Qatar National Vision 2030

Human Development

Pillar 1 / Human Development

The Human Development pillar stands as a cornerstone of sustainable progress, recognising that the nation’s most valuable resource is its people.

About Human Development

This pillar embodies a comprehensive strategy to cultivate a highly skilled, innovative and capable population that can drive Qatar’s ambitious goals forward.

It targets investments in education, healthcare, workforce development, as well as research and innovation.

Achieved milestones

01 – First National Development Strategy (2011 - 2016)

Increased enrolment in early childhood education
Improved K-12 curriculum with a focus on STEM subjects
Introduced fundamental reforms, with over 200 target outcomes fulfilled within the set time frame
National Health Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management was established in 2016
Expanded healthcare infrastructure, including new hospitals and primary health centres.
Implemented e-health initiatives
Initiated Qatarisation programs to increase national workforce participation
Established the Qatar Leadership Centre for professional development
Increased funding for research through the Qatar National Research Fund
Established the Qatar Science and Technology Park to promote research and innovation.

02 – Second National Development Strategy (2018 - 2022)

Improved the K-12 education system ranking to be in the top 50 in 2022
Implemented further curriculum reforms to align with international standards
Inaugurated Qatar National Library public opening in 2018
Implemented the National Health Strategy 2018-2022
Achieved a region-leading life expectancy of 80.3 years
Launched a national action plan to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic
Maintained one of the world’s lowest mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic
Focused on preventive care and combating non-communicable diseases
Advanced telemedicine and digital health services
Increased female participation in the workforce from 37% to 42% between 2016 and 2021
Enhanced labour market reforms to increase private sector participation
Implemented new initiatives for entrepreneurship and SME development
Increased R&D spending as a percentage of GDP
Devised and implemented the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Strategy.

03 – Third National Development Strategy (2024 - 2030)

Note: As this strategy is still in its early stages, the following points are based on announced plans and targets.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education Strategy 2024-2030 launched
18% of students graduating in STEM fields
10% of professionals to have advanced ICT skills
Reduce non-communicable disease mortality rates by 36%
Focus on precision medicine and personalised healthcare
Achieve an average life expectancy of 82.6 years and fertility rate of 3.0
Enable and develop citizens into globally competitive individuals
Increase women’s participation in the workforce
Attract and retain high-skilled expatriate talent in key sectors
Aim to position Qatar as a regional hub for research and innovation
Increase commercialisation of research outcomes
Focus on key areas such as sustainability, AI and biotechnology.

Human Development

Progress by Numbers

Below are some of the key indicators of progress achieved during the first, second and third national development strategies aimed at realising the Qatar National Vision 2030.

50

International ranking for K-12 education system

80.3 years

Qatar’s region-leading life expectancy

42%

Female participation in the workforce by 2021, up from 37%

200

Target outcomes fulfilled