Ethical Oversight

1. Policy Statement

Buletin Ilmiah Nagari Membangun is committed to ensuring that all scholarly work published in the journal respects human dignity, participant rights, community welfare, research integrity, and applicable ethical and legal standards.

The journal recognizes that community engagement activities may involve individuals, households, community groups, educational institutions, health facilities, local governments, and other organizations. Such activities must be conducted and reported responsibly, with particular attention to informed consent, privacy, safety, fairness, and the protection of vulnerable populations.

Ethical oversight is a shared responsibility of authors, their institutions, community partners, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

This policy is informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices, particularly the principles relating to ethical oversight, consent to publication, vulnerable populations, human and animal research, confidential data, and ethical publishing practices.

2. Scope of Ethical Oversight

This policy applies to manuscripts reporting community engagement, community empowerment, training, education, technology transfer, public health initiatives, environmental activities, social interventions, and other activities within the journal's scope.

Ethical oversight includes:

Ethical approval and institutional oversight, where required.
Informed consent to participate in activities or data collection.
Consent for publication of identifiable information.
Protection of children and vulnerable populations.
Privacy, confidentiality, and responsible data management.
Community and institutional permissions.
Ethical use of photographs, videos, interviews, and other documentation.
Responsible conduct of activities involving human participants or animals, where applicable.
Honest reporting of activities, methods, and outcomes.
Ethical editorial, business, and publication practices.

All authors are responsible for identifying the ethical requirements applicable to their work before conducting activities and preparing a manuscript.

3. Compliance with Ethical and Legal Requirements

Authors must comply with applicable laws, regulations, institutional policies, professional standards, and ethical requirements relevant to their activities.

These requirements may vary depending on the nature of the activity, the participants involved, the data collected, and the institutions responsible for the work.

Authors must not assume that an activity is exempt from ethical obligations merely because it is described as community service or community engagement rather than formal research.

Likewise, the journal does not assume that every routine community engagement activity automatically requires approval from a research ethics committee.

Where formal ethical review is required, authors must obtain the appropriate approval before conducting the activities or collecting the relevant data.

Where ethical review is not required, authors should provide an accurate explanation of the applicable basis for that determination.

4. Ethical Approval and Institutional Review

Manuscripts involving human participants, identifiable personal information, health-related interventions, sensitive surveys, or other activities presenting ethical risks may require review by an appropriate research ethics committee or institutional review board.

When such approval is required, authors should provide:

The name of the approving ethics committee or institution.
The approval number or reference, where available.
The date of approval, where relevant.
Confirmation that the activity was conducted within the scope of the approval.

Where an ethics committee has formally granted an exemption or waiver, authors should identify the responsible body and explain the determination.

If formal ethics review was not required under applicable rules, the manuscript should explain why, rather than claiming that approval was granted.

Institutional permission to conduct a community engagement program does not automatically replace ethics committee approval when the latter is required.

The journal may request clarification or supporting documentation where ethical compliance is uncertain.

5. Informed Consent to Participate

Individuals participating in activities involving research, evaluation, surveys, interviews, recordings, or collection of personal information must be provided with appropriate information and opportunities to make voluntary decisions about participation.

Where applicable, informed consent should address:

The purpose and nature of the activity.
What participation involves.
The types of information to be collected.
Any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts.
Expected benefits, without misleading promises.
How personal information will be used and protected.
Whether participation is voluntary.
Whether and how participants may withdraw, subject to applicable limitations.
Whom participants may contact for clarification.

Consent may be documented in an appropriate form consistent with the activity, institutional requirements, and applicable law.

Where consent is provided verbally, authors should follow the relevant institutional or ethical requirements for documenting that consent.

Participation must not be obtained through coercion, deception, inappropriate pressure, or misleading information.

6. Community Engagement and Voluntary Participation

Community engagement activities may involve relationships in which academic institutions, local authorities, community leaders, or project organizers hold positions of influence.

