New Qatar Labor Reforms—Between five states, ILO has selected Qatar to serve on the advisory committee for its Fair Recruitment Initiative to recognize Qatar’s labor reform efforts and the apparent distinction in the sphere of workers’ rights in Qatar.
The selection of the State of Qatar as a member of the committee indicated its success in promoting fair employment by the standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Qatar’s human rights-based strategy to labor migration and recruitment is evidence of the country’s dedication to these issues.
An advisory committee for the ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative will seek to identify the most critical challenges for the organization’s 2020-2025 schedule. It will also oversee the Fair Employment Initiative’s implementation, reviewing progress toward its goals, providing strategic direction, and proposing alternative approaches to overcome obstacles, as well.
An ILO “knowledge center” should be established, and this committee will give the required guidelines. It will also propose ideas and programs to foster dialogue on significant problems and have periodic meetings as needed.
Mahmood Al-Siddiqi, a representative of the Ministry of Labor at the ILO, attended the committee’s inaugural meeting on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland.
Women in Qatar
According to IMF research, the number of women working in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has climbed by five percentage points over the last decade, thanks mainly to Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The IMF said in a report titled “Economic prospects and policy challenges for the GCC countries” that this development reflects a variety of policies made by GCC countries to encourage women to enter the workforce.
The IMF highlighted that Qatar had modified its labor code in 2004 to mandate gender equality in the workplace regarding things like wages, training chances, and advancement prospects for workers.
Three years ago, Saudi Arabia and the UAE passed legislation prohibiting gender-based discrimination in the workplace, including equal remuneration for men and women, the ability for women to work in traditionally male-dominated fields (such as mining and jobs requiring night shifts), the prohibition of women being fired or denied a job due to pregnancy or maternity leave, and raising the retirement age.
Women still make up less than half of the workforce and considerably fewer of the force in management positions, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is in contrast to EMDEs, where the participation rate of women in the labor force exceeds 80%. There are very few women in executive roles in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC).
In 2017, 71% of adult females in the GCC held a financial account, up from 65% in 2014 – more than double the EMDE average rate.
There was a 21% increase in women in the GCC holding credit cards in 2017 compared to 2014, with the gender gap narrowing from 14% to 11%.
According to the IMF, the gender gap in healthcare and education is narrowing. From 82 per 1000 female adults in 2000 to 51 on average in 2019, the mortality of women in the GCC has decreased significantly over the past two decades. In contrast, the mortality of males has held steady at roughly 73 per 1000 male people in 2019.
In 2019, the average life expectancy for women was higher than that of males at 65, at 89%. There has been a substantial improvement in the GCC’s healthcare system and accessible and equitable access to high-quality healthcare for all citizens. In the previous ten years, educational attainment has increased dramatically.
GCC women who completed at least primary education climbed from 54% in 2001 to 84% in 2018, while those who completed at least undergraduate courses increased from 15% in 2001 to 28%. Women will be able to have greater access to jobs and higher positions in society due to this.
According to the International Monetary Fund, there is still room for improvement in the GCC. Women’s ability to start their businesses and become self-employed would be enhanced if they had more accessible access to capital and personalized career counseling. More women should be involved in political decision-making processes to improve the formulation of gender-related policies. To improve the health of women in the GCC, more efforts must be made to decrease the stigma associated with health issues, particularly those relating to mental health, and increase the number of female medical professionals. Full rights in terms of working hours, maternity leave, and asset management independence should be guaranteed across the GCC.”
Human Empowerment
Qatar’s National Vision 2030 lays forth four pillars to help develop the country and its people. This pillar is referred to in the QNV as “human development.” In addition, it includes a comprehensive and contemporary health care infrastructure that serves everyone, as well as a world-class educational system that prepares Qatari citizens for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Thus, a world-class education system and equal access to opportunities will drive Qataris to become more involved in all aspects of the economy. As a means of achieving this goal, the Qatari government has made significant investments in high-quality education and training programs and offered financial incentives for Qataris to pursue careers in the fields of business, medicine, and education. In addition, the government has expanded career options and financial assistance for female citizens of Qatar.
Shura Council meetings have focused on Qatari job searchers, localizing jobs, making it easier for the private sector to supply work, and ensuring that education outputs are linked to the labor market’s demands. The importance of private sector assistance for national endeavors and public-private partnerships was emphasized by the Council’s Economic and Financial Affairs Committee yesterday.
Discussions like this demonstrate the Shura Council’s dedication to furthering the demands of qualified Qatari job seekers and attaining the aims of labor mobility for the country. These programs, such as QatarEnergy and the Ministry of Finance’s Tahfeez, have been put in place to encourage and strengthen Qatar’s private sector and homegrown businesses. They will aid Qatar’s efforts to diversify its economy away from reliance on hydrocarbons.
The three pillars of “Tahfeez” are Qatar In-Country Value (QICV), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) (SMEs).
Tawteen is built on three pillars to make Qatar’s energy sector resilient and competitive.
Qatar’s Career Development Center will host the third Career Counseling Stakeholders Platform today to discuss practical and strategic concerns related to Qatar’s career guidance policies, strategies, and practices.
Furthermore, according to the Commonwealth Association’s Youth Development Index 2020, Qatar came second among Arab countries.
