Mutual obligation and Indigenous health: thinking through incentives and obligations

Water, sanitation and hygiene and indigenous peoples: a review of the literature

“…This has generated a debate centred on the communities' actual negotiation possibilities when entering into these agreements and whether the agreements discriminate against them, as the rewards offered are not granted to other Australians, and/or undermine their selfdetermination (Collard et al, 2005). Other authors are concerned with the feasibility and possibilities for monitoring of the shared responsibility agreements (Kowal, 2006). A recent evaluation conducted by the Australian government concluded that they are an effective mechanism and should be continued (Government of Australia, 2012).…”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community governance of health research: Turning principles into practice

“…Particular gaps occur in these areas: responding to community guidance when it varies from research protocols; capacity building; data management; dissemination of results; and authorship of papers. Kowal et al 15 reported that authors were often imprecise about the nature and purpose of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in research. 19 identified 10 principles for engaging in health research among such communities.…”

“…11 Several authors have explored the challenges for researchers (particularly non-Indigenous) working in this field. [14][15][16][17] This 'unfinished business' impacts directly on collaborative research at every level from person to organisation and requires a particular focus from non-Indigenous research partners regarding the availability of sufficient time to develop trust, relationships and respect from the outset, and a fundamental commitment to open, honest and accountable practice. Front-end development work is necessary to ensure that these values are embedded in appropriate governance processes.…”

Mutual obligation and Indigenous health: thinking through incentives and obligations

“…I note with interest recent articles by Collard and colleagues 2 and by Kowal, 3 debating “shared responsibility agreements”. The expressions “shared responsibility agreement” 3 and “mutual obligation” are variations of the expression “social contract”. The concept of “social contract” underlies the concept of democracy originating in the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean‐Jacques Rousseau.…”