Welfare Policies and Women Employment in UAE Context - Research Proposal Example

Social Welfare Policies Name Institution Course Lecturer Date Research Topic: Welfare policies and women employment in UAE context; should housewives be paid salaries for doing household work and raising children? Aims and Objectives of the research This research attempts to: Present a qualitative understanding of UAE social welfare policies and assess the critical challenges that face the families where women are working. The objective will provide an overview of the current condition, performance as well as dynamics of social welfare policies (Millar 2009). Identify the current social welfare policy deficiencies and investigate how the approaches that have been taken by families in response of deficiency have impacted on incidents. Develop a logical process for a gradual application of social welfare policies to impact on family stability in the kingdom. It will consider how the adopted approach and strategies will cope and manage an increasing and dynamic population to deliver welfare services (Millar 2009). Provide information to allow further consideration in relation to social welfare policies in through the research findings and recommendations. Background and importance of research topic As Scott-Jackson, et al (2010) observes, the traditional roles of woman as homemakers has changed over the decades in United Arabs Emirates. The realization and implementation of women rights and constitutional guarantee for equality have opened opportunities for women in education, claim to titles and legal status compared to how the situation was in 1960 (Shehadi, Hoteit, Tarazi & Lamaa, 2012). According to Davidson (2009), oil discovery has also advanced women position. Organizations like the General Women’s Union has strongly allowed women to participate and own various initiatives and UAE have been recognized to support Gender Empowerment Measures in Arab World. Employment statistics for women stands at 1-2% in high executive positions, 20% in administration, and 35% in national workforce while 80% are household workers which are the highest in GCC countries (Omair 2010; Scott-Jackson, et al 2010). According to Bradley (2010), the presence of women in workplaces has led to replacement of their critical households’ role by nannies and house servants. There are noted problems critical among them being violence against children and sexual harassment by house servants, increase infidelity among husbands, increased foreign labor and increased divorce rates. According to Scott-Jackson, et al. (2010), the lifestyle in UAE is totally different from other parts of the world as they highly depend on maids and most houses are built with a maid’s room. The lifestyle in UAE makes a maid a very important person. Research methodology The methodology applied for this research will be used to come up with an original study that will inform the topic. The nature of the topic highly makes a qualitative methodology to be most appropriate. A qualitative research promote a deeper understanding of the commonly and unique held attitudes (Turner 2010). A qualitative research attempts to examine social phenomena in a natural setting and adopt tools and techniques that help the researcher to collect data accordingly (Chenail 2011). The research will therefore focus on the reports, opinions, and viewpoints from different participants identified for the research. As Guion, Diehl & McDonald (2011) observes, a study on a social issue in a social context leads to a better understanding of different thoughts, perceptions, feelings, opinions and feelings and this qualifies it as qualitative. The approach will allow respondents to respond to issues in the questions from personal viewpoint and that way, it is possible to come up with wide-range of insights to inform the topic under investigation (Turner 2010). The approach will therefore allow the researcher deal with high value-related questions which are highly limited to rigid definable variables that apply in quantitative approaches. An in-depth study contributes to clear areas that would in future require researchers’ attention and possibly promote an understanding of an issue from another perspective, improve the data and refine the findings. Brief summary of the literature Al Munajjed & Insight (2010) study observed that the accelerated divorce rates in GCC countries have been brought up by divergent forces including modernization and tradition. Urbanization has subverted traditional practices and values that held a family together. New demands imposed on married couples has created imbalance when negotiating for demands, expectations and aspirations arising from modernization. The new development such as the right of women has increased their opportunities in education and employment. Changes in family and social structures have come out due to the choices made by policymakers and individuals in these countries. Most of these families have moved to urban life where there is increased change of traditional roles, functions, cultural attitudes and structure of the family. Dashti (2010) study observed that in Kuwait, the mother who never breastfed were highest among senior professional (33%), middle-level professional at 24% and housewives at 22%. The impact of working wives on marital home is one area the policy recommendation has cited due to the rising divorce in GCC countries. One of the considerations