Public Health Department Director, MoPH, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani; Nicholas Boucher, Head of the Science and Innovation Network, British Embassy in Doha; and other officials at the agreement-signing ceremony.
New York: Qatar has affirmed its commitment to continue its efforts to promote and protect elderly rights and work to remove all obstacles that could prevent them from living in dignity and well-being in the shadow of their families and society, in addition to ensuring their participation in the construction and development process at all levels.
This came in the statement made by the Director of the Family Affairs Department at the Ministry of Social Development and Family Najat Daham Al Abdullah during the 12th session of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on Ageing.
The statement noted Cabinet Resolution No. 26 of 2019, ratified by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which established the National Committee for the Affairs of Woman, Children, the Elderly and People with Disabilities, headed by the Minister of Social Development and Family.
It stressed that Qatar has paid increasing attention to human rights, especially the elderly, and has taken legislative, legal, administrative, and other appropriate measures to implement those rights and provide the means to root, develop and modernise them within the framework of integrated social development. This interest was based on the interest of national references, which is at the foremost of the Qatar’s permanent constitution, it added.
The statement highlighted the most important policies and measures taken to protect the elderly from COVID-19, noting that most of the institutions related to the elderly in Qatar have taken precautionary measures to confront the spread of the virus, including the Ministry of Public Health. Moreover, it referred to the role of the Ministry of Social Development and Family.
The statement also pointed out the legislation achievements made by the country including the Social Security Law and the rules to grant it to stipulated categories to obtain a social security pension for an elderly person who is over 60 years of age and who does not have a capable breadwinner or source of income sufficient to live.
It also emphasised the effective role of civil society institutions, including the Center of Empowerment and Elderly Care (Ehsan), of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, which provides care and social services for the elderly in treatment and care.
