Deputy Speaker of Shura Council in the meeting of women parliamentarians in Africa and the Arab world in Rabat, Morocco.
Doha, Qatar: Qatari women occupy 30 percent in decision-making positions, while over 52 percent of them hold specialized positions, said Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council HE Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti.
This came in a speech delivered during her participation in the meeting of women parliamentarians in Africa and the Arab world, which was held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on the sidelines of the Parliamentary Conference on South-South Cooperation.
The Deputy Speaker highlighted the good opportunities provided to Qatari women, which helped them achieve high and effective participation indicators, pointing to the opportunity for good education, high academic achievement, and the opportunity to develop and qualify for public work, explaining that the percentage of female graduates often exceeds 70 percent, and their participation in the workforce exceeds 37 percent.
The meeting addressed the topic of "Empowering women parliamentarians to support development and good governance in Africa and the Arab world." Participants in the meeting discussed the important roles played by parliaments in expanding women's participation in all fields, and enhancing their effective role in achieving development and implementing good governance in Africa and the Arab world.
Dr. Hamda Al Sulaiti also touched on the wise leadership's vision and belief in the complementary role of women in society, as well as the attention to enhancing their political participation.
In this context, she noted the role played by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, in supporting Qatari women, providing a role model through her attention to education, and launching many local, regional and international initiatives.
The Deputy Speaker also appreciated the contribution of centers concerned with women's affairs, through training courses, seminars and awareness programs, in addition to the contribution of the Qatari media outlets in spreading awareness among citizens, especially among women.
HE also pointed out that women in the Arab and African regions face similar challenges and problems, which requires concerted efforts to overcome them through partnership, cooperation and integration projects.
In the same meeting, HE Dr. Al Sulaiti called for activating the agreements and for implementing the recommendations of the conferences and partnership mechanisms between the Arab and African regions, and holding more such meetings that allow the exchange of experiences and expertise, voicing support for the idea of establishing a network for women parliamentarians in Africa and the Arab world to be a platform for exchanging information, benefiting from bright experiences.
