Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Praise Qatar’s Investments in Child Health and Education, Ask about the Age of Criminal Responsibility and Penalties for Child Offenders
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its consideration of the fifth and sixth combined periodic reports of Qatar under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with Committee Experts praising the State’s investments in child health and education, and raising questions about its efforts to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility and prohibit the imposition of harsh penalties, including the death penalty and flagellation, on child offenders aged 16 years and over.
Aissatou Alassane Sidikou, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator for Qatar, commended Qatar’s efforts to invest in children’s health and education; implement its national development programme, which promoted sustainable development; establish its Ministry of Social Development and Family; and implement the Committee’s recommendations.
Ms. Sidikou asked whether Qatar’s draft bill on children’s rights would increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility of children, which was currently one of the lowest in the world at seven years, and prohibit imprisonment, flagellation and forced labour for children, which was currently allowed from 16 years of age. In Qatar, children could be sentenced to death. What measures were in place to strictly prohibit the application of the death penalty on children?
Rosaria Correa, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said that despite the recommendations of various human rights mechanisms, the new nationality law did not allow Qatari women married to foreign citizens to pass on their nationality to their children. What steps had been taken to amend this law and other laws to allow Qatari women to pass on their nationality to their children?
Introducing the report, Ahmad bin Hassan Al-Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar and head of the delegation, said that, over the reporting period, Qatar had worked to strengthen legislative and institutional measures to protect children's rights in the fields of education, health, social protection and criminal justice. The Qatar National Vision 2030 and the State’s third national development strategy 2024-2030 included key measures addressing children's rights, and promoted equality and non-discrimination of children.
The delegation said Qatar had reduced sentences for cases where perpetrators of crimes were children. Sanctions for children under 16 years did not include corporal punishment or flagellation. The draft law on the rights of the child would increase the minimum age of criminal liability and define all persons less than 18 years old as children. It would be adopted and published soon.
The delegation also said the death penalty could be imposed on children aged 16 to 18, who were more aware of their actions, but judges could commute the sentence, considering the age of the child when the crime was committed. No one aged 16 to 18 had been sentenced to death in Qatar.
The Qatari Nationality Code addressed the issue of kinship, the delegation said. Children of non-Qatari fathers were given the nationality of their father, but such children also had the ability to access Qatari nationality if they had permanent residence. The State had made great strides in reducing statelessness.
In closing remarks, Ms. Sidikou said many efforts had been made by the State for children, but challenges remained. The Committee hoped that the dialogue would help to improve protections for children in Qatar.
Mr. Al-Hammadi, in concluding remarks, thanked the Committee and all persons who contributed to the constructive dialogue. Qatar was committed to cooperating with the Committee and to addressing the challenges and risks it faced concerning the rights of the child. It had achieved great progress in human rights over the years through cooperation with human rights mechanisms.
Sophie Kiladze, Committee Chair, said in concluding remarks that the information provided by the State party would help the Committee to assess the achievements made by Qatar and the challenges it faced. The Committee would do its best to develop concluding observations that would strengthen the rights of children in Qatar to the extent possible.
The delegation of Qatar consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Public Health; Ministry of Social Development and Family; Ministry of Education and Higher Education; Ministry of Justice; Supreme Judiciary Council; Public Prosecution; National Group for Protection of Children from Abuse and Violence; and the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Qatar at the end of its ninety-ninth session on 30 May. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public this afternoon at 3 p.m. to consider the combined fifth to seventh periodic reports of Brazil (CRC/C/BRA/5-7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth and sixth combined periodic reports of Qatar (CRC/C/QAT/5-6).
Presentation of Report
AHMAD BIN HASSAN AL-HAMMADI, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar and head of the delegation, said that Qatar was firmly and permanently committed to the principles of the Convention. Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution emphasised the role of the family in protecting children from exploitation and neglect, and supporting their development. The State had worked to strengthen legislative and institutional measures to protect children's rights in the fields of education, health, social protection and criminal justice.
