DIFI Forum on Family Wellbeing: Towards evidence-based family policies

The Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), will organize a two-day national forum on the 26th and 27th of February, 2019 at QNCC, in an effort to contribute to the institute’s mission of making family issues a top priority for policymakers in Qatar.

One of DIFI’s tools to effectively influence the policy cycle in Qatar is to not only produce empirical evidence related to effective policy-making but also to bring policy owners, concerned authorities, and relevant stakeholders together to facilitate discussion of such matters within an integrated platform. Accordingly, the rationale of the forum goes beyond the dissemination of research outcomes and enters into the wider sphere of policy impact in regard to the following two overarching themes of critical public relevance for families in Qatar:

(1) The Wellbeing of Families Living with Autism.

(2) Work Family Balance

Thus, this national forum will debate these two timely themes, which were carefully selected via inter-related, empirically guided stages to purposefully inform policy transformation.

Objectives

1. Share a summary and debate the key findings and recommendations put forth in DIFI’s recent research projects on these priority themes.
2. Discuss the contextual challenges facing the development and implementation of related policies
3. Highlight those national, regional, and international policies and best practices of relevance.
4. Propose realistic and effective policy options and program interventions

Potential Participants

1. Experts, Academicians, and Researchers
2. Policy Makers
3. Service Providers
4. Private Sector
5. Civil Society Organizations
6. Think Tanks and Policy Institutes

Structure
In order to take the research findings forward, this forum will enable the policy makers, service providers, and other participants to discuss the key findings of DIFI’s recent research studies on the two themes of the forum and to recommend policy solutions that address the key challenges identified. These will be presented by the study and report writers in a panel format and followed by thematically grouped discussion panels. These open discussion panels will provide a venue for brainstorming among all participants to contribute to more comprehensive policy recommendations.

Outcomes
These panel discussions will conclude with two policy memos that will put forth expert recommendations on the future of such policies in Qatar.

Agenda
For the agenda please click here

For the Photo Album, click here