Tazeen Qureshi

[Introduction and Conclusion chapters of my graduate thesis on 'Fractioning the Refugee Label - A case study of Syrian refugees in Turkey supervised by Dr. Berk Esen at Bilkent University]

Abstract
This research analyzes Turkey’s national asylum policies to determine if they result in the fractioning of the refugee label – as theorized by Roger Zetter. Fractioning of the refugee label occurs when states utilize legal and bureaucratic measures that are based on arbitrary or discriminatory requisites to restrict and exclude selected individuals from claiming unconditional refugee status within their territory. Refugees who suffer the consequences of disjunctive labels are unable to obtain legal status in the host country, unable to permanently settle or integrate in host society, and cannot avail the full gamut of rights accorded to them by the 1951 Refugee Convention – as in the case of Syrian refugees in Turkey. The question then arises as to why Turkey continues to host the largest refugee population in the world since 2013, even when it does not legally recognize Syrians as refugees and has no obligation towards them under the 1951 Refugee Convention. One finding is that Turkey’s approach towards the Syrian refugee crisis has been somewhat myopic since the beginning. This is evident from Turkish government’s changing stances on Syrian ‘guests’ and the impromptu laws that have been adopted since 2011. A second finding is that Turkey continues to host Syrian refugees for opportunistic foreign policy reasons. This is evident from Turkey’s recent bout of ‘refugee rentierism’ – as theorized by Gerasimos Tsourapas – where Turkey is using its geo-strategic location and its large refugee population as a resource to extract strategic rent from the European Union through blackmail.

Keywords: International Migration, Foreign Policy, Refugee Politicization, Refugee Labelling, Refugee Rentier States, Turkey, Syrians, Case Study

[Senior Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Honors degree for Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs, supervised by Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim]

Agency is an individual’s (or group’s) ability to make effective choices and to transform those choices into desired outcomes. Measuring women’s agency is undertaken primarily using approaches and models developed in the Western world. Post structural theories challenge the use of Western approaches to study Muslim women’s agency in the Middle East. Using dominant Western models, Muslim women are often shown to have little agency. This study challenges this notion by using primary and secondary sources.

Using secondary sources, this study looks at cross-cultural theories of agency, including Burke’s four approaches to agency in gender traditional religions. For the primary source, raw data was extracted from the third wave of Arab Barometer Surveys conducted of 3,792 women in the Middle East, via face-to-face interviews, by Arab Reform Initiative between 2012 and 2014. Using this data, the study measures Muslim women’s agency in the Middle East against the World Bank’s five categories of outcomes of agency.

The major findings show that there is a difference in Muslim women in the Middle East and in the GCC. According to the findings, Muslim women in the Middle East are better off in terms of their ability to move freely, control over resources, and ability to have a voice in society and influence policy, as compared to Muslim women in the GCC. At the same time, women’s ability to make decisions over family information and their freedom from risk of violence is unsatisfactory in the GCC as well as in the Middle East. Supplemental findings show that majority of women would prefer a stricter application of religious laws, a separation of religion (private) from social and political life, and a preference for modest clothing without the necessity of veil. These findings challenge the perception that Muslim women have little agency because they are passive victims of patriarchy and religion in the Middle East.

Locally, Muslim women’s agency is vital to their own welfare, their family’s welfare, and their societies welfare. Regionally, collective agency can result in improvement of social structure, policies, and traditional gender norms across the region. Globally, re-defining agency to suite culturally specific societies can clarify the role of religion in women’s lives. This study is an important addition to the literature on the subject of Muslim women and agency.

Presented at The Migration Conference 2020.

Organizers: The Migration Conference Organizing Committee supported by Migration Letters, Transnational Press London, UK and Faculty of Contemporary Social Sciences, South East European University.
Dates: 8-11 September 2020
Venue: Tetovo, North Macedonia/Zoom
URL: https://www.migrationconference.net/

Presented at the Ally for Future 2019 Leadership Program on behalf of SESRIC.

Organizers: Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services of the Republic of Turkey
Dates: 13-20 December 2019
Venue: Crowne Plaza Harbiye, Istanbul, Turkey
URL: http://ally4future.org/

Presented at the International Conference on Gender and "The Law": Limits, Contestations and Beyond.