The national report was the result of consultation and cooperation between the various national authorities, civil society and children. The State had made great efforts to address and implement most of the previous recommendations made by the Committee, contributing to tangible progress in ensuring the rights of children.
The Qatar National Vision 2030 and the State’s third national development strategy 2024-2030 included key measures addressing human rights issues in various fields, including children's rights, and promoted equality and non-discrimination of children. Over the reporting period, there had been extensive legislative amendments regarding the protection and promotion of children's rights, most notably law 22 of 2021 regulating health care services, which included provisions promoting access to health care for all children, and the anti-cybercrime law, which criminalised sexual exploitation. A draft law on children’s rights was also currently under review; it established effective mechanisms for the protection and development of children's capacities and promoted the best interests of the child.
The Ministry of Social Development and Family, established in 2021, was responsible for following up on childhood issues through specialised departments on family development, community welfare, and social protection. The Qatar Foundation for Social Work had mechanisms for monitoring, follow-up and reporting on protection measures for child victims of violence, as well as awareness campaigns informing children of their rights and methods of reporting and seeking assistance. The State had also established the National Planning Council, which was responsible for planning and implementing public policies related to children. The Council of Ministers approved in April 2025 the establishment of the Digital Safety Committee for Children and Young People, and an awareness campaign on the safe use of technology would also be launched in June 2025.
Efforts had continued to increase the enrolment rates of children, including children with disabilities, in compulsory education. The overall enrolment rate was more than 97.5 per cent. The State was encouraging girls to enrol in scientific disciplines; the percentage of girls in these disciplines had reached about 54 per cent at the secondary level. New schools had also been established to provide technical and specialised education for both boys and girls. The national education strategy 2024-2030 focused on improving the quality and inclusiveness of education, ensuring equal opportunities and enhancing governance. Five “peace schools” that received children of various nationalities, especially from countries in crisis, including children with disabilities, had been established.
In the health sector, the national health strategy 2024-2030 was launched, which aimed to promote children's health by preventing chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, and paying attention to oral health. The State had established a system of child-friendly hospitals and general paediatric clinics. The national team for child protection from violence and neglect received approximately 500 cases annually of suspected cases of child abuse and implemented preventive measures in response. Effective countermeasures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to Qatar having one of the lowest child mortality rates globally.
Qatar's Labour Code protected children from exploitation, prohibited their employment before reaching the legal age, and regulated the types of work that children could not do. Moreover, the consumer protection law and the food control law promoted children's rights as vulnerable consumers, while the Ministries of Health and Commerce were closely monitoring to ensure safe and healthy food for children. The State had also launched plans to reduce and assess environmental pollution, especially in areas near schools and residential areas.
The State had also paid attention to building the capacity of professionals working with children, such as judges, teachers, doctors and media professionals, through training programmes on the Convention delivered in cooperation with civil society. Qatar was also studying the possibility of establishing a national children's parliament and had established interactive platforms that allowed children to express their opinions and suggestions, especially when discussing policies that directly affected their lives.
To protect children’s rights, Qatar was cooperating with United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund, which opened an office at the United Nations House in Doha in 2022. It was working to protect children in conflict areas in countries such as Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Russia and Ukraine. The Qatari Education Above All initiative had reached over 17 million children in more than 65 countries. Qatar had provided humanitarian assistance, including food and health care, to children in Gaza.
Qatar was fully committed to the implementation of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols, and the protection of children's rights. Achieving this goal required continuous reform efforts through measures that kept pace with emerging changes and challenges.
Questions by Committee Experts
AISSATOU ALASSANE SIDIKOU, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator for Qatar, commended Qatar’s efforts to invest in children’s health and education; implement its national development programme, which promoted sustainable development; establish its Ministry on the Rights of Children and Families; and implement the Committee’s recommendations. Why had the State party maintained its reservations to articles two and 14 of the Convention? The provisions in article two of the Convention were much broader than those of articles 34 and 35 of the Constitution.
