Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) Information

Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) is a global policy and advocacy Institute working to advance knowledge on Arab families and promote evidence-based polices. How we started DIFI was established by Her Highness Sheikha Moza BintNasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development in 2006, and is an integral part of the Foundation’s efforts to foster healthy, educated societies underpinned by strong cohesive families in Qatar and the region. DIFI achieves its objectives by: - Fostering knowledge on Arab families and advancing family policies and programs through research. - Promoting the development of evidence-based policies to strengthen and support families at the national, regional, and international levels. - Building networks and facilitating the transfer of knowledge and best practices to strengthen Arab families. DIFI’s mandate is based upon the Doha Declaration on the Family which reaffirms the commitments of the international community to strengthen the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society and encourages governments, international organizations and members of civil society to take action to promote and support the family by conducting research which contributes to the knowledge base on the family and developing indicators to evaluate the impact of programs on family stability. DIFI operates as a non-governmental organization (NGO) within the framework of Qatar Foundation – a private, non-profit organization founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir of Qatar. The Institute has special consultative status with United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Vision DIFI’s vision is to become a global knowledge leader on issues facing the Arab family through research, policy and outreach. Mission DIFI’s mission is to support the aims of the 2004 Doha Declaration on the Family by: - Contributing to the global knowledge base on current issues facing the Arab family through the development and dissemination of high-quality research, - Encouraging knowledge exchange on issues related to the family across an international and interdisciplinary network of researchers, policymakers, and service providers, - Making family issues a priority for policy-makers through advocacy and outreach at the national, regional and international levels, and - Building an international network of regional experts.