National Strategy 2026-30: Empowering Omani women

Women’s leadership and participation in decision-making are essential to achieving gender equality and advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and gender equality in 2026 emphasises that women’s participation, particularly in economic and political life, strengthens their ability to contribute to national development while reflecting society’s commitment to equality and the protection of rights.
Yet the global picture remains concerning. Women’s progress towards leadership positions, particularly in political and administrative spheres, remains slow, while new challenges such as online violence and lower participation in the labour market continue to restrict their opportunities.
Women’s participation in business, for example, broadens perspectives within companies and institutions and contributes to more diverse decision-making. Their presence in leadership positions across public and private institutions therefore reflects both their contribution to development and society’s ability to provide equal opportunities.
Women’s role today extends far beyond the social sphere. It is increasingly developmental, supported by decades of investment in education, training and employment. This has encouraged countries to establish legislation, strategies and policies designed to protect women’s social and economic rights and expand their participation.
Oman has steadily developed policies aimed at empowering women and involving them in decision-making. The principle of equality is rooted in the Basic Law of the State, while investment in the education and development of girls and women has enabled Omani women to enter a wide range of fields. Today, they are present in economics and finance, politics, environment and energy, culture and education, as well as various branches of the military.
Omani women also lead civil society organisations, economic and financial institutions and serve on boards of directors. They occupy senior positions in government and private-sector organisations, reflecting the results of decades of investment in human development.
These efforts are closely connected to Oman Vision 2040, which seeks to provide opportunities for citizens, men and women alike, while supporting women’s social and economic empowerment and participation in the labour market.
Further progress is expected through the National Plan for Omani Women 2026-2030, being prepared in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The allocation of additional seats for women in the Majlis Ash'shura is also expected to strengthen their economic and political participation.
Against this background, the twentieth edition of the Global Gender Gap Report 2026, recently issued by the World Economic Forum, provides an important measure of progress. The report stresses that gender parity has become increasingly important amid major geo-economic, climatic, political and technological transformations. It describes equality as fundamental to human development and to unlocking the talent, innovation, creativity and resilience required by the economies of the future.
The index measures progress across four main dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
According to the report, the Middle East and North Africa ranked eighth among the regions, with an overall gender parity score of 62.5 per cent. The region ranked last in political empowerment, while recording the fifth-highest level of parity globally in ministerial representation, at 16.4 per cent, and the seventh-highest in parliamentary representation, at 23.9 per cent.
Oman ranked 123rd in economic participation and opportunity, 81st in educational attainment, 92nd in health and survival, and 142nd in political empowerment, placing it 134th overall.
These results indicate progress in several areas, reflecting Oman’s sustained investment in education and the health of women and children, as well as expanding economic opportunities for women. Their growing participation in the private sector and in establishing small and medium-sized enterprises is also significant.
Political participation, however, remains below the level Oman aspires to achieve, and this has affected its overall position in the index.
Oman’s ranking does not fully reflect the scale of its ambitions or the initiatives undertaken to empower women. Considerable progress has been made in legislation, institutional frameworks and programmes supporting women. Yet the index also points to a gap between policies and their implementation, particularly regarding women’s participation in the labour market and their representation in councils and other decision-making bodies.
Addressing this gap requires practical studies that examine the obstacles women encounter and propose clear, implementable solutions. Social perceptions surrounding women’s roles and leadership also need continued attention.
Responsibility for advancing gender equality ultimately extends beyond government. Society itself has an essential role. Women’s empowerment begins within families and continues through schools, universities, workplaces and public institutions. Building greater confidence in women’s abilities and creating genuine opportunities for them to represent their communities and country are therefore essential to turning policies of empowerment into measurable progress.
Translated by Badr al Dhafri
The original version of this article was published in the Oman Arabic newspaper on September 27, 2026.