Organizers: London Centre for Social Studies (LCSS), in partnership with Dokuz Eylul University, Gediz University, and Indiana University.
Dates: 4-6 June 2014
Venue: Dokuz Eylul University and Gediz University, Izmir, Turkey
URL: http://www.socialstudies.org.uk/Events/Conferences/6278/International-Conference-on-Gender-and-The-Law-Lim

[Selected sections from chapters in SESRIC's State of Youth in the OIC Member States 2020: Enhancing Economic Participation of Youth coordinated by Dr. Cem Tintin].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2020). Employment and Entrepreneurship [Chapter 3]. In SESRIC, State of Youth in the OIC Member States 2020: Enhancing Economic Participation of Youth (pp. 19-28). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/741.pdf

Abstract
The labour market conditions in many OIC Member States are not very promising for youth. High unemployment, low labour force participation and limited engagement of youth in entrepreneurship form a set of challenges for young people across the OIC Member States. In 2019, the OIC average for youth unemployment was at 13.9% that exceeded the world average of 11.8%. In terms of youth labour force participation, the average of OIC Member States (38.7%) stayed well below the world average of 41.4% in 2019. Moreover, when data are disaggregated by gender, a significant discrepancy arises amongst the OIC Member States in terms of male versus female unemployment and labour force participation rates. The overall entrepreneurship ecosystem for youth is not very much enabling in many OIC Member States. These stem from amongst others limited access to finance and the prevalence of informal economy. Unemployment and lack of decent wages are amongst the major determinants of youth migration that impedes the socio economic development of OIC Member States. In this regard, OIC Member States need to address the root causes of high youth unemployment, low labour force participation rates as well as to eliminate existing gender gaps. Moreover, policies to improve the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem need to be developed.

[Selected sections from chapters in SESRIC's Agriculture and Food Security in OIC Member Countries 2020 coordinated by Mr. Mazhar Hussain].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2020). Food Security [Chapter 4]. In SESRIC, Agriculture and Food Security in OIC Member Countries 2020 (pp. 34-51). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/publications-detail.php?id=515

Abstract
Eradication of hunger and malnutrition and making households more food secure are basic human rights protected under various international conventions and policy platforms and clearly emphasized in both the UN SDGs and the OIC-2025 Programme of Action. Hosting almost 175.98 million undernourished people, the challenge of food security in OIC countries takes on an added importance because it affects their overall developmental trajectory in both the short- and the long-terms. However, policies and programs aimed at ensuring food security often fail to realize the critical importance of tailoring interventions to national needs. Similar to the variations in the level of income and development amongst OIC member countries, the level of food security – or lack of it – is highly varied in OIC member countries. This is because food security is directly affected by factors including, but not limited to, difficult economic conditions, weak commodity prices, lack of adequate infrastructure, poverty, conflicts, adverse climatic conditions, and more recently, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Such factors can either prolong or worsen chronic and transitory food insecurity around the world. This in turn can prove catastrophic for food availability, access, stability, and utilization.

[Selected sections from chapters in SESRIC's Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in OIC Member Countries: Prospects and Challenges coordinated by Mr. Mazhar Hussain].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2020). Socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on education [Chapter 2.7]. In SESRIC, Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in OIC Member Countries: Prospects and Challenges (pp. 26-30). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/publications-detail.php?id=504

Qureshi, T. (2020). Socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on refugees and migrants [Chapter 2.10]. In SESRIC, Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in OIC Member Countries: Prospects and Challenges (pp. 43-46). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/publications-detail.php?id=504

Abstract
Education
One of the more visible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the widespread closure of schools, colleges, and universities across the globe. Since February 2020, 193 countries have chosen to shut down education institutions in an attempt to slow down the transmission of COVID-19. These closures have affected approximately 1.7 billion learners at preprimary, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels (UNESCO, 2020a). The education sector in OIC member countries has also been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, putting 432.6 million learners out of schools – with the highest concentration of out-of-school learners in East and South Asian member countries.
Throughout the month of March, 55 member countries have imposed country-wide school closures in the OIC, with the exception of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan that have not closed any education institutions since the beginning of the pandemic (Figure 2.16) (UNESCO, 2020b). Most OIC member countries have also clarified that school closures will continue throughout the current academic term (until June/July 2020) even as governments in these countries ease severe lockdown conditions. In lieu of physical attendance, governments around the world are encouraging institutions to offer opportunities for distance and online learning to millions of students. This section discusses the impacts of school closures on learners in OIC member countries, especially on human capital development, education funding, and marginalized learners.

Refugees and Migrants
Experts predict that the most devastating impacts of COVID-19 pandemic will be felt in developing low- and middle-income countries that are currently home to some 25.9 million refugees, 41.3 million internally displaced people (IDPs), and 271.6 million migrants - heightening the vulnerability of these marginalized groups to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is simply because a majority of low- and middle-income countries do not have an adequate health or humanitarian infrastructure required to deal with a global health pandemic. This is of special relevance to developing OIC member countries because they are currently host to 79.6% of the world’s refugees, home to 58.3% of the world’s IDPs, and destination countries for 74.5 million international migrants.