has been to offer flexible schedule to women workers. Kuwait has been noted as one of the country among the Middle Eastern countries that differ in its law for maternal leave which impact on breastfeeding outcomes. In government sector, maternity leave is longer compared to private sector (Dashti, 2010). As Winckler (2009) observes, in mid-1970s, Kuwait massively adopted pro-natalist policies due to economic and political challenges encountered from its small population. The goal was to rapidly increase citizen population in short term to solve labor problems and reduce influx of foreigners. There were measures adopted that has encouraged high fertility and birth rates among the women in Kuwait. First, early marriage was encouraged from 1980 through government grant for marriage allowance to national that were marrying for the first time. 2,000 Kuwaiti Dinars with additional KD1, 000 loans compensated men for dowry expenses. In 1992, eligible male nationals were to receive $14,000 half as a grant and the other half a loan for marriages to Kuwait women. The men who took a second wife were offered a $3,500 by Local Charity Committee for Marriage to solve the problem of spinsterhood. Mirkin (2010) further observes that, second, rent allowances have been offered to low-level income couples and particularly those with young children. Thirdly, for every head of household who is employed, there is government child allowance. Fourthly, child care leave is offered from work to new mothers and may vary from 6 months to 4 years. The government has also fully subsidized education and offered free health care for both children and adults. Even though Kuwait women participate in labor force, the crude fertility and birth rates are high compared to other countries with similar socio-demographic characteristics. Strong pro-natalist policies have also reduced application for family planning services except for medical reasons. Duvander (2008) argues that, Sweden is well known for its liberal family policy that supports a combination of work and children. It has therefore been accredited for the high fertility. Sweden pay for parental leave also for fathers which has existed since 1974 and has continuously been reformed for strengthening the gender equality dimension. The demographic situation where under a quarter of population comprises of children less than 19 years may have supported such policy. The policy also was instituted to respond to late marriages where on average women marry at 32 years while men at 35. The policy aim to discourage cohabitation, break-up marriages, one member households and single parenthood. As Stropnik & Sambt (2007) observes, there are changes that have been noted in Sweden significantly in demographic aspect and Swedish fertility. As many countries fertility trend declines from 1960 onwards, in Sweden it has not been the case. The generous family policy has led to the outcomes. In 1980s, the length of parental leave had been extended severally. Most women are assured of their work after parental leave and so are their husbands. Most women also prefer to work as part time workers which consist of 30 hours a week after they start a family. According to Duvander (2008), parental leave insurance and right to temporary leave which can extend to over two years, depending on how it is used for newborn children made it possible for both men and women to combine work and children. When a child cannot attend day care due to sickness, all employees are entitled to another temporary leave. Stropnik & Sambt (2007) points out that, family policy has been concerned with three most important areas; day care centers, after school services, child allowances and benefits and parental insurance. Parental insurance involves the pregnancy benefits for women in formal occupations. For physically demanding job, women are provided with benefits to use when pregnant. Parental benefit is given for the care of newborn by one of the parent. Currently, the leave is extended to 16 months with the father taking 8 weeks. They both receive 80% of the total amount paid in previous months. A parent can extend her leave during a child’s preschool years. The studies about Kuwait, a country with more similar social-demographic characteristics like UAE and Sweden are important to the development of this research. As Al‐mulali, Sab & Binti (2011) points out; UAE is a rich country with a total population of 9.2 million. UAE GDP was 360.2 billion USD by 2011 in comparison to Kuwait’s 176.6 billion USD in the same year. The GDP growth rate was at 4.9% in 2011 compared to Sweden’s 0.7 annual changes in 2012. The development of social welfare policies is therefore necessary where parental paid leave and housewives welfare can be assured. If such policies are enacted and implemented, they can help reduce the number of women at workplaces and provide them with more time with their children. The challenges that have faced the family due to presence of house servants such as child abuse, husbands’ infidelity and increased divorce rates can then be reduced when women take the traditional role that has been neglected. Research Design Open ended questions are preferred for this research to get wide range of viewpoints. The participants can take their own dimension to support their views without being constrained by researcher’s crafted answer options (Turner 2010). Study population and sample Sample will be taken in according