The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Social Affairs Sector - Family and Childhood Department), in collaboration with the Doha International Family Institute, has organised a high-level plenary session on Enhancing the Stability of the Institution of Marriage through Evidence-Based Research and Policy Partnerships, as part of the conference The Family and Major Contemporary Trends, on 30 October in Doha.
Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, stated that this ministerial session aims to shed light on the status of marriage across the Arab world, coinciding with the release of the final report on Evaluating Marital Relations During the First Five Years of Marriage in the Arab World, a study jointly undertaken by the League of Arab States and the Doha International Family Institute. Her Excellency added that the session outlines a vision for a comprehensive programme to support marriage preparation in the Arab world, recognising the diverse cultural and economic backgrounds of Arab societies and benefiting prospective spouses.
The session features notable attendees, including His Excellency Ambassador Tariq Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Ambassador to Cairo and Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, Sheikha Hessa bint Hamad Al Thani, Her Excellency Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity of Egypt, and Her Excellency Dr. Amthal Hadi Al-Huwailah, Minister of Social Affairs of Kuwait. During the session, a document introducing the Arab Family Welfare Index is unveiled. This document offers a foundational framework for the index’s concept and theoretical underpinning, highlighting its significance in assessing family welfare and informing family policies, national guidance, and intervention programmes within Arab countries. The session also reviews international and regional practices in welfare and development indices.