Why was there was no schedule for adoption of the draft bill on children’s rights, which had been considered by the State for over 15 years? Would the bill increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility of children, which was currently at seven years, and prohibit imprisonment, flagellation and forced labour for children, which was currently allowed from 16 years of age? Did the National Human Rights Commission and the National Planning Council have sufficient resources? How did they coordinate to protect child rights?
Qatar’s investments in health and education had increased in 2022 and 2024, but these amounts were still below global standards. Would this be addressed? Were funds allocated for children in the budget clearly outlined? How did the State party ensure that resources were equitably assigned? A national survey conducted in 2023 contained very little information on vulnerable children. What was being done to strengthen data collection on such children?
Did migrant children have access to mechanisms to report violations of their rights? How did the State party support access to remedies for child victims? Were there capacity building and awareness raising mechanisms on child rights for State officials, civil society, the media and the public? Did the National Human Rights Commission’s monitoring mechanism follow up on the implementation of the Convention and receive complaints on violations of the rights of children, including from migrant children? How did the State party monitor policies and programmes on children’s rights? Were there regulations that promoted compliance with international standards on children’s rights in the private sector?
Girls in Qatar continued to face multiple forms of discrimination due to traditional beliefs. What actions had been taken to change these negative social norms? Children with disabilities, children with unmarried or foreign parents, and the children of migrant workers were subject to widespread discrimination. How did the State party ensure that all children had access to basic social services? Was there a general law prohibiting all forms of discrimination?
There were no guidelines for professionals on determining the best interests of the child. Would these be developed? How did the State party ensure that this principle was applied consistently in all legal procedures? In Qatar, children could be sentenced to death. What measures were in place to strictly prohibit the application of the death penalty on children? How did the State party facilitate the participation of children in matters affecting them?
Despite the recommendations of various human rights mechanisms, the new nationality law did not allow Qatari women married to foreign citizens to pass on their nationality to their children. What steps had been taken to amend this law and other laws to allow Qatari women to pass on their nationality to their children?
ROSARIA CORREA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, welcomed that the State party had taken several measures to address corporal punishment. Had it assessed the impact that these measures had had on society? There was no law prohibiting corporal punishment. What legislative efforts had been made to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings? Had studies into violent disciplining been carried out? What measures had schools adopted to protect children? How many child victims of violence had received remedies? How was the State party monitoring child protection measures? Did the draft bill on child rights address the child protection system? Who was responsible for representing minors in the courts?
How was the State party combatting the sale and trafficking of children domestically and internationally? What was preventing the State from developing a law to ban child marriages? How did the electronic monitoring system for convicted children work and how effective was it? What social and psychological programmes were in place to protect the rights of children in conflict with the law and prevent their stigmatisation?
TIMOTHY P.T. EKESA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, welcomed the data on children with disabilities that the State party had collected in 2016. There were concerns that the State party did not provide access to mainstream education to all children with disabilities, as many were enrolled in special schools. Only a small percentage of schools had inclusive education programmes, and a medical model was used to determine whether children with disabilities were enrolled in special schools. Many children with disabilities remained out of school due to denial of admission or the inability of their families to pay school fees. Could the State party provide data on the number of children with disabilities enrolled in mainstream education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said its reservations to articles two and 14 of the Convention were consistent with Islamic Sharia and public morals. The draft law on the rights of the child would increase the minimum age of criminal liability. It would be adopted and published soon.
In 2016, a programme was set up to investigate cases of violations of children’s rights and provide protection and remedies to victims. It dealt with between 500 and 600 cases a year, some 30 per cent of which involved violence and negligence. The programme included awareness raising campaigns on children’s rights and on reporting mistreatment of children. A confidential hotline had been set up for reporting violence; it received 300 calls a year, 60 per cent of which came from children. A register for cases of child abuse had recorded some 3,000 cases in recent years, and the Qatari Care Centre had provided psychological care to more than 4,000 children. A conference on combatting violence against children held in 2020 in Qatar was attended by around 2,000 people.
