oa Public Awareness of the Role of Civic Organizations in Qatar

Background: Civic organizations play a major role in the welfare of society and they are a good indication of how developed a society is. Over the last few years the state of Qatar has witnessed the development of several such organizations, dealing with various aspects of the psychological and social life, for both individuals and families. There has been some debate and discussion, particularly in the local media, regarding whether or not people living in Qatar are aware of these civic organizations and to what extent they are aware of the specialties and services provided by these organizations.

Objectives: The Social Rehabilitation Centre Doha, wanted to test the knowledge and awareness of people living in Qatar and so chose ten organizations as examples These ten selected organizations deal mostly with treatment, counseling, rehabilitation and support for individuals or families.

Methods: This is a survey of 505 subjects in Qatar. The participant group was made up of both Qatari citizens and expatriates, both males and females of different age groups. The survey investigated participants’ knowledge of ten civic organizations in Qatar. We used a questionnaire designed specifically for this survey, and we presented the participants with 25 scenarios, each of which raised a different problem, and asked them to name the organization(s) they are more likely to consult for each of these problems. Statistical analysis was then performed.

Results: It is obvious from the results of the survey that although there is some overlap between some of these organizations, the studied participants have a good understanding of the specialties and services provided by these organizations. The study shows that there is still room for these organizations to raise further awareness about themselves through launching campaigns using varied media sources.

Conclusions: Although the survey shows that the studied sample has a good understanding of the roles and specialties offered by these ten organizations, it also shows there is a need for such organizations to communicate effectively with each other in order to improve their services to the society at large. Several recommendations were made, which will be presented at the Conference.