50% female representation at QF events from 2020: HE Sheikha Hind

In another impressive stride towards women empowerment in the country, Qatar Foundation (QF) has announced that 50 percent of all participants at its local and international events will be females, effective from 2020

Her Excellency Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani, Qatar Foundation’s Vice Chairperson and CEO made the big announcement carrying forward the spirit of the recent International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8 globally.

On the occasion, Her Excellency reiterated the organization’s belief in removing gender-based barriers for individuals to encourage their personal development and making their voices heard in global conversations about issues that affect the society.

Her Excellency Sheikha Hind said: "It is my belief, and that of Qatar Foundation, that neither gender nor any other consideration should present a barrier to a person's development, their pursuit of opportunity, and their voice being heard in global conversations .....

— Ahmed Elmagarmid (@akelmagarmid) March 13, 2019

The regionally groundbreaking pledge strengthens the organization as a key player in Qatar’s economic and social transformation through its numerous initiatives in education, science and research, and community development, reported The Peninsula.

The initiative underscores QF’s commitment to providing opportunities for everyone to be an active participant in society. This is personified by the diversity of the achievers and role models QF nurtures, and the impact they are making in a wide spectrum of fields across the globe, Sheikha Hind noted.

She underlined that by committing to having at least 50% female representation on all QF conference and event panels from 2020 onwards, the foundation further cements its “role as a leader and driver of inclusivity and positive social change, nationally and regionally – and the necessity of both men and women being part of making this change happen.”

The focus of the pledge will be to enhance dialogue and action on platforms within Qatar and around the world to ensure equal representation of both men and women in tackling issues pertinent to economic, social and human development.

Home to nine universities, QF’s Education City ‘multiversity’ is composed of a predominant female student body where half of the engineering students are women. Additionally, QF’s leadership is made up of 40 percent females.

Among the platforms that will represent QF’s ’50 percent female’ pledge on the international stage are the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) and the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), QF initiatives focused on shaping the future of education and healthcare through innovation and global collaboration, reported Gulf Times.

“Historically, women have been underrepresented in leadership roles within the global healthcare sector. At WISH we work hard to give a voice to all within our extensive international community who are looking to play a part in building a healthier world, whether through participation at our flagship Doha summit or at any of the other events we convene throughout the year,” Sultana Afdhal, CEO of WISH said.

“If all voices are to be listened to and all ideas are to be given the same attention, concerted efforts must be made to ensure that experts from both genders are provided with the same opportunities to join the conversation,” she added.

"As a global education platform committed to promoting inclusion and diversity in access to education, WISE has, since its inception, provided in our forums and projects visibility opportunities to renowned experts and thought leaders from diverse gender, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds," Stavros N Yiannouka, CEO, WISE, commented.

What are your thoughts on this announcement? Let us know in the comments below!
--

Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.

Instagram - @qatarliving

Twitter - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living 

Cover Image Credit: Gulf Times