Sultan Qabous includes one woman in the Omani government

Omani official sources said that Sultan Qabous of Oman issued a decree stated to found a ministry for sport affairs and appoint a third woman in the new governmental formation.

According to the new formation, the post of the minister of sport affairs was assigned to engineer Ali Bin Masoud al-Suneidi.

In the same context, Qabous appointed Sharifa Bint Khalfan as a minister for social development in succession of Sheikh Amer Bin Shwein al-Housni, to be the third woman to joint the government since the beginning of the current year.

The minister of higher education Raweyah Bint Saud al-BuSeideyah was the first woman in the history of the Sultanate to assume the post of a minister. She was followed by the minister of tourism Rajeha Bint Abdul Ameer Bin Ali.

Also in a decree the Sultan appointed Thoubeya Bin Ahmad Bin Issa al-Barwaneyah as a member in the state council -- which is considered a middle commission between each of the Shoura council and the government -- This council also includes other five women.

In 2003, Aesha Bint Khalfan al-Seyabi was appointed a chairperson for the general commission for artisans industries, at a ministerial level.

Worthy mentioning that Oman is the first Gulf state to give women the right of electing and nomination in 1994. It was followed by Qatar and Bahrain. The Shoura council in Oman includes two women.