Women in Oman

Women in Oman
Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah, the wife of the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq
General Statistics
Maternal mortality (per 100,000)32 (2010)
Women in parliament2.33% (2020)
Women over 25 with secondary education47.2% (2010)
Women in labour force61,5%(2022)
Gender Inequality Index[1]
Value0.300 (2021)
Rank72nd out of 191
Global Gender Gap Index[2]
Value0.609 (2022)
Rank139th out of 146

Women in Oman now pursue careers and professional training, moving from their previous and traditional role at home to the public sphere.[3] In Oman, 17 October is celebrated every year as the Omani Women's Day with various pro-female events.[4]

While article 17 of Oman's Basic law bans discrimination on the basis of gender, Omani law does not provide equality or protection to women in several areas. Domestic violence and marital rape are not criminalized in Oman. Polygamy is legal for men and wives owe their husbands obedience. Fathers are the sole guardians of children and husbands can divorce their wives by repudiation, whereas wives require specified grounds for divorce or forgoing of financial rights. Women do not have equal rights in inheritance or in passing Omani nationality to their children. Under article 80 of Omani Labour law men and women are required to be paid equally for the same work and article 84 prevents termination of employment on the basis of pregnancy. Abortion is prohibited by Articles 315–318 of the Penal Code, including for women who have been raped.[5]

  1. ^ "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORTS. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Global Gender Gap Report 2022" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  3. ^ Skeet, Ian. Oman: Politics and Development. New York: St. Martin's, 1992.
  4. ^ Women’s Day celebrations today, 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  5. ^ . United Nations Development Programme. December 2019 https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/arabstates/Oman.Summary.19.Eng.pdf. Retrieved 19 February 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)