Displaying 41326 - 41350 of 58126 recommendations found
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Sexual exploitation / slavery
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Domestic violence
- Trafficking in women and / or girls
Type:Review DocumentationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:Not Followed up with a RecommendationContents:In the light of target 5.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals on eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation, the CRC urged Qatar to establish a comprehensive domestic violence protection system, as envisaged in the State party’s National Development Strategy 2011–2016. [Para 43]
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:MaldivesMaldivesRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICCommonwealthIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:AcceptedContents:Further strengthen the promotion of the rights of women and girls.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 27) The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs was brought into being pursuant to Amiri Decree No. 4 of 2016. The Ministry includes the Family Affairs Department, which is the competent authority for all matters pertaining to women and seeks to enhance the status and role of women in society and to maintain strong and cohesive families in which children are cared for and which abide by sound moral and religious values. The Family Affairs Department also helps to enact national strategies, plans and policies related to women, to provide social welfare and to develop and follow up on social development programmes, in coordination with the competent authorities.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 18) AI expressed concern over the government’s sweeping reservations. Through lodging these reservations, Qatar has refused to fully recognize equal rights for women, including in matters of personal status laws, and has also stated that it will interpret the term “punishment” in line with the Islamic Shari’a.
Para 21) JS4 also stated that the sweeping reservations made to ICCPR and ICESCRs in respect to gender equality and declarations that appear to undermine the object and purpose of the Covenants, were regrettable, and that the gaps in domestic law and policy and the challenges that many individuals and groups faced in relation to their right to a nationality, detailed below, were all in clear violation of the international obligations of Qatar.
Para 28) According to AI, laws that discriminate against women came particularly to the fore in the context of the Gulf crisis that began in June 2017, when some governments severely restricted ties with Qatar as part of a political dispute. In line with citizenship and family laws across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the children of Qatari mothers and non-Qatari fathers are not automatically entitled to citizenship. So when some countries called their nationals back from Qatar and prevented Qatari nationals from entering their territory many families were split up.
Para 51) ODVV stated that Qatar women faced discrimination in law and practice, and that personal status laws continued to discriminate against women in relation to marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody, nationality and freedom of movement.
Para 52) AI stated that in Qatar, women continued to face discrimination in law and practice. Family law discriminates against women, including by making it much harder for women to seek a divorce than for men, and placing women at a severe economic disadvantage if they seek a divorce or if their husbands leave them.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:CzechiaCzechiaRegional groupEEGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
- Women's participation
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:AcceptedContents:Take concrete steps to enhance women's awareness of their rights and guarantee and increase women's public and political participation.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 13) … A number of pieces of legislation have been enacted since submitting the second report in 2014, including the following: …
Amiri Decree No. 22 of 2017, by which four women were appointed to the Consultative Council;
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:TurkmenistanTurkmenistanRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupCISOICIssue:
- International human rights instruments
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Consider acceding to the ICESCR.ExplanationQatar is considering acceding to the ICESCR.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 12) Since submitting its second national report to the universal periodic review mechanism, Qatar has acceded to a number of instruments: … • ICCPR, under Decree No. 40 of 2018; • ICESCR, under Decree No. 41 of 2018;
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 2) The State has also acceded to the … ICESCR.
Para 17) Joint Submission 4 (JS4) commended Qatar’s accession to the … ICESCR) in 2018.
Para 18) AI expressed concern over the government’s sweeping reservations. Through lodging these reservations, Qatar has refused to fully recognize equal rights for women, including in matters of personal status laws, and has also stated that it will interpret the term “punishment” in line with the Islamic Shari’a.
