Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Seventy-third session

Summary record of the 1691st meeting

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Tuesday, 2 July 2019, at 3 p.m.

Chair:Ms. Gbedemah

Contents

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Second periodic report of Qatar (continued)

The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m.

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Second periodic report of Qatar (continued) (CEDAW/C/QAT/2; CEDAW/C/QAT/Q/2 and CEDAW/C/QAT/Q/2/Add.1)

1. At the invitation of the Chair, the delegation of Qatar took places at the Committee table.

Articles 10 to 14 (continued)

2.Ms. Al- Sulhaiti (Qatar) said that, in accordance with national legislation and various government strategies, the right to quality education was ensured for all children in Qatar. In that regard, article 25 of the Constitution established that education was one of the main pillars in building society and article 49 provided that it was mandatory for all children. In the light of the adoption by Qatar of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 4 on quality education, a committee had been established to implement a plan on providing education for all by 2030. That committee had been mandated to measure all the indicators corresponding to Goal 4 and to ensure alignment between the aims of the National Development Strategy 2018–2022 and the targets established under Goal 4, including the target relating to gender equality in education.

3.Act No. 25 (2001), on compulsory education, provided that education was mandatory for all children living in Qatar, including the children of foreign nationals. Under that Act, fines were imposed on any parents who failed to enrol their children in school. Steps had been taken to promote access to public and private education for the children of migrant workers. Private schools offered a curriculum for foreign communities, which was aligned with the State curriculum. Several distinguished schools from the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Spain had established sister schools in Qatar that taught a range of subjects. Foreign educational establishments that wished to open a school in Qatar were provided with buildings, granted exemption from customs fees and given access to free water and electricity. Recently, schools financed by trust funds had been established to enhance access to education for families who could not afford tuition fees. Some 67 per cent of children enrolled in school were foreign nationals. The access of such children to both school and university education would be further enhanced when the bill on permanent residency cards was adopted. In the meantime, outstanding foreign students were given the opportunity to enrol in universities. Although it was true that the College of Health Sciences and the College of Pharmacy currently admitted only women students, plans were in place to open a number of new colleges within Qatar University, including a college of dentistry, that would be open to both men and women. Several universities, including the University of Calgary in Qatar, were currently open to men and women students.

4.The Ministry of Education and Higher Education had worked closely with the National Human Rights Committee to mainstream human rights concepts, including non-discrimination, in educational curricula. An entire chapter of the social studies programme for year eight students was devoted to human rights, including the Convention. Principles of human rights were also taught indirectly through a number of subjects, including religious studies, English language and Arabic language. Students were taught about notable female figures and feminist literature. Under a programme established in conjunction with the National Human Rights Committee, a day was set aside each year for raising students’ awareness of human rights through lectures, visits and competitions. The Government, in conjunction with the National Human Rights Committee and the Arab Institute for Human Rights, had produced booklets on a number of issues related to human rights. The booklets were currently being reviewed to bring them into line with new developments in the school curricula.

5.Workshops, lectures and symposiums on aspects of human rights, including the Convention, were delivered at schools belonging to the UNESCO Associated Schools Network. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had launched a competition related to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations that was aimed at upper secondary school students, university students and researchers. The theme of the 2019 competition would be intercultural dialogue. A memorandum of understanding had been signed between the National Human Rights Committee and Qatar University and a number of programmes on human rights were taught at the higher education level.

6.Ms. Al- Mohannadi (Qatar) said that girls and boys enjoyed equal access to education. The Government’s efforts to promote gender equality through education were focused not only on the contents of textbooks or theoretical lessons but also on activities outside the classroom, including school trips. The Ministry was undertaking a comprehensive review of educational materials, activities, assessment methods and other aspects of the curricula to ensure that they did not promote gender stereotypes. The Ministry assessed the training needs of teachers and attempted to determine the extent to which they were able to teach all aspects of the curricula, including sections related to human rights and gender equality.

7.Ms. Al- Sulhaiti (Qatar) said that both boys and girls required the permission of their guardian in order to study abroad. Guardians were not necessarily men and could be a child’s mother or sister. In the 2017/18 academic year, more girls than boys had gone to study abroad.

