Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi
Freedoms are still in a grave condition in many Arab countries, according to international human rights reports that do not show any improvement in relation to the past. Press freedoms are still in a critical condition in the Arab world two years after the Arab Spring revolutions erupted, according to the latest annual report of Reporters Without Borders.
Arab Spring countries like Tunisia and Egypt lag behind other nations as far as press freedoms are concerned. The situation is the same in other countries were no transition of power has taken place or no demands for reform were made.
The report of Reporters Without Borders says Tunisia and Egypt are ranked low in press freedom due to the absence of media laws, interference by the state in media appointments, violence targeting journalists and judicial proceedings against journalists.
Reports from United Nations Development Programme and International Labour Organisation (ILO) say the majority of Arab countries are facing challenges including high rates of unemployment and soaring prices of goods and services, particularly food prices, and this has put a wide swath of the populations in these countries under extreme pressure, specially the middle class and low-income families.
The reports also say that “the false bartering” of economic rights with political rights was one of the main reasons for the eruption of the Arab Spring protests in several countries. As the reports say, this requires implementation of economic reforms alongside political reforms.
The ILO report says: ‘the Arab region recorded the lowest rate of individual’s income growth and in terms of freedom of expression and accountability’ in a way that reflects the poor involvement of citizens in policymaking.
The report added that the Arab region witnesses the highest rates of migration of educated and skilled people. In some of these countries, unemployment among educated youth is higher than the rate of unemployment among uneducated youth. Not only that, educated workers do not receive salaries higher than those of the uneducated.
The report also criticised the Gulf countries, where no change has occurred even two years after the Arab Spring began. Not only that, these countries are opposing genuine initiatives for political or economic reform within their borders and in other Arab countries.
Freedoms are still in a grave condition in many Arab countries, according to international human rights reports that do not show any improvement in relation to the past. Press freedoms are still in a critical condition in the Arab world two years after the Arab Spring revolutions erupted, according to the latest annual report of Reporters Without Borders.
Arab Spring countries like Tunisia and Egypt lag behind other nations as far as press freedoms are concerned. The situation is the same in other countries were no transition of power has taken place or no demands for reform were made.
The report of Reporters Without Borders says Tunisia and Egypt are ranked low in press freedom due to the absence of media laws, interference by the state in media appointments, violence targeting journalists and judicial proceedings against journalists.
Reports from United Nations Development Programme and International Labour Organisation (ILO) say the majority of Arab countries are facing challenges including high rates of unemployment and soaring prices of goods and services, particularly food prices, and this has put a wide swath of the populations in these countries under extreme pressure, specially the middle class and low-income families.
The reports also say that “the false bartering” of economic rights with political rights was one of the main reasons for the eruption of the Arab Spring protests in several countries. As the reports say, this requires implementation of economic reforms alongside political reforms.
The ILO report says: ‘the Arab region recorded the lowest rate of individual’s income growth and in terms of freedom of expression and accountability’ in a way that reflects the poor involvement of citizens in policymaking.
The report added that the Arab region witnesses the highest rates of migration of educated and skilled people. In some of these countries, unemployment among educated youth is higher than the rate of unemployment among uneducated youth. Not only that, educated workers do not receive salaries higher than those of the uneducated.
The report also criticised the Gulf countries, where no change has occurred even two years after the Arab Spring began. Not only that, these countries are opposing genuine initiatives for political or economic reform within their borders and in other Arab countries.
