Omani Women’s Day: Figures reveal huge participation of females in building of the nation

Since 2009, 17 October is celebrated in Oman as Omani Women’s Day. It was the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said who dedicated this day to the Omani women whom he knew were a force to reckon with.

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Most of the organisations in Oman have issued special messages in their Social Media handles congratulating Omani women.

The growth trajectory of Omani women in this fifty years of renaissance is clearly visible as figures of their participation in nation-building reveal.

There is a rising number of Omani women working in government and private organizations as indicated by National Centre for Statistics and Information Oman’s (NCSI), report.

At the end of last year there were 70,565 women employed in private sector and 83,175 in government sector – these figures indicate the increasing number of women who are well equipped in the job-market with the necessary educational qualifications. The report also indicated that, of the total workforce in government sector, 42% is women which in private sector, 26.6%.

Enhance their role

The report by NCSI also throws light on Omani women’s changing preference in choosing their profession and shifting to jobs that were not in their domain. A recent report by UK’s Guardian newspaper commended the support given by the Sultanate’s government to Omani girls to enhance their role in domestic development programmes.

Omani women are a formidable force in taking the nation in its forward trajectory, and this isfurther reiterated with the inclusion of two women ministers and four women undersecretaries in the current government.

While Omani women are employed mostly in the industries of education, human health and social work activities, they are also neck to neck in the spheres of financial and insurance activities as well as information and communication. A sizeable number of them are also present as directors, managers as well as in administration. Many business ventures that run successfully are spearheaded by Omani women, especially, the field of fashion and designing has names that command a pan-GCC following.

Last year’s Man Booker Prize winner Jokha Al Harthi, who won the award for her book Celestial Bodies is an Omani writer and author, who has inspired many Omani ladies to reach out to higher realms.