What This Measures
Female labour force participation measures the proportion of working-age Qatari women who are either employed or actively seeking employment. It is a composite indicator of social progress, educational attainment, institutional enablement, and cultural evolution — all dimensions that the Human Development pillar of QNV 2030 explicitly targets.
Qatar has one of the highest female university enrollment rates in the Gulf, with women accounting for the majority of graduates from Qatar University and Education City institutions. Translating educational attainment into labour market participation is the central challenge this indicator tracks.
Baseline
Approximately 29 percent (2010) — At the baseline, female labour force participation among Qatari nationals was concentrated in the public sector, particularly in education, healthcare, and government administration.
Current Value
Approximately 37 percent (2024 estimate) — Participation has risen steadily, driven by educational attainment, government employment expansion, and gradual cultural norm evolution. The public sector remains the dominant employer of Qatari women, though participation in financial services, education, and healthcare has expanded.
2030 Target
42 to 45 percent — Implied by NDS cycle objectives and ministerial commitments to increasing women’s economic participation. Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy emphasises female workforce integration as a human capital priority.
Status Assessment
On Track — The rate of improvement from 29 percent to 37 percent over approximately fourteen years represents meaningful progress. Reaching 42 to 45 percent by 2030 requires continued annual improvement of approximately one to two percentage points, which is achievable if current enabling policies are sustained and expanded.
Key Drivers
High female educational attainment — women constitute approximately 70 percent of Qatar University’s Qatari graduates. Government employment policies that provide family-friendly working conditions. Childcare infrastructure expansion. Leadership visibility, with Qatari women holding prominent roles in Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, and several government entities.
What Needs to Happen
Reaching the upper bound of the target range requires expansion beyond public sector employment into private sector roles. This demands childcare infrastructure, flexible work arrangements, anti-discrimination enforcement, and private sector employers who recognise the commercial value of Qatari female talent. Cultural norm evolution — particularly around the acceptability of certain private sector roles and work environments — must continue. Remote and hybrid work models, accelerated by the pandemic experience, offer a potential pathway for increased participation without requiring workplace cultural change at the same pace.