More Omani women in the workforce

Muscat: The proportion of female employees increased from 31 per cent of the total Omani workforce in the public and private sectors in 2013 to 33 per cent in 2017.
Omani women continue to maintain their tangible participation in the labour market, enrolling in various sectors and senior management positions.
The number of females in the Sultanate in 2017 amounted to 1,241,605 with a low illiteracy rate of 8.4 per cent and equal access to school education and higher education between the two genders.
With regard to the educational status, the report shows a decrease in female illiteracy rates, which dropped from 12.6 per cent in 2013 to 8.4 per cent in 2017.
The National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) released a publication on the Omani Woman in the series of community publications published by the centre. The publication monitors all achievements accomplished at various levels.
The publication, which coincides with Oman’s celebration of the Omani Women’s Day on October 17 each year, also shows good indicators of the health status of females in the Sultanate, as well as the participation of women in the labour market, with 41 per cent in the government sector and 25 per cent in the private sector, in addition to extending the umbrella of social protection.
The publication shows that the gender ratio in Oman is 102 males per 100 females.
The number of females is 1,241,605, while the number of males is 1,263,764. The manpower gender parity index is 0.44 for males in 2017. The percentage of females in the public sector was 41 per cent in 2017.
The proportion of Omani women in administrative positions in the civil service remained constant at 21 per cent for the years 2013-2017. The percentage of new female appointees in the government sector was 61 per cent of the total number of new Omani nationals in 2017.
In the private sector, statistics show that the proportion of women employed in this sector in 2017 was 25 per cent at a rate of 4 percentage points higher than 2013. Women make up 15 per cent of retired pensioners in 2017 and 46 per cent of female employees left because of resignation.
The publication shows that Omani women enjoy social protection. The proportion of female registered and beneficiaries of social security is 59 per cent of the total beneficiaries in 2017.
Of the total beneficiaries, 14 per cent are divorced women, 7 per cent are widows and 3 per cent are unmarried women.
Omani women have a presence in public life, with 6.6 per cent in the Council of Ministers and 3 female ambassadors.
Omani women also represent 9 per cent of the total members of Majlis Oman and 7 female members at municipal councils.
Omani women also affirmed their right to obtain land plots granted by the Government. The number of land plots granted to females was 16,226 in 2017.