Defying the odds: the role of female policymakers in advancing greater women’s rights in post-revolutionary Tunisia (2011-19) and Ukraine (2014-19)

Thesis

This thesis seeks to investigate the role of female parliamentarians in advancing gender policy reforms in post-revolutionary Tunisia (2011-19) and Ukraine (2014-19). It is the first crossregional comparison of Tunisia and Ukraine within the fields of area studies and political science to date, revealing insightful similarities of female activism in male-dominated political settings. Drawing on these comparisons and using an actor-centric approach, this thesis adds a new angle to the study of women in politics by focusing specifically on the activity of female MPs to show the impact women can have on democratic development in politically volatile environments. It triangulates Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of political fields, John Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Approach, and Patricia Hill Collins’ intersectionality framework while drawing on official government documents and personal interviews with politicians, activists, and academics to analyse female MPs’ active involvement in the following policy changes: electoral law reforms; 2017 laws banning violence against women; 2018 gender equality reforms in the Ukrainian military; and the 2018 inheritance law reforms in Tunisia. The thesis argues that stronger gender-centric policies in Tunisia and Ukraine were successfully achieved because female politicians who belonged to different and, at times, rival political parties inside parliament were able to put aside their differences during moments of cooperation and thus seize important windows of opportunity to enact change. Their ability to use to their advantage the political volatility caused by post-revolutionary democratic shifts and act as agents of change inside the political establishment – through introducing draft bills and amendments, negotiating with their counterparts, raising awareness through advocacy campaigns – resulted in a series of successful legislative campaigns for women’s rights. Where there was no visible cooperation, however, there was a lack of successful legislative change.

Authors: Marina, K

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-14epj2na0
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: parliament; Tunisia; gender equality; policy analysis; women's rights; Ukraine
• Subjects: Area Studies