Doha, March 10 (QNA) - Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science hosted a virtual event celebrating the International Women's Day 2020, in cooperation with the UNESCO Doha Office, aiming at highlighting the contributions of women and their role in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic in the fields of leadership, education, health and media.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary-General of Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Dr. Hamda Hassan Al Sulaiti said that the State of Qatar has long recognized the important role of women in the society, therefore it appointed them in the highest administrative and scientific positions, and enabled them to contribute to its national strategy in development and implementation, in realization of the wise directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
She noted that the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Women themed "Women for the Future", seeking to enhance women's participation in society, raising awareness for achieving gender equality, empowering women, and mobilizing support for individuals and organizations that extend a helping hand to women in the region and across the world, especially during crises.
Dr. Al Sulaiti said that the ICESCO will officially launch the Year of Women during a major international celebration on Thursday under the theme "Women icons: an inspiration for the future", aiming at promoting its vision, goals and initiatives in the Year of Women 2021 at the regional and international levels, empowering women and highlighting their contribution to building a sustainable future, and the importance of the contribution made by women leaders to the sectors of education, science and culture.
For her part, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha Dr. Anna Paolini said that promoting gender equality, empowering women and safeguarding their rights is at the core of UNESCO's work. In fact, gender equality is one of two global priorities for the organization since 2008, which is being implemented on the ground through results-oriented actions in cooperation with member states and a wide range of partners.
The celebration included the presentation of short clips by two UNESCO-affiliated schools: Qatar Banking Studies and Business Administration School and Al Wafa Basic Education School in the Sultanate of Oman.
Secretary-General of Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science Amna Al Balushi shed light on the vision of the Sultanate of Oman on the need to engage women in decision-making and enable them participate with men in building and developing the country.
The celebration also included a seminar moderated by Aisha Jassim Al Kuwari, and attended by Hanadi Al Shafei, Head of the Treaty Committees at the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Mazen Bishtawi, Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Al-Ahly Hospital; Zainab Iraqi, supervisor of the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences at ICESCO; Huda Mohammad Ismail, Education Sector Officer at the Sudanese National Commission for Education and Science and Culture; and Alya Al Hudayfi Al Kuwari, Director of Moza Bint Mohammad Primary School for Girls - a member of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network.
The seminar discussed women's leaderships in the face of COVID-19 pandemic, the role and efforts of women in health institutions, the challenges facing women during the pandemic and the role of the educational system in building the capacities of women to confront the virus, among others.
Hanadi Al Shafei discussed the efforts of the State of Qatar with regard to the role of Qatari women leadership during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, and indicated that women constitute a high percentage of health cadres working in the first ranks to confront the pandemic and protect society.
She added that the State, represented by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, organized a virtual high-level meeting on the role of female leaders in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Al Shafei also highlighted the important role of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the local and international level, and HH's joining of the global initiative "Rise for All", which includes a group of global women leaders, within the framework of supporting the call launched by the United Nations Secretary-General for solidarity and collective action to address the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In turn, Zainab Iraqi said that the ICESCO has included the issues of women, young women and girls within the priority of its medium-term strategic plan 2020-2030 is to ensure their educational, scientific, cultural, technological, environmental and other rights, in addition to empowering them at the social and economic levels and enhancing their roles as decision makers and actors in sustainable development.
Huda Ismail shed light on the efforts of Sudanese women in addressing the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and their contributions to activities serving the society through awareness campaigns and social media platforms.
Alya Al Kuwari talked about the role of women teachers and administrators in the school in maintaining a safe and healthy environment for students and ensuring that they receive the best education in a safe and secure school environment. (QNA)