DIFI conference calls for liberal policies to build stronger marriages

On last day of Doha International Family Institute’s conference on marriage, QF member offers insights on how to address marital challenges

OPEN dialogue can help create healthier marriages, stronger families and more stable communities, according to relationship specialists who spoke on the final day of Doha International Family Institute’s (DIFI) conference on marriage.

Featuring thought leaders, policymakers, social science specialists, researchers and representatives of non-governmental organisations, civil society and young people, the global conference, titled ‘Marriage: Formation and Constituents of Stability’, underscored various issues that challenge marital stability and called for policies and programmes to prepare young people for marriage.

The discussions on the last day of the conference focused on the importance of support systems in strengthening marital stability, particularly for marriages facing challenging situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic and displacement due to conflict. They also examined the valuable role of extended families and marital education programmes.

Kick-starting the last day was a session on ‘The Future of Marriage Policies’. Moderated by Hitmi Khalifa Al Hitmi, lecturer, Qatar University (QU) and social media influencer, its speakers included Dan Anderberg, professor, Department of Economics, Royal Holloway, University of London; Shafi Al Hajri, associate professor, QU; Hairil Fadzly Md Akir, deputy director-general, National Population and Family Development, Malaysia; Suhaila Ghuloum, senior consultant psychiatrist, Hamad Medical Corporation; and Balázs Molnár, vice-president for Strategy and Coordination, Kopp Maria Institute for Demography and Families, Hungary.

Citing examples on how policies can foster stable marriages, Hitmi said: “I consider it necessary to broaden the scope of premarital screening and include more matters than those being currently examined.

“This conference will help academics and non-academics to broaden their perspective of future policies on something integral that affect all human beings, such as marriage. Discussing these topics may bear fruit and lead to an increased percentage of successful marriages.”

In a session on ‘Extended Families and Marital Stability’, Saleh Al Ghadori, director of Social Affairs Department, Executive Bureau, Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs, Kuwait; Reem Abu Hassan, former Jordanian minister of social development; Parveen Ali, senior lecturer and deputy director of Research and Innovation, Health Sciences School, University of Sheffield, the UK; and Robinson Mose Ocharo, associate professor, Department of Sociology and Social Work, the University of Nairobi, Kenya, gathered to discuss the types of support provided by extended families. The session was moderated by Sheni Hamid, political strategist, advisor and media consultant, the UK.

“Extended families create a social network that supports the new family, providing it with security, psychological support and protection for the couple and children. They also contribute to resolving disputes faster and emphasizing the concept of social responsibility,” Ghadori said.

Crisis can also put significant strain on marriage and families, which was highlighted in the sessions ‘Marriage in the Time of COVID-19’ and ‘Marriage in Conflict Zones’.

Moderated by Mohammed Al Hayder, positive psychologist and people empowerment expert, the session on COVID-19’s impact on marriage featured speakers Haela M Almikrish, executive deputy to the Secretary General, Family Affairs Council, Saudi Arabia; Lissel Mogaka, director, Family Promotion, Protection and Social Welfare Division, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection State Department for Social Protection, Kenya; and Ibrahim Al Ansari, event & wedding planner.

Najat Al Abdullah, director of the Family Affairs Department, Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs; Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Thani, special envoy of the Arab League Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs; Yafa Shanneik, lecturer in Islamic Studies, University of Birmingham, the UK; Hanan Ashegh, founder, Goodwill Caravan, the UK; and Susan Karamanian, dean, College of Law, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), also spoke on the last day of the conference.

The last day also included two Ask the Expert sessions with Dr Aisha Al Mannai, professor and director of Muhammad Bin Hamad Al Thani Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization, College of Islamic Studies, HBKU; and Humoud Fahad Alqashan, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Kuwait University, and family and marital therapist.

In her closing remarks, Dr Sharifa Noaman Al Emadi, executive director, DIFI, said: “This multifaceted forum has enabled us to underline the Arab nature of our mission’s principles on the Arab family.”

More than 1,000 individuals attended 18 interactive discussions spread over three days of the conference.