Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Omani women have played a crucial role in the development of the country for generations, and will be integral to nation-building in the future.
Those are the views of 10 Omani women interviewed for Omani Women’s Day, which falls on 17 October every year. Standing side by side with their male colleagues, Omani women also play an active role to achieve the aspirations of communities and societies, as well as their own, said Tahira Al Lawati, a Majlis Al Shura member.
“Social development cannot be limited to one group of people, without considering others,” she said. “Instead, we must make sure everyone benefits. I urge Omani women to continue on their path of giving their best, and contributing to the development of society in whatever field they find themselves in. Let us also not lose sight of our pivotal and fundamental role to care for the family, and raise our future generations.”
In this context, Dr. Fathiya Al Qassabi, a senior consultant family physician at the Ministry of Health, said the role of Omani women had been pivotal to society during ancient times as well, helping enrich the communities of which they were a part. It is a role they will continue to adopt, to guide today’s youth as well.
“I am sure the current generation of Omani women – especially those in leadership roles – is able to give and contribute positively to building a renewed nation,” she said. “What I aim to do as a doctor, is to empower the next generation to develop their scientific and practical careers, as well as create an environment that stimulates and encourages work, innovation, and the continuous development of technical, administrative, and research skills.”
This was also the opinion of Maryam Al Hashmi, the head of the Omani Women’s Association in Kamil and Al Wafi, who added that dedicating a day for Omani women is testament to their skill and dedication.
“The country continues to witness great interest in empowering women and youth in the labour market, as these two sections of people play an important factor in the development of all sectors of the national economy,” she said. “Together, we aspire to build a better future for this country that is dear to all of us.”
Rahma Al Musafer, the chairperson of the board of Al Rahma Association for Women and Child Welfare, added: “There is no doubt that this occasion is an honour and a mandate for Omani women, and an incentive for them to do more.”
Women who lead businesses in the private sector also had advice to share on the occasion of Omani Women’s Day, advising their peers to overcome challenges, because doing so made them stronger.
Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, the chairperson of MHD-ITICS, said women in the public eye have an obligation to guide today’s youth so that they are ready to take up the roles expected of them in future.
“I personally promote the achievements of other women in the fields of business, education, or sports and adventure,” she said. “I encourage women to enter domains dominated by men, so that they can go on to be role models for others. The courage of your convictions – this is the primary requirement.
“Persistence and determination are also vital characteristics,” added Darwish, who is also a member of Oman’s State Council. “By having a clearly defined plan and rigorously following her chosen path, ignoring the contrarian voices around her, a woman business leader will establish herself among the powerful leaders in the region.”
To help others so they can contribute better, Sharifa Al Barami, the co-founder of e-commerce platform Markeetex, has set up a virtual academy so that people can sharpen the skills required to succeed in business.
“Most of the time, I see that there are women who are hesitant to step into work environments, not because of a lack of knowledge, but because they seek confidence in their own abilities, and because of fear of failure,” she said.
“What I am attempting to do is enhance skills by taking them away from their emotions,” she added. “We must come to terms with the idea of failure, because in business, failure is possible, but we must all have the courage to face fears and accept them,” Al Barami added.
Few people know more about challenges, however, than Nadhira Al Harthy. The first Omani woman to successfully scale Mount Everest, Nadhira refuses to be beaten by the hurdles in front of her, choosing instead to meet them with a smile and learn from her experiences, so she can come back stronger.
“We must be proud of ourselves and the dreams that we strive to achieve, and must not allow challenges, whatever they are, to break our determination and slow down our resolve,” she said. “Having dreams that we strive for makes it worth the effort taken to pursue them, and the joy we get on their achievement.”
Given the roles Omani women hold in society, they must be proud of their accomplishments, and the potential they have to make things better, explained Maryam Al Balushi, a fashion designer. “Every one of us is a mother, an educator, the guardian of future generations, who makes sacrifices for them,” she said. “She holds the reins of many responsibilities, and is a key partner in the development and renaissance of Oman.”
Maimunah Al Shebani, founder of The Retail Agency, added the women strive to find balance in all things that they do: a very important quality in every aspect of life.
“Women do two full-time jobs – the one at the workplace that contributes to the economy and the one at home that contributes to the development of the society,” she added. “Both jobs are equally important to the long-term development of the nation.”
Involved in the development of society for many years, Rasmiya Al Jahwary of UNICEF Oman also had sound advice to give to today’s women.
She said, “Believe in yourself! And don’t be pushed off course by negativity. Omani women contribute in so many spheres – government, the private sector, civil society – as well as family life. For me, what’s great to see is the emergence of female entrepreneurs who will play a huge role in the future prosperity of our country.”
