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Qatar’s Cabinet endorsed two key draft laws during its regular meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in Doha on Wednesday, as it instructed government ministries and institutions to treat the Amir’s recent address to the Shura Council as the main guide for their activities in the period ahead. The approvals covered comprehensive legislation on children’s rights along with a separate measure focused on their digital protection, alongside additional steps to reinforce child safeguards and manage radiation activities. The session came one day after the Amir outlined national priorities at the opening of the Shura Council’s new legislative term.
The child rights draft, prepared by the Ministry of Social Development and Family, forms an integral part of that ministry’s 2025-2030 national strategy, which shifts the focus from welfare toward empowerment across family, women, vulnerable groups and social solidarity. This proposed law seeks to create a full legal structure for the care and protection of children so they can develop in secure and stable conditions that support their overall well-being. The Cabinet decided the text will appear for 10 days on the Al Meezan legal portal and the Sharek platform to collect public comments before it proceeds to legislative examination.
A distinct draft law on the digital protection of children received approval after a study managed by the Cabinet’s General Secretariat in cooperation with concerned bodies, addressing the growing presence of online platforms in young people’s daily routines. The measure aims to regulate children’s engagement with digital tools while shielding them from associated hazards such as harmful content and privacy violations. Officials framed both drafts as responses to evolving social and technological realities that require updated statutes aligned with national development goals.
Supporting data from the Doha International Family Institute shows that 81 percent of children in Qatar enjoy internet access and spend an average of 4.5 hours online each day, with many parents noting adverse effects on sleep patterns and academic performance.[[1]](https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/05/10/2026/qf-research-puts-families-at-heart-of-qatars-national-digital-safety-drive) Further findings indicate that adolescents with average grades may log up to 10 hours online on weekdays, while 30 percent of parents seldom supervise such activity, pointing to the urgency of stronger regulatory frameworks. Seminars held in early October 2026 by the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science echoed these concerns, urging coordinated action by families, schools and authorities against threats including cyberbullying, grooming and extortion.
The latest Cabinet action continues a legislative trajectory that saw the Shura Council debate digital child protection in May 2026 and the Cabinet review a related Shura proposal the following month, building on an earlier child rights draft approved in 2024. In September 2026 the Ministry of Social Development and Family rolled out its “Digitally Aware Family” campaign under the slogan “Their Protection, Your Responsibility,” involving more than 20 national entities in over 120 awareness activities that promote parental guidance and safe online habits.[[2]](https://www.msdf.gov.qa/en/media-center/news-list/msdf-launches-digitally-aware-family-campaign-under-slogan-their-protection) The strategy itself, launched in June 2025 under the theme “From Care to Empowerment,” emphasises family cohesion, support for orphans and broader social protection measures, according to the Government Communications Office.[[3]](https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/media-centre/top-news/he-the-prime-minister-launches-ministry-of-social-development-and-family-strategy-2025-2030/)
These steps reflect Qatar’s ongoing commitment to human development priorities embedded in the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030 and its obligations under international instruments for child welfare. Public input gathered during the consultation period is expected to inform refinements before the drafts advance to the Shura Council for debate and eventual promulgation. The Cabinet’s decisions reinforce a policy emphasis on preventive legislation that balances technological progress with the safety and rights of younger generations.
