Shura Council discusses policies related to family

The Shura Council held its weekly ordinary session Monday under the chairmanship of its Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim.The session was attended by HE the Minister of Social Development and Family, Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad who proffered her ministry's efforts in implementing national strategies, plans and policies related to caring for family and its members.HE the Speaker lauded the ministry's efforts to safeguard the family entity and raise the community's awareness of its significance, in addition to preparing and carrying out programmes to achieve that objective.HE al-Ghanim said Qatar's constitution stipulates that family is the bedrock of community, which is founded on religion, morality, and patriotism, as the law regulates the essential means to protect family, undergird its entity, strengthen its bonds, and preserve motherhood, childhood, and geriatric accordingly.He stressed that family is the nucleus that constitutes the community's strength, elucidating that cohesive community represents the primary building block for a robust community capable of countering challenges families are facing today considering cyberspace and the unlimited global openness which pose a threat to the community's principles and values.HE al-Misnad discussed the ministry's efforts, its strategies and plans in caring for families and achieving a real social development in accordance with the directives of the wise leadership pertinent to population and social security, as well as overseeing the regulation of philanthropic sector.During the presentation, she affirmed that her ministry is committed to achieving the family's welfare based on the directives of the wise leadership.HE al-Misnad pointed to the programmes that encourage marriage and reduce divorce rates, raise the community's awareness on the rights and duties of couples within the framework of the Islamic Sharia.The "First Year of Marriage" programme, which is implemented in partnership with Wifaq Family Consulting Centre and the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), seeks to support emerging families, strengthen their stability, provide essential services to have a successful marriage, in addition to reducing divorce rates, she outlined.She said the ministry is conducting surveys to figure out the reasons of divorce in the Qatari community, comprehend the roots of the problems that lead to separation, chart the policies that aim to reduce this phenomenon and make change in the community accordingly.In this framework, HE al-Misnad pointed out that the ministry has launched "Watad" service which aims to help couples and families address challenges that adversely impact the family's entity through providing professional consultations.She elucidated that the ministry hires the existing expertise in social centres to provide this service, such as Wifaq, Behavioral Health Care Centre, Shafallah Centre for Persons with Disabilities, and other centres.In a related context, she pointed out that the ministry is striving to provide essential facilities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help them achieve success and invest in their capacities that best suit their abilities and potential to be active contributors in the community. The ministry has recently signed a co-operation document with Qatar Manpower Solutions Company (Jusour) to employ PWDs.The Ministry of Social Development and Family is supporting the social and cultural heritage of the Qatari community. It is focusing on supporting national productive projects within "Home Grown" initiative that seeks to consolidate the culture of sustainability, encourage individuals to pivot from consumption to production, develop the productive family system, as well as hold training sessions and support craft entrepreneurs, she pointed out.She also affirmed the ministry's keenness to promote moral and social values through participation in several artistic exhibitions, festivals and shows to foster the community's awareness and understanding, operationalise the role of those values in building cultural identity and safeguarding the Qatari social legacy.For their part, the Shura Council members hailed the Ministry of Social Development and Family's role, affirming their keenness to support its efforts in consolidating family's position in the community, safeguarding the national identity and cultural privacy, as well as promoting moral values and good behaviours of family members considering the educational and moral challenges facing the family and community.They noted the importance of encouraging and facilitating marriage, reducing its exorbitant costs through renouncing excessive overhead costs associated with marriage and address the phenomenon of upsurge in divorce rates.They recalled the social security services, especially those afforded to widows and divorcees, lauding the state's policy in providing services for social security beneficiaries, in addition to rehabilitating them through carrying out diverse programmes.In conclusion, HE the Shura Council Speaker pointed out that the wise leadership is interested in everything related to family and community affairs, including PWDs, affirming that the leadership is committed to supporting those entitled to social security to achieve dignified and stable life for them.