Ebrahim, Arwa (2016) The Effectiveness of the Implementation of International Women©s Conventions in Muslims: Bahrain as a Case Study. Doctoral thesis, University of Sunderland. Downloaded from: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/6555/ Usage guidelines Please refer to the usage guidelines at http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/policies.html or alternatively contact
[email protected]. The Effectiveness of the Implementation of International Women’s Conventions in Muslim Countries: Bahrain as a Case Study. A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Arwa Ebrahim July 2016 “Out beyond the world of right doings and wrongdoings, there is a field… I will meet you there.” -Rumi. i Abstract: The debate regarding whether or not Islam is inherently discriminatory towards women is endless. Even though the Quranic verses emphasize equality between man and woman and the supremacy of human dignity, the interpretation of the Islamic texts related to women are often influenced by the values of patriarchal societies resulting in discriminatory practices against women in many Muslim countries worldwide. The Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is often referred to as the ‘women’s bill of rights’ as it is the first international legally-binding document that specifically deals with all areas related to women’s lives. This convention is believed to aim at achieving equality between men and women in every field and supports women’s access to equal opportunities in the political and social spheres trying to overcome the social and cultural obstacles that might exist so they can have full rights in areas of legal rights, education, employment, healthcare, politics and finance.