Shura Council discusses proposal to enhance services, privileges for elderly
DOHA: The Shura Council has convened its regular weekly session, chaired by Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, at the Tamim bin Hamad Hall at the Council's headquarters.
At the beginning of the session, Secretary-General of the Council, HE Naif bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud, read out the meeting agenda. The Council then approved the minutes of its previous session.
During the session, the Council reviewed the report of the Social Affairs, Labour, and Housing Committee regarding the proposal submitted by HE Member Issa bin Ahmed Al Nasr, which focuses on providing enhanced services and privileges to the elderly. The proposal seeks to strengthen care and support for this respected group, ensuring their needs are met across all aspects of life.
Reviewing the report, Chairman of the Social Affairs, Labour, and Housing Committee, HE Abdulrahman bin Yousef Al Khulaifi, emphasized that caring for the elderly aligns with the principles of family cohesion and social justice outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030. He highlighted that this group deserves greater attention and appreciation in recognition of their valuable contributions to society and the nation.
Al Khulaifi further explained that although various initiatives and services for the elderly currently exist, they remain fragmented and lack a unified legislative framework. This calls for the development of specific legislation to safeguard their rights and improve the quality of services provided to them.
The proposal presented several key recommendations, including the enactment of a dedicated law to grant the elderly distinct privileges and facilities in their daily lives.
It also called for the allocation of designated parking spaces for the elderly in both public and private areas across the country, ensuring these spaces are located near main entrances and clearly marked with appropriate signage.
The proposal further recommended enhancing healthcare services for the elderly by giving them priority in booking medical appointments at public health institutions, with the option to refer them to contracted private medical centers, in addition to providing a comprehensive health insurance system that fully covers their medical expenses.
Additional recommendations included allocating special areas for the elderly in government service centers to streamline their transactions and exempting them from certain public service fees.
The proposal also called for issuing official identification cards for the elderly by a competent authority, enabling them to access discounts and benefits in collaboration with the private sector.
Following a thorough discussion of the report and its recommendations, the Council approved the proposal and resolved to submit it to the esteemed government.
During the same session, the Council also approved a draft law concerning lost and abandoned property and a draft law on water, both in their amended forms. The Council referred the drafts to the esteemed government after reviewing the reports of the specialized committees and discussing their details with the honorable members.
Separately, the Council discussed a draft law amending certain provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Law, promulgated by Law No. (20) of 2019, as referred by the esteemed government. The Council decided to forward the draft to the Internal and External Affairs Committee for further study and reporting.
The Council also discussed a draft law amending certain provisions of the Lawyers' Law, promulgated by Law No. (23) of 2006, which had been referred by the esteemed government. The Council resolved to refer the draft to the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee for detailed review and submission of its report.
Furthermore, the Council approved amendments to certain provisions of the Shura Council's internal regulations, issued under Law No. (8) of 2024, following its review of the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee's report. The amendments were subsequently referred to the esteemed government.
The session continued with the Council reviewing the report of the Social Affairs, Labour, and Housing Committee regarding the esteemed government's response to the Council's earlier proposal on reorganizing and monitoring domestic worker recruitment offices. The Council made the appropriate decision on the matter.
The Council also reviewed the esteemed government's response to its previous proposal concerning the promotion of national values and identity within Qatari society. It was decided to refer the matter to the Education, Culture, Sports, and Media Affairs Committee for further study and feedback.
The Council later reviewed the report on the participation of its delegation in the third edition of the South-South Parliamentary Dialogue Forum, held last April in Rabat, Morocco. The forum was titled "Interregional and Continental Dialogues Among Countries of the South: A Key Lever to Address New Challenges to International Cooperation and Achieve Security, Stability, and Shared Development."
Additionally, the Council reviewed the report on the participation of HE Issa bin Ahmed Al Nasr in a parliamentary symposium organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union under the theme "Digital Challenges to Peace, Inclusion, and Human Rights: The Role of Social Media Platforms in Spreading Hate Speech and Strategies to Combat It," which was held virtually last March.
A number of senior officials from the Center for Empowerment and Care of the Elderly (Ehsan) attended the session.
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