DIFI Concludes Expert Group Meeting

Doha, June 10 (QNA) - The Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) has successfully concluded the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) that was organized recently to address the issues of family poverty in the MENA Region. Held as part of the preparations for the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family (IYF) 2014, the EGM brought to light the most prevalent issues pertaining to family poverty in the region. The experts put forth a comprehensive set of recommendations for eradication of poverty through decent employment and access to basic social services, reconciliation of family-work life balance, and promotion of social integration and intergenerational solidarity. "The proceedings of the two-day EGM revealed that the most pressing issues that governments in the Arab world need to focus on are in the areas of family, women and education. The panel of experts were able to articulate a set of recommendations that governments and policymakers can consider on a national strategy level, with positive implications on a grass root level", said Noor Al Malki Al Jehani, Executive Director, DIFI. Amongst some of the recommendations that were proposed for confronting family poverty and social exclusion in the MENA region included the need for family income support programmes. The experts were in agreement that these can be achieved through an effective tax system and with proper budgeting for family allowances. Gender equality measures to improve the well-being of women, and prevent practices such as child marriage were also strongly advocated by experts. Recommendations to provide financial incentives to families who need it in order to ensure that they keep their daughters in school throughout their secondary education were put forward. In terms of promoting family-work life balance and to enhance female labour force participation in the region, experts called for governments to provide for generous maternity leave policies covered by social insurance schemes along with subsidised, high-quality child care facilities and allowances. They said that child care services should be high on the policy agenda in MENA countries. They also recommended that family and child care allowances be allocated to mothers and not exclusively to fathers as this would enable families to thrive and allow women to better engage in both employment and family life. On the subjects of promoting social integration and intergenerational solidarity, the experts were in agreement that strategies with long term economic solutions were required in order for change to be effected in the Arab region. They recommended that an overall strategy should govern different aspects of social intervention including poverty alleviation, social assistance, and social protection policies that include youth, women and the elderly. They called for reforms in family law to be more in favour of women in accordance with their changing family and social roles. They also recommended that the care work, which women undertake at home for the young and the elderly, be compensated for. The experts also recommended public education reforms that focus on increasing its quality so that children from less advantaged families can compete on an even playing field. The panel also said that urgent reforms were required on both the supply and demand side of the labour markets in order to facilitate the creation of decent jobs as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO). Specific recommendations for housing policies including rent control and affordable financing schemes were put forward in addition to health policies that provide free cover for basic preventive and curative care to all citizens. The panel also put forward a set of recommendations for the elderly population, including a pension system for all workers in the formal as well as informal sectors. "The final report of the EGM will be used as input in the 2013-2014 Report of the Secretary-General in line with the twentieth anniversary of the IYF. As an Institution that supports research, policy and outreach programs on issues impacting Arab families, DIFI will now work on a dissemination strategy to ensure that these recommendations reach as many policy makers across the Arab region", added Al Jehani.(END)