Working Lives: Qatar

There's a small revolution taking place in Qatari employment. After decades of reliance on foreign workers, there is now a nationwide push to 'Qatarise' the workforce.

Coupled with this attempt to encourage many more of the country's 300,000 native Qataris into active employment, is a drive to significantly increase the number of women who work.

Leading the charge is Buthaina Al-Ansari, the human resources director at QTel, a $10bn (£6.13bn) telecommunications company.

Wife and mother to four children, Buthaina sees her mission as improving the working lives of the women around her.

"I'm using Qtel to execute my vision in this country which is helping women to be at the senior level at their company or the country."

Buthaina herself is now ranked 19th in Arabian Business Magazine's list of most powerful women in the Middle East.

Extremely reluctant to disclose her salary, she is encouraging others like her to take up the training and work experience that will transform not just the workplace in Qatar.

"Like any other woman in other parts of the world we want to improve ourselves and be a role model for our kids.

"We need to enhance their capabilities, their skills, their education. This will not come while I'm staying at home."