Human Research Ethics Policy

Tijara: Journal of International Trade and Economics in Central Asia is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in the conduct, reporting, and publication of research involving human participants. We expect all authors submitting human-centered research to fully comply with internationally accepted ethical frameworks, ensuring that the dignity, rights, and welfare of research participants are always protected.

This policy outlines the ethical requirements and expectations for studies involving human subjects.

Guiding Principles

Tijara adheres to key international ethical standards, including:

  • The Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association): Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects, ensuring participant safety and rights.

  • The Belmont Report: Emphasizing respect for persons, beneficence, and justice in research involving human subjects.

  • National and Institutional Guidelines: Following the ethical guidelines governing human research within the country or institution conducting the research.

These frameworks guide our assessment of ethical compliance and inform editorial decisions regarding manuscripts that involve human subjects.

Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts based on human research must:

  1. Ethical Approval: Obtain prior approval from an accredited ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) before conducting research involving human subjects.

  2. Informed Consent: Confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants. This includes ensuring participants are fully informed of the research’s purpose, procedures, and any potential risks, and consenting to the use of their data, including consent for publication when relevant.

  3. Participant Privacy and Confidentiality: Ensure that participant privacy and confidentiality are rigorously protected at all stages of the research. This includes safeguarding any personally identifiable information (PII) and ensuring that data is stored and shared in compliance with data protection laws.

  4. Ethical Approval and Consent Process Documentation: Clearly describe the ethical approvals and consent processes in the manuscript, typically in the Methods section. Authors should provide documentation that confirms the research was conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines.

  5. Vulnerable Populations: For research involving vulnerable populations (e.g., minors, marginalized groups), authors must provide additional details on the safeguards and protective measures implemented to protect these participants.

  6. Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements: Adhere to all national and international legal and regulatory requirements related to human research ethics, ensuring that the research complies with applicable laws.

Editorial Assessment

The editorial team of Tijara will evaluate submissions involving human research to ensure:

  1. Ethical Approval Documentation: Ethical approval is explicitly documented, verifiable, and compliant with the necessary ethical guidelines.

  2. Respect for Participant Welfare: Research methodologies must respect the welfare of participants and minimize risks associated with participation.

  3. Informed Consent: Informed consent has been properly obtained and disclosed, and the process is documented clearly in the manuscript.

  4. Data Privacy and Confidentiality: Authors must ensure that privacy and confidentiality measures for participants meet international standards and are described in the manuscript.

  5. Ethical Documentation: Manuscripts lacking clear ethical documentation or those failing to demonstrate adherence to ethical standards may be rejected or held until satisfactory clarifications are provided.

Research Involving Secondary Data

For studies using human-related data (e.g., datasets, archives, social media, etc.), where direct participant involvement is not applicable, authors must:

  1. Ethical Compliance: Demonstrate that data usage complies with all relevant ethical and legal standards, including data privacy regulations and the protection of participants' identities.

  2. Consent for Data Use: Describe how consent for data use was obtained or justify the use of data if consent waivers apply. If applicable, authors must also clarify how ethical approval was obtained for using secondary data.

  3. Data Anonymization: Ensure that personal data is anonymized or de-identified to the greatest extent possible to protect participant privacy.

Addressing Ethical Concerns

If concerns arise regarding the ethical conduct of submitted or published research, Tijara will:

  1. Investigation: Initiate a formal investigation following the guidelines outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

  2. Engagement with Authors and Institutions: Engage with the authors and their affiliated institutions to clarify any ethical concerns raised.

  3. Corrective Actions: Take appropriate corrective actions, which may include issuing corrections, retractions, or editorial notes, to ensure the scholarly record is maintained with integrity.

Transparency and Accountability

Tijara is committed to fostering a culture of ethical transparency. We require all research involving human participants to be reported with full honesty and integrity. This transparency enables readers to understand the ethical framework underpinning the work and assures that the research adheres to the highest ethical standards.

All manuscripts submitted to Tijara that involve human research must fully comply with the ethical principles and responsibilities outlined in this policy, ensuring that participants' rights and well-being are always safeguarded.