Help needed on dissertation proposal

Hello
I need to start on my dissertation proposal but have no idea on how to start it needs to be 1500 words
i also wanted to know if anyone can guide me with information, resources, articles etc.. that would be in good use for my dissertation
We had questions from uni the question i chose is below;

The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 was hastily drafted in the aftermath of the Second World War to ensure that the post-war refugee crisis in Europe would not happen again. Although it is generally accepted that women may fall into any of the Convention grounds, the lack of reference to women is notable. Women face forms of persecution which are unique to them, such as rape, sexual violence, forced sterilisation, genital mutilation and domestic violence.
This project will critically evaluate the 1951 Convention and consider whether women are provided with adequate protection. The project may also focus on the position of women asylum seekers in the UK in the light of changes in asylum law which, it is argued, worsens the position of women and adds to the pressures they are already experiencing.

Thanks in advance

Reply 1

cliffg

7

Original post by pink highlighter

Hello
I need to start on my dissertation proposal but have no idea on how to start it needs to be 1500 words
i also wanted to know if anyone can guide me with information, resources, articles etc.. that would be in good use for my dissertation
We had questions from uni the question i chose is below;

The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 was hastily drafted in the aftermath of the Second World War to ensure that the post-war refugee crisis in Europe would not happen again. Although it is generally accepted that women may fall into any of the Convention grounds, the lack of reference to women is notable. Women face forms of persecution which are unique to them, such as rape, sexual violence, forced sterilisation, genital mutilation and domestic violence.
This project will critically evaluate the 1951 Convention and consider whether women are provided with adequate protection. The project may also focus on the position of women asylum seekers in the UK in the light of changes in asylum law which, it is argued, worsens the position of women and adds to the pressures they are already experiencing.

Thanks in advance

So much of this revolves around the interpretation of the "membership of a particular social group" category in the Refugee Convention. In this regard I would suggest a detailed examination of case law and state practice to determine how this category has been interpreted and the extent to which women can form a particular social group. UNHCR guidelines are clear that gender, as an innate characteristic, allows an interpretation which can place women, as members of a particular social group, under the protection of the Convention. Does state practice, however, always conform to this interpretation?

The UN website and the UNHCR sub-site should provide a good start here in terms of resources. For example:

http://www.unhcr.org/3d58de2da.pdf (Interpretation of particular social group)

Search the work of Heaven Crawley at Swansea University, for example:

http://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/FMRpdfs/FMR09/fmr9.6.pdf

(Gender, persecution and the concept of politics in the asylum system)

For latest UK Gov report see:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmhaff/71/71.pdf

(Home Affairs Committee report on asylum - gender issues dealt with at page 22, also referred to in section on destitution)

Search the work of Eaves relating to victims of trafficking in relation to extra vulnerability factors faced by women.

I would look at the issue of "vulnerability" as opposed to "the pressures" women are already experiencing. Many vulnerability factors emerge or are exacerbated by the fact that female asylum seekers frequently have dependent children with them or become pregnant during the asylum decision making process (which inevitably takes considerably longer than the target of 6 months). This makes them vulnerable to a variety of exploitative practices (prostitution, trafficking, transactional sexual relationships, violence, etc) in a way which men are not.

In terms of drafting your proposal I would suggest an introductory para setting out your thesis in response to the one put in the question or your interpretation of the question and your approach to it. I think you should have some sort of review of the literature on the subject, the resources you propose to use and the methods you will use to conduct your research. I would then break the subject down in about 6 chapters and provide a brief outline of each chapter. (These will change, as may your initial thesis or response to the question, but they will indicate a degree of initial research and some early attempt at putting a structure to the research and writing up.) Not sure if you've been asked to but I would also include an indicative bibliography - outside of the 1500 word count.

Reply 2

pink highlighter

OP

Thanks a lot the information you have provided is very detailed,
I have some cases written down but I wanted to ask are there any important cases that must be included, just in case I miss them out

Reply 3

cliffg

7

Original post by pink highlighter

Thanks a lot the information you have provided is very detailed,
I have some cases written down but I wanted to ask are there any important cases that must be included, just in case I miss them out