8.Mr. Bergby said that restrictions on the admission of male students to colleges that trained health-care professionals served to reinforce horizontal segregation in the labour market.

9.Ms. Peláez Narváez said that she wished to know what was being done to ensure that women and girls with disabilities enjoyed the same access to education as other citizens.

10.Ms. Song, noting that the State party attributed discrepancies in the number of men and women studying banking and business administration to “the students’ desires and inclinations” (CEDAW/C/QAT/Q/2/Add.1, para. 72), said that such discrepancies actually resulted from the internalization of gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles. In view of that situation, she asked whether the State party would consider adopting temporary special measures to address gender segregation in education.

11.Noting that the Government’s efforts to influence students’ attitudes and behaviour in relation to gender increasingly relied on “practical models rather than on theory, advice and guidance” (CEDAW/C/QAT/2, para. 106), she said that the importance of theory, advice and guidance should not be overlooked.

12.Ms. Al- Mohannadi (Qatar) said that the restrictions on the admission of male students to the College of Health Sciences and the College of Pharmacy had been based on labour market requirements at a certain period of time. However, Qatar University was open to the possibility of reviewing its admissions criteria at some point in the future if the demands of the labour market changed. Policies governing admission to higher education were based on internationally recognized standards and were not discriminatory. The proportion of women who studied banking and business administration had risen significantly in recent years, reflecting the efforts made by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to encourage women to study those subjects. Although the Ministry recognized the importance of including the theoretical aspects of gender equality in school curricula, it believed that greater emphasis should be placed on using real-world examples.

13.Ms. Al- Sulhaiti (Qatar) said that special schools had been established for children whose disabilities prevented them from studying in a mainstream school. Specialized centres provided support to girls with disabilities before they enrolled in school. In order to provide such support, partnerships had been established with parents, guardians and relevant institutions, including the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Special Needs and the Best Buddies Qatar initiative. In order to make mainstream schools more accessible for children with disabilities, the Government had adapted school buildings and facilities, provided special equipment and given appropriate training to teachers and administrative staff. A centre had been established to provide guidance and advice to persons with disabilities and a specialized kindergarten had been set up for young children with disabilities. The Mada Assistive Technology Centre provided educational and other services to persons with disabilities.

14.Ms. Al- Mohannadi (Qatar) said that, following the restructuring of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, a new and well-resourced department for gifted students had been established.

15.Ms. Haidar said that she wished to know whether age-appropriate programmes had been established to raise students’ awareness of their sexual and reproductive rights. Such programmes had been successful in many countries, including some that were very socially conservative.

16.Ms. Al- Sulhaiti (Qatar) said that students at all levels of the education system were taught about family life in order to promote better relations between children and their peers, families and society. Students were taught about sexual relations, sexually transmitted diseases and issues related to reproductive health. The Ministry of Health had issued a manual on sex and health education that covered the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and other health problems.

17.Mr. Dharman (Qatar) said that a number of workshops on sexual and reproductive health had been held by the Ministry of Health together with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and other bodies. Media outlets, working in cooperation with State agencies, had made efforts to raise awareness of sexual and reproductive health issues.

18.Mr. Bergby, noting that the State party had ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), said that he wished to know whether the Government would consider amending the Labour Act (No. 14 of 2004) to ensure that women received equal pay not just for equal work but also for work of equal value. In view of the fact that the gender wage gap had varied from 29 per cent to 38 per cent between 2011 and 2015, it would be interesting to learn what steps were being taken to reduce that gap and eliminate the factors that contributed to it, which included horizontal and vertical occupational segregation. It was not clear whether women required their guardians’ permission in order to apply for a job.

19.Noting that article 58 of the Family Act (No. 22 of 2006) stipulated that wives were required to take care of their households and obey their husbands, he asked whether women were expected to give up their jobs when they had children. In view of the fact that legislation prohibited the employment of women in work that was hazardous, arduous, or harmful to their health or morals (CEDAW/C/QAT/2, para. 54), it would be interesting to know whether clear definitions of such forms of work had been established. The Committee wished to know what other forms of work could not be performed by women, what working hours were deemed to be unsuitable for women and whether the Government would consider amending such discriminatory employment regulations.

