Saad Abdulla Al-Kharji
Doha, Qatar: Executive Director of Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), Saad A. Al-Kharji has said that the transformative role Qatari women are playing in shaping the country’s labor market, driven by national empowerment strategies, education, and a growing presence across diverse professional fields.
Qatari women today are a “growing force in the labor market,” Al-Kharji stated, pointing to their expanding representation in leadership roles across government and private sectors. He said that women are now actively contributing to fields such as education, healthcare, finance, entrepreneurship, and increasingly, engineering and technology, areas once dominated by men.
“This progress is not coincidental; it stems from a clear national vision and forward-thinking leadership that prioritizes education and women’s career advancement,” he said. He emphasised that robust legislation and human capital development programs “recognize that empowering women is a matter of equity and strategic investment in Qatar’s future as a knowledge-based economy.”
Al-Kharji added that QCDC plays a key role in supporting young women’s career development. “Through our programs, we help students identify their career interests and make informed decisions about their future,” he said, highlighting that the latest edition of QCDC’s Career Guide showcases “inspiring success stories of Qatari women who have excelled across various fields.”
According to Al-Kharji, Qatar has built an enabling legal and institutional environment that empowers women’s meaningful participation in the workforce.
He highlighted notable milestones, such as Qatar becoming the first GCC nation to appoint women as judges. “Women now make up over 48% of the Supreme Judicial Council's workforce and 69% of leadership roles within the judicial administration,” he said.
Qatar also led global advocacy efforts by spearheading the UN resolution that established 10 March as the International Day of Women Judges. Additionally, women now account for more than 72% of national university graduates as of 2024—well above the global average.
“These collective measures represent a systematic and holistic approach to women’s empowerment,” Al-Kharji affirmed, adding that the formation of the National Committee for Women, Children, the Elderly, and Persons with Disabilities in 2019 reflects the state’s long-term commitment to equity.
Despite outperforming in education, women remain underrepresented in the workforce. “Girls often comprise over 70% of students in higher education, a promising indicator,” Al-Kharji said. However, he noted that this has “not yet translated proportionately into workforce participation.”
Citing 2024 ILO data, he pointed out that male labor force participation in Qatar stands at 95.6%, compared to 63.3% for women. “While this is a historically high female labor participation rate, it still signals a gap between educational achievement and actual employment,” he said.
Factors contributing to this gap include social expectations, limited sectoral opportunities, and insufficient early career guidance. “This is where career development plays a vital role,” Al-Kharji said. QCDC continues to introduce students to diverse career paths and amplify success stories that “inspire ambitious, yet achievable, career goals.”
Social norms, family expectations, and visible role models heavily influence women’s career choices. “Education, healthcare, and administration are perceived as stable and flexible, aligned with traditional roles in caregiving and family life,” said Al-Kharji.
He added that sectors lacking visible female representation, such as engineering or cybersecurity, tend to attract fewer young women.
To address this, QCDC offers immersive programs such as Career Village and My Career – My Future, aimed at broadening students’ understanding of emerging industries.
Al-Kharji emphasised the need for a comprehensive national strategy that includes enhanced workplace policies, capacity-building in high-growth fields, and early career guidance.
“Investing in women’s skills in technology, energy, and innovation is vital,” he said. He stressed that career guidance must begin early and remain consistent throughout a student’s educational journey. “Young women should be equipped with the skills, confidence, and information they need to contribute meaningfully to Qatar’s development goals.”
In Qatar’s close-knit society, families play an instrumental role in shaping careers, especially for young women.
“When families believe in their daughters’ abilities and trust them to make empowered decisions, they lay the groundwork for success,” he said. He encouraged families to stay informed about emerging industries and rely on credible sources such as QCDC.
