Fans’ concern over the World Cup dress code in Qatar has dispelled, as they confirmed they had had no fears or problems attending the World Cup matches, which are taking place for the first time in an Arab and Islamic country .
Brazilian fan Daniela Crawford, who traveled from Brazil to attend World Cup matches in Qatar, was concerned about the conservative dress code. But like many women who have participated in the tournament, she said she didn’t experience any problems.
“In Brazil, people are used to it, but we came here and decided to show how we are,” said Crawford, who wore shorts and posed for photos with her husband and two children outside Doha’s Education City Stadium before Brazil – Croatia’s quarter-final match last week.
Ahead of the World Cup, the Qatari government, FIFA and national governments have recommended that participants from around the world respect local customs, from women’s dress to the consumption of alcohol.
Female fans told the Associated Press that despite their concerns, they didn’t experience any problems and only had to make minor changes to the way they dressed. Some have welcomed Qatar’s strict limits on alcohol, saying it makes them feel safer. At the same time, according to the agency, Qatar is presenting the tournament as an opportunity to overcome stereotypes about the role of women.
Qatar is a conservative country and most Qatari women wear a headscarf and loose clothing in public. But it’s also home to a population of more than two million foreign workers, which far outnumbers the country’s roughly 300,000 citizens, so it’s used to foreign women.
Bimi Ragai, a Filipina who has worked in Qatar for eight years, said she always felt safe. She added that clothing isn’t a problem as long as you know the limits.
For her part, Isabeli Montero, a 32-year-old Brazilian fan, said she wore longer skirts instead of shorts and had no difficulty.
“No one is looking at us in any way, especially since we are in a World Cup with different cultures from all over the world,” he added.
Fatima Al-Nuaimi, spokeswoman for the Qatar Supreme Committee for the World Cup, said women played a key role in organizing the World Cup, including many senior positions on the Supreme Committee.
She hoped the legacy of this tournament would change attitudes towards women in the region.
“Many people have the wrong idea, especially when it comes to the role of women in Qatar or the region,” she added. She added that fans who come to Qatar see that “women have rights and women really have power.”
Qatar says improving the situation of women in the small Gulf state is one of its priorities.
Women hold a number of important governmental and academic positions, as the cabinet includes three female ministers. The emir’s mother, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Misned, is one of the most famous women known for supporting social causes in the region.
Qatar also has one of the highest female education rates in the Arab world. There are twice as many Qatari women attending university as Qatari men, and nearly all Qatari children – boys and girls – attend primary school.
Yet the country remained at the bottom of the World Economic Forum’s gender gap report for years, which tracks gaps between women and men in employment, education, health and politics.
Rights groups have specifically cited laws that require a guardian’s permission for women to travel or marry, and they say women often need the same permission for work or some forms of reproductive health care, including Paps. test.
About 37 percent of Qatari women are employed, which is a high percentage in the region, but has remained stable in recent years, according to government statistics. By comparison, Saudi Arabia has seen more robust growth, with the proportion of working Saudi women rising from 14% in 2019, one of the lowest rates in the region, to almost 27% this year.
Mayad Al-Emadi, project manager of the FIFA Fan Festival, said that the women involved in organizing the tournament will be an example for other women who want to play soccer or sports in general.
“Globally, football is a male-dominated sport,” he added. But she said the women organizers were supported by their male colleagues “to succeed and to make the world look up to us today.”
