Figure 4.5: Classification of Foundation Students (Source: Qatar University, 2008).
Figure 4.6: Economically non-active population by sex (Source: Qatar, Statistics Authority 2008).
Furthermore, numbers from Statistics Authority show that 69.2% of economically non-active females are full-time housewives and 27.44 % are full time students. 73% economically non-active males are full-time students whereas for the remaining 27 % of the males their situation is unfamiliar, meaning that the reasons are other than family related responsibilities.80
The number of non-economically active females has increased from 2007 to 2009.81 Also, as we can see in Figure 4.7, the percentage of full time female students has increased from 27.44% to 36.4%. The percentage of full time housewives has, on the other hand, decreased from 69.2% to 55%. The increase in non-economic activity for females from 2007 to 2009 may be due to different factors. We have the statistical variations that may count for some of the change; there may also be an effect of the new opportunities within the educational system. The new universities in Education City came during this period and working women may have chosen to leave the job to enter university. Reference may here be given to the
80 Qatar, Statistic Authority, Women and Men in the State of Qatar, 67.
81 Qatar, Statistic Authority, “Bulletin Labour Force Sample Survey 2009”.
reported increase in fulltime students.
Figure 4.7: Distribution of economically non-active women (Source: Qatar, Statistics Authority 2009).
Figure 4.8 shows the distribution of the economically active population based on occupations.
It is interesting to notice the concentration of Qatari females in professional specialist occupations, at the rate of 49.7%, followed by clerical occupations in banks and ministries at the rate of 28.8%. According to Statistic Authority, the high ratio of females in professional specialist occupations is because most Qatari females have chosen teaching as their preferred profession. Furthermore other job opportunities for women are found in other professions in educational and clerical positions at governmental ministries. Qatari males are more evenly distributed over all occupations.82
82 Qatar, Statistics Authority, Women and Men in the State of Qatar, 40.
Figure 4.8: Economically Active Population by occupation (Source: Statistics Authority 2008).
Economically active Qataris are strongly concentrated in the governmental sector. As we can notice in figure 4.9, the ratio for the governmental sector range between 68.7% (male) – 74.5% (female) of the total labour force, followed by governmental institutions, counting for 16.8% of the total economic active female workforce. The corresponding figure for the male labour force in governmental institutions is 15.4 %.83 The concentration of nationals in the governmental sector is despite the fact that the private sector is dominating the labour market, employing 78 % of the total labour force.84 However, only 5.6 % of Qatari males and 2.4% of Qatari females choose the private sector. The numbers are slightly increasing in the mixed sector, where 10.1% of Qatari males are employed compared to 5.8% of Qatari females.
83 Statistics Authority, “Bulletin Labor Force Sample Survey State of Qatar 2009”.
84 Statistic Authority, “Analytical Summery Labour Force Sample Survey Results, 2008,”
http://www.qsa.gov.qa/eng/surveys/labor_force_analytical_summary_2008.pdf (Accessed March 29, 2010).
Figure 4.9: Distribution of Economical Active by sectors (Source: Statistics Authority 2009).
As we have seen, there has been a quiet sharp drop for economically non-active females, from more than 70% in 1986 to around 50% in 2007. However, there is still a wide gap between females and males in the economic activity rate. This situation has continued despite the improved conditions and opportunities for women’s participation in the labour market. As it will take time before new policies become effective, it is important to look at the family indicators such as analysis of fertility rates and other indicators such as average year for first marriage for Qatari women. These statistics might explain some of the developments in both the educational system and in the labour market.
4.3 Family planning: Average age of marriage, fertility and care burden
Average age of marriage can be regarded as an indicator related to progress for women. We can notice in Figure 4.10, a slow but gradual rise of the first marriage age for females and males in Qatar. The rise of average age of marriage is probably because males and females are waiting to get married until after education is finished. For women, the average age of marriage rose from 19.2 in 1986 to 24.8 in 2004. There has been a slightly fall back from 24.8 to 23.7 in 2007, however this may be due to statistical variations.
Figure 4.10: Average age at first marriage (Source: Qatar, Statistics Authority 2008).
As we can see in Figure 4.11, the fertility rate of Qatari women went from 5.8 in 1986 to 3.9 in 2007, i.e. a reduction of approximately 30%. It is reasonable to suggest that the constant drop in the total fertility rate of Qatari females is due to the increase in women’s enrolment in higher education, as well as the increase of economically active women.
Figure 4.11: Fertility rate of Qatari females (Source: Statistics Authority 2008).
Education seems to be among the most important factors when analyzing reduced fertility.
Therefore, it is necessary also to look at the relationship between total fertility rate and the mother’s educational level. The following figure shows that the higher the mother’s educational level is the lower becomes her fertility rate.
Figure 4.12: Fertility rate by mother’s educational level (Source: Qatar, Statistics Authority, 2008).
Furthermore, if we look at the number of children under five years per Qatari women, we
have to assume that the care burden has decreased over the last three decades. The reduced care burden must be seen as a direct consequence of the decline in the total fertility rate.
Figure 4.13 shows that the number of children under five years per woman has decreased from around 0.9 in 1986 to around 0.7 in 2007.
Figure 4.13: Children under 5 per woman (Source: Qatar, Statistics Authority, 2008).
In the educational sector, the ratio of female students at university level has been high compared to male students since the 1980s. As previously mentioned one of the reasons behind this trend may be that male students in large numbers have joined the job market once they finish secondary school. Women on the other hand, have continued their education at university level. The job opportunities for women after finished education have been limited compared to the opportunities for men. This is in contrast to the female dominance at university level. While the economic activity rate reached 94.5 for Qatari males, the total Qatari female’s rate reached 49.3%. The majority of Qatari female employees have teaching as their profession as well as clerical positions in the governmental ministries. Qatari male employees on the other hand, are more evenly represented in all occupations. The majority of the Qatari employees force is concentrated in the governmental sector. The reason for the concentration in the governmental sector is most likely the high degree of job-security
compared to the more competitive environment in the private sector. Also, for female employees (and probably also for some males) the governmental sector might be more suitable in order to combine work and family.
Despite the wide gap between genders in the economic activity rate, the statistical data reviewed in this chapter show progress for Qatari females. The proportional distribution of economically non-active female has decreased steadily in the data available from 1986 until 2007. Also, the decrease in the total fertility rate is a clear sign that Qatari females choose to spend more time on education or in the work place. However, there are needs for further analysis in order to understand why Qatari females to such degree are less economical active than men. The next chapter will focus on in-depth interviews with a selection of Qatari as well as non-Qatari informants and evaluation of their experiences and opinions on the development in Qatar.
5 Presentation of analysis
In this chapter I will analyze the job opportunities for women in Qatar. The hypotheses that were made in the introduction are further developed in this chapter.
Hypothesis A: Governmental support and arrangements for women at the work place.
Hypothesis B: Family traditions.
Hypothesis C: The educational system.
Hypothesis D: The structure of economy and its influence on women’s participation in the labour force.
The use of in-depth interviews will be the most important part when testing these hypotheses.
Also, I will use data from a variety of written sources, both academic literatures, magazines, and research reports. Most of the academic literature is collected in Qatar and is mainly written in Arabic.