Project Details


WSIS Prizes Contest 2021 Nominee

Theqa


eCommerce Trustmark

Description

Theqa is a non-for profit governmental program that aims to support all the online shoppers' community in Qatar regardless of their gender. "Theqa", which means “trust” in Arabic, is an eCommerce Trustmark, an electronic label indicating that an online merchant has demonstrated its conformity to standards regarding business practice, privacy, and security.
Theqa was created to help drive eCommerce in Qatar given the high internet penetration rate. This badge of trust gives peace of mind to local residents and nationals that it is safe to shop from local merchants due to the challenging market.
Theqa aims to inspire trust and empower growth across Qatar by encouraging spend and facilitating entry to market of new eCommerce players. The entrance of new merchants will increase job and investment opportunities across the country.
The Ministry of Transport & Communications (MOTC) has been working on setting up the Trustmark for over a year and officially launched in October 2019 with 42 early members from the local online merchants community. MOTC is planning to grow nationally with local service providers and internationally by partnering with international Trustmark associations to ensure their common goals are achieved together and the network of eCommerce in Qatar becomes international.
Today, the program have successfully certified 187 merchants. Also Qatar will be one of the first countries piloting social eCommerce by piloting Social Theqa.

Project website

https://www.theqa.qa/


Images

Action lines related to this project
  • AL C5. Building confidence and security in use of ICTs
  • AL C7. E-business 2021
  • AL C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
Sustainable development goals related to this project
  • Goal 1: No poverty
  • Goal 2: Zero hunger
  • Goal 3: Good health and well-being
  • Goal 5: Gender equality
  • Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Coverage
  • Qatar

Status

Completed

Start date

15 May 2018

End date

29 October 2019


Target beneficiary group(s)
  • Youth
  • Older persons
  • Women
  • Indigenous and nomadic peoples
  • People with disabilities
  • The unemployed
  • The poor
  • Migrants
  • Remote and rural communities
  • Local online shoppers & online merchants

Replicability

This initiative helps promote the trust of online shoppers and incentivizes business owners to conduct their business online and hence empower economic growth across the Qatari society, therefore all countries that have an online shopping market can benefit largely from such a project.


Sustainability

This project is sustainable as it is a long term program with the aim of expanding and growing on both the national and international levels. Moreover, the need for such a program will resume for the long term, given the high level of expansions electronic markets are going through.


WSIS values promotion

Theqa aims to support the eCommerce industry by facilitating the entry of new eCommerce merchants and creating more opportunities for job seekers and investors. Theqa will also increase eCommerce sales by promoting how easy and accessible online shopping is, and promoting the shoppers trust. Theqa is also planning to work with international eCommerce Trustmark associations to achieve the common goal of increase safe online shopping.


Entity name

Ministry of Transport & Communications (MoTC)

Entity country—type

Qatar Government

Entity website

https://www.motc.gov.qa/en