Qatar monitored the impact of business activities on children, guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The National Human Rights Committee monitored child labour but had not registered any cases. A regional conference had been held in Qatar that had called on businesses not to violate children’s rights in digital spaces.
The Ministry of Social Affairs had signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Human Rights Committee on cooperation on protecting children’s rights. This Committee was made up of eight representatives of civil society and five Government employees. It reviewed legislation concerning children, visited schools to assess violations of children’s right to education, and conducted yearly awareness raising campaigns on the Convention.
Qatari law did not permit marriages for boys under the age of 17 and girls under the age of 16. Marriages under the age of 18 were permitted by judges only when there were exceptional circumstances. A committee had been set up to review the Family Code; it was considering revising the legal minimum age of marriage. It was very rare for families to allow their children to marry before the age of 18.
Some six per cent of the national budget was allocated to education, and some 25 per cent of the Ministry of Social Affairs’ budget was allocated to programmes for children. The State party had dispersed several million Qatari riyals for supporting vulnerable children and families. A new centre for orphans was established in 2024.
The Ministry of Education promoted gender equality at all stages of education. Enrolment rates for boys and girls were equal at primary and secondary schools, and literacy rates were over 99 per cent in 2023. The Ministry had launched awareness raising campaigns on human rights and non-discrimination. Guidance was provided to teachers on preventing discrimination against children. Qataris and non-Qataris received the same treatment in State schools and hospitals. Employers provided migrant workers with health insurance.
The Qatari Nationality Code addressed the issue of kinship. Children of non-Qatari fathers were given the nationality of their father, but such children also had the ability to access Qatari nationality if they had permanent residence. The State had made great strides in reducing statelessness.
Qatar had laws that enabled children to receive remedies such as compensation if they were victims of a crime. Specialised courts for crimes committed by children and cases of violence against children had been established, which could conduct hearings online. There was also a witness protection programme for children. Courts had an interpretation and translation service that supported foreign children. The State assigned lawyers to persons who could not afford them.
All schools had student councils that allowed students to express their views on issues such as the environment, culture and education. Cultural activities were organised for children. Each school calculated its carbon footprint.
Articles 21 and 68 of the Constitution incorporated the Convention into the legal order. The State party had increased penalties for trafficking in persons when the victim was under 18 and reduced sentences for cases where perpetrators of crimes were children. Sanctions for children under 16 years did not include corporal punishment, flagellation or the death penalty.
Articles permitting corporal punishment were removed from legislation after the adoption of the Convention. Persons, including parents, who used corporal punishment were held criminally liable. Guidelines had been developed for parents on disciplining children without using corporal punishment and a centre that worked to educate parents on protecting children had been set up. Corporal punishment in schools was banned in the 1990s. Inspectors conducted visits to schools to ensure that the rights of students were not violated.
The Prosecutor’s Office stepped in if there were conflicts of interest between parents and children. Child psychologists were deployed to determine the best interests of the child. Children’s confidentiality was protected in courts.
The Ministry of Education attached great importance to inclusive education. Curricula were adapted for children with disabilities and protocols had been adopted for children with autism. There were programmes for vocational training for children with disabilities.
Questions by Committee Experts
ROSARIA CORREA, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said that Qatar had a set of measures to combat violence between children in schools. Were there response measures and a recording mechanism for such violence? Some 83 per cent of children reportedly suffered from some form of harassment in primary school.
What measures had been taken to ensure children could grow up in a pollution-free environment and access green spaces? How did education programmes address climate change? What impact was climate change having on Qatari children and how was the State working to mitigate its effects? How was the State party encouraging children’s involvement in designing environmental policies? How did the State party monitor children’s nutrition?
How did the State party ensure that parents equally shared responsibilities concerning child-rearing? When parents divorced, the mother lost custody of her children in Qatar. Were women who were victims of sexual exploitation criminalised in the Criminal Code?
