Workshop on Women's Right to Work Opens

Doha, April 04 (QNA) - A two-day workshop on the right of women to work and national legislations and international conventions, opened today at Wyndham Regency hotel. The seminar is organized by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in conjunction with the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. The workshop aims at activating the joint cooperation agreement between the Commission and the Council for the dissemination of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Agreement for Persons with Disabilities. NHRC Vice Chairman Dr. Youssuf Obeidan said at the workshop's opening session that talk about women's rights is a wide door that indicates the breadth of these rights, pointing out that women's work is one the most important of these doors. He noted that the State of Qatar made advanced steps in the process of eliminating all forms of discrimination against women through its drive to harmonize among the international treaties it has ratified and incorporated into national legislations while taking into account the Islamic texts in support of women's work "as long as women are keeping with the teachings of their religion, there is no objection that it can be appointed and occupy any job.'' He confirmed that Qatari women have left their fingerprints on all jobs of practical life and have become a key player in the fields of government and private institutions, adding that the women element in any institution, company or ministry is virtually equal to men. NHRC Vice President highly evaluated the leading role played by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in the advancement of women humanitarian value, stressing that she has paid great attention to all aspects aimed to highlight the role of Qatari women and to encourage her to carry out their social duties and to participate in public life. He stressed that the Qatari women have proved their effectiveness in all the fields it entered while the state provided as much as possible a work environment matching the familial role of Qatari women and works to promote equality and bridge the gender gap in access to educational opportunities. Dr. Obeidan went to say that the presence of controls for the exercise of rights are met with duties, referring in this respect to the difference between equality and chaos. He pointed out that "the Qatari women managed during the past period to strike a balance between caring for the family and maintaining discipline in work thus deserving medals for honourable job performance."(QNA)