20.He commended the State party on the adoption of Act No. 21 of 2015, which regulated the entry, exit and residence of migrant workers and had abolished the kafalah system, replacing it with a normal labour relationship. He also welcomed Act No. 15 of 2017, which guaranteed many basic rights for migrant domestic workers. However, it provided for a maximum of 10 working hours a day for domestic workers, although the Labour Code provided for a maximum of 8 hours. He wished to know whether Act No. 15 provided for paid sick leave in line with the Labour Code, namely two weeks with full pay and four with half pay, and whether it provided for maternal leave. Domestic workers could apparently agree with their employer to work during daily and weekly rest breaks. As it would be difficult for employees to negotiate fair working conditions under such circumstances, he asked whether the State party would consider abolishing that option or regulating it in a manner that would prove safer for employees.

21.He wished to know whether domestic workers were entitled to join a trade union and whether there were any plans to introduce workplace inspections, including in places where domestic workers were employed.

22.As the State party considered that the provisions of Act No. 15 were fully in line with the ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), he asked whether it planned to ratify the Convention.

23.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar) said that the Constitution guaranteed equality before the law in terms of rights and duties, and protected women from all forms of discrimination. The legislation governing employment was in line with the Constitution and did not provide for segregation on grounds of gender. For instance, Act No. 15 of 2016 promulgating the Civil Service Human Resources Act guaranteed gender equality. Many of the laws mentioned in the report focused on affirmative action and special measures on behalf of women.

24.Act No. 15 of 2017 strictly regulated relations between employers and domestic workers and specified the procedures for securing justice in the event of breaches of the Act by employers. It specified a minimum legal age for employment, a maximum number of working hours, the right to rest breaks, annual leave and sick leave, and procedures for the settlement of disputes. Domestic workers were thus treated in accordance with the provisions of ILO Convention No. 189. Employers were also required to provide them with appropriate accommodation, food and health care. Domestic employees were accompanied to physicians and medical centres and were not required to cover the cost of treatment. A special division had been created in the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs to register complaints filed by domestic employees.

25.Article 94 of the Labour Code prohibited the employment of women in hazardous or arduous work or in occupations that were harmful to their health or morals. However, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs had not issued a list of such employment categories to date. When an amended version of the Labour Code was drafted, an in-depth analysis would be undertaken of the relevant provisions.

26.Ms. Al- Muftah (Qatar) said that the wage gap between men and women of 29 to 38 per cent did not relate to basic salaries, which were the same for men and women. The gap was partially due to the fact that just one spouse, usually the husband, was paid certain allowances, from which the other spouse would also benefit.

27.Horizontal and vertical segregation had certainly existed in the past, but it was currently in decline thanks to amendments to the legislation, gradual changes in people’s attitudes, and women’s participation in many occupations that had previously been monopolized by men. The larger proportion of men in some occupations was due to the fact that the majority of migrant workers were male. However, Qatari women accounted for the majority of employees in other occupations.

28.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar) said that equal pay for men and women was guaranteed in the public sector but depended in the private sector on supply and demand and contractual negotiations between employers and employees. With regard to affirmative action, Act No. 15 of 2016 granted special privileges to married women employees, such as special leave to take care of sick children or children with disabilities or to accompany them during their treatment in a public or private hospital. They also benefited from paid maternity leave and were granted two hours daily for breastfeeding for a period of two years. A woman employee whose spouse died was entitled to 130 days’ mourning, in accordance with the Islamic sharia.

29.Mr. Bergby, noting that equal pay in the private sector was based on demand, pointed out that the State authorities bore responsibility for ensuring equal pay in the private sector. While he was pleased to hear that no list of prohibited jobs for women had been drafted, he suggested that the applicable article of the Labour Code should be amended. He also suggested that men should also be granted paternity leave.

30.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar) said that a bill to establish a national wage commission that would establish an annual minimum wage was under discussion. Employers were currently prohibited from concluding a contract for a monthly salary of less than 750 riyals (QR). The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs had adopted Decision No. 21 of 2019 regulating the conditions for election of workers’ representatives to joint committees.

