Women's Role in Middle Eastern Politics

Role of Women Empowerment in Political Economy: A Comparative Study of UAE and Oman

Introduction

The impact of gender mainstreaming and women empowerment initiatives and legislation on UAE’s domestic economy.

In the past few decades, gender mainstreaming and women empowerment initiatives/legislation have had a significant impact on UAE's domestic economy. These policies have helped to close the gender gap in many sectors, including education, employment, and business ownership. As a result, women are now playing a major role in the country's workforce and are contributing significantly to its GDP. In addition, these programs have also led to increased social stability and prosperity, as women are more likely to reinvest their earnings in their families and communities. As the UAE continues to implement these initiatives, it is likely that its domestic economy will continue to benefit significantly (Al Khayyal et al., 2020).

Structural economic reforms that have led/leading policy interventions in process of women empowerment.

The UAE has embarked on a series of structural economic reforms in recent years, with a view to promoting women’s empowerment. One area of reform has been the introduction of policy interventions aimed at increasing women’s participation in the labor force. For example, the government has enacted laws and regulations that give women equal rights to work and establishing quotas for women’s representation in decision-making bodies. In addition, the government has launched initiatives to encourage businesses to hire and promote more women. As a result of these reforms, the percentage of women in the workforce in the UAE has increased significantly in recent years.

These reforms have also led to an increase in women’s entrepreneurship and ownership of businesses. The government has enacted laws and regulations that give women equal access to finance and property ownership. In addition, the government has provided training and support for women entrepreneurs. As a result of these measures, there has been a significant increase in the number of women-owned businesses in the UAE in recent years.

The UAE’s structural economic reforms have had a positive impact on women’s empowerment in the country. These reforms have increased women's participation in the labor force and entrepreneurship, and have given them greater access to finance and property ownership. As a result, Women in the UAE have made significant progress towards equality with men over the past few years.

Institutionalization of women representation and its impact on governance in UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates, each governed by an absolute monarch. In recent years, the country has taken steps to increase women's participation in governance, including reserving seats for women in the Federal National Council (FNC), the country's advisory body. The FNC is not elected, but rather appointed by the rulers of the emirates. While the institutionalization of women's representation in the UAE is a positive step, it is important to consider its impact on governance in the country.

The FNC plays a limited role in governance in the UAE; its primary function is to advise the government on legislation. However, the increased presence of women in the FNC may help to increase gender equality in other areas of governance. For example, women are now better represented in Cabinet-level positions, and there are more women serving as ambassadors and judges. In addition, the increased visibility of women in government may help to change social attitudes about gender roles in society. The UAE has made great strides in promoting gender equality, but there is still more work to be done. The institutionalization of women's representation in governance is a step in the right direction, and it is hoped that it will lead to further progress on this issue.

Women’s Empowerment in UAE Compared to Oman

Thus one can see that in the past few decades, there has been a marked improvement in the status of women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is most evident in the increasing number of women who are participating in the workforce and taking on leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. There have also been significant strides made in terms of women's access to education and health care. These positive developments are in contrast to the situation in Oman, where women still face significant barriers to empowerment.

In Oman, women make up only a small fraction of the workforce and are largely confined to traditional roles within the family. While there has been some progress made in terms of women’s access to education, there is still a long way to go before equality is achieved (Varghese, 2011). Yet, some ground is being gained: for instance, the government of Oman is developing policies that will give greater flexibility to working parents and women and open the door for greater access for women to power positions (WAF, 2021). The situation in Oman highlights the importance of continued efforts to empower women in the UAE. Only by ensuring that all members of society have an equal opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of life will either state be able to reach its full potential.

Purpose of This Study

The main purpose of this study is to compare women’s empowerment in UAE to the situation in Oman, with special focus on institutional representation, structural economic reforms, and gender mainstreaming. Jabeen and Faisal (2018) along with Al Khayyal et al. (2020) have provided some research on these topics in the past; however, their scope was not as comprehensive as that proposed in this study. The study by Varghese (2011) examined women’s empowerment in Oman, but it did not offer a comparison to UAE. It is expected that by comparing the UAE and Oman on this topic of women’s empowerment a gap can be filled regarding the differences in the states’ views on women. Currently, Oman and UAE compete with regard to foreign investments, and women’s empowerment, particularly from a sustainable development goal, can play a big role in how investors view the two countries (Sahoo, 2013). Understanding which state has made more progress on women’s empowerment could be of benefit in attracting investment in the coming years. For that reason, the newness/innovation of this topic in context of past researches within the chosen academic disciplines of economics, politics, and social development provides new insights.

