Woman minister in Oman
Oman, Politics, 3/9/2004

It was announced in Muscat yesterday the appointment of a woman minister in the Omani government, Dr. Raweyah Bin Masoud Bin Ahmad el-Bouseidi, who as from yesterday became a minister of higher education, according to a decree issued by Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, that coincided with the celebrations of the woman's world day.

The new minister is known in the Omani society at the level of higher education, as she has worked for many years in the field of education as a teacher and a researcher. She also worked as a consultant for the minister of education and then a secretary for the higher education minister.

ONA reported that Sultan Qaboos bin Said stressed "the importance of womenÕs effective participation in international development stemming from her role in family and society as well as her role in the national economy. ...We call upon Omani women everywhere, in the village and the cities, in both urban and bedu communities, in the hills and mountains, to roll up their sleeves and contribute to the process of economic and social development Ð everyone, according to their capabilities, experience, skills and their position in life. The country needs every pair of hands for the progress of its development, stability and prosperity."


In addition to minister al-Buseadi, there is another woman who occupies the post of the minister. She is Aesha Bint Khalfan al- Seyabai who presides over the general commission for artisans industries. There are also four women at the position of a ministry secretary and one female secretary, while number of women in higher posts in the country tolls 12% and women constitute 49.5% of the country's total population.

The elections of the Omani Shoura council, which took place in 2003 resulted in two women winning out of 83 members in seats in the parliament under efforts and official media campaigns which used to urge women to benefit from their full right to elections and nomination, while in the state council ( which is formed by appointment) woman occupies 8 out of 57 seats.

According to official statistics, women form 10% of the total labor forces in Oman. This rate, however, is expected to increase with the expansion of education rate, as female enrolment rate in schools reached 49% and this rate reaches 61% in the faculty of education.

ONA reported that "Statistics show that Omani women in the civil service sector account for 31% of the total personnel. They occupied 19% of public vocations which are not subjected to the civil service system and 18% of the private sector employees who are registered at the Public Authority for Social Insurance are women and 56% of teaching staff posts at government schools are occupied by women, girls represent 49% of students in the general education system as follows: 47% of students at a preparatory stage and 50% of students at a secondary stage. In the Higher Education female students make 61% of students studying at Education Colleges, 26% at the Sharia and Law College while at the Sultan Qaboos University girls make 55% of students admitted at the diploma level, 50% of students at the degree level and 35% of students admitted for post graduate studies."

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