Two Decades Of DIFI Support To Arab Families Highlighted At Education City Talk

Doha, Qatar: Over the past two decades, Qatar Foundation's Doha International Family Institute has held a leading national, regional, and global role in placing family issues at the heart of policy agendas – and its impact across these years has been highlighted at an Education City event.

A session titled '20 Years of Policy Change: DIFI's Story of Global Impact' saw Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Family, H E Khalifa bin Issa bin Abdullah Al Kubaisi and Executive Director of Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) Dr. Sharifa Al Emadi explore how its research, recommendations, and advocacy have helped move family issues from discussion to policies and practical action that respond to the changing needs of families.

Moderated by Director of Advocacy and Outreach at DIFI, Dr. Khaled Al-Naama the talk also reflected on how family policy across the Arab world has changed over the past two decades, and the role DIFI has played, alongside its partners, in advancing the global knowledge based on Arab families and bringing their needs and perspectives into policy discussions.

Since its establishment in 2006, DIFI has strengthened research on Arab families, promoted evidence-based policies, and helped bring Arab perspectives into national, regional, and global family policy discussions.

Dr. Al Emadi said,“We moved from producing knowledge about families to influencing policies and changing laws in ways that support family cohesion.

“What makes the world trust us is that we bring evidence. We are not speaking from a personal point of view; we compare evidence with evidence, away from personal opinions.

“Through our research, and through our partnership with the Ministry, we are able to move from research to policies that can be implemented on the ground.”

Al Kubaisi reflected on the partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and Family and DIFI, and on the role of research and evidence in supporting the development of national policies, programs, and strategies related to families.

“What distinguishes DIFI is its understanding of the local context, and this has made it a strategic partner for the Ministry in projects that support family cohesion. The research we draw on today is built on 20 years of accumulated experience at DIFI,” he said.

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