Para 21) JS4 also stated that the sweeping reservations made to ICCPR and ICESCRs in respect to gender equality and declarations that appear to undermine the object and purpose of the Covenants, were regrettable, and that the gaps in domestic law and policy and the challenges that many individuals and groups faced in relation to their right to a nationality, detailed below, were all in clear violation of the international obligations of Qatar.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:PakistanPakistanRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICCommonwealthIssue:
- Inappropriate content
Type:CommentSession:7th session, February 2010Status:Not Followed up with a RecommendationContents:Appreciated the role played by the family as a fundamental unit of society. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:MontenegroMontenegroRegional groupEEGIssue:
- International human rights instruments
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Ratify the OP-CRC-IC.ExplanationRegarding the recommendations calling for the immediate accession to several international conventions, Qatar had the political will to accede to many international human rights treaties. However, some temporary difficulties prevented it from doing so at present. Needless to say, the legislative bodies in Qatar were under pressure following the accession in a short period to many international and regional conventions in recent years, with shortages in technical capacities and human resources, which were still being developed ... -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Domestic violence
Type:Review DocumentationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:Reference AddressedContents:... CAT recommended that Qatar strengthen its efforts to prevent violence against women by, inter alia, establishing effective measures to guarantee the right of victims to complain; ensuring the accountability of all perpetrators by undertaking effective investigations into complaints, prosecuting perpetrators and punishing them with appropriate penalties; and ensuring that all victims were provided with adequate redress and reparation, including compensation and the means for as full rehabilitation as possible. [Para 29] -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:BrazilBrazilRegional groupGRULACPolitical groupOASOEIIssue:
- International human rights instruments
Type:RecommendationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:AcceptedContents:To strengthen efforts towards the ratification of the ICCPR and the ICESCR.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 39) ... Qatar has formed a committee to consider accession to the ICESCR. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:National ReportIssue:
- Gender equality
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:Review DocumentationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:N/AContents:"The fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution have been promoted through the enactment of a number of national laws, including the following: Act No. 22 of 2006 promulgating the Family Code. [Para 4.5.2]" -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Sexual abuse
- Sexual exploitation / slavery
- Sexual violence
Type:Review DocumentationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:Reference AddressedContents:CRC also recommended that Qatar: strengthen appropriate legislative measures to address the issues of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation; take appropriate measures to ensure the prompt prosecution of perpetrators of sexual offences against children; ensure that child victims of sexual exploitation or abuse have access to free, child sensitive complaints mechanisms and are not criminalized or penalized; and consider launching a national communication strategy to combat all types of sexual exploitation of children. [Para 28] -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Right to marry
Type:Review DocumentationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:NeglectedContents:Marriage between nationals of Qatar and foreigners is subject to prior approval by the Minister of the Interior. Qatar does not appear to guarantee freedom of marriage between nationals and non-nationals unless the latter are nationals of States members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. [Para 34; CERD] -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:ChadChadRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICOIFIssue:
- International human rights instruments
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Ratify the OP-CRPD.
ExplanationNoted. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:SerbiaSerbiaRegional groupEEGIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Reconsider its citizenship legislation in order to ensure that in practice, nationality can be transferred to children from the mother side, and not only from the paternity, especially for children who would otherwise be stateless.
ExplanationNoted. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:BotswanaBotswanaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUCommonwealthIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Review legislation on nationality to ensure that nationality could be transmitted to children through both maternal and paternal line without distinction.
ExplanationNoted. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:LibyaLibyaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICALIssue:
- Women's participation
Type:RecommendationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:AcceptedContents:To continue to remove any impediments that could hamper Qatari women's full participation in society.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 20) Family Cohesion and Empowerment of Women Strategy 2011-2016: This strategy is one of the 14 component sectoral strategies of the National Development Strategy and comes under the umbrella of social development. Responsibility for the launch and follow-up to this strategy has been assigned to the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, in coordination with founding partners. The three main themes of the strategy [include] ... the empowerment of women.
Para 32) As part of outreach activities to protect women and children, the Qatar Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children has continued to combat discrimination against women by promoting a culture of women's rights and equality of opportunity. It has done so through a number of programmes, including by: Preparing, publishing and distributing brochures and leaflets on the promotion of a culture that protects women's rights ...
Para 49) ... The Qatar National Vision 2030 reaffirms the need to strengthen women's capacities and to empower them to participate in political and economic life and, in particular, in decision-making. The specific goals of the national population policy include the empowerment of women and the promotion of gender equity and justice and the executive plan includes specific executive programmes for the achievement of those goals.
Para 50) ... The Council has played a key role in developing legislation relating to women including, for example, by contributing to the drafting of the Family Code, setting the minimum age for marriage, establishing the premarital medical examination policy, establishing the age to which mothers have custody of children as 13 years for boys and 15 years for girls, contributing to the drafting of the Housing Act and establishing the right of women to access the housing system. In addition, the Council has adopted a human rights perspective in dealing with issues relating to women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly. It has contributed to spreading awareness of women's rights and issues through the implementation of numerous training courses, workshops, discussion panels and seminars and has contributed to strengthening scientific research on women's issues through conducting and publishing studies and research.
