The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised Qatari legislation that ensures the rights of Qatari women and enables them to reach leading posts in all fields.
This came during a meeting hosted by Qatar Chamber, in the presence of a number of leading Qatari women working in public and private sectors.
The meeting reviewed the role of Qatari women in the society and ways of helping them to reach leading positions in all fields - politics, economy, science and development.
Gabriela Cuevas Barron said that she managed to obtain the position that she is in thanks to perseverance and diligence, although her country - Mexico - is not a major world power.
She noted that she faced many challenges and obstacles before she attained this post.
Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani said that Qatari women have excelled in all fields in the last two decades, noting that they have attained leading roles in the transformation of the country’s economic, political, social, educational, and sports sectors.
Al-Ahmadani said that the State’s policies and initiatives promote the presence of women in the private sector.
This resulted in a quantum leap in the participation of women in the private sector - up to four times since the unjust siege on Qatar was imposed in June 2017, affirming that the amount of investments of Qatari businesswomen is reaching QR25bn in the local market.
Al-Ahmadani added: “Today, together with their fellow men, they have realised Qatar National Vision 2030’s goal of building a future that relies on all of its society’s capabilities,” assuring that Qatar National Vision 2030 stresses the significance of enhancing women’s role in society, specifically through participation in the economic and political fields.
Official statistics stated that the percentage of women in the workplace reached about 37% in 25-29 age group.
That percentage increases to 49% in the 30-34 age group.
Al-Ahmadani said that official statistics indicated that the representation of Qatari women in decision-making positions is currently 30%.
Today women lead as ministers, members of the Advisory Council, a board member of Qatar Chamber, the Central Municipal Council, Qatar Foundation, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha Film Institute, entrepreneurial sports initiatives, and family businesses, she added.
She stressed Qatar Chamber’s role in support for productive families by promoting their products and setting platforms for them to participate in the local and international markets.
Meanwhile, regarding her opinion on Qatar’s stand on the Gulf crisis and its call for dialogue to resolve the issue, Gabriela Cuevas Barron said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), that IPU believes in dialogue and peaceful solutions to all crises, and wishes to prevent them, and not see people suffering.
In this regard, she stressed that during her current visit to Doha, she had learned about Qatar’s strength and capabilities, making it a good example to the world.
Gabriela Cuevas Barron praised the role played by the Advisory Council on an international level, and its positive participation under the chairmanship of HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud at the previous session of the union in Geneva last October, which led to Qatar hosting the next session in April 2019.
She emphasised the importance of the 140th Assembly and related meetings, which will be held in Doha from April 6 to 10, next year, and expressed confidence that these meetings will be an important platform for bilateral meetings, workshops, events and joint inter-parliamentary work.
She said that the upcoming Doha meetings of the IPU confirm the commitment to provide the best for the world in the field of parliamentary work. At the same time, it is an opportunity to share experiences among parliamentarians, to learn from each other and to seek solutions for many of the common problems facing the world.
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Gabriela Cuevas Barron with Qatar Chamber’s board member Ibtihaj al-Ahmadani.
