Middle East and North Africa: Qatar
Political
Overview Upon assuming the throne in 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani initiated a series of political reforms, which included granting universal suffrage to all Qataris over the age of 18, and announced his intention to hold general elections for the consultative Central Municipal Council (CMC) and for the Shura Council. The first municipal council elections were held in 1999, with subsequent elections in 2003 and 2007; despite strong voter turnout in 1999, with roughly 79 percent of the electorate participating in the elections, participation rates have declined over the last decade. A new constitution, passed in April 2003 by popular referendum, reaffirmed the Emir’s political reforms and mandated the establishment of a permanent ShuraCouncil, comprised of 30 directly elected members and 15 members appointed by the Emir. The election of a Shura Council, although originally scheduled for 2005, has yet to be held.
Recognizing the challenges of a new electoral system, the Emir established in 2003 the Permanent Elections Committee (PEC) of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs to raise public awareness of voting rights and responsibilities and to empower citizens, particularly women, to participate in electoral processes. Recent activities of the PEC have included public presentations to improve voter understanding of electoral processes and the role of the CMC. Presentations focused on such topics as: the legal processes of elections; the role, responsibility and function of the Shura and municipal councils; the role of elections in democracy; and the role of the media in elections. The PEC has also overseen successful municipal council elections, the most recent of which took place in April 2007.
Program Overview
In 2006, the National Democratic Institute initiated discussions with members of the Qatari government and civil society to explore opportunities to further Qatar’s democratic institutions. In advance of the April 2007 elections, NDI held a series of training workshops for municipal council candidates on campaign, media, and communication strategies. Shortly after the municipal council elections, NDI facilitated a roundtable discussion with leading Arabic newspapers in Qatar to identify lessons learned from the coverage of municipal council elections and develop strategies for improving coverage in preparation for future elections.
Civic Education
Building on previous partnerships during the journalist roundtable and CMC candidate workshops, the Permanent Elections Committee approached NDI to design a joint civic education training program. Launched in October 2007, this 13-month, multi-faceted collaborative program is designed to establish a corps of trainers to implement civic education campaigns in preparation for Shura Council elections that are expected to take place in 2008. Civic education programs implemented by the corps will enhance awareness of the Qatari electoral process, promote understanding of the roles and responsibilities of an elected Shura Council, and encourage voter participation on election day. The multi-stage program will develop materials and strategies for the country-wide program, as well as provide advanced training for PEC staff and volunteers to serve as facilitators for this and future programs designed in collaboration with the PEC.
Regional Programs
NDI has continued to engage Qatari government officials, elected municipal councilors, women candidates, and individuals in regional activities. Currently, Qatari municipal councilors and journalists are participating in NDI programs to support the formation of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Municipalities Association, build the capacity of councilors to carry out their roles and responsibilities as elected officials and improve the ability of journalists to cover political developments in their respective countries.
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's programs in Qatar, please contact:
Leigh Catherine Miles, Senior Program Officer
Send Email
<< BACK