Progress Amid Resistance

416 WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAAs with the few available elective positions, women are not adequatelyrepresented in appointive government offices, although their numbers haveincreased in recent years. As previously mentioned (see “Nondiscriminationand Access to Justice”), the emir, who appoints judges, has chosen nofemales for the positions. However, women now head the Ministry ofHealth and the Ministry of Education and have been appointed as presidentof the Supreme Council for Information and CommunicationTechnology, president of Qatar University, manager of NOCHT, presidentof the Elections Committee, executive director of the Family ConsultationCenter, and executive director of the Social Development Center. Despitethese advances, women fail to hold positions of power such as ambassadorshipsor as police commissioners, or any positions within the security systemsand planning fields. On the other hand, women dominate leadershippositions in education.Political parties are banned in Qatar, meaning the country’s limitedpolitical and electoral activity is generally based on family and local ties.While the constitution does guarantee freedom of association within theconfines of the law, the relevant legislation imposes a number of bureaucraticobstacles to the formation and operation of civil society groups.Licensed groups are barred from straying beyond their approved missionsand into politics or other sensitive areas. 61 Government-affiliated organizationslike the NHRC, however, have advocated improvements in women’srights, including political and associational rights.The constitution guarantees the right of assembly “in accordancewith the provisions of the law” under Article 44, but this right is severelyrestricted for both men and women. 62 The few demonstrations that havebeen allowed in recent years are typically aimed at supporting foreignpolicy positions favored by the government. For instance, an officiallysanctioned rally in March 2007 expressed support for Iraqi unity and thePalestinian cause. 63Similarly, the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression andthe press are curtailed rather than protected by the law. 64 The country’sonly broadcasters—Qatar TV, the satellite television station Al-Jazeera,and the Qatar Broadcasting Service radio network—are either run by orfinancially dependent upon the state. Al-Jazeera’s international programminghas highlighted women’s issues on occasion, however, and local newspapershave highlighted the plight of women evicted from their homes forfailure to pay rent.