Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HURIME (Human Rights in the Post-Uprisings Middle East: Emerging Discourses and Practices inEgypt and Tunisia)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2017-05-01 al 2019-04-30
HURIME is an in-depth, interdisciplinary and comparative study, aiming to significantly contribute to current knowledge about human rights in the MENA region. HURIME dealt with human rights discourses and practices in the MENA region as they undergo transition stemming from the Arab uprisings in 2011.
The project had three key Research Objectives. First it aimed at discovering the main patterns of human rights discourses and practices in the MENA region undergoing transition through the course of the Arab Spring, to provide an in-depth knowledge of the characteristics and developments of human rights in the region. Second it sought to explore and explain the main political, legal and social conditions underlying both change and persistence within human rights discourse, to identify human rights dynamics in the region leading to the political change. Third it aimed to exploring the impact of the shift and persistence in human rights discourses on the actual practice of human rights in the region, with the ultimate aim of identifying the best ways for improving human rights practice in the region.
The final results of HURIME illustrates new evidence with regards to human rights developments in the transitional countries. The conclusions of HURIME were numerous but specifically they demonstrate that demands for the protection of basic rights were not only one of the main catalysators of the uprisings in the MENA region but they played also a key role during the transitional period of the post-uprising countries. The actors referred to the human rights more frequently and used the human rights as a legitimizing tool following the uprisings, employing mainly a language of international human rights norms. However, this increase and change in the discourses were not reflected in the actual practice of human rights. The results show that one of the most important conditions for the promotion of human rights is the establishment of the institutional framework necessary for the protection of the rights. In addition to capacity of the state to establish the institutional framework, the willingness of the relevant political actors to establish and to keep the established institutions in tact is vital for the promotion of human rights in transitional countries. HURIME illustrates that the ability and willingness for consensus when accommodating conflicting interests in the legal and institutional framework impact the development of human rights positively. Moreover, the research demonstrates that a prioritisation of rights in transitional countries occurs, not only because of lacking financial resources but also due to the political interests of key actors. While institutional framework, strong civil society and financial resources play a significant role in the success of promotion of human rights, the transitional process with regard to human rights is endangered without the engagement, assistance and support of international community.
The research outcomes have been widely communicated to the scientific community and wider public via publications in peer reviewed journals; presentations at international renowned conferences; panel discussions; presentations and invited talks at several universities. One peer reviewed article is published in 2019 and two journal articles have been submitted to the international peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, the research results have been presented in four conferences (ISA Annual Convention 2018, BRISMES 2018, WOCMES 2018, Tricontinental Conference 2019) and five seminars/lectures in 2018 and 2019 at various universities and institutions. The research results were disseminated to wider audiences beyond academia, via two public events with speakers from academia and civil society in 2018 and 2019. A talk to the early career researchers and PhD students from various universities about the project and experience with Marie Curie fellowship was also given in 2018 organised by London Higher Europe in Brussel.
The research will make ongoing contributions to the developments of human rights in the MENA region through academic and non-academic dissemination activities. A book manuscript entitled ‘Human Rights after the Uprisings: Challenges and Opportunities in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco’ is in progress.