However, the ground reality is that in times of a global pandemic the needs of vulnerable groups are often the last to be considered in national response measures. For refugees and migrants, this creates a situation of ‘double emergency’, where a health pandemic is likely to worsen an ongoing humanitarian emergency. This sub-section discusses three distinct ways in which refugees and migrants are affected by this ‘double emergency’ situation caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

[Selected chapters from SESRIC's OIC Health Report 2019 coordinated by Mr. Mazhar Hussain].

Cite as:
Hussain, M. & Qureshi, T. (2019). Health system strengthening [Chapter 2]. In SESRIC, OIC Health Report 2019 (pp. 3-15). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/publications-detail.php?id=491

Hussain, M. & Qureshi, T. (2019). Maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition [Chapter 4]. In SESRIC, OIC Health Report 2019 (pp. 43-63). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/publications-detail.php?id=491

Abstract
Chapter 2
According to World Health Organization (WHO), a health system is the sum totals of all the organizations, institutions and resources, which are available with the primary purpose of improving the state of health. A well-functioning health system paves the way for a healthy population, healthy society and healthy economy. In order to deliver, however, health system requires robust financing mechanism, a well-trained and adequately paid workforce, reliable information on which to base decisions and policies, well-maintained facilities and logistics to deliver quality medicines and technologies (WHO, 2014). In general, health system strengthening encompasses all those actions, activities and measures that aim to improve the situation regarding aforementioned building blocks of health system in a country/region. In the light of this understanding, this section evaluates the performance of the health systems in OIC countries in terms of health financing, workforce and infrastructure.

Chapter 4
Health is vital for the well-being of all human beings. According to WHO, health does not only mean an absence of illness or disease, but it is a multidimensional concept that encompasses the state of physical, mental and social well-being of a person. Right to health is vital for everyone, but it is especially important for mothers and children because they are vulnerable and more at risk to illness and health complications. Maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) basically refers to health of women and babies during pregnancy, childbirth and after childbirth. Provision of quality care during this period is very critical for the health and very survival of mother and infant. In this context, this chapter analyzes the current state of maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition in 57 OIC countries.

[Selected chapters from SESRIC's Achieving Peace and Security in a World of Turmoil: An Arduous Challenge for the OIC coordinated by Mr. Fadi Farasin].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2019). Conflict management: The key ingredients [Chapter 4]. In SESRIC, Achieving Peace and Security in a World of Turmoil: An Arduous Challenge for the OIC (pp. 39-66). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/659.pdf

Abstract
While inter-state conflicts continue to be a rare occurrence in the 21st century, there has been a rise in the number of internal conflicts and internationalized internal conflicts. A large number of such conflicts are based on group-based grievances resulting from inequality, exclusion, and a sense of injustice. The shift in the nature of conflicts is also reflected in the way institutions and actors (local, national, regional, and international) deal with conflicts.

Ideally, successful conflict management should result in a total resolution of the issues causing the conflict partly due to a change in behavioural factors. However, what is more common is for conflicting parties to reach a settlement such as ceasefire or legal or customary peace agreement. In any case, conflict management is primarily concerned with the ending of a conflict (even if it is temporary), identifying and tackling the root causes of conflicts, and restructuring of institutions, including the redistribution of resources.

There are a range of policies, instruments and strategies that are a part of conflict management. The choice of particular policy, instrument or strategy employed to manage conflict is largely at the discretion of the parties to the conflict – albeit somewhat influenced by the surrounding conditions. In light of this, this chapter is dedicated to the key ingredients and the methods most commonly associated with the management of conflicts.

[Selected chapters from SESRIC's OIC Water Report 2018: Transforming Risk into Dialogue and Cooperation coordinated by Mr. Fadi Farasin].

Cite as:
Hussain, M. & Qureshi, T. (2018). Implementation of the OIC Water Vision [Chapter 6]. In SESRIC, OIC Water Report 2018: Transforming Risk into Dialogue and Cooperation (pp. 69-87). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/616.pdf

Abstract
In 2018, OIC General Secretariat and SESRIC administered the second wave of surveys on the implementation plan for the OIC Water Vision among OIC countries. The ‘OIC Water Council Survey 2018’ was circulated to the National Focal Points for the OIC Water Vision in OIC Member Countries between 23rd April and 30th May 2018. The survey aimed to gather information on the implementation of OIC Water Vision; identify key water-related challenges facing OIC countries; and learn about future actions and strategies to address these challenges. The survey also aimed to identify the training needs and capacities of member states and their financial requirements in terms of water infrastructure. As of August 2018, 15 OIC countries responded to the questionnaire, corresponding to 26% of OIC member countries with representation from diverse geographical regions. This chapter analyzed these responses to assess the status of implementation of OIC Water Vision in respondent OIC countries.

