" We are all equal before God, men or women. Women play a vital role in our society. We have three women ministers in the government who are doing an excellent job, and we have women piloting planes in our air force. We do not see any difference between men and women, and we realize of course that women suffer from discrimination in the world, but we are totally against this discrimination."With these words, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, stressed during an interview with the French magazine Le Point in September 2022 the importance of the role of women in Qatar and the world.
On March 8 of each year, Qatar celebrates International Women’s Day, emphasizing its role in the family, the family, society and the nation in various educational, health, academic, diplomatic, economic and other fields.
Qatari women enjoy unlimited support from the wise leadership, in appreciation of their role and status, which is being strengthened day by day through their active participation in the comprehensive renaissance and development process that the country is witnessing.
The permanent constitution of the state affirms these values ​​in at least 4 constitutional articles. Article 18 stresses the pillars of justice, benevolence, freedom, equality and good morals. Article 19 emphasizes equal opportunities for citizens. Article 34 stipulates equality in public rights and duties. Article 35, which stressed that people are equal before the law, without discrimination on the grounds of gender, origin, language or religion, according to a previous statement by Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al-Sulaiti, Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council.
Speaking of Qatari women, it is necessary to point out the great role played by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, at the local, regional, Arab and international levels.
One of the most prominent efforts presented by Her Highness at the global level is the initiative "Education above all"where the programme "Teach a child" Which contributed to reaching 10 million children who do not have access to education around the world, and a strategy was launched "zero" for an institution "Education above all"which aims to zero in the proportion of out-of-school children in several countries.
In the year 2012, Her Highness established the Education Above All Foundation, an institution that aims to provide new life opportunities for the disadvantaged in the developing world, and it includes 4 programs: "Teach a child", "proud", "Good Hands Towards Asia (ROTA)"And"Protecting education in situations of conflict and insecurity"According to a previous report by the Qatar News Agency "Qena".
The State of Qatar is the first Gulf country in which a woman holds a ministerial position, in 2003, after the appointment of Her Excellency Mrs. Sheikha Al-Mahmoud, may God have mercy on her soul, as Minister of Education, and Her Excellency Sheikha Ghalia bint Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani was appointed as Minister of Health, while Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Ministry of Public Health.
Dr. Sheikha Abdullah Al-Misnad was the first woman to assume the presidency of Qatar University, leaving a clear mark in the field of academic education in the country. In 2008, a Minister of Health was appointed, and then a Minister of Communications and Information Technology in 2013.
The fingerprints of Qatari women continue in political life, as they received many important ministerial portfolios, and entered the Shura Council to have a role in decision-making and participation in the enactment of legislation, laws, and public action.
3 female ministers in the current government:
- Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health.
- Her Excellency Mrs. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misned, Minister of Social Development and Family
- Her Excellency Ms. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education.
In the Shura Council, Her Excellency Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al-Sulaiti holds the position of Vice-President of the Council.
Prestigious Arab and international awards for Qatari women:
- In March 2022, the Arab Council for Social Responsibility, in partnership with the League of Arab States, awarded Her Excellency Mrs. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misned, Minister of Social Development and the Family, the Arab Woman Award for Social Responsibility.
- In May 2022, the Minister of Social Development and the Family won the Humanitarian Work Award for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at its sixth session, during the Gulf Summit for Humanitarian Action for the year 2022, which was held in the sisterly State of Kuwait.
- The Regional Sub-Committee for Polio Eradication and Confronting Its Outbreaks at the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean of the World Health Organization selected HE Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, as Co-Chair of the Committee.
- Dr. Hanadi Al-Hamad, leader of the priority of healthy aging in the National Health Strategy at the Ministry of Health, won an award "His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for research in the areas of health care for the elderly and health promotion".
- Important milestones in the diplomatic path of Qatari women
Qatari women have held many senior positions in the diplomatic field, where Her Excellency Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani was appointed as the first female ambassador to serve as the permanent representative of the State of Qatar to the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, then she became the permanent representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
- Her Excellency Lulwa bint Rashid Al Khater was appointed as Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, making her the first Qatari woman to hold this position.
Appointment of Dr. Hind Al-Muftah as Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Role of Qatari women in law and the judiciary:
Qatari women headed several departments in the Ministry of Justice, and Mrs. Maryam Abdullah Al-Jaber was appointed the first public prosecutor in the Gulf, in a precedent that was also considered the first of its kind in the region.
The 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the initiative of the State of Qatar to allocate an international day for female judges, and to designate March 10 as their international day, as a culmination of the pioneering Qatari efforts to enhance the role of women in all forums and fields, especially in the judiciary.
The percentage of Qatari women in the judiciary is 13% of the percentage of Qatari judges, and the percentage of occupying advanced and intermediate leadership positions in the administrative staff of the Supreme Judicial Council is 30%, while the percentage of women occupying administrative judicial positions as a whole is close to 42%, which are tangible reflections of the role of Qatari women. In the judiciary, according to a report by the Qatar News Agency in September 2022.
Important figures about Qatari women
- Her Excellency Mrs. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misned, Minister of Social Development and Family, said in an interview with the United Nations website last February that the State of Qatar has made great strides in achieving gender equality, noting that about 61% of women work in the government sector and that the percentage of Higher education among women in Qatar has reached nearly 71%, which is a very high percentage.
- The total number of female students enrolled in university education reached 24,807, equivalent to 70.4% of the total enrollment in the academic year 2019, and the total number of female graduates from university education in 2019 was about 3,917 female students, equivalent to 67.5% of the total graduates this year, according to data Issued by the Planning and Statistics Authority, published by the Qatar News Agency in March 2022.
- Her Excellency Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser Al Thani runs the first investment company established in the region, confirming the ability of Qatari women to assume leadership roles, and the Qatari Businesswomen Association was formed.
- Approximately 20% of commercial records in the country are registered in the name of Qatari businesswomen, and the number of commercial records increased from 1,400 records in 2015 to approximately 4,000 records in 2020.
- 7,000 Qatari women, the number of women who partially or fully own companies, while the number of women authorized to sign and have the right to manage companies is about 4,900, while the number of women authorized to sign is more than 4,700 Qatari women, according to a previous statement by Ms. Ibtihaj Al-Ahmadani, a member of the Board of Directors. Qatar Chamber and President of the Qatari Businesswomen Forum.
And she confirmed in a statement to the Qatar News Agency "Qena" During March 2022, that Qatari businesswomen have projects in various economic sectors, especially in the field of small and medium enterprises, as their projects vary to include the sectors of industry, tourism, real estate, contracting, construction, trade, services, and others, in investments amounting to billions of dollars in the local market, this In addition to investments in the stock market, real estate activities, tourism, and others.
