In Oman, women’s empowerment is heading in the right direction, according to ZAHRA AL HAJRI, a senior change management coach at one of the leading oil and gas companies in the Sultanate. “I believe in Oman we have reached a stage where women are given the highest priority and a huge boost in order that they prosper,” Zahra told the Purple online, adding that the result has worked wonders: “I met many women working in a variety of fields in Oman: engineering, marines, space affairs… you name it!
“I have personally met brilliant ladies in these and many other fields and the beauty is that they are all delivering like their male counterparts,” Zahra said, noting how career women no longer shy away from their path, even if it is one that is less travelled or set in harsh conditions, like in a desert, or on long ship journeys. “This is an indication of the crucial roles that women play today and how they are an integral part of the Omani workforce, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts,” Zahra noted.
Space affairs
She recalls how, once, on a flight she had the opportunity to meet a distinguished Omani lady who used to work in space affairs. “She was an extraordinary woman – it was an hour’s flight, but it went off in a blink! “We exchanged our experiences and she revealed how she had entered the world of space – it was so exciting to hear her talk!”
Marine engineer
On another occasion, at an event, Zahra recalls meeting an Omani lady marine engineer. “She was an amazing woman. She told me how, in order to garner the technical knowledge for her job, she had to be on actual ships for five months!”
Celebrating women
All such meetings with extraordinary Omani women have made her go on a spree of celebrating women. “I have met so many phenomenal Omani women and I can’t stop myself from celebrating the achievements of these successful ladies around me!” Zahra enthused.
EXCERPTS:
Women’s Day generally brings forth many thoughts: women’s equality/gender parity; women’s rights’ and the foremost need to break the bias (against women). Here, in Oman, could we say that it is more than just celebrating womanhood; here it is celebrating the success (various types of success, not just the monetary kind) of Omani women and also the unique integration between the two genders, who are working together to achieve a better future for Oman? Your thoughts on this.
I believe that in Oman we have reached a stage where there is a huge focus and encouragement of women so that they can shine and prosper. I have met many women working in diverse fields in Oman: engineering, marines, space affairs… you name it! I personally met brilliant ladies who are working in such fields and they are delivering equally like their male colleagues. They also follow the same career path even if it requires them to live in harsh environments like in the desert or be part of long ship