Family stability a shared responsibility, ethical duty

MUSCAT: The National Committee for Bioethics' 13th Intellectual Forum, held at Sultan Qaboos University on Wednesday, recommended adopting a national strategy to strengthen family stability and raise fertility rates, and adding family stability indicators to Oman Vision 2040 goals.
Themed 'Enhancing Family Stability: Declining Birth and Fertility Rates between Ethical Duty and National Responsibility', the forum was held under the auspices of Dr Hilal bin Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health, in the presence of HH Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda al Said, Vice-Chancellor of SQU and Chairman of the committee.
Dr Ahmed al Busaidi, Secretary of the committee, said the birth rate among Omanis fell from 34.0 to 20.8 per 1,000 people between 2015 and 2025, reflecting 'a demographic shift with far-reaching strategic dimensions'.
Dr Shaikh Kahlan bin Nabhan al Kharousi, Assistant Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman and Deputy Chairman of the committee, said earlier forums focused on improving human health, while this one addresses preserving future generations by ensuring their existence and growth. He called human capital a strategic strength, adding that fear of scarce resources should not deter people from having children.
On health, the forum recommended developing reproductive health services, expanding fertility clinics, establishing a centre for research and treatment of delayed childbearing, and supporting infertility research. Economically, it called for studying financial incentives for growing young, low-income families, increasing child benefit, an endowment to support the Marriage Fund alongside higher support and wider eligibility, and affordable housing through interest-free loans or rent-to-own schemes.
Socially, it recommended mandatory, free premarital guidance programmes, a national campaign on easing marriage, a framework to cut wedding costs, and better coordination of family counselling services. At work, it proposed a 'family-friendly work environment' with flexible and remote work for pregnant and breastfeeding women, reviewed maternity leave policies, on-site childcare, flexible retirement for mothers, and measures enabling women to have children without sacrificing their careers.
Speaking during the forum's panel discussion, Malik al Harthi, Director-General of Entitlements at the Social Protection Fund, said the social protection system aims to support families throughout their life cycle and strengthen their social and financial stability, urging institutions to unite around families' needs.