Supreme Council for Family Affairs announced the commencement of implementing a field study to create job opportunities and training needed by Qatari women in the Khor and Shimal areas, in collaboration with Fursan Center for Training and Consultations. The Study aims at providing quatitative and qualitative information about job opportunities and training opportunities currently available in the area, as well as the academic qualifications and technical and technological skills which women have in these areas. This information will be collected by means a questionnaire distributed among a random specimens of Qatari women who are at an employment age in the area, besides conducting intensive interviews with a selected group of women

The Study is a landmark in SCFA's efforts to monitor the problems faced by the family and women in the State of Qatar in general, and to propose policies and procedures necessary to address them, and adopt programs and studies that aim at promoting women's involvement in the Khor and Shimal areas, socially, economically and politically

Ms Noor Al-Maliky, Head of Woman Department in SCFA said: "The Study will seek the provision of scientific bases for the project of enhancing job opportunities for women in the Khor and Shimal area. SCFA is keen on hearing women's opinions concerning their actual needs related to employment, training and proposing the programs appropriate to qualify women to meet the work market demands in the area. "Ms Al-Maliky pointed out saying: "SCFA valuates the citizens of this area in their supporting this Study and their cooperating with the work team." It is expected that the findings of this Study will be useful for the entire governmental departments and NGOs concerned with employment and training

On her part, Ms Haya Al-Meadhdi, Director of Fursan Center for Training and Consultation, the implementer of this Study said: "The Study will check the area women's scientific qualifications and skills required for the work market in the area and then assess the different obstacles which impede women's proper employment, besides pinpointing the training areas needed by women in the Khor and Shimal area to join the Qatari work market." Dr Al-Meadhdi added saying: "The work team has already started actual work in the Khor area by forming a team of women volunteers to implement field work."

It suffices to say that a statistical report prepared by SCFA on features of Qatari citizens in the Khor and Shimal area and the relation of these features to the work market showed that 61% of females at employment age in the Khor area hold university qualifications, 72% of the total females of this age group are economically inactive (unemployed), whereas 15% of the Qatari population at employment age hold university qualification: 68% of whom are females, and 72% of total women at employment age in the area are economically inactive (unemployed)