TIMOTHY P.T. EKESA, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said the national action plan on the inclusion of children with disabilities in schools had commendable objectives, but there was a lack of clarity on measures being implemented to achieve inclusion. Had the plan, which expired in 2023, been renewed? Were there provisions in draft legislation on persons with disabilities that prohibited discrimination against children with disabilities in education? The Committee had previously called on the State party to implement a national action plan on human rights education; had this been done?
The Committee commended the State party’s high quality and widely accessible health care system and the launch of the national health strategy for 2023-2030. Would children receive targeted attention under the strategy? There were reports of discrimination in access to health centres for non-Qatari citizens. What measures were in place to address disparities in access to healthcare? Qatar had one of the highest rates of adolescent obesity in the region. How was the State party addressing this? How was it promoting access to mental health for children and adolescents?
BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said that Qatar had not ratified the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Convention against Discrimination in Education. Why was this? Why did most Qatari families choose private schools, while non-Qataris typically attended public schools? What was the State party doing to support education costs? There were schools that supported children who had dropped out of school; how effective were they? Was there an official sexual and reproductive health education programme in schools? What was being done to promote access to safe and inclusive spaces for play and recreation?
The Committee was concerned that Qatar continued to detain migrant children and families. In which detention centres were migrants placed? Were there plans to revise the policy of detaining migrant children? Most migrant workers in Qatar were men. Were there plans to revise family reunification rules to make it more accessible for workers with low wages? Were there plans to regularise the children of migrants born in Qatar?
Members of the Al-Ghufran clan had been deprived of their nationality many years ago. How many of these people still did not have Qatari nationality, and were there plans to resolve their situation? How did the State party ensure that migrant children could enrol in schools and how did it investigate complaints issued by domestic workers? How many girls were working as domestic workers? What programmes were in place that supported children in street situations? What results had been achieved by the law on trafficking in persons? What measures had been implemented to prevent and prosecute cases of trafficking in children occurring during the 2022 World Cup?
Qatar had one of the lowest minimum ages of criminal responsibility in the world, at seven years of age, and many legal protections for child offenders only applied for children under age 16. How many children up to 18 years old were deprived of liberty and in what settings? Were they mixed with adults? Were children in detention informed about the National Human Rights Committee’s complaints mechanism? Did the State party intend to ratify the Safe Schools Declaration?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said corporal punishment against all persons was prohibited, including punishment of persons with disabilities. There was no dedicated legislation on domestic violence, but there were legislative measures that covered domestic violence, and a court had been set up that specialised in domestic violence and temporary shelters, mandated to protect women and children who were victims of domestic violence. In 2024, the State party organised workshops training for around 5,000 people on issues such as protecting children from violence and intimidation. There were around 40,000 confirmed cases of domestic violence between 2024 and 2025.
Initiatives had been adopted to minimise the impact of climate change on children, including adaption of infrastructure and measures to reduce carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy. The State party had constructed 18 square kilometres of green zones in 2023 and an additional eight in 2024. There was also a course within the school curriculum that focused on protecting the environment and living sustainably. Schools celebrated a “sustainability week”. Qatar had also taken measures to ensure the provision of good quality water. It periodically monitored water and air quality in schools, kindergartens and public hospitals.
Qatar promoted children’s health through various measures. Nine free health check-ups were provided to children up to age five. The State party encouraged exclusive breastfeeding up to six months; there had been a sharp increase in breastfeeding rates over the past decade. The State party had developed programmes to tackle the child obesity rate, which aimed to reduce this rate by 30 per cent by 2030. School nutrition clinics provided specialised services to prevent childhood obesity and nutritional problems. A 2022 law governed universal healthcare coverage.
Sexual and reproductive health education and education on drug addiction were provided in schools from primary level, and there was also teaching on the protection of children from neglect, and online and sexual exploitation. Children were instructed on how to find psychological assistance, and on alerting authorities about threats.
