Well being perspective and the gender question in Palestine: a critical analysis

Abstract

Little success over the past decades has been observed in reaching and maintaining wellbeing of people in conflict regions across the world, both in terms of securing sustainable development and improving quality of life, despite shared efforts of both national governmental, and non-governmental agencies within those conflict regions, and from the outside international community. This doctoral project examines the critical issue of wellbeing and quality of life of people in continuous conflict regions, by holding forth on Palestine: known for its long-standing conflict and Israeli occupation, as the research case study.The subject of well-being of Palestinian people was regularly discussed within different resolution agreements with conflicting parties, and foreign policy agendas of key international players, in order to guarantee that these agreements and policies are complied with, and provide adequate attention to the rights of minorities, indigenous people, and other vulnerable groups, such as children and women. However, the current difficult circumstances that Palestinians face daily, and the negative indicators on their well-being status, as well as their health conditions, especially within a forementioned vulnerable groups, postulate that national and international efforts in this regard, remain deficient in achieving their objectives...Esta tesis pretende ampliar al conocimiento existente sobre lo que conlleva asegurar el desarrollo sostenible y la mejora de la calidad de vida en los territorios palestinos y las oportunidades reales que los palestinos tienen en el país, mediante el análisis de su bienestar y calidad de vida desde una perspectiva de género y la aplicación del enfoque basado en las capacidades (the Capability Approach). Por tanto, el objetivo de la presente tesis es contribuir a la literatura sobre el bienestar y la calidad de vida en Palestina, la aplicación del enfoque basado en las capacidades en la investigación empírica y los estudios sobre desigualdad de género en Palestina. Reconociendo que he realizado mi investigación en una sociedad patriarcal y en instituciones que siguen siendo patriarcales, debo generar un contenido de investigación basado en una perspectiva y valores feministas de cara a dar a las mujeres, incluida yo misma, una plataforma para que su voz sea escuchada y llamar la atención sobre las diferentes formas de contribuir al mantenimiento de la sociedad y su bienestar...