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Her Highness Consort of The Amir has paid special attention to all the aspects of life which highlight the role of the Qatari woman and encourage her to bear her social responsibilities and participate in the public life.
H.H. Shaikha Mozah sponsors women conferences which intended to discuss women issues, and suggests solutions for the problems and challenges that she may encounter in the labor market. H.H. has also paid great attention to educational programs; and mainly to governmental and intergovernmental educational institutions. She has always attended and actively participated in the meetings of the academic leaderships at the scientific, educational and sports events. A general observer may easily acknowledge H.H’s. interest in keeping in touch with the academic leaderships, and her eagerness to get acquainted with the latest educational programs, in order to adopt what goes well with our country’s principles, Islamic religion’s teachings and social customs.
H.H. has spared no effort in order to achieve real progression in the quality of education and in bringing up a qualified generation that is able to deal with the development and technologies of the present time. Therefore, H.H. was a main supporter of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which was founded in 1996 as an independent organization. Its first outcome was the program of “ Qatar Academy”. Other leading projects developed under the umbrella of the Qatar Foundation are:
- Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
- Virginia Commonwealth University - School of Arts in Qatar
- Texas A&M University in Qatar
- RAND-Qatar Policy Institute
- Science and Technology Park
H.H. has not forgotten the disabled, as she honored them by sponsoring activities dedicated to them. She worked on establishing special associations for the deaf and the dumb. She also opened Al-Noor Institute for the blind, where they are being well attended to and rehabilitated. Under her sponsorship, The National Committee for Special Needs was also founded in June 1998, with Dr. Shaikha Ghalia bint Mohammed Al- Thani as head, and number of doctors and other specialists as members. One of its main tasks was to prepare for the establishment and management of The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs.
H.H. Shaikha Mozah has sponsored many women activities and demonstrations. One of them was “ The woman between family and work” in 1997, the recommendations of which focused on a variety of activities that help the means of supporting and protecting the family. She also sponsored the 1st and 2nd woman conferences in March 1994 and May 1996 successively.
Out of His Highness’s belief in the Qatari woman and her decision making abilities and leading high administrative positions, a number of Qatari women occupied positions as decision makers, both locally and internationally. Here are some examples:
Internationally
- Dr. Ghalia bint Mohammed bin Hamed Al-Thani is a member of the UN’s International Child Rights Committee.
- Dr. Lolwa Al-Misnad is a member in the UN’s Social and Economic Committee.
- Dr. Lolwa Al-Misnad was appointed the Assistant Secretary General for Projects and Industrial Studies in the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consultations.
Locally
- Her Highness Shaikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Misnad, Consort of H.H. The Amir, is Chair person of The Supreme Council for Family Affairs.
- Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa bin Hamed Al-Thani, is Vice President of The Supreme Council for Family Affairs.
- H.E. Mrs. Shaikha Ahmed Al-Mahmood has been appointed Minister of Education, thus making the first woman in the Gulf States to be appointed as a minister.
- Electing Mrs. Shaikha Yousef Al-Jufairi as the first woman in the Gulf to be a member of the Central Municipal Council.
- Dr. Shaikha Abdulla Al-Mesnad, has been appointed Chancellor of The University of Qatar.
Source: http://www.diwan.gov.qa/english/qatar/Qatar_Now.htm
Following are web sites that may be of interest to read about women in a Muslim society:
Women in Islam, Status & Articles
Quran and Woman
Muslim Women, Marriage & Family Life
The Islamic Veil or Hijab
Muslim Women in History & Contemporary Times
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