Her Excellency Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, the Minister of Social Development and Family, is heading Qatar’s delegation to the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, which kicked off at the UN headquarters in New York and will continue through March 22.

In its current session, the Commission is discussing policies and strategies aimed at accelerating the achievement of social justice principles and empowering women and girls. These discussions focus on addressing poverty, strengthening financing institutions from a gender perspective, and reviewing the obstacles and challenges faced by women in their development journey across various levels and spheres.

During the opening speech of the session, Al Misnad highlighted the essence of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 in achieving social justice principles. She emphasized the leadership’s unwavering commitment to achieving sustainable development goals for all vulnerable and marginalized groups in society, in line with the directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Al Misnad underscored that Qatar’s National Vision 2030 has ushered in a new phase, prioritizing attention to all segments of society, including women. The vision’s fundamental pillars of human development, social development, economic development, and environmental development underscore the importance of projects aimed at empowering women socially and economically. These projects are placed at the forefront of priorities to achieve the foundational aspects of social partnership outlined in the vision.

She highlighted the ‘Without Borders’ exhibition in New York, which displays several achievements of a group of creative Qatari women, and also shows their great abilities in breaking restrictions and barriers to self-realization, as they draw inspiration for creativity in particular from the path of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who has started many social and educational initiatives, not only in Qatar, but in the Arab world and beyond.

The minister drew attention to the efforts of the State of Qatar and its commitment to bringing peace and resolving conflicts in areas of armed conflict that affect women and children by following peaceful and safe methods, and making the utmost efforts in discussing women’s issues and needs and striving to provide viable solutions.

In this context, she pointed to Qatar’s rapid response in hosting the wounded and injured women and children of the Gaza Strip in the wake of the humanitarian catastrophe that the Strip is witnessing.

Concluding her speech, the minister voiced solidarity with all women and girls in Gaza in the harsh conditions and the humanitarian crisis that has continued for the past five months, praising the efforts of all those working to achieve peace and those who risk their lives to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.