Qatar promoted access to a healthy environment for children with disabilities. It had beaches that had been adapted to ensure accessibility. Various projects were being developed for children with disabilities up to 2030. A single database covering all children with disabilities in the education system had been set up. Qatar had over 5,300 pupils with disabilities in public and private schools. Some 62 per cent of schools were inclusive. There were specialised training programmes for children with disabilities that supported them to become autonomous.
Children with disabilities had access to specialised healthcare through 10 healthcare centres tailored to their needs, including four centres for children with autism. The third national strategy 2024-2030 included measures for improving rehabilitation and diagnosis services for persons with disabilities. Social workers, family and community members were trained to care for children with disabilities and support their inclusion in society.
Qatari legislators sought to recognise children with disabilities as having legal capacity on par with others, and to promote their access to work, education and other rights. The draft disability code had been developed and was now being deliberated by the Government. Measures to exempt persons with disabilities from certain Government fees were being developed. Legislators sought to promote access to complaints mechanisms for children with disabilities and their families. The State funded legal aid services to support children in court, including children with disabilities.
The draft child code defined all persons less than 18 years old as children.
As part of the 2024-2030 development strategy, the State party had visited schools and engaged in dialogue with students, parents and teachers. “Sustainability ambassadors” who promoted environmental protection were appointed in schools, and young people could contribute to the Shura Council. Many children had taken part in drafting the State party’s report.
The State party was promoting awareness of human rights for children through social education courses and campaigns in schools, through which children learned about the Convention, gender equality, democracy, acceptance of others, cybersecurity, and preventing bullying. Media campaigns on children’s rights were carried out and manuals and training programmes had been developed to inform teachers, social workers and other public officials about children’s rights. The State party organised annual events to mark Children’s Day.
Qatar was committed to protecting school establishments from attack. It had signed the Safe Schools Declaration and participated in the Education for All initiative. Qatar helped organise events on 9 September each year at United Nations offices in New York and Geneva to mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
Public schools applied international standards, including the international baccalaureate programme. Migrant parents could choose the school that their children attended and the language of instruction. The State ensured the provision of free schooling to students coming from regions of armed conflict.
Questions by Committee Experts
BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked whether police provided sexual education in schools? Was legal aid free for every child and accessible from the first stage of arrest? Did the State party criminally prosecute children who were addicted to drugs?
TIMOTHY P.T. EKESA, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said Qatar generally prohibited abortion, only allowing it in three special cases. There were severe penalties imposed on women who received unauthorised abortions. How many unauthorised abortions had the State recorded over the reporting period?
Another Committee Expert asked about the likelihood of approving the children’s act soon. Would Qatar provide a complete definition of the child in this legislation?
A Committee Expert asked about awareness raising campaigns in place to reduce the rate of child deaths from road accidents, which remained quite high in Qatar. How was wastewater treated and what percentage of the population had access to potable water?
One Committee Expert asked if Qatari children had access to contraception. Were children who were the product of rape given Qatari nationality? Did national institutions take a gender specific approach? Was free legal assistance provided to victims of domestic violence?
A Committee Expert asked about the level of integration that the State party’s hotline had with law enforcement, health services and social services. What services were provided to children of adults deprived of liberty, including adults on death row?
SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, asked whether the State party had measures to reduce children’s screen time and a policy on artificial intelligence and its effects on children.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the 2015 law on the departure of migrants set up a mechanism for entering and exiting Qatar. It regulated the provision of housing, healthcare and education for migrants, as well as the conditions migrants needed to meet to obtain residence permits. Migrants who did not meet these conditions were deported following the standard procedure. Persons without identity documents who were accompanied by children, as well as stateless and unaccompanied children, were placed in a shelter while being processed. In 2024, there were 22 such detentions, and thus far there had been six detentions in 2025. The State party worked with relevant embassies to support processing of these people.
A directorate had been established that was mandated to prevent road accidents.
Psychological support was provided to children whose parents had been sentenced to death. The Criminal Procedural Code provided for two years of reprieve from detention for pregnant women, and when both parents were charged with the same crime, one parent was granted reprieve from detention to care for their children while the other parent was detained.
