VZCZCXRO6839
RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #0986/01 2841235
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111235Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7149
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000986 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN KPAO PREL PHUM QA
SUBJECT: QATAR NOMINATION FOR THE 2008 SECRETARY'S AWARD 
FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 126072 
 
¶1. Embassy Doha nominates Amal Abdullatif Al Mannai to 
receive the Secretary of State's Award for International 
Women of Courage for 2008.  Amal Al-Mannai has been informed 
of her nomination and was flattered by the news.  Requested 
information follows: 
 
Full Legal Name:  Amal Abdullatif Al-Mannai 
Job Title/Association:  General Manager of the Qatar Social 
Development Center 
Date of Birth: 12 AUG 1962 
Country of Birth:  Qatar 
Citizenship:  Qatari 
Address:  Qatar Social Development Center, Box 3509, Doha, 
Qatar 
Telephone:   974 4927027 
Fax:   974 4801971 
Mobile:   974 5050222 
Email:  info@qf.org.qa 
Passport Number:  00610318 
 
¶2. While outwardly progressive in many respects, Qatar 
remains a deeply conservative tribal society in which women 
rarely benefit from the rights they theoretically enjoy under 
Qatari law.  The rights - and protection - of women have 
been, until recently, a priority for only a small minority in 
Qatari government.  Amal Al-Mannai deserves great credit for 
changing that perception and for opening Qatari society for 
the prospect of full participation by women.  Justification 
for the award follows: 
 
- Amal Al-Mannai is a pioneer in the field of social work, 
specifically in support of women and the family, in Qatar. 
She was appointed in 1996 General Manager of the Qatar Social 
Development Center (SDC), one of the most successful, 
well-known developmental organizations in the country. 
During her tenure, Al-Manai has been successful in making 
development of the family and the community in Qatar the 
primary focus of the center through well-designed programs 
that promote community involvement in encouraging family 
stability and self sufficiency. 
 
- Al-Mannai has several years of wide-ranging experience with 
social projects management in both the government and the 
private sector.  Under her supervision, a number of 
successful and ambitious projects and programs have been 
launched, such as the Micro-Star Project, a supportive tool 
to encourage women and men, either alone or as a group, to 
develop private businesses, and the Business Development 
Program, which is designed to search, assess and finalize 
business ideas to be transformed into investment 
opportunities. 
 
- Al-Mannai played a great role in enhancing the family's 
ability for self-reliance by launching industrial projects 
within her center to create job and training opportunities 
for low-income families. The recipients increased their 
financial status through the Social Development Projects, 
which are tools to offer business opportunities for active 
families and individuals who have the ability to produce 
products or services, enabling them to actively achieve 
independence and financial self-sufficiency by influencing 
work values in society. 
 
- Al-Mannai engaged in extensive discussions with the ILO 
Regional Office for Arab States on encouraging Qatari 
nationals (women and men) to start their own businesses 
rather then relying on employment opportunities in the public 
sector.  Her discussions resulted in the establishment of a 
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Center focused on 
Qatari nationals.  This center has contributed to the 
national goal of providing employment opportunities to 
Qataris in the private sector, which leads to effective 
economic and social participation of Qatari nationals in the 
development of their nation. 
 
- Al-Mannai, through the SDC, in cooperation with the 
Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, established the 
Charity Dialysis Unit Project.  This project aims to help 
expatriate kidney failure patients who are not able to afford 
the cost of treatment.  A specialized dialysis unit was 
opened at Hamad Hospital, where individuals donated seven 
dialysis machines. 
 
- Al-Mannai participates in various committees and taskforce 
groups such as the "Children Rights Agreement", the "Gender 
Committee" and the "National Strategic Women Development 
Committee". 
 
- Al-Mannai received a BS in Economics in 1985 and a High 
Diploma in Public Policy and Management from London 
 
DOHA 00000986  002 OF 002 
 
 
University. 
 
¶3. Post appreciates the opportunity to honor Amal Al-Mannai's 
contributions to the development of women and the family in 
Qatar. 
RATNEY