Authors must take reasonable steps to ensure that participation is not improperly influenced by such relationships.

The following principles should be considered:

Individuals should understand the purpose of the activity.
Participation in research or evaluation components should be voluntary where applicable.
Refusal to participate in data collection should not result in inappropriate disadvantage.
Community leaders should not be treated as substitutes for individual consent when individual consent is required.
Participants should not be promised benefits that the program cannot reasonably provide.
Activities should respect local customs without compromising individual rights and safety.

Authors should distinguish between attendance at a community activity and agreement to participate in research or publication-related data collection.

7. Protection of Vulnerable Populations

The journal requires particular care when manuscripts involve individuals or groups who may face heightened risks of coercion, exploitation, stigma, discrimination, or privacy violations.

Vulnerable populations may include, depending on the context:

Children and adolescents.
Individuals with disabilities.
Older adults who require additional support.
Individuals with limited decision-making capacity.
Economically disadvantaged communities.
People experiencing health-related or social vulnerabilities.
Communities affected by disasters, displacement, or emergencies.
Individuals in relationships of dependency or unequal power.

Authors should explain why the inclusion of vulnerable participants is appropriate and what safeguards were implemented.

Safeguards may include accessible information, appropriate consent procedures, additional confidentiality protections, independent support, and measures to minimize potential harm.

A group's vulnerability must not be used to justify excluding its perspectives automatically. Ethical participation should balance inclusion, respect, and protection.

8. Activities Involving Children and Minors

Activities involving children or minors require safeguards appropriate to their age, maturity, circumstances, and applicable legal requirements.

Where required, authors must obtain permission from a parent or legally authorized guardian.

When appropriate, children should also be given an understandable explanation of the activity and an opportunity to express their willingness to participate.

Parental or guardian permission does not eliminate the obligation to respect the child's dignity, privacy, and welfare.

Special care is required when publishing photographs, videos, personal stories, educational records, or other potentially identifying information involving minors.

The journal may request confirmation that the necessary permissions and publication consents were obtained.

9. Consent for Publication of Identifiable Information

Consent to participate in an activity is different from consent to publish identifiable information.

Authors must obtain appropriate, specific consent before publishing information that identifies, or could reasonably identify, an individual when such consent is required.

Identifiable information may include:

Full names and personal identifiers.
Recognizable photographs.
Video recordings showing identifiable participants.
Audio recordings containing recognizable voices.
Detailed personal case descriptions.
Verbatim quotations that could reveal an individual's identity.
Personal health, financial, educational, or household information.
Combinations of details that make an individual identifiable.

Authors should disclose identifiable information only when it is relevant and justified.

Where possible, authors should use anonymized or aggregated information.

The journal may request evidence that appropriate consent for publication has been obtained.

Authors should not submit unnecessary copies of sensitive identity documents or unredacted consent records through ordinary editorial correspondence.

10. Ethical Use of Photographs and Videos

Photographs and videos are frequently used to document community engagement activities. However, their inclusion in a manuscript must be ethically justified.

Authors must ensure that:

Images genuinely represent the activities described.
Images are not misleadingly altered or presented out of context.
Identifiable individuals have provided appropriate permission for publication.
Children and vulnerable participants receive additional protection.
Images do not unnecessarily expose sensitive circumstances or private information.
The use of images respects relevant copyright and intellectual property rights.

Permission from an event organizer or community leader does not automatically authorize the publication of identifiable images of every participant.

Authors should avoid publishing photographs that may expose individuals to stigma, discrimination, reputational harm, or other foreseeable risks.

Images generated or materially altered using artificial intelligence must not be represented as authentic documentary evidence of community activities.

11. Privacy, Confidentiality, and Data Protection

Authors must protect personal, sensitive, and confidential information obtained during community engagement activities.

