CEO of the Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Ishaq speaking at the event.
Doha, Qatar: The Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work has held an introductory workshop on its Media Category, highlighting its objectives, eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria as the category moves towards participation in the award’s upcoming edition.
The workshop was held at the headquarters of the Rawda Award in Al-Legtaifiya, where participants were briefed on the award’s framework, nomination criteria and participation procedures, with particular focus on the Media Category.
The Media Category was included among the award’s five main categories when the Rawda Award was established under Amiri Decision No. (16) of 2025. However, the category was not awarded in the first edition. The inaugural edition, held in April 2026, recognised initiatives in the categories of individuals, families, non-profit organisations and the private sector, while the media category was subsequently highlighted for activation.
Opening the workshop, CEO of the Rawda Award for Excellence in Social Work Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Ishaq stressed the importance of recognising the contribution of media institutions and their initiatives to social work. He said assessment should not be based solely on the size of projects or their budgets, but should also take into account their reach, effectiveness, innovation, community engagement and contribution to raising awareness and generating positive social change.
During the workshop, Mohamed Al-Mohannadi, a member of the award’s executive team, gave a detailed presentation on the award and the Media Category, explaining its evaluation framework and the requirements for participation.
The Rawda Award is a national award established under Amiri Decision No. (16) of 2025 and supervised by the Ministry of Social Development and Family. It aims to promote excellence, innovation and sustainability in social work, strengthen community participation and support initiatives that contribute to Qatar’s national development priorities and Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Media Category targets media outlets, media institutions and content creators that produce professional and responsible content supporting social work, raising public awareness and promoting national values in Qatar.
Mohamed Al-Mohannadi, a member of the award’s executive team, speaking at the event.
The category will assess media initiatives against six main criteria: alignment with national strategies, social values and citizenship (20 percent); effectiveness of social media impact (15 percent); media values, responsibility and objectivity (10 percent); professionalism in planning and implementing social media campaigns (15 percent); creativity and innovation in social media work (10 percent); and reach, scalability and impact measurement (30 percent).
The criteria place particular emphasis on the ability of media initiatives to address priority social issues in Qatar, reinforce national identity and values, support national strategies and reach clearly identified target groups.
The evaluation framework also considers the quality and effectiveness of media content, the existence of a clear strategy linked to defined social and development objectives, evidence of increased awareness or positive behavioural change, and the sustainability of media efforts beyond short-term campaigns.
The award covers a broad range of social work fields, including community protection and welfare, heritage and traditions, national identity and values, education, health, mental and behavioural wellbeing, humanitarian crises, environmental sustainability, culture and arts, awareness media, sports and youth, charity and relief, innovation, and family and child development. The Rawda Award is divided into five main categories — individuals, families, non-profit organisations, the private sector and media — with each category assessed according to a structured framework designed to balance the quality of the idea, implementation, results and social impact.
The award has a total annual prize value of QR2.7m, with the Media Category offering recognition across the award’s three levels.
The workshop marks a step towards strengthening the role of media within the Rawda Award’s social-work framework and encouraging media organisations and content creators to develop initiatives that create measurable and sustainable social impact.