Para 51) ... Since the first round of Municipal Council elections in 1999 and up to the 2011 elections, Qatari women have participated vigorously as voters and as candidates. Recently, it has been noted that a number of women have joined the boards of publicly traded companies, in some cases as chairpersons. In a similar vein, women are participating more actively in the elections of the board of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the list of candidates includes four women entrepreneurs, for the first time in its history.
Para 55) Moreover, the Ministry of the Interior established the Committee for Women's Affairs by Ministerial decision No. 31 of 2010. The Committee is responsible for monitoring the situation of women in the Ministry and for the implementation of related public policies, for studying issues affecting women, for coordination with various governmental and non-governmental bodies with a view to achieving the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, representing the Ministry at events and conferences, participating in the preparation of the Ministry's strategy for women and giving impetus to dialogue and communication with the agencies responsible for women's issues.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 9) NHRC warned that women's participation in the decision-making process is still limited, in particular with regards to their participation in the Parliament. There are currently no female representatives in The Shura Council (the legislative branch) as the current law only authorizes nomination of males. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:Dominican RepublicDominican RepublicRegional groupGRULACPolitical groupOASOEIACSIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:AcceptedContents:Continue to consolidate protection mechanisms and achievements in the promotion of women's rights and welfare.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:CanadaCanadaRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupOASOIFCommonwealthIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:RejectedContents:To review legislation concerning family law and laws relating to the authority of guardians over women, and to amend or repeal laws that discriminate against women. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:SingaporeSingaporeRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupASEANCommonwealthIssue:
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:AcceptedContents:Continue to strengthen its legal and institutional frameworks to ensure that perpetrators of violence against women are held accountable in accordance with national laws.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:AlgeriaAlgeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICALIssue:
- Gender equality
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:AcceptedContents:Continue implementing measures to strengthen gender equality and protect women from all forms of discrimination.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:PhilippinesPhilippinesRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupASEANIssue:
- Domestic violence
Type:RecommendationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:AcceptedContents:Continue providing access to remedies for victims of domestic violence, including migrants workers.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- "Adultery"
Type:Review DocumentationSession:33rd Session, May 2019Status:Not Followed up with a RecommendationContents:AI also suggested that the government may not intend, as a state party to the Covenants, to ... remove the death penalty and corporal punishment from the Penal Code currently applicable for crimes such as murder, banditry and adultery. [Para 19]
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:CanadaCanadaRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupOASOIFCommonwealthIssue:
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
Type:RecommendationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:AcceptedContents:To conduct an awareness and education campaign to prevent violence against women and prosecute those who commit crimes of violence against women. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:BrazilBrazilRegional groupGRULACPolitical groupOASOEIIssue:
- International human rights instruments
- Gender equality
Type:RecommendationSession:7th session, February 2010Status:RejectedContents:To consider re-examining reservations to CRC, CEDAW and CAT with a view to withdrawing them.ExplanationAs stated in the national report, in the past few years Qatar has instituted a policy on general reservations which has resulted in the State reviewing its general reservations to the human rights treaties to which it is a party.
The State withdrew its general reservation to the OP-CRC-SC and partially withdrew its general reservation to the CRC concerning any provisions that are incompatible with the Islamic sharia, applying it only to articles 2 and 14 of the Convention.
Moreover, when the State acceded to the CEDAW, it decided to forgo entirely the practice of entering general reservations and instead to confine its reservations to specific articles of the Convention and to provide an accompanying statement of reasons. -
State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:IndiaIndiaRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupCommonwealthIssue:
- Women's participation
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:AcceptedContents:Continue to take necessary measures to enable women to be equal partners in development and decision-making.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 13) … A number of pieces of legislation have been enacted since submitting the second report in 2014, including the following: …
Amiri Decree No. 22 of 2017, by which four women were appointed to the Consultative Council;
Para 42) The State has continued to uphold women in positions of leadership and to support their involvement in public administration. This covers the exercise of political rights, including the right to vote and to stand for election to the Municipal Council, and is in line with international standards, particularly treaties regarding the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
Para 43) Diagram 119 shows how the number of Qatari women in positions of leadership increased between 2008 and 2015. The rate of participation of Qatari women in the workforce remained stable at 36 per cent between 2012 and 2015 although significant progress was made in improving the balance between the work and life responsibilities of 13 women thanks to a revision of the 2009 Human Resources Act. The improved and more supportive working environment for women is partly due to the significant increase in the number of kindergartens and nurseries and the number of Qatari children enrolled therein; 71 per cent and 65 per cent respectively between 2011 and 2015. Para 44) Under Amiri Decree No. 22 of 2017, four women were appointed to the Consultative Council, thereby reaffirming the importance the State ascribes to the involvement of women in the legislature and to upholding their rights as enshrined in the Constitution. In addition, a number of women have been enrolled into the judiciary and the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
Para 45) The number of Qatari women diplomats doubled to 90 in 2017, of whom 3 are ambassadors. A female spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was appointed in November 2017, becoming the first Qatari woman to be assigned to the position. With that appointment, the new spokesperson joins the group of Qatari women holding senior positions in the diplomatic and political spheres. In addition, under Prime Ministerial Decree No. 16 of 2016, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, while under Prime Ministerial Decree No. 21 of 2016, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education. Under a further Prime Ministerial Decree, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary for the Development of Digital Society at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Para 46) According to official statistics, the representation of women in decision-making positions stands at 30 per cent. The Qatar National Vision 2030 and the 2017–2022 population policy aim to increase this percentage by boosting the political involvement of Qatari women.
