A Better World Volume 1

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Omani women’s empowerment

Department of Women’s Affairs, Ministry of Social Development, Sultanate of Oman

mani women have achieved a great leap in their

development and empowerment. They hold many

positions, including leadership positions, in the

political, economic, social and cultural rights spheres.

These achievements were made possible by the Sultan

Qaboos bin Saeed, who ensured since the early 1970s

that women were the main partner and the second pillar,

alongside men, in advancing development and progress

and building the community.

The Sultanate adopted the approach of empowering women

to achieve its goals in many areas. The first of these was legal

and constitutional developments to promote gender equal-

ity and women’s empowerment. Regulations and laws are

derived from the Statute of the State, which is the most impor-

tant reference in the rights of women. The statute makes no

distinction between men and women in regard to their public

rights and obligations and public office, and it is intended to

achieve justice and equality of opportunity between Omanis.

The basic law was issued by Royal Decree 101/1996 and

amended by Royal Decree 99/2011. It is the supreme legislation

in Oman and all laws and regulations must be issued in conform-

ity with its provisions. Thus its provisions pay a great detail of

attention to women. Article 9 forms the foundations of govern-

ance in the Sultanate, and refers to equality of various kinds.

The guiding principles of State Policy Article 12, on social

principles, are that the state will enact laws that protect the

employee and employer and regulate the relationship between

them. Public service is a national service entrusted to caretak-

ers, and state officials must target the interests of and service

to the community in the performance of their public duties.

Citizens have equal access to public office under conditions

established by law.

Article 17 stipulates that “all citizens are equal in law, and

they are equal in public rights and duties, without distinction

due to race, origin, colour, language, religion, creed, social

status or domicile.”

Article 3 of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act

of 1973 provides that “the words which denote or refer to

the masculine include the feminine. The masculine pronoun,

manifest and latent, includes the feminine.” In light of this

article, Omani legislation refers to the masculine, which

includes masculine and feminine.

The Sultanate joined the provisions of the Convention

on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

Women under the provisions of Royal Decree 42/2005.

This convention is part of the applicable law of the country.

Government agencies are responsible for the judicial applica-

tion of its provisions and must not issue any instructions or

regulations incompatible with the convention.

Women are entitled to obtain a passport without the

approval of their guardian. Note that the Statute of the State

guarantees freedom of residence and movement to all citizens

as stipulated in Article 18. The Sultanate also adjusted the

land entitlement governmental act under the provisions of

Royal Decree 125/2008, ensuring women’s equal access with

men to a piece of land.

Another area of focus was women’s education. Article 13 of

the Statute of the State stipulates that education is a fundamen-

tal pillar of a state-sponsored community. The state provides

public education, combats illiteracy and encourages the estab-

lishment of private schools and institutes. Omani women have

achieved high levels in basic education and higher education,

as well as accessing to senior positions and specialized areas.

Statistical indicators illustrate this equality. Omani public

schools have an equal percentage (50 per cent) of male and

female students. In private schools, the ratio is 55 per cent

male and 45 per cent female students. Higher education insti-

tutions in the Sultanate admit 39 per cent male students and

61 per cent female, while for those outside the Sultanate the

ratio is 59 per cent male students and 41 per cent female. The

percentage of females in vocational training centres increased

from 43 per cent in 2012/13 to 50 per cent in 2014/15.

Image: Ministry of Social Development, Oman

Women participating in the police force: Omani women represent 42 per

cent of workers in the public sector

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