QF member recognized for local, regional, and international efforts 

Doha, Qatar, June 21, 2021: Doha International Family Institute has been named the “Best Organization to Support Family Issues in the Arab Region” for 2020 by the Department of Women, Family and Childhood in the Social Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States.
The award, announced by the League of Arab States (LAS) through the permanent delegations, recognizes organizations that highlight family issues and promote societal cohesion, while encouraging the protection of families. DIFI was nominated by Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs to represent the state of Qatar. 

Dr. Sharifa Noaman Al Emadi, Executive Director, DIFI – a member of Qatar Foundation – said: “It is a honor for DIFI to receive the first “Best Organization to Support Family Issues in the Arab Region” award. DIFI will continue to honor this award by developing scientifically based research family policies to inform and educate.”

The key criteria for selection include: constant work over 10 years in strengthening the role of the Arab family, women, and children; producing research and sufficient knowledge on child and women protection; supporting protection policies and systems on the local and regional levels; and working on initiatives that serve families and assist Arab families in confronting and solving their challenges.

H.E. Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of Social Affairs Sector – League of Arab States, explained that the award aims to encourage institutions concerned with family issues in the region to enhance awareness of the role of the Arab family in building cohesive societies.
The award was launched based on the request of the member states of LAS and adopted with recommendations from the 10th session of the Arab Family Committee, which was held under the chairmanship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 2020. The evaluation committee was formed based on the periodic chairs of the committee, including the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and the United Arab Emirates. 
According to the Ambassador, DIFI was chosen for its efforts nationally and regionally and for its work on strengthening the role of the family. The LAS collaborated with DIFI to produce the action plan for families and Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab countries, and are working together to conduct research on assessing relationships across the first five years of marriage in Arab countries. 

DIFI’s projects and initiatives are designed for Arab families within the international, regional, and national spheres. International activities include DIFI’s special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, which allows it to hold discussions on the sidelines of United Nations’ events, tackling issues pertaining to family cohesion, family wellbeing and protection, marriage and divorce, parenting, and behavioral issues. 
DIFI’s regional efforts include producing knowledge on the conditions of marriage and family strengths in the Arab region, as well as offering the OSRA research grant to promote research for evidence-based policies. 

Meanwhile locally, DIFI’s efforts include producing research reports, transforming evidence into policies, and advocating for the development of programs with stakeholders to support family cohesion and wellbeing. Topics include social aspects of fertility, work-family balance, adolescents wellbeing, impact of COVID-19 on family cohesion, and protection systems from domestic violence.