Appropriate measures may include:

Collecting only information necessary for legitimate purposes.
Restricting access to identifiable records.
Using secure storage and transmission methods.
Removing direct and indirect identifiers where appropriate.
Reporting aggregated results when individual-level information is unnecessary.
Limiting the disclosure of confidential institutional or community information.
Following applicable data protection requirements.

Authors should consider the risk of re-identification when publishing information about small communities or groups.

Data should not be made publicly available when doing so would violate consent, confidentiality, ethical approval conditions, or applicable law.

Further requirements are addressed in the journal's Data and Reproducibility policy.

12. Community and Institutional Permissions

Authors must obtain relevant permissions from institutions, organizations, or community authorities when such permissions are necessary to conduct or report the activity.

These may include permissions from:

Schools and educational institutions.
Health facilities.
Village or nagari administrations.
Local government agencies.
Community organizations.
Cooperatives and small businesses.
Other participating institutions or organizations.

Authors should accurately describe the roles of participating organizations and community partners.

Institutional permission does not automatically authorize the disclosure of confidential organizational information or the publication of identifiable participant data.

Where confidential organizational records are used, authors must comply with applicable permissions and agreements.

13. Respect for Communities and Local Context

The journal recognizes the importance of ethical engagement with communities whose experiences, knowledge, resources, and participation contribute to scholarly publications.

Authors should respect community dignity, cultural context, local knowledge, and legitimate expectations concerning the use of information.

Community engagement activities should avoid exploitation, discriminatory treatment, misleading representations, or the inappropriate use of local knowledge.

Authors should acknowledge the contributions of community partners appropriately.

When community members make substantial intellectual contributions to a manuscript and meet the journal's authorship criteria, their eligibility for authorship should be considered fairly.

Other meaningful contributions should be recognized in the acknowledgments, subject to appropriate consent.

14. Risk Assessment and Participant Welfare

Authors should consider foreseeable risks associated with community engagement activities and related data collection.

Risks may be physical, psychological, social, economic, reputational, or related to privacy.

Where relevant, manuscripts should explain the measures used to minimize risks and protect participants.

Authors should not overstate the benefits of interventions or conceal adverse outcomes, implementation problems, or significant limitations.

Activities involving health interventions, medical procedures, potentially hazardous technologies, or other elevated risks must comply with the relevant professional, institutional, and legal requirements.

The journal may request additional information when the ethical justification or safety measures are unclear.

15. Research or Activities Involving Animals

Although animal research is not the principal focus of Buletin Ilmiah Nagari Membangun, some community engagement activities may involve livestock, veterinary interventions, animal husbandry, or other animal-related activities.

Where applicable, authors must comply with relevant animal welfare laws, professional standards, and institutional ethical requirements.

Activities requiring animal ethics approval must obtain that approval before implementation.

Authors should describe relevant measures taken to minimize unnecessary pain, distress, injury, or other harm.

Routine animal husbandry education or community training does not automatically constitute animal experimentation. The ethical requirements must be determined according to the actual activities conducted.

16. Research Integrity and Honest Reporting

Authors must report community engagement activities and outcomes accurately.

The journal does not permit:

Fabrication of activities, participants, observations, or results.
Falsification of evaluation findings.
Misleading presentation of photographs or documentation.
Plagiarism or inappropriate reuse of others' work.
Concealment of material ethical concerns.
False claims of ethical approval or participant consent.
Misrepresentation of funding or community involvement.

Authors must distinguish between observed outcomes, participant feedback, preliminary indications of impact, and anticipated long-term benefits.

The journal may request supporting documentation when material concerns arise.

Suspected violations will be assessed under the journal's Allegations of Misconduct policy.

17. Ethical Considerations Statement

The journal recommends that authors include an Ethical Considerations statement in manuscripts, explaining the ethical requirements relevant to the work.

The statement should address, where applicable:

Ethics committee approval or exemption.
Informed consent to participate.
Consent for publication of identifiable information.
Institutional or community permissions.
Privacy and confidentiality safeguards.
Protection of vulnerable participants.
Relevant animal welfare requirements.

The statement must accurately describe the procedures followed.

Example A — Ethics Approval Obtained

Ethical approval for this study was granted by [Name of Ethics Committee], Approval Number [Number], dated [Date]. Informed consent was obtained from participants, and personal information was handled confidentially.

Example B — Ethics Approval Not Required

The activity was conducted as a community engagement program. Formal research ethics committee approval was not required under [applicable institutional policy or documented determination]. Relevant institutional permissions and participant consents were obtained as applicable.

Example C — Publication of Identifiable Photographs

Appropriate consent for publication was obtained from individuals whose identifiable photographs appear in this article.

Example D — No Human Participant Data

The work did not involve the collection of identifiable human participant data or interventions requiring formal ethical review. Relevant institutional permissions were obtained where applicable.

These examples must not be used unless they accurately reflect the circumstances of the manuscript.

Authors must not claim that an ethics committee granted an exemption unless that determination was actually made.

18. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for:

Identifying applicable ethical requirements before beginning the activity.
Obtaining necessary approvals, permissions, and consents.
Protecting participant welfare and confidentiality.
Reporting activities and findings accurately.
Respecting community partners and local knowledge.
Maintaining appropriate supporting records.
Disclosing relevant conflicts of interest.
Responding transparently to editorial requests concerning ethical compliance.
Informing the journal promptly when significant ethical concerns are discovered.

The corresponding author should coordinate communication with the editorial office, while all authors remain responsible for their respective contributions.

19. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers should assess whether submitted manuscripts adequately address relevant ethical considerations.

Their assessment may include:

Whether the activity required ethics committee approval.
Whether necessary consent and permissions were obtained.
Whether participant confidentiality is protected.
Whether identifiable photographs or personal information are appropriately justified.
Whether vulnerable populations received appropriate safeguards.
Whether the reported procedures and outcomes are credible.
Whether any ethical concern requires clarification or further investigation.

Editors and reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must not misuse unpublished information.

Where material ethical concerns arise, the editorial team may request clarification, supporting documentation, or independent advice.

The journal may suspend editorial consideration while serious concerns are assessed.

20. Ethical Publishing and Business Practices

The journal is committed to ethical conduct in its own editorial and publishing activities.

Editorial decisions should be based on the manuscript's relevance, scholarly merit, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and contribution to the journal's scope.

Decisions must not be improperly influenced by:

Payment of publication fees.
Institutional affiliation or academic rank.
Personal relationships.
Sponsorship or funding arrangements.
Commercial interests.
Advertising or promotional considerations.
Pressure from authors, institutions, or external parties.

Applicable publication fees must be disclosed transparently through the journal's official policies.

The payment of a publication fee must not guarantee acceptance or favorable editorial treatment.

The journal should avoid misleading promotional claims concerning indexing, accreditation, publication guarantees, or editorial services.

21. Handling Ethical Concerns and Violations

Concerns about ethical approval, informed consent, participant welfare, confidentiality, or the integrity of reported activities may be raised before or after publication.

The journal will consider credible concerns fairly and proportionately.

Depending on the circumstances, actions may include:

Requesting clarification from the authors.
Requesting relevant approval or consent documentation.
Consulting an independent expert.
Contacting an appropriate ethics committee or institution.
Suspending manuscript consideration.
Rejecting a manuscript when serious unresolved concerns undermine its eligibility for publication.
Publishing a correction or expression of concern.
Retracting a published article when justified by the evidence and applicable publication ethics guidance.

The journal will distinguish between honest errors, insufficient reporting, and serious ethical violations.

Relevant procedures are addressed in the Allegations of Misconduct, Complaints and Appeals, and Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections policies.

22. Policy Review

The journal should periodically review this policy to reflect developments in publication ethics, community engagement practice, participant protection, and applicable laws and institutional requirements.

Authors, editors, reviewers, and community partners are encouraged to support a publication culture that respects participants and strengthens the credibility of community engagement scholarship.