Qatar celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, which is an occasion to celebrate women’s contributions worldwide. On this day, achievements of Qatari women are highlighted and their vital role in the nation’s development stressed. Qatari women have flourished under wise leadership of the country. The country has implemented policies, legislations, and set up institutions aimed at empowering women and enhancing their capabilities. Qatar National Vision 2030 and the nation’s constitution uphold their rights, ensuring equal opportunities and enabling them to assume leadership and decision-making roles. The government’s initiatives have facilitated their rise to influential positions. Qatar actively celebrates occasions such as International Women’s Day and Gulf and Arab Women’s Day, underlining its commitment to gender equality, fairness, and the protection of women from discrimination. Qatar tops the region in gender equality, women’s participation in the labour force, equality in wages in the government sector and the highest rate of female enrollment in universities. Qatari women hold the highest administrative positions, including ministerial berths, take part in municipal and the Shura Council elections as candidates and are an effective partner in decision-making processes at the highest levels. The country attaches great importance to women in all fields, thanks to the equal opportunities provided by the state in terms of care, education and employment. Qatar has also contributed to international efforts to prevent discrimination against women. Towards this goal, Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) along with other strategic partners in 2022 launched a global initiative for the empowerment of women and girls in conflict-affected areas through humanitarian aid and developmental assistance. The programme, called Women in Conflict Zones (WICZ), aims to change the lives of thousands of women and girls through access to social and economic services. Its projects include programmes that provide educational opportunities and vocational training for girls in Afghanistan. WCIZ, led by QFFD and in collaboration with the UN Development Programme, focuses on six areas: crisis response, education, healthcare, economic opportunity, technology and peacebuilding. Besides, Qatar collaborates with international partners to support Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched by the WTO and the ITC in February 2024, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs by helping them grow their businesses through international trade and digitalisation. The country is not merely a supporter of this initiative but a committed partner in driving sustainable economic progress through inclusivity. Qatar through FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Legacy Fund allocated $50m to support projects promoting social and economic development. The country’s investment reflects Qatar’s dedication to supporting initiatives that enhance social and economic progress.
