In many Omani homes, the arrival of a child is the moment a family waits for most. Yet the road to that moment passes through several stops: preparing for marriage, the cost of a wedding, the search for a home, the balance between career and parenthood, and, for some, a longer wait than expected.
The numbers suggest that road is changing. The birth rate among Omanis fell from 34.0 to 20.8 per 1,000 people between 2015 and 2025, according to Dr Ahmed al Busaidi, Secretary of the National Committee for Bioethics. These indicators, he said, "reflect a demographic shift with far-reaching strategic dimensions".
How to support young families along the way was the question that brought doctors, academics, economists, social workers, scholars and government representatives together at the committee's 13th Intellectual Forum at Sultan Qaboos University.
As Al Busaidi put it, "Strengthening marriage, childbearing and family stability is not only an individual responsibility, but a shared national and ethical one."
The forum examined late marriage and early divorce from a psychological and social perspective, and family counselling as an investment in successful marriages. It recommended mandatory, free guidance programmes for couples about to marry, a national framework to reduce wedding costs and curb extravagance, and a national campaign to promote easier marriage and family formation.
In a panel with the Ministries of Interior, Housing and Urban Planning, Social Development and Health, as well as the Social Protection Fund, participants explored how to support and facilitate marriage.
The forum recommended affordable housing for young families through interest-free loans or rent-to-own schemes, an endowment to support the Marriage Fund in partnership with the private sector, with higher support and wider eligibility.
For some families, the wait is longer. The forum addressed medical factors affecting fertility and recommended developing reproductive health services, expanding fertility and infertility clinics, establishing a centre for research and treatment of delayed childbearing, and supporting research into the causes of infertility.
Working women hold a special place in this journey. The forum called for studying a 'family-friendly work environment' initiative offering flexible and remote work for pregnant and breastfeeding women, reviewing maternity leave policies, supporting on-site childcare and providing flexible retirement options for mothers, enabling women to have children while maintaining their academic and professional careers.
Support continues once the child arrives.
Malik al Harthi, Director-General of Entitlements at the Social Protection Fund, said the social protection system aims to accompany individuals and families throughout their life cycle, from birth through family formation and growth, strengthening their social and financial stability. The forum also recommended studying higher child benefit allocations and financial incentives for young, low-income families as they grow.
Looking beyond the figures, Dr Shaikh Kahlan bin Nabhan al Kharousi, Assistant Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman and Deputy Chairman of the committee, said earlier forums had focused on improving human health and quality of life, while this one addresses preserving future generations by ensuring their existence and growth, describing human capital as a strategic strength for society.
The forum recommended a national strategy to strengthen family stability and raise fertility rates, with its indicators included in Oman Vision 2040 goals. The forum's message is that families should not have to walk it alone.
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