Gendered Citizenship, Inequality, and Well-Being: The Experience of Cross-National Families in Qatar during the Gulf Cooperation Council Crisis (2017–2021)

Abstract

This study explores the impact of gendered citizenship on the well-being of cross-national families following the political blockade imposed on Qatar in 2017. More specifically, it examines how these families, women, and children face challenges related to their lives, well-being, and rights. Twenty-three face-to-face interviews were conducted with Qatari and non-Qatari women and men married to non-Qatari spouses residing in Qatar. The study’s findings revealed that Qatari women with non-Qatari husbands did not enjoy the benefits of full citizenship, further undermining their psychological well-being and their socioeconomic and legal rights. Additionally, children born before or during the blockade have become stateless and undocumented, which jeopardizes their mental and physical well-being and the prospects of their parents’ economic advancement. This study contributes to the conceptualization of and debate on gender citizenship rules and policies, which can exclude these women and children and deny them the recognition and rights they deserve. Since ensuring full citizenship rights is crucial for people’s well-being, increasing gender equality and reforming Qatar’s existing citizenship policies would benefit both groups and provide social justice for all.

Mental health issues is common, resiliency is rare: Qataris and residents’ experiences with distress, traumatic symptoms, and coping during the blockade

“…They did not alleviate their stressors, nor did it make them more resilient. It may be possible to connect the type of support they sought to receive, which in this study was their goal to pass their citizenship to their children and spouses rather than simply have access to social and health care services [ 11 ]. According to the findings, factors such as the fear of deportation and uncertainty regarding their families’ future can lead to higher stress, PTSD, and a lower level of resilience.…”

“…Due to the absence of a national parent in a blockading country, children were separated from one of their parents [ 10 ]. This situation even led to divorces within cross-national families [ 11 ]. As a result, many families distanced themselves from their Qatari relatives, fearing jail sentences and heavy fines if they sympathized with Qatari nationals [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Psychological responses to political hostility: a study on aggression, bullying, and well-being in Qatar

“…However, the study did not specify whether the participants’ experiences of bullying and aggressive behaviour were solely attributed to their gender identity or whether they varied based on biased targeting or their intersectional social identity (e.g., gender, citizenship, nationality). Building on the work of Abu-Ras et al ( 2022 ), citizenship based on gender identity may play a crucial role.…”

“…Cross-national marriage refers to individuals from different countries getting married, often leading to one relocating (Riley & Brunson, 2018 ). These unions, increasingly prevalent in the Middle East and Gulf region, including Qatar, present challenges in citizenship and residency rights, potentially affecting national identity (Abu-Ras et al, 2022 ). A study by the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI, 2018 ) found these marriages to be more unstable, leading to higher divorce rates and impacting Qatari women’s ability to transmit nationality to their children.…”

“…For example, Law 38, Article 2, enacted in 2005, mandates foreign residents to wait a minimum of 25 years before becoming eligible for citizenship (Oldfield et al, 2019 ). Gendered citizenship, governed by state law, particularly disadvantages women by denying them full citizenship status, hindering access to essential resources for their well-being (Abu-Ras et al, 2022 ). This denial affects rights across legal, social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual domains, influencing people’s access to rights and shaping their sense of belonging, self-worth, and national identity.…”