Geneva / Information Office / July 15  

The State of Qatar praised the significant role and the enormous sacrifices that women have made with great devotion to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This came in a statement of the State of Qatar delivered by Third Secretary in Qatar's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva Talal Abdulaziz Al Naama in the annual full-day discussion on women's rights, in its second session which focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and women's rights, under item 3 on the Human Rights Council's agenda.

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered one of the greatest challenges that the world's countries are facing since decades, as a result of its economic, political and social consequences, which were exacerbated by the fact that countries took specific measures to contain and combat the outbreak of the virus that often affected the human rights of many individuals, especially the most vulnerable groups in society, Al Naama said in his speech.

In the context of these measures, women have borne additional burden by carrying out many responsibilities, and we cannot fail in this regard to pay tribute to the significant role and enormous sacrifices that women had made to face the pandemic, as they constitute the highest percentage of the cadre of health workers, working in the forefront to combat the pandemic and protect the community from it," he added.

The government of Qatar has taken rapid and thoroughly-studied steps to face this health threat, and announced a group of measures to protect the health and safety of all members of society, including women, he said, adding that Qatar's efforts to combat and contain the outbreak of COVID-19 depend on a comprehensive approach characterized by coordinated efforts between the various sectors of the state according to a national response plan designed to protect all community members, and this includes women's needs in the State of Qatar.

He pointed out the participation of HH Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, in the "Rise for All" global initiative that includes a group of international women leaders, and aims to exchange good practices as well as present the challenges that must be addressed to combat the pandemic. In addition to that, the initiative also aims to discuss common solutions to this global crisis from the perspective of women in leadership, as this initiative comes within the framework of supporting the call launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations for solidarity and collective action to combat the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.