transferor to have the advantage of trust provisions which are not known in the home jurisdiction. 2.0 The Research Problem Islamic Finance is becoming one of the most admirable financing produc ts across the world. Both Muslims and non-Muslims are approaching Islamic banks and Islam based financial institutions to meet their banking and financial needs. Islamic Finance is based on the teachings of Koran (Shariah Law) and does not operate like a conventional financial institution. Therefore, it has a totally different best practice framework, which must meet the dictates of the Koran. Unlike conventional banks, Islamic banks are faced with more challenges in terms of inadequate or failed internal processes,