31.Ms. Rana, commending the State party on the many health-care strategies adopted, said that she would be interested in hearing whether any studies had been undertaken to analyse their impact, particularly on the health of women and girls, including migrants and female foreign workers. As most of the strategies had ended in 2018, she wished to know whether any follow-up strategies had been developed.

32.She would be grateful for information concerning the composition of the Qatari Council for Medical Specialization, the content and beneficiaries of its training programmes, and how it ensured increased gender sensitivity in health-care services.

33.Referring to the general framework for a value-based curriculum, she asked to what extent it included direct and comprehensive sex education and whether it was mandatory for all schools. What kind of training was provided to teachers and had a monitoring mechanism been established to assess its impact? She also wished to know whether comprehensive sex education would be included in the current review of the national education curriculum.

34.Many women migrant workers in the State party had reportedly experienced serious difficulties in gaining access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health care, and emergency obstetric services. She would therefore appreciate additional information on procedures for raising awareness of such services among migrant women, comparative data on the number of migrant women who had accessed health-care services, and whether they had done so without intimidation, and information on support mechanisms to redress grievances and uphold the right to privacy and confidentiality.

35.She would be interested to hear more about the services provided by safe shelters for workers with infectious diseases and asked whether there were separate shelters for women.

36.She wished to know whether the State party would take concrete steps to remove punitive measures for women who underwent abortion, and whether it would consider decriminalizing abortion, particularly in cases arising from incest or rape, and extending the grounds for preforming legal and safe abortions beyond situations in which the life of the mother was at risk.

37.Ms. Ameline said that she would like to commend the State party on its vigorous action to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She wished to know whether there was a procedure for defining priorities, implementing and assessing programmes, and involving women at all stages, including in the decision-making process. She was also interested in learning whether the State party was committed to the involvement of women in scientific and technological innovation and whether it assisted them, for instance through special fellowships, in becoming entrepreneurs. Widows and divorced women were frequently underprivileged, for instance when they sought access to credit or support for land purchases.

38.She wished to know how the Qatar Foundation for Social Work identified priorities and whether sustainable development and inclusiveness were accorded priority in the country’s foreign development policy.

39.Ms. Haidar pointed out that the Qatar National Vision 2030 aimed to reduce the State party’s dependence on fossil fuels and to invest in renewable energy. She wished to know, however, whether the State party planned to finance adaptation measures in vulnerable countries, such as small islands, and whether it would consider gender-related dimensions of climate disruption in those countries. As climate change rendered the State party more vulnerable to water shortages and food insecurity, it was essential to promote desalination and to rationalize its energy policy, for instance by investing more in solar energy, in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

40.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar) said that her country had not ratified ILO Convention No. 100. A committee chaired by a judge had recently been established to resolve employment disputes within three weeks of the submission of complaints. In the event of a dispute, employers and employees were required to contact the relevant department of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs in the interests of an amicable settlement. If no agreement was reached, the matter would be referred to the dispute settlement committee and the committee’s ruling would be final and binding.

41.Mr. Dharman (Qatar) said that the Ministry of Health had launched the National Health Strategy 2018–2022, which was based on seven priorities, including women’s health and safe pregnancies. Both citizens and residents benefited from this strategy.

42.The Qatari Council for Medical Specialization had been abolished by Amiri Decree No. 14 of 2019 in the context of reforms to the structure of the Ministry of Health. It had been replaced by a department that issued licences to medical professionals and provided training programmes for medical staff in both public hospitals and private clinics.

43.With regard to the access of migrant women workers to emergency health care, all citizens and residents in need had access to such care, in accordance with Act No. 7 of 1996 regulating domestic medical treatment.

44.With regard to the decriminalization of abortion, the Criminal Code sought to safeguard women’s rights and protect pregnant women. A term of imprisonment of a maximum of 10 years was prescribed for assaults on pregnant women that led to abortion. Article 17 of Act No. 2 of 1983 on human medicine, dental medicine and surgery prohibited abortion, which was permitted only if the pregnant woman’s life was at risk or the fetus was severely deformed. The consent of both parents was also required. No steps were currently being taken to amend the regulations governing abortion.

45.Ms. Al- Mohannadi (Qatar) said that sex education was included in textbooks on science and Islamic studies, based on students’ age group. Awareness-raising campaigns were also conducted to ensure complementarity between curricular and extracurricular activities. Sex education in the Arab world was influenced by religion, customs and traditions. Qatar had achieved progress in revising the curricula, while bearing in mind the need to avoid any adverse impact on either gender.

46.Ms. Al- Khulaifi (Qatar), regarding women’s participation in decision-making, said that when the Government had prepared its two national development strategies it had created 14 gender-balanced working groups to ensure that government, civil society, private institutions and private companies all participated. The groups had concluded their work and the second National Development Strategy had been adopted.

47.Mr. Al- Henzab (Qatar) said that Qatar led and hosted the Global Dryland Alliance, a coalition of member countries and development partners to ensure food security for millions of people living in drylands who were suffering the consequences of climate change. Qatar supported several other initiatives launched by various States.

48.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar), responding to the question on access to credits for widows, said that the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs provided social security, including financial assistance, to unemployed widows, divorcees and women abandoned by their husbands. The Ministry also helped those women find jobs and the dependent children of widows received a monthly allowance.

49.Ms. Peláez Narváez said that the Committee had expressed concern about migrant women held in poor conditions at the detention centres and deportation centre in Doha, where sanitation and ventilation were poor, beds were too few, food was insufficient and medical care for women with physical and mental health problems was inadequate. Pregnant women and women with children were held in the same centres. She wondered how the State party had responded to the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, especially the recommendation to refrain from detaining pregnant women and women with children. She also wished to know whether the State party had any strategy for providing shelter to such migrant women and their children and what assistance was offered to help them to return to their home countries.

50.Despite the State party’s achievements regarding persons with disabilities, including their appearance on a television programme produced in collaboration with the National Human Rights Committee, she had not found a single policy aimed specifically at those women. She was deeply concerned that certain pieces of legislation, including the Penal Code, the Civil Code and article 34 of Act No. 40 of 2004, on economic guardianship, contained provisions that restricted the rights of women with disabilities in terms of voting, entering into marriage, forming a family, granting or withholding consent, having access to justice, and deciding where and with whom to live. She wondered whether the State party was implementing measures such as accessible courtrooms and sign-language provision to make justice accessible to all people.

51.There was a shortage of data on domestic violence, which affected many women and persons with disabilities, and programmes to help women combat exploitation and violence did not include disability approaches. She would like to know: how the new law on mental health guaranteed the right for women and persons with disabilities to make their own decisions on medical treatment; whether it was true that some women with disabilities were sterilized; and how women with disabilities could decide whether they wanted to receive certain treatments. She commended the State party on measures such as the requirement that 2 per cent of public-sector posts should be held by persons with disabilities but noted that she had found no data on such posts being held by women with disabilities.

52.Mr. Abdulla (Qatar), responding to the question about shelters, said that, in partnership with non-governmental organizations, the Government continued to refer women to the Dar al-Aman al-Shamil Centre, which provided them with social, psychological and legal support, counselling and guidance, a comprehensive rehabilitation and social rehabilitation programme, a reception tailored to their needs and assistance for victims to obtain reparation.

53.Mr. Aldosari (Qatar) said that the migrant employees held in an environment with no medical treatment were illegal residents. The shelters, on the other hand, did provide medical services and regular visits from doctors and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As part of the inspection mechanisms involving the National Human Rights Committee, the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of the Interior, the public prosecutor’s office and ambassadors representing the migrants’ countries of origin, migrants were interviewed and could submit complaints to the Government. Noting that he believed the reports of inadequate ventilation were false, he said that ICRC regularly visited and sent reports to the relevant authorities.

Articles 15 and 16

54.Ms. Haidar said that she was concerned about the discrimination that continued to be practised, particularly in matters relating to the movement of persons and marriage and the family. Women aged 18 to 25, for instance, should not need a guardian’s authorization to travel, since they were not minors. The Committee recommended that Qatar should set the minimum age for marriage of both men and women at 18, in line with international standards. Noting that it was possible for persons under 16 to enter into marriage with a judge’s approval, she asked what criteria were used to evaluate the best interests of the child in such cases and how many children under 16 had got married since the new family law was adopted. She noted that women under 25 still needed permission from a male relative, or an exemption from a judge, in order to get married.

55.Although women could now unilaterally obtain a divorce by paying compensation to their spouses through a procedure known as khula, they did not enjoy the same rights as men to unilateral divorce by means of repudiation, unless otherwise stipulated in the marriage contract.

56.She commended the State party for raising the age up to which a mother could retain custody of her children to 13 for boys and 15 for girls, but called on the State party to equalize the age for boys and girls and raise the age to 18. Noting that divorced mothers who married somebody not related to the father lost custody of their children, thus restricting women’s choices, she said that the best interests of the child should be considered.

57.Mr. Al- Maadeed (Qatar) said that the requirement for women under 25 to seek a guardian’s permission to marry reflected the country’s cultural and religious values.

58.Ms. Abdulla (Qatar) said that the Government provided social assistance and paid unconditional allowances to women with disabilities and children with disabilities. In State ministries, 2 per cent of posts were reserved for persons with disabilities and around a hundred persons with disabilities were hired in 2018, a significant majority of whom were women. The following October, over 50 more persons with disabilities would be hired and would receive training. The Ministry followed up on employees with disabilities to see whether they needed technical support, training or a better environment.

59.Mr. Al- Meraikhi (Qatar), regarding the question about discrimination, said that family law struck a balance between women’s rights and the principles of sharia according to the Hambali school of jurisprudence. Commercial and civil law made no distinction between men and women. For criminal justice, the judge had discretion over the weight to be given to the testimony of male and female witnesses.

60.For an exception to be granted to the minimum marriage age of 16 for girls and 18 for boys, parental consent was required and the grounds had to be strong. There had not been a single child marriage in Qatar. A man could renounce a marriage and a woman could stipulate in the marriage contract that she would be able to do likewise. Injured parties could also apply to a judge for separation. For a divorce initiated by the woman, if there were no grounds or no mutual agreement, the judge required the woman to reimburse the dowry previously paid to her, but not if she had been harmed.

61.Regarding custody of children, the law treated men and women equally and the judge ultimately decided whether to award custody to a woman, a man or a group of people, according to the best interests of the child.

62.Ms. Haidar said that, in seeking to strike a balance among different groups, Qatar could look to positive experiences in other Muslim countries, like Turkey, Tunisia and Indonesia, so that it would not be left behind. If women’s rights in areas like custody and divorce were respected, it would empower women.

63.Mr. Al- Muraikhi (Qatar) said that there was no animosity between men and women and that the dignity, rights and freedoms of women in Qatar were safeguarded as much if not more than in other societies. Although Qatar needed to have more women in hospitals, universities, aviation, security and other areas, women were treated on an equal footing, as they worked in many professions and there were associations for women entrepreneurs. In some domains, however, religion and customs prevailed.

64.Ms. Al- Muftah (Qatar) said that a country’s signature to an agreement did not mean that everything had to be applied to the letter, since each society had its own specificities. The Convention should focus on the minimum requirements for human dignity. Regarding the best practices mentioned, the State party needed to know what other countries did, but it was impossible to copy other experiences without considering the country’s culture and religion. Justice was more important to her than gender equality, which was a utopia.

65.Mr. Al- Muraikhi (Qatar) said that Qatar wanted to create a supportive environment for implementing the Convention and would continue to increase its expertise, learn from other States, cooperate with international and regional human rights mechanisms, and check existing legislation for consistency with the Convention, improving it where necessary. Qatar would hold training courses that would take previous sessions into account, with specialized courses on tools and methodologies to ensure application of the Convention. The State party looked forward to receiving technical assistance in implementing its plans and to benefiting from the activities of the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region, in Doha.

66.Qatar would provide more data on its progress in implementing the Convention in its next report, using the simplified reporting procedure. It would also take the Committee’s observations and recommendations on board during the follow-up phase and distribute them to all State sectors involved in implementing the Convention.

67.The Chair said that she wished to thank the delegation for the constructive dialogue and invited the State party to accept the amendment to article 20 (1) of the Convention as soon as possible.

The meeting rose at 5.15 p.m.