At stake in this Referendum:

• The referendum will ask voters to approve Qatar's first ever written constitution.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani
• Head of Government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani **
• Assembly: Qatar has a unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) with 35 seats.

** Prime Minister ABDULLAH is the brother of the monarch.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Referendum on approving Qatar's first written constitution -One of the clauses in the draft constitution specifies the formation of a 45 member Advisory Council, with 30 of its members subject to direct popular vote. Members will have a four-year term and have the power to legislate laws and budgets.
  -Other clauses provide for freedom of association, expression and religious practice, and to allow women to vote and hold office.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 668,165 (2003)
• Registered Voters: 85,000 ( 2003 approx.)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 241,746 (2003)

·         Is Qatar a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Qatar ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (29 April 2009)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: N/A

·         Human Development Index Position: 32 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Qatar a signatory to CRPD: Yes (9 July 2007)

·         Has Qatar ratified CRPD: Yes (13 May 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 100,224 (est.)