Doha, Qatar – 27th November 2025
In an ongoing partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) GCC Sub-Regional Office in Muscat, Oman, the National Planning Council and the Permanent Population Committee in the State of Qatar successfully organized a training program on the topic: "Dignity, Empowerment, and Participation for Older Persons in the GCC Countries". Approximately forty male and female trainees from Qatar and other GCC countries participated in the event, which was held from November 24-26, 2025, at the Pullman West Bay Hotel in Doha.
Comprehensive Training Structure
This comprehensive training included an important preparatory phase: a one-day online introductory training session that preceded the main workshop for all participants. This remote session was held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, to prepare and orient participants. The online program covered the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA), including the human rights of older persons requiring greater protection, an introduction to the National Scorecards on Aging, and a focus on Evidence-Based Policies. Welcome speeches were delivered by representatives from the National Planning Council of Qatar and the UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the GCC during this initial session.
Key Objectives and Strategic Partners
The workshop saw the participation of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs and the GCC Statistical Centre as strategic partners. The primary goals of the program were to foster greater awareness of aging issues and the challenges facing older persons in GCC countries. It aimed to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to adopt a human rights-based approach in aging policies and programs and provide them with the information and tools needed to effectively engage older persons to develop informed policies and ensure their rights.
Leadership Insights and Focus Areas
The training was inaugurated with a speech by Mr. Sultan Al Kuwari, Vice-Chairperson of the Permanent Population Committee, who welcomed the organizing entities and participants, emphasizing the importance of the workshop's theme in shedding light on the reality of older persons in the GCC and the challenges they face regarding their human rights.
This was followed by a statement from Jocelyn Fenard, UNFPA Representative in Oman ,Head of the Sub-Regional Office for the GCC. He stressed the importance of guaranteeing the rights and well-being of older persons, ensuring their integration into society, and their continued participation as active citizens. The intervention from the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs highlighted the significant attention given to older persons' issues in GCC countries, citing available data that indicates the speed of demographic shifts, particularly the increase in the number of elders, which necessitates strengthening relevant strategies.
A presentation was then delivered by a representative of the GCC Statistical Centre, who reviewed the reality of aging in GCC countries based on available data, specifically regarding elders' enjoyment of their human rights across ten areas related to protection included in international protection agreements.
Workshop Activities and Outcomes
Following the opening remarks, the workshop activities focused on key areas over the three days.
Day One concentrated on the reality of older persons within the national context of GCC countries. This day concluded with an interactive exercise on developing qualitative indicators to measure the extent to which older persons enjoy their human rights.
Subsequent days continued this focus, with one day dedicated to highlighting the human rights of older persons at the national, regional, and international levels. The third day addressed the process of developing human rights-based policies for older men and women and ensuring their effective participation.
