UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
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 establishment of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs represents an important shift in concern for the family in general and for women in particular. Whereas previously women's issues were considered only in terms of welfare and protection, since the establishment of the Council the concepts of women's empowerment and participation have emerged for the first time in dealing with those issues in Qatari society. 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 54) ... The first female judge was appointed to the Court of First Instance by an Amiri Decree issued in November 2010. In March of the same year, a woman was appointed as a judicial assistant.

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.

National Report:
Para 39) ... Qatar has formed a committee to consider accession to the ICESCR.

National Report:
Para 23) … 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 30) With regard to recommendations related to combating domestic violence and in addition to the legislative measures in that regard already adopted by the State, Qatar has continued its policy of combating all forms of domestic violence against women and children, including violence against domestic workers. The Hamad Medical Corporation has adopted policies to address the problem of violence against women and imposes an obligation on medical staff to report suspected cases of violence.
Para 31) The protective role of the Ministry of the Interior towards victims of domestic violence is exercised by the community police. This consists in providing support and assistance through the Ministry’s Social Support Department and, in coordination with the competent judicial authorities, empowering victims to gain access to justice in order to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. The Ministry provides a hotline service to ensure the authorities can intervene early to block and prevent violence against women and, in coordination with the Family Court, it has established a unit within the Social Support Department for the implementation of judicial rulings in cases of domestic violence.
Para 32) Since members of regional communities are more likely to be familiar with cases in which families are exposed to domestic violence, the Community Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior, in coordination with the security services, has implemented a police council regional service programme.
Para 33) The Community Police Department has organized a number of awareness-raising activities to prevent violence in schools. These include participation in events and in research projects aimed at addressing the general situation of women.
Para 34) The Community Police Department takes various measures to protect women. These include: enforcement of Family Court rulings; providing social services for cases as they arise; coordinating action by citizens, civil society institutions and specialized centres; facilitating the provision of advisory services; organizing awareness-raising campaigns; encouraging the peaceful resolution of family disputes; bolstering oversight, policing and community patrols in residential areas; supporting studies and programmes on the protection of women; and monitoring cases submitted by security departments and other bodies.
Para 35) In June 2015, Qatar amended the statutes of the Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre (formerly the Qatari Institution for Social Protection and Rehabilitation), thereby strengthening the system of social protection and rehabilitation for vulnerable categories in Qatar, such as victims of violence and family breakdown, especially women and children. It should be noted that the Centre is a private establishment of public utility and is subject to the provisions of Decree-Law No. 21 of 2006 on private establishments of public utility, as amended.
Para 36) The Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre acts to achieve its objectives and fulfil its functions, which include providing temporary shelter to vulnerable categories, running a hotline to receive communications relating to such categories and offering social, psychological and legal advice, as well as legal assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford it. In addition, the Centre implements special programmes aimed at empowering and rehabilitating victims of violence and family breakdown, especially women and children, and reintegrating them into the community. It also seeks to raise women’s awareness of their rights and duties and strengthen their self-confidence and capacities. To that end, it holds seminars and training courses and publishes guidance booklets and periodicals relevant to the objectives and mandate of the Centre.
Para 37) The Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre is open to all women and children who are victims of violence. The Centre offers them support of many kinds in the form of integrated protection, reintegration and care, irrespective of the nationality of the victim, whether Qatari or non-Qatari.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 50) Despite promises in recent years by the government, AI noted that there was still no law criminalizing domestic violence. Victims instead have to make general complaints of physical or sexual abuse under the Penal Code, which does not provide sufficient protection for domestic violence.

National 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.
Para 23) … 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 30) With regard to recommendations related to combating domestic violence and in addition to the legislative measures in that regard already adopted by the State, Qatar has continued its policy of combating all forms of domestic violence against women and children, including violence against domestic workers. The Hamad Medical Corporation has adopted policies to address the problem of violence against women and imposes an obligation on medical staff to report suspected cases of violence.
Para 31) The protective role of the Ministry of the Interior towards victims of domestic violence is exercised by the community police. This consists in providing support and assistance through the Ministry’s Social Support Department and, in coordination with the competent judicial authorities, empowering victims to gain access to justice in order to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. The Ministry provides a hotline service to ensure the authorities can intervene early to block and prevent violence against women and, in coordination with the Family Court, it has established a unit within the Social Support Department for the implementation of judicial rulings in cases of domestic violence.
Para 32) Since members of regional communities are more likely to be familiar with cases in which families are exposed to domestic violence, the Community Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior, in coordination with the security services, has implemented a police council regional service programme.
Para 33) The Community Police Department has organized a number of awareness-raising activities to prevent violence in schools. These include participation in events and in research projects aimed at addressing the general situation of women.
Para 34) The Community Police Department takes various measures to protect women. These include: enforcement of Family Court rulings; providing social services for cases as they arise; coordinating action by citizens, civil society institutions and specialized centres; facilitating the provision of advisory services; organizing awareness-raising campaigns; encouraging the peaceful resolution of family disputes; bolstering oversight, policing and community patrols in residential areas; supporting studies and programmes on the protection of women; and monitoring cases submitted by security departments and other bodies.
Para 35) In June 2015, Qatar amended the statutes of the Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre (formerly the Qatari Institution for Social Protection and Rehabilitation), thereby strengthening the system of social protection and rehabilitation for vulnerable categories in Qatar, such as victims of violence and family breakdown, especially women and children. It should be noted that the Centre is a private establishment of public utility and is subject to the provisions of Decree-Law No. 21 of 2006 on private establishments of public utility, as amended.
Para 36) The Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre acts to achieve its objectives and fulfil its functions, which include providing temporary shelter to vulnerable categories, running a hotline to receive communications relating to such categories and offering social, psychological and legal advice, as well as legal assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford it. In addition, the Centre implements special programmes aimed at empowering and rehabilitating victims of violence and family breakdown, especially women and children, and reintegrating them into the community. It also seeks to raise women’s awareness of their rights and duties and strengthen their self-confidence and capacities. To that end, it holds seminars and training courses and publishes guidance booklets and periodicals relevant to the objectives and mandate of the Centre.
Para 37) The Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre is open to all women and children who are victims of violence. The Centre offers them support of many kinds in the form of integrated protection, reintegration and care, irrespective of the nationality of the victim, whether Qatari or non-Qatari.

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 50) Despite promises in recent years by the government, AI noted that there was still no law criminalizing domestic violence. Victims instead have to make general complaints of physical or sexual abuse under the Penal Code, which does not provide sufficient protection for domestic violence.
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.

National Report:
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 ...

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.

National Report:
Para 59: Qatar Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children has conducted a number of skills training courses for security sector personnel (officers and investigators) of various ranks on dealing with cases of abuse and violence against children or women.

Para 82) Qatar has adopted a number of procedures with a view to protecting female domestic workers in particular, including:
- Establishment of a working group from the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior responsible for the ongoing coordination of foreign and domestic workers' affairs and exploration of how best to protect their rights;
- Verification of domestic workers' employment contracts by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in order to guarantee the rights set forth therein. The Ministry monitors the activities of employment offices importing domestic labour from abroad and conducts periodic unannounced visits in order to verify that they are not being exploited and that their rights are safeguarded. These visits have resulted in the closure of a number of offices for violations.