Doha: The Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) — a member of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development — organised a series of regional youth discussion sessions in three Arab countries under the title “Youth Views on Marriage and Its Challenges”.
The first session was held in Morocco, in cooperation with the National Institute for Social action in Tangiers, while the second was held in Jordan, in partnership with the National Council for Family Affairs. The last session was held in the State of Qatar, in cooperation with the Qatar Debate Center.
The participants of the discussion sessions were from different Arab countries, who exchanged views on marriage, their aspirations, the social and economic factors that they believe affect marital relations, and the challenges they face.
DIFI Executive Director Dr. Sharifa Numan Al Emadi stressed on the importance of creating a social infrastructure that supports the healthy marriages, pointing out that marriage is the basis of a healthy family and a strong society.
“With the change in perceptions and attitudes towards marriage, and the changes that the marriage institution is witnessing due to the formative changes that are occurring in today’s societies, and the emerging social trends, there is a need to change the perception of young people towards this institution” she said, noting that such discussion sessions give us an in-depth look at the views of a future generation about marriage. This helps in providing appropriate policies and support systems.
Dr. Sharifa Al Emadi expressed her happiness with what she found from the participating Arab youth and their deep understanding and advanced thinking, which added momentum and diversity to the discussions, expressing her aspiration to share the results of these discussions ahead of the upcoming international conference titled, “Marriage: Formation and Constituents of Stability” in February 2021.
Regarding the discussion session held in Morocco, Professor of higher education at the National Institute for Social action in Tangiers, Thouria Hossam, said that the session reviewed important opinions of married and unmarried young people between the ages of 18 and 30 years, which resulted in a very rich workshop that lasted longer than originally planned because of the enthusiasm and participation of the attendees.
Regarding the discussion session held in Jordan, Project Manager at East and West Center for Sustainable Development (WE Center) Afnan Haloush, said that the researchers asked questions that influenced the dialogue and allowed the participants to discuss the topic from different points of view, think about it and express their opinions comfortably, explaining that the discussion touched on the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marriage in Jordan and the impact of modern technologies and social media on marital life, in addition to the steps that countries can take to address these challenges.
Nadia Darwish of the Qatar Debate Center said the third session held in the State of Qatar provided an opportunity for young people to review the challenges they face in marriage since they are directly involved in these difficulties in the different environments and circumstances.