[Selected chapters from SESRIC's OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development coordinated by Dr. Cem Tintin].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2018). Women and education [Chapter 2]. In SESRIC, OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development (pp. 19-32). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/646.pdf

Qureshi, T. (2018). Women and decision-making [Chapter 6]. In SESRIC, OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development (pp. 81-93). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/646.pdf

Qureshi, T. (2018). Key challenges of women entrepreneurs in OIC countries [Chapter 8]. In SESRIC, OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development (pp. 108-114). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/646.pdf

Kosger, A. S. & Qureshi, T. (2018). Success stories from selected OIC countries on women entrepreneurship [Chapter 9]. In SESRIC, OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development (pp. 115-121). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/646.pdf

Tintin, C., Kosger, A. S., & Qureshi, T. (2018). Policy implications on enhancing women entrepreneurship for development in OIC countries [Chapter 10]. In SESRIC, OIC Women and Development Report 2018: Enhancing Women Entrepreneurship for Development (pp. 122-126). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/646.pdf

Abstract
Chapter 2
Education is a key success factor for the social and economic development of a country. Studying the link between education and development from a gender perspective is important for OIC member countries because achieving gender parity in education can help in achieving developmental targets, and enable establishment of inclusive policies, programs, and institutions. This chapter looks at the women education and development nexus and attempts to understand root causes of gender disparity in education with a specific focus on OIC countries. The chapter explores factors that exacerbate gender inequalities in education by using alternative indexes of gender gap and inequality, adult and youth literacy rates, out-of-school rates for primary and secondary aged children, and mean years of schooling. The resulting analysis offers a set of possible policy options for improving access of women to education institutions in the OIC region.

Chapter 6
Women in OIC countries have been facing with some limitations while taking part in decision-making processes owing to the institutional (e.g. discrimination) and individual barriers (e.g. education). This chapter looks at the role of women in decision-making in politics and managerial positions with a special emphasis to OIC countries. In this regard, eradicating inequalities between women and men, and restoring the rights of women would strengthen the communities. The participation of women is fundamental to democratic governance and to the progress of humankind as a whole. Yet women still have far to go towards equal representation in positions of power and leadership, whether in corporate boardrooms, presidential cabinets or national parliaments.

Chapter 8
To ensure that entrepreneurial environment and services are more gender-balanced, there is a need for reviewing policies concerning business practices in OIC countries. In order to revise existing policies and practices in OIC countries with a view to making them more gender-balanced, policy makers need to have a holistic understanding of key challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. In the light of findings presented in the previous chapter, this chapter summarizes key challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in OIC countries namely low human capital development, high sectoral concentration, limited access to finance, ineffective infrastructure, policy and legal issues, and cultural and structural barriers.

Chapter 9
The selected case studies reflect diversity of successful initiatives and policies existing in OIC member countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and East and South Asia. These initiatives range from policies aiming to ease women entrepreneurs’ access to finance, eliminating discriminatory financial practices against women entrepreneurs in financial sector, improving livelihoods, environments, and communities through the formation of cooperatives as a part of social entrepreneurship, and enhancing women entrepreneurship through public-private sector partnerships.

[Selected chapters from SESRIC's The State of Elderly in OIC Member Countries 2018 coordinated by Dr. Cem Tintin].

Cite as:
Qureshi, T. (2018). Elderly demographics: Past, current, and future trends [Chapter 2]. In SESRIC, The State of Elderly in OIC Member Countries: Responding to the Needs of Elderly (pp. 6-15). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/604.pdf

Qureshi, T. (2018). Institutions for the elderly [Chapter 4]. In SESRIC, The State of Elderly in OIC Member Countries: Responding to the Needs of Elderly (pp. 27-38). Ankara: SESRIC. Retrieved from https://www.sesric.org/files/article/604.pdf

Abstract:
Chapter 2
Over the recent decades, ageing has resulted in an increase in the proportion of elderly and a decrease in the proportion of youth. While, rapid ageing has been a common occurrence in developed countries for the a few decades, it has only recently gained momentum in OIC and non-OIC developing countries. Rapid ageing has significant social and economic impacts that require immediate policy responses. In response to rapid ageing, one of the most important policy requirements for OIC countries is to ensure social and economic well-being of elderly. In this regard, this section provides an overview of elderly demographics in OIC countries in comparison to non-OIC developing countries, and developed countries. It highlights the demographics determinants of ageing, changes in population structure between 1990 and 2017, and elderly participation in the labour force.

Chapter 4
In many countries, elderly people are excluded from the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes. An important way to prevent this from happening is to develop institutions and mechanisms that represent elderly people’s interests.
In order to bring the issue of ageing to the fore, governments have to recognize the importance of dealing with these challenges using national development policies. Policies aimed at the elderly will impact the future generations advertently. In this context, the following section highlights the issues of social integration and participation of older people, national level policy analysis of older population, human rights, and pension funds for elderly.