Significance of the Study

This research is important because ending discrimination against women is one of the global goals of the United Nations Development Program (2022). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has made gender equality and the empowerment of women one of its key development goals. This is because discrimination against women and girls is a major barrier to human development. Women and girls face discrimination in all spheres of life, including in education, employment, health care, and political participation. As a result, they are often denied the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Ending discrimination against women is not only the right thing to do, but it is also essential for achieving sustainable development. When women and girls are empowered, they can contribute more fully to society and the economy. In fact, studies have shown that empowering women can have a transformative effect on communities and countries (UAE, 2022). For example, increasing women’s involvement in decision-making can lead to better governance and more effective policies. In addition, empowering women can help to reduce poverty and inequality, as well as improve health outcomes for both women and children. Given all of these benefits, it is clear that ending discrimination against women is an important global goal that must be achieved if we are to build a better world for all. Understanding how UAE and Oman have contributed to the empowerment of women can better help stakeholders to see where work and progress are still needed in closing the gender equality gap in these regions of the Middle East (World Bank, 2013; Littrell & Bertsch, 2013). To academic audiences this study will give support to their understanding of the role the women’s empowerment plays in the political economy of UAE and Oman.

Statement of the Problem

The main aim of this study is to investigate the role of women's empowerment in the political economy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. In particular, the study will seek to answer the following research questions:

• What are the main drivers of women’s empowerment in the UAE and Oman?

• What are the key obstacles to women’s empowerment in these countries?

• What is the impact of women’s empowerment on economic growth and development in the UAE and Oman?

By answering these questions, the study will contribute to our understanding of the factors that influence women’s empowerment in oil-rich Gulf States (Metcalfe, 2011; Muller & Camia, 2022). In addition, the findings will have implications for policy-makers seeking to promote economic growth and development in these countries.

Conceptual Framework

In order to understand the role of women's empowerment in the political economy of UAE and Oman, it is important to consider the various independent, dependent, intervening, and extraneous variables involved. The independent variable in this case is women's empowerment, which refers to the extent to which women are able to participate in and make decisions about the political and economic affairs of their societies. The dependent variable is the political economy of UAE and Oman, which will be affected by the level of women's empowerment in these countries. The intervening variables are the various factors that mediate the relationship between women's empowerment and the political economy of UAE and Oman, such as education levels, economic development, and social attitudes. The extraneous variables are those factors that lie outside of the direct relationship between women's empowerment and the political economy of UAE and Oman, such as technological advancement or international relations. By taking all of these variables into account, we can begin to understand the complex role that women's empowerment plays in the political economy of UAE and Oman.

Proposed Methodology

This study proposes to adopt a qualitative approach to obtain a deeper understanding of the topic. Qualitative methods are appropriate for exploratory research, and the data collection techniques typically include direct observation, interviews with participants, and case study analysis (Ward et al., 2018). The population for this study comprises all women aged 18 and over who are resident in the UAE or Oman. The sample will be drawn from this population using a convenience sampling approach. Data collection is via online interviews, with analysis undertaken using thematic analysis. Findings will be presented in relation to the research questions outlined above.

Scope of the Research

The role of women’s empowerment in the political economy of UAE and Oman is a complex and multi-faceted issue. This research paper will explore some of the key dimensions of this issue, including the historical background, the current context, and the potential impact of women's empowerment on the future of these countries. It is important to note that this research is limited to an exploration of the political economy of UAE and Oman; it does not seek to provide a comprehensive analysis of women's empowerment in these countries more broadly. Additionally, this research is based on secondary sources; the only primary data to be collected for this study is that from interviews with participants. Given these limitations, this paper provides a useful overview of the role of women’s empowerment in the political economy of UAE and Oman.

Definition of Core Terms

Empowerment is a term that is often used in the context of gender equality. In general, it refers to the process of giving individuals the power to make their own choices and exercise control over their lives (Chamberlin & Schene, 1997). When applied to the political economy, empowerment refers to the extent to which women are able to participate in and influence the decision-making process. Classically, political economy refers to the nature, production and distribution of wealth (Senior, 1849). In both the UAE and Oman, women’s empowerment has been a key priority for the government (Abou-Shouk et al., 2021).

Proposed Timeline

The proposed timeline for completion of the study on the role of women’s empowerment in the political economy of UAE and Oman is six months. The study will be conducted in three phases. The first phase will involve a review of the literature on women’s empowerment and its relationships to the political economy of UAE and Oman. This will be followed by a qualitative data collection phase, which will include interviews with key participants in both countries. Finally, the data will be analyzed and interpreted, and the findings will be reported in a final report.