With the arrival of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Arab country is, more than ever, in the sights of fans and foreign citizens. The most prestigious sporting event in the world has not only exposed the strict Qatari norms, rules and customs, but also has revealed the difficult and, for some, dark panorama that women face.
(Also read: World Cup in Qatar: they issue a harsh warning to homosexuals).
Although Qatar is a modern country in many respects, when compared to its Gulf neighbors, the female gender only represents 25 percent of the population – according to World Bank figures – in a state of 2.9 million people. population.
Its numerousness is equivalent to its quality and lifestyle: discriminatory policies, violation of human rights and lack of state protection are just some of the great challenges that women have to face in Qatari territory.
The challenges of Qatari women
1. Extramarital relations are a crime
Having sex outside of marriage is not only frowned upon, it is also illegal in Qatar. This act can lead to imprisonment of up to seven years or even the death penalty.
Consensual sexual relations outside of marriage between men and women over 16 years of age are a crime and are included in article 285 of the Penal Code; however, the lack of protection is greater when sexual abuse is reported, since women can face accusations of extramarital sex.
“A woman’s testimony is worth much less than a man’s is worth, and many times it is not even taken into account. Men can have up to four wives at a time, without asking anyone’s permission; but if a woman is raped—out of wedlock—she is tried for adultery”, pointed out the journalist Delfin Campos for the digital portal ‘Universidad’.
(Keep reading: World Cup in Qatar: the list of deaths, abuses and all the Cup scandals).
2. They must have legal guardians
To marry, study abroad with government scholarships, access many government jobs, travel abroad, and receive some forms of reproductive health care, Qatari women must have the approval of a legal guardian.
In the case of women who have not married, the father -or, failing that, a brother- has legal guardianship; whereas, when a woman marries, family guardianship is transferred to her husband.
“Women in Qatar have broken down obstacles and made significant progress in areas such as education; however, they still have to contend with official male guardianship rules that limit their ability to lead full, productive, and independent lives,” said Rothna Begum, women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
3. Domestic violence and marital rape is not criminalized
According to a World Bank report, there is no specific law against domestic violence or rape that protects women from possible attacks by their husbands or guardians.
In fact, according to a human rights report prepared by the US in 2021 -quoted by the newspaper ‘El Confidencial’-, sexual assaults and other gender-based crimes are “rarely” reported. The reason? They fear falling prey to the social taboo that denunciations imply.
(Of interest: Qatar 2022: why do Shakira and other stars hesitate to be on the ‘show’?).
4. Divorce and children
While men have a unilateral right to divorce, women must apply to the courts on limited grounds. If they do, they face a panorama of discrimination, criticism and social pressure.
In the case of having children, divorced women cannot obtain legal guardianship of minors or influence decisions about their lives.
In the latest Global Gender Gap Index produced by the World Economic Forum in 2020, Qatar ranks 135 out of almost 150 countries.
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