Breaking taboos, Qatari female vet forges her own career path

When Dr. Muneera Al Fadala first decided to study veterinary medicine, she recalled facing a great deal of pushback from her relatives.

“They told me that animals are dirty and filthy and I shouldn’t work with them,” the now 28-year-old Qatari recalled.

But years later, that initial dismay has turned largely into pride, after seeing Al Fadala in action as one of the country’s first local veterinarians.

Explaining the challenges and rewards facing Qataris in her profession, Al Fadala, who appeared on Al Jazeera Arabic last month, shared her journey with Doha News ahead of International Women’s Day.

Because she works for the government, she often comes face-to-face with fellow nationals as they seek treatment for their pets or livestock.

They are often astonished when she comes to their aid, she said, often asking, “Are you absolutely positive you’re a Qatari female vet?”

But she continued: “Many told me they want their daughters to turn out like me…and the young girls would tell me they want to become vets too, but they are too scared of (being judged by) Qatari society and culture.”

Original article by Heba Fahmy

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Breaking taboos, Qatari female vet forges her own career path