Qatar declared independence from British rule in 1971 and established in their current constitution that “People are equal before the law. There shall be no discrimination against them because of sex, race, language, or religion.” Women gained the right to vote in 1999, making Qatar the first Gulf country to grant women suffrage. In 2003, Sheikha Ahmed al-Mahmoud was appointed Minister of Education, becoming the first female to hold a position in the Qatari cabinet. Women have equal opportunity to pursue an education and according to a 2020 Qatar Statistics Authority report, female university attendance more than doubles that of their male counterparts. Though great progress has been made for Qatari women, the country’s interpretation of Islamic law continues to restrict gender equality. In 2009, Qatar became a member of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), though their accession came with reservations. Qatar regarded certain CEDAW Articles to be contradictory to Islamic Shari’a Law, in particular those that referenced marriage and family relations. In the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, Qatar ranked 142 out of 156 countries. Under the country’s guardianship system, women need male permission to travel, gain educational scholarships, marry, acquire reproductive healthcare and be guardians of their own children. Women make up a mere ten percent of parliament, and due to laws regulating freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Qatar has no autonomous women’s rights organizations. However, the Qatar Foundation for Social Work and the National Human Rights Committee are non-profit organizations promoting equality and seeking to protect the rights of all Qataris.
Due to Qatari laws and the male guardianship system, women have had limited access to sport and physical activity. However, in 2000 the Qatar Women’s Sport Committee (QWSC) was established to promote women’s sports and develop opportunities for female athletes across the country. The QWSC has organized training camps for coaches and athletes and helped to launch the country’s first professional soccer league and national team. Women were first represented in the Olympics in 2012, and have competed in every subsequent Games since their debut. In the 2012 London Olympics, 100m sprinter Noor Al-Malki, air-rifle shooter Bahiya Al-Hamad, swimmer Nada Arakji, and table tennis player Aya Magdi became the first women to compete for Qatar in the Olympics. Bahiya Al-Hamad, carried the Qatari flag at the opening ceremony, making her the first female athlete granted the honor. In 2016, Sara Hamdi Masoud became the first woman to represent Qatar in the Paralympics and the first to win a Paralympic or Olympic medal when she brought home silver in F33 shot put.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Qatar:
Yasmian Al-Sharshani
How does Qatar compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
10%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
7%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
No
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1971
Qatar declared independence from British rule on September 1.
1999
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
2009
Qatar acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), citing reservations to 4 articles.
2012
Noor Al-Malki, Bahiya Al-Hamad, Nada Arakji, and Aia Magdi became the first women to represent Qatar in the Olympics.
2016
Sara Hamdi Masoud became the first woman to represent Qatar in the Paralympics and first woman from Qatar to win a Paralympic medal.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
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0
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6
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3
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
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0
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0
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0
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1
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Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
2012
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
The first woman could be you!
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
2016
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Sara Hamdi Masoud: 2016, Shot Put (Silver)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
2010
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
The Qatar Women’s Sports Committee, established in 2000, helped to launch the country’s first women’s professional soccer league and national team.
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
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FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
Unknown
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
For More Information
LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
Qatar Women’s Sport Committee on behalf of the Qatar Olympic Committee