to the data required and the pertinent role of each group to social welfare policies. Participants will comprise of 100 participants, both employed and unemployed women. Working women will be interviewed about the experiences, challenges they face and procedures taken to address the housework issues. The other group will comprise of household workers and their viewpoints on financial payment for their work. The study will use cluster sampling technique to get the preferred sample. Data collection The researcher will prepare questions in relation to the research problem. The questions will be specific and suited to each group of participants. The questions pre-test will involve one of participants among the four groups to ensure that it will answer to the problem expectations (Chenail 2011). The respondents will be approached through phone calls, face-to-face and emails to be notified of the study, its objectives and the issue to be addressed in the interview. In every group, each participant will be interviewed separately to reduce the effect of group influence and possibility of similar responses (Qu & Dumay 2011). The researcher will ensure that questions are arranged and asked in a logical manner to ensure clarity, flow of ideas and avoid unclear responses (Chenail 2011). All the interview sessions will be recorded using Mp3 data recorders to allow the researcher to review and listen to the interview response later in the analysis. Data Analysis As the researcher has made use of qualitative method through interviews, a phenomenological approach to data analysis is most preferable for the topic (Qu & Dumay 2011). Researcher will not add any other data from the general knowledge or conventional information that exists in the study. Instead, the issue will be analyzed in terms of themes to avoid modification of information considering the uniqueness of UAE and its culture. Ethical issues As in many research in a social setting, this research has very low risks to participants. The researcher will therefore ensure informed consent where participants will fill a consent form. Respondents will understand the nature of study, measures taken to secure their protection and right to withdraw in case they feel the research is interfering with personal issue. Confidentiality with also be adhered to by taking care of the data in all the phases and assuring the participants about the same (Grinyer 2009). Trustworthiness of data The researcher will ensure a pilot test is conducted, inform the participants in the process and collect information in the shortest duration possible. All these steps are taken to ensure that the responses will not diverge from the study objectives (Chenail 2011). References Al Munajjed, M., & Insight, I. C. (2010). Divorce in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Risks and implications. Al‐mulali, U., Sab, C., & Binti, C. N. (2011). The impact of oil prices on the real exchange rate of the dirham: a case study of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).OPEC Energy Review, 35(4), 384-399. Bradley, G 2010, The'maid phenomenon': home/school differences in pedagogy and their implications for children in two international schools in the Middle East (Doctoral dissertation, University of Bath). Chenail, R. J 2011, Interviewing the investigator: Strategies for addressing instrumentation and researcher bias concerns in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 16(1), 255-262. Dashti, M. (2010). Determinants of the initiation and duration of breastfeeding among women in Kuwait (Doctoral dissertation, University of Glasgow). Davidson, C. M 2009, Abu Dhabi: oil and beyond. New York: Columbia University Press. Duvander, A. Z. (2008). Family policy in Sweden: An overview. Social insurance report, 15, 1-18. Grinyer, A 2009, The Anonymity of Research Participants: Assumptions, Ethics, and Practicalities. Pan, 12(1), 49-58. Guion, L. A., Diehl, D. C., & McDonald, D 2011, Conducting an in-depth interview. Inhorn, M. C 2010, Assisted’ motherhood in global Dubai: reproductive tourists and their helpers. The Globalization of Motherhood: Deconstructions and Reconstructions of Biology and Care, edited by Wendy Chavkin and Jane Maree Maher, 180-202. Kirdar, S 2010, united arab emirates. 2010) Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa, New York, NY: Freedom House, 517. Larsen, J. J 2011, Trends & issues. Millar, J. (Ed.) 2009, Understanding social security: issues for policy and practice. The Policy Press. Mirkin, B. (2010). Population levels, trends and policies in the Arab region: Challenges and opportunities. United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Arab States. Qu, S. Q., & Dumay, J 2011, The qualitative research interview. Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, 8(3), 238-264. Scott-Jackson, W., et al 2010, Maximising Women’s participation in the GCC workforce. Shehadi, R., Hoteit, L., Tarazi, K., & Lamaa, A 2012, Educated, Ambitious, Essential Women Will Drive the GCC’s Future. Stropnik, N., & Sambt, J. (2007). Parental leave and child allowances: attitudes, preferences and possible impact. Revija za socijalnu politiku, 14(3-4), 347-370. Turner, D. W 2010, Qualitative interview design: A practical guide for novice investigators. The Qualitative Report, 15(3), 754-760. Winckler, O. (2009). Demographic developments and population policies in Kuwait. The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies. Read More