The Ministry of Social Development and Family has launched its comprehensive long-term national program, "First Year of Marriage". It is concerned with family cohesion to reduce divorce rates in Qatari society and identify its causes and address the factors leading to it.

This national program aims to support emerging families to achieve a stable and successful family life, qualify new couples as well as prospects for marriage to overcome the obstacles to matrimonial life and raise community awareness of spouses' rights and duties under the Islamic sharia. It calls for the strengthening of partnerships between couples, affection, and compassion. This was in partnership with the Family Consulting Center (Wifaq) and The Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam).

For her part, Her Excellency Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser, the Minister of Social Development and Family, said, "The First Year of Marriage Program is a comprehensive social movement in the light of the Ministry's slogan that Qatar is strong with the cohesion of its families. It works at all levels of awareness, process, and training." She added that "the program includes an educational and awareness theoretical aspect, as well as training and application bags. This aimed at strengthening the strength and toughness of the Qatari family and the success of the institution of marriage within the community. "

Her Excellency Al-Misned emphasized the close joint action between the State's private and governmental institutions to promote the social status of Qatar. This has raised the situation of family awareness of the youth group regarding marriage and the conditions for its success. Raising awareness of the attitudes is also discussed and to be exercised by the spouses, such as financial management, mutual and ongoing dialogue, how to cope with crises and the management of psychological pressures, and other basic keys needed by couples specifically during the early years of marriage. 

In this context, estimates from the Planning and Statistics Authority indicate that most divorce cases take place during the first five years of marriage. Many of those cases occurred within the first year.

Moreover, this program includes the first year of marriage, and 4 main axes, including the educational awareness axis, the applied training axis, the counseling axis, and the creative axis responsible for attracting young people of both sexes to raise awareness about plans for success and safe passage from the first years of marriage.

It also works to invest in scientific research, field, and survey research, to study marriage and divorce issues in Qatari society. This was in cooperation with the competent authorities, intending to understand the roots and causes of divorce, and then draw supportive policies to bring about societal change.

The First Year of Marriage program includes a digital platform that combines electronic content and practical training. It is also concerned with qualifying those planning to get married and providing them with scientific content by a group of experts and specialists and providing young people with the knowledge, skills, and values that enable them to establish cohesive families, which will generally be reflected in reducing divorce rates.

The program is based on the principles of Islamic law and personal status law, including 15 hours of training for the participants in the program. Those in charge of the program relied on the Ministry of Social Development and Family work team on 300 scientific references and 150 master's theses when designing the content of the First Year of Marriage Program, making it the most comprehensive and credible program at the national level.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Social Development and Family is currently evaluating a set of various activities and awareness-raising events in commercial complexes as part of the first year of marriage program, in Doha Festival City, Mall of Qatar, and Vendome Mall.