During the past couple of years or so, the Sultanate has seen the role of women in the workplace go through leaps and bounds as perceptions and percentages change for the better. The women of Oman have experienced an evident amount of growth in practically all sectors of society.
Young women change-makers of Oman are taking the lead and are determined to showcase the strength of Oman while making strides in the area of youth leadership at national and international levels. Mazoon bint Said al Zadjali and Alena Dique are two youth leaders of Oman who are committed to making a difference in the world while flying the Omani flag high.
Mazoon bint Said al Zadjali started her passion for helping and educating youth at the age of 15. Today, she is an Omani youth advocate and focal point in charge of Youth Peer Educational Network. She has implemented many projects to provide growth opportunities to youth and young women in Oman such as Invest in Youth, Sawalif Shabab, Young Women Circle and Beyond Borders Oman. The Russian President Vladimir Putin also awarded her among 30,000 people at the 17th World Festival for Youth and Students.
According to Mazoon, “Being a young woman today is energy and power which allows me to grow and better myself as l seek knowledge. I seek knowledge to change myself, my community and the world I live in. My generation is filled with creativity, ideas and wonder; I thrive on changing what’s around me to show young people that there is hope. You just need to keep learning about yourself and love yourself to reach your true potential.”
We live in a time where women in Oman of all ages, ethnicities and culture have multiple opportunities in various sectors to learn and develop their talents, interests and skills. However, to leave comfort zones to accomplish personal goals, it is imperative to recognise that success stands on the other side of overcoming fears. Thankfully, in Oman, with visible women role models, it has changed the concept of what women are truly capable of achieving in our society.
Alena Dique, is a sustainable development advocate, TedxSpeaker, finalist of the prestigious Women in Tech Awards Middle East in the category of Young Leader of the year 2018, a member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Youth Network and co-founder of Oman’s first Sustainable development volunteer youth platform, One Oman. She has also been awarded the scholastic award for her masters in London on SME Business Innovation, as well as published articles on Green Innovation, Sustainable solutions and Independent Intelligence.
Alena believes that, “The celebration of women’s day in Oman means celebrating cumulative achievements - the evolution of women to business decision-makers, the recognition of overall contributions women continue to make to uplift their families and society, the responsibility in representation of youth and a young woman to pave the way for the next set of youth leaders, as well as acknowledging the support men provide, to be able to keep progressing together as a growing nation.”
The role of Omani women has become a symbol of strength and empowerment in all aspects of social, cultural, economic and political arenas in the Sultanate. We celebrate this progress made in Oman under the wise leadership of our leader, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Today, there are around 60 associations all over the Sultanate, with over 10 thousand female members aimed to empower Omani women to enter social voluntary work and to advocate cultural, social and health awareness. The goal is to improve the economic and social standing of every family and to train women to locate and obtain sources of income. The importance of woman’s participation in the overall development of the Sultanate of Oman is a reality we are all witnessing today.
To all the women in Oman, let’s keep this momentum going through self-belief, collaboration and celebrating our wins every step of the way. Happy Omani Women’s Day!
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