UN Compilation:
Para 44) … UNESCO also signalled that the official data revealed that it was mainly men who occupied leadership positions in Qatar University. Similarly, almost no women held leadership positions in corporations and in government.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 11) Despite the overall low representation of women in decision-making positions and only one among the ministerial portfolios, the NHRC believed that the State of Qatar enabled women to serve as judges in previous years, which is considered a precedent among Gulf Arab states.
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State Under Review:QatarQatarRegional groupAsia-Pacific GroupPolitical groupOICALSource Of Reference:EritreaEritreaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUIssue:
- Other
Type:RecommendationSession:19th session, May 2014Status:AcceptedContents:Continue to protect the family as the basic social unit.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 21) … Qatar population policy 2017–2021: This policy seeks to control the population growth rate, to reduce any demographic imbalance and to mitigate the possible effects of such an imbalance. One focus of the population policy is on women and children, the main objective being to support the involvement of women in society and to create conditions conducive to increasing their participation in the workforce, while maintaining family cohesion and ensuring a healthy environment for children.
Para 22) The State has proceeded with its policy to support and empower women through the Second National Development Strategy 2018–2022, part of the Qatar National Vision 2030. Chapter III of the Strategy envisages the Social Protection Strategy 2018–2022, which aims to achieve the following results: • The establishment of an integrated, effective and sustainable system of social protection; • Strong, cohesive and empowered Qatari families; • Increasing the scope and impact of social capital.
Para 23) Qatar has constantly monitored the progress of its family cohesion strategy 2011– 2016. Between 2011 and 2015, there was a decline in the percentage of unmarried women between the ages of 35 and 39, while statistics show that the divorce rate among Qataris decreased, from 19 cases per thousand in 2008 to 16 per thousand in 2015. Similarly, there was a decline in the number of cases of domestic violence in 2015 with respect to the preceding year, after the phenomenon had taken an upward trend in the years since 2008.
Para 24) National legislation that has been enacted in recent years reflects the concern of the State authorities to promote the rights of women, to eliminate discrimination between women and men, and to establish rules governing gender equality in a number of different fields. Laws use generic wording when stipulating rights or determining obligations, so that no distinction is made between men and women.
Para 25) Legislation regulating the labour market in Qatar follows the model of the Constitution in avoiding all discrimination between men and women. Laws do not envisage any negative discrimination against women and make no distinction between men and women in terms of salary or employment privileges. In fact, provision is made for positive discrimination such as in Act No. 15 of 2016 promulgating the Civil Service Human Resources Act and its implementing regulations, issued by Council of Ministers Decree No. 32 of 2016. It regulates public service in the country and includes a number of forms of positive discrimination whereby women have the right to: • The allowances and benefits of a married functionary, while her spouse will receive the allowances and benefits of an unmarried functionary, if her benefits are greater than his; • Paid leave if she has a child with a disability or a child suffering from a condition necessitating accompaniment by the mother; • Leave with full salary to accompany a sick child for treatment in a public or private hospital within the State; • Fully paid maternity leave; • Two hours per day for a period of two years, designated as “two hours for breastfeeding”; • Leave of 130 days in the case of the death of a spouse, which is the period of mourning prescribed by Islamic sharia for the death of a husband; such leave is not counted as part of other leave; • An accompanying family member if the woman has to travel on official business or to attend a training course; the costs of the companion are borne by the employer.
Para 26) The rate of participation in the workforce for individuals aged 15 years and over stands at 88.4 per cent. The results of a 2017 workforce sampling survey conducted by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics show that the number of participants in the workforce rose from 2,055,359 in 2016 to 2,056,923 in 2017, of whom males accounted for 86.5 per cent and females for 13.5 per cent. The data indicates that the economic participation rate of individuals aged 15 years and over stands at 88.4 and includes 96.1 per cent of males and 58.5 per cent of females. Also according to the data, persons aged between 25 and 34 had the highest rate of economic participation (94.5 per cent), while the economic dependency rate stood at 29.2 per cent for the same year.
Para 27) The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs was brought into being pursuant to Amiri Decree No. 4 of 2016. The Ministry includes the Family Affairs Department, which is the competent authority for all matters pertaining to women and seeks to enhance the status and role of women in society and to maintain strong and cohesive families in which children are cared for and which abide by sound moral and religious values. The Family Affairs Department also helps to enact national strategies, plans and policies related to women, to provide social welfare and to develop and follow up on social development programmes, in coordination with the competent authorities.
Para 28) The Qatar Social Work Foundation was established in 2013 as a high-level institution with a unified management board that oversees and monitors entities within the State that are active in the area of social work. It formulates, develops and follows up on plans, programmes, policies and strategies aimed at furthering the objectives of civil society institutions, in cooperation and coordination with government ministries and agencies and with public and private entities at home and abroad. The Foundation includes the following: (1) the Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre, (2) the Family Counselling Centre, (3) the Centre for the Care of Orphans, (4) the Centre for the Empowerment and Care of Older Persons, (5) the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Special Needs, (6) the Social Development Centre and (7) the “Best Buddies” Qatar initiative.
Para 29) The Qatar Social Work Foundation and its affiliated centres were involved in drafting the eight sectoral strategies that make up the Second National Development Strategy 2018–2022. The Foundation also oversees the development of plans for around 55 institutional and developmental projects being run by the centres in different areas. The projects – which focus on certain target groups in society – deal with critical issues such as disability, family guidance, combating violence and the care and empowerment of older persons and orphans.
Para 42) The State has continued to uphold women in positions of leadership and to support their involvement in public administration. This covers the exercise of political rights, including the right to vote and to stand for election to the Municipal Council, and is in line with international standards, particularly treaties regarding the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
Para 43) Diagram 119 shows how the number of Qatari women in positions of leadership increased between 2008 and 2015. The rate of participation of Qatari women in the workforce remained stable at 36 per cent between 2012 and 2015 although significant progress was made in improving the balance between the work and life responsibilities of 13 women thanks to a revision of the 2009 Human Resources Act. The improved and more supportive working environment for women is partly due to the significant increase in the number of kindergartens and nurseries and the number of Qatari children enrolled therein; 71 per cent and 65 per cent respectively between 2011 and 2015.
Para 44) Under Amiri Decree No. 22 of 2017, four women were appointed to the Consultative Council, thereby reaffirming the importance the State ascribes to the involvement of women in the legislature and to upholding their rights as enshrined in the Constitution. In addition, a number of women have been enrolled into the judiciary and the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
Para 45) The number of Qatari women diplomats doubled to 90 in 2017, of whom 3 are ambassadors. A female spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was appointed in November 2017, becoming the first Qatari woman to be assigned to the position. With that appointment, the new spokesperson joins the group of Qatari women holding senior positions in the diplomatic and political spheres. In addition, under Prime Ministerial Decree No. 16 of 2016, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, while under Prime Ministerial Decree No. 21 of 2016, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education. Under a further Prime Ministerial Decree, a woman was appointed as Assistant Undersecretary for the Development of Digital Society at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Para 46) According to official statistics, the representation of women in decision-making positions stands at 30 per cent. The Qatar National Vision 2030 and the 2017–2022 population policy aim to increase this percentage by boosting the political involvement of Qatari women.
UN Compilation:
Para 44) … UNESCO also signalled that the official data revealed that it was mainly men who occupied leadership positions in Qatar University. Similarly, almost no women held leadership positions in corporations and in government.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 11) Despite the overall low representation of women in decision-making positions and only one among the ministerial portfolios, the NHRC believed that the State of Qatar enabled women to serve as judges in previous years, which is considered a precedent among Gulf Arab states.