By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: In a new initiative, Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) is preparing to start a research programme focusing on families in Qatar.
It will provide information for policymakers on family issues, Noor Al Malki, Chairperson, Conference Planning Committee, DIFI, told this daily.
The institute focuses more on family issues on an international level.
“We are engaged in preparation for research projects focusing on Qatar and the Arab region with partners in and outside the country,” she said in an email interview.
“We are working on developing a special programme, focusing on families in Qatar, and aim to provide research evidence to inform policymakers about family issues.
“We intend to build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in Qatar. We have started the process. It is a long term project and we are very committed to it,” she added.
The programme will share its findings with stakeholders in government, research organisations and NGOs.
About the institute’s present work, she said DIFI is an international organisation but its work now is more focused inwards — on the Arab family.
“Our international focus is what gives us a greater insight into how to benefit Arab families’ rights in Qatar,” she said.
DIFI is the only organisation in the region that will be focusing on policy-oriented research on the Arab family which is needed to inform policymakers at a time when families in the region are under unprecedented pressure due to globalisation and impacts of conflicts and political and economic instability, according to Al Malki.
Through its work, DIFI is enhancing understanding of the Arab family worldwide to support positive changes on national, regional and global levels.
“DIFI informs the region about developments in family and policy on the international level and shares best practices from our region internally. In a way we are the bridge between our region and the world when it comes to family issues,” said Al Malki.
DIFI is hosting a two-day Empowering Families: A Pathway to Development, an international conference to mark the 20th anniversary of International Year of the Family on Wednesday.
The conference is a nongovernmental gathering and will constitute a global platform for discussion and debate.
Policymakers, NGOs, experts, academics and other stakeholders from all around the world will share views and experiences regarding the centrality of the family and its role in society.
The Peninsula
