Family-focused Social Protection Systems in the Gulf: Is Maternity Left Behind? The Case of Qatar

Abstract

The importance of the family unit is a core pillar of social policymaking in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. However, there is still a gap in the protection of mothers and mothers-to-be. A policy landscape analysis of maternity protection in the GCC against the ILO minimum international standards reveals that there are insufficiencies in leave policies, childcare arrangements, and flexible working arrangements. There is also a clear legal discrepancy between the provision in public and private sectors, and between nationals and expatriates in the same sectors. The political, cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors that hinder maternity protection policy development are examined in an attempt to understand why better maternity protection policies are hard to attain in the GCC context.

Drawing on theoretically-informed qualitative research conducted in Qatar, the thesis explores how working women in Qatar are living with limited maternity protection policies. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to compare the subjective experiences of nationals and expatriates with maternity protection policies in Qatar. In general, the findings underline the mismatch between the official importance given to the family at the policymaking level, and the women's suffering and unmet needs due to the lack of appropriate maternity protection provisions. The qualitative analysis of the interviews with working mothers in Qatar revealed the experiences shaped by the limitations of existing maternity protection policies. Three broad thematic clusters emerged from their narratives:
•Maternity-Based Discrimination and Suffering: This cluster captured the challenges women faced due to their maternity status, including concerns about job security, discriminatory management practices, and the discrepancies in maternity provisions based on citizenship or employment sector. Additionally, the experiences with informal social support systems, such as extended families, domestic help, and community networks, varied significantly.
•Consequences of Limited Maternity Protection Policies on Motherhood and Childhood: This theme explored the impact of limited maternity leave on the mental health and wellbeing of both mothers and children. Insufficient childcare options, the lack of paternity provisions, and limited accessibility to pre-natal leave further compounded these challenges.
•Maternity Experience Amid Covid-19: This final theme examined the impact of the pandemic on working mothers' experiences. It specifically focused on the use of flexible work arrangements during COVID-19 and their association with productivity.

These findings are discussed within different theoretical frameworks such as motherhood penalty and gender role theories. The results are also examined within the body of knowledge around maternity protection, women wellbeing and work-family balance in the GCC countries. The discussion is also extended to explore why it matters to invest in maternity protection policies and how this would benefit families, employers, and the state at large. The thesis concludes by highlighting the key gaps in maternity protection policies in Qatar, underlining the areas for future research and calling for a set of recommendations such as: extending maternity leave and developing care-related leave entitlements, enhancing the childcare services, providing flexible working arrangements, and adopting an inclusive approach to maternity protection. The set of recommendations are applicable to Qatar and the rest of the GCC countries, to revamp maternity protection policy framework and make it inclusive for all.

Date of Award	26 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Melanie Channon (Supervisor), James Copestake (Supervisor) & Jane Millar (Supervisor)