Collective intelligence and cities’ smart growth in GCC

The involvement of local research centers, together with NGOs and young designers, makers, and future inhabitants of the newly developed districts, could generate urban and social smart growth as a unique benefit for GGC existing cities during their fast-growing process. It could strongly impact local communities in terms of optimizing resources, ensuring concrete results, and immediate application of best practices while empowering young adults to embrace and lead the transformation and activating a process of informed decision-making.

A new “Agenda for the Mediterranean” should include the GCC

Why is there a need for close relations between the EU and the Gulf states?

The last face-to-face meeting at ministerial level between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council dates back to 2016. There are many reasons for this, both on the part of the EU and the GCC. A changed energy and geopolitical situation has also contributed to a decrease in mutual interest. The EU should use the realignment of its foreign and security policy, especially the relaunch of an “Agenda for the Mediterranean” in spring 2021, to also put relations with the Gulf States on a new basis. To do this, the EU does not have to give up its position on human rights issues. Instead an increased engagement with Gulf states will enhance its voice in the region.

Environmental retrofitting

A mandate for liveable GCC smart cities

Several strategies are in place in the main Gulf countries to create districts’ cooling systems. However, the target of livable and walkable districts requires a comprehensive approach, including macro and micro-scale interventions that cooperate to minimize energetic consumption and the related CO2 footprint for new and existing built environments. Reducing AC dependency through environmental retrofitting of the existing real estate would play a substantial role in fighting the heat island effect in the GCC’s cities.

Smart Cities and Quality of life

A report from the GCC

Main GCC Cities in 2021 are ranking 28th to 30th in the Smart City Index worldwide. The same cities are also scoring 14th to 55th in the Quality of Life Index. Besides the traditional urban management tools and implementation, this is showing a massive commitment in the last years to improve a comprehensive system of e-governance and services to the citizens in terms of quality of life.

Resilience, growth, and GCC smart cities

Moving toward a digital enabling cities instead of smart cities would shift the focus to a human-centric approach. And the ICT serving the social and human capital in terms of knowledge, inclusion, and participation would enhance a smart design strategy in making smart cities as a city with a focus on the high quality of life. Gulf Countries have all the tools in place for a citizen and environmental effective resilience, and are ready to give the last touch through smart design strategies.

Who is worthy of ‘Women’s Rights’?

Intersectionality in perspective in the Gulf

The series of the articles on “Women in the Gulf States” were solicited and edited by Dr. Zarqa A. Parvez with support from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. In this final article of the series, Dr. Parvez makes a brief overview of the published articles and stresses the importance of intersectionality as a lens in addressing women rights in the Gulf States. She also calls for a more inclusive approach to women rights, and highlights direction for future research.

Invisible Intersections

Disability and Gender in Kuwait

There is a nascent realization amongst those advocating for gender equity in Kuwait that the work for women’s rights needs to be more inclusive. Although much has been achieved in preceding decades, the movement holds little relevance for women who do not conform to the able-bodied, elite, citizen default. Drawing on the author’s lived experience, this article discusses the intersection of gender, disability, and citizenship in the country in an attempt to sketch a broader horizon for the local feminist agenda.

Amplifying the Presence of Qatari Women in Public Space

The Case of ‘Women of Qatar’

In this article, the author informs us the story of the creation of Women of Qatar, a space for the Qatari women where they can share knowledge, enjoy visibility, and inspire one another to advance women’s participation in the public life and gender equality. The article reveals the motivations that inspired the author to create this space for women and the challenges she has faced and is still facing on maintaining this space.

By the Youth for the Youth

The university student initiative ‘The Future is Female' at Georgetown Qatar

In hopes to inspire young girls and empower the youth to do more, university student initiative ‘The Future is Female' (FIF) is employed to pave the way for more success in the community. FIF tries to bridge the gap between school students and successful women in the workplace. In the Policy Report, the author recounts her experience as president of FIF and at Georgetown while mentioning the obstacles faced.

The Gulf region 2022

Three scenarios

In 2022, much will be at stake in the Gulf sub-region. In this report, we analyze three unique scenarios that could possibly play out next year in the monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula. These various situations involve improvements in Iranian-Saudi relations, the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and the risks of Afghanistan’s chaotic instability spilling into the Gulf both directly and indirectly.