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The Weaponisation of Feminism in the Gulf States: the Rise of Sociopolitical Pressure After the Arab Spring

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The Weaponisation of Feminism in the Gulf States: the Rise of Sociopolitical Pressure After the Arab Spring Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Mohamed Boudiaf University of M’sila Faculty of Letter and languages Department of English The Weaponisation of Feminism in the Gulf States: the Rise of Sociopolitical Pressure after the Arab Spring A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE MASTER DEGREE IN ENGLISH Candidates Supervisor Miss. Sabrina Hadji Mr. Bennaa youcef Miss. Siham Bousakra Academic Year: 2018/2019 Declaration I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own original work, which I have created myself. All the literature I used is properly quoted and is listed in Bibliography. It is our own. It has not been submitted before to any other institution or university I declare that I worked on my final master’s dissertation on my own using only cited literary sources, other information and sources in agreement with the disciplinary regulations for the Faculty of Letters and Languages at the University Mohammed Boudiaf of M’sila and with the regulations and laws of research of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Algeria. II Acknowledgments In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Allah the Almighty without His mercy, grace, help, guidance, this research could never see the light. We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to our supervisor sir Youcef Bennaa for his patience and guidance throughout the course of this dissertation. We are also thankful to all teachers of the English Department at M’sila University for their cordial support, valuable information and guidance which helped a lot to complete our university study. We are thankful to all the examiners who spent some of their precious time to read, correct and evaluate our work which is not immune from mistakes and imperfections. III Dedication We dedicate our dissertation work to our families who have been our source of inspiration. A special feeling of gratitude to our loving parents and brothers, sisters, friends and classmates who shared us their words of advice and encouragement to finish this work. Sabrina and Siham IV Abstract For centuries, the Western world sees women in the Middle East especially, in Gulf States as victims of patriarchy system and authoritarian regimes. Therefore, they attempt to provide policies and strategies to empower women under the name of Feminism, since the region is considered as global power; it has strategic importance at regional and international level particularly, in oil industry. However, they ignore that the women in the Gulf have witnessed great changes in recent year, notably after the Arab Spring. Thus, they consider women rights as a weapon and political tool to intervene in national and political issues of the target states and to pressure the ruling regimes for change in order to reach their political and economic aims in the region. Therefore, our study aims to reveal the dark face behind women rights and the west benefits for advocating women rights in the region. This study aims to shed the light on women participation and empowerment in the Gulf States, with focus on recent issues effecting women situation and the relationship between western powers and Gulf States countries concerning women rights particularly in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the main aim of this study is to reveal western benefits from feminism in the region. Therefore, we use descriptive and historical analytical method as well as, we depend on pervious literature review to reveal historical facts about women rights in the region, by providing necessary information and analysis recent statics about women development. As a result, we conclude that the west countries advocate women’s rights in the Gulf region because it benefits them as well as their intentions have different orientations. Key Words: Gulf States, Human Rights, Weaponisation, West, Women rights V List of Abbreviations BPA: Beijing Platform for Action CEDAW: Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women CERD: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination CERD: Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination CESCR: The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights CRC: Convention on the Rights of the Child EB: European Parliament ESCWA: the Economic Commission for Western Asia EU: European Union GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council HRC: Human Rights Committee Human Rights Council ICCPR-OP1: First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICCPR: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights VI OP-CEDAW: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women ICPD: International Conference on Population and Development NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation UAE: United Arab Emirates UDHR: Universal Declaration of Human Rights UN: United Nations UNGA: United Nations General Assembly UK: United Kingdom VII List of Contents Declaration……………………………………………………………………………………II Acknowledgements………………………………………………………….........................III Dedication...………………………………………………………………………………….IV Abstract………………………………………………………............……….........................V List of Abbreviation…………………………………………………………………………VI General Introduction 1. The Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………….2 2. The Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………….4 3. Objectives ……………………………….…………………………………………………5 4. Research Questions………………………………………………………………………..5 5. Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………6 6. Methodology…………………………………………………………………………….....7 7. Structure of the Dissertation……………………………………………………………...8 Chapter One: Historical Background of Human Rights in the Middle East Introduction………………………………………………………………………………...…10 1.1 History of Human rights in the Middle East……………………………………………..11 1.1.1. The Rise of sociopolitical Pressure after the Arab Spring ………………….............12 1.2 Minorities’ Rights in the Middle East…………………………………………………....14 1.2.1 Religious and Ethnic Minorities in the Middle East...................................................15 1.3. Workers’ Rights in the Middle...........................................................................................19 1.3.1. Domestic Workers Rights..........................................................................................20 1.3.2. Migrant Rights............................................................................................................21 1.4. Violations of Freedom of Expression in the Middle East………………………………..23 1.4.1. Press Freedom in the Middle East before and After Arab Spring…………………26 1.5. Women’s Rights in the Middle East…………………………………………………......28 VIII Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………29 Chapter Tow: the Situation of Women in the Gulf States and the effect of the Arab Spring Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………...32 2.1. Women Rights in the Middle East before the Arab Spring………………………..........33 2.1.1 In Saudi Arabia………………………………………………………………………....34 2.1.1.1. Political.................................................................................................................35 2.1.1.2 Economic...............................................................................................................35 2.1.1.3. Education..............................................................................................................37 2.1.2. In United Arabic Emirates…………………………………………………………......38 2.1.2.1. Political………………………………………………………………………...39 2.1.2.2. Economic……………………………………………………………………....40 2.1.2.3. Education………………………………………………………………….…...41 2.1.3. Kuwaiti women…………………………………………………………………….......42 2.1.3.1. Political…………………………………………………………………….…..43 2.1.3.2. Economic………………………………………………………………….…..44 2.1.3.3 Education…………………………………………………………………….....45 2.2. Recent Development Regarding Women’s Rights and the Effect of Arab Spring............47 2.2.1. Women’s Legal Status and the Sociopolitical Position after the Arab Spring...........48 2.2.2. The Outcomes of the Arab Spring on Women in the GCC countries……………....49 2.2.3. Women Empowerment in the GCC countries…………………………………........50 2.2.4. Women Economic Decision-Making Empowerment…………….………………....52 IX 2.2.5. Women Political Decision-Making Empowerment…………………..………….…54 2.2.6. The Deposition of Male Guardianship in Saudi Arabia………………….…………57 2.3. Current Issues Affecting Women’s Position in the Gulf Region……………………..….60 2.4. Challenges face women in Gulf States..............................................................................62 Conclusion................................................................................................................................64 Chapter Three: the Weaponisation of Women Rights in the Gulf States Introduction...............................................................................................................................67 3.1. The Reality of Feminism in Gulf States…………………………………………….……69 3.2. Double-edged Politics on Women’s Rights in the Gulf States…......................................70 3.4. Weaponisation of Feminism in Gulf States…...................................................................72 3.5. Westernisation of Women in the Gulf States………………………………………….…73 3.5.1. Europe and Women Rights…………………………………………………………74 3.5.2. USA and Women Rights…........................................................................................78
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