The age of criminal liability started from seven years. From ages seven to 16, judges could only impose sanctions requiring the child’s parents to obey certain commitments or send the child to rehabilitation programmes. The juvenile justice system was based on rehabilitation, not punishment. Children aged 16 to 18 were more aware of their actions and thus had increased criminal liability. The death penalty could be used on such children, but judges could commute the sentence, considering the age of the child when the crime was committed. No one aged 16 to 18 had been sentenced to death in Qatar.
Qatar had evacuated over 65,000 people from Afghanistan in 2021. Qatar provided these people with housing and psychological support and facilitated their voluntary travel to other countries. The State had also evacuated many children from Gaza to Qatar, providing them with free healthcare and education.
Sexual education was provided by teachers and social workers, not police, in schools. A national workshop had been set up to develop sexual education; psychologists were involved in this process.
The State had a legal aid office with attorneys who provided children with free legal assistance and defended them in court. The office also provided assistance in cases of domestic violence.
Islamic Sharia was the source of laws in Qatar. Criminal legislation on abortion was in line with Sharia. In the State’s view, foetuses had the same rights as adults and benefited from legal protection. Abortions could only take place if the pregnancy threatened the life of the mother. Children who were the product of rape could access Qatari nationality.
Qatar had created legislation combatting cybercrime, which punished all digital intimation and threats. There were harsher sentences when the victim was a child or had a disability. The State had also launched a platform that aimed to educate children and families on the safe use of digital technology and build children’s digital skills. It had a national strategy on artificial intelligence and was committed to developing digital infrastructure that respected human rights.
Qatar had acceded to International Labour Organization Conventions 138 and 180 on child labour. The State’s law on domestic workers protected such workers from exploitation. The law banned hiring people under 18 years of age for domestic work. Migrant workers needed to be 18 years of age or older. Domestic workers had the same rights as other workers, including regarding access to healthcare. There was a Government Department that received complaints from domestic workers, which operated in 11 different languages.
The State party respected the rights of migrant workers to live with their families. These workers could bring their children to the State if they fulfilled a strict set of conditions.
Qatar had criminalised all forms of trafficking of persons, including labour exploitation. Penalties for trafficking were increased when the victim was a child. There was a committee within the Ministry of Labour that was responsible for combatting trafficking in persons. Qatari law was in line with the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
The hotline for reporting violations of children’s rights was manned by psychologists, who assessed the urgency of the complaint and referred it to the relevant authorities.
The Qatar Social Work Foundation worked to enhance family bonds and to prevent domestic violence. It provided lectures for prospective parents and counselling and mediation services seeking to resolve family problems amicability. The Foundation worked to defend children’s rights in cases of divorce, providing them with psychological counselling. Legislation had been developed that ensured that custody could be provided to mothers in cases of divorce.
Concluding Remarks
AISSATOU ALASSANE SIDIKOU, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, thanked the delegation for the interesting dialogue. Many efforts had been made by the State for children, but challenges remained. The Committee hoped that the dialogue would help to improve protections for children in Qatar. Ms. Sidikou said she hoped that the members of the State party would carry all children in their hearts in their work.
AHMAD BIN HASSAN AL-HAMMADI, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee and all persons who had contributed to the constructive dialogue, which was an important opportunity to promote the rights of the child and global peace. The State party would use the Committee’s concluding observations to improve measures for children. The Committee needed to consider the information provided by the State and its cultural specificities. Qatar was committed to cooperating with the Committee and to addressing the challenges and risks it faced concerning the rights of the child. It had achieved great progress in human rights over the years through cooperation with human rights mechanisms.
SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, said that the information provided by the State party would help the Committee to assess the achievements made by Qatar and the challenges it faced. The Committee respected States’ cultural specificities, but violations of the Convention could not be justified in any circumstances. The Committee would do its best to develop concluding observations that would strengthen the rights of children in Qatar to the extent possible. It hoped that the State party would present further progress for children in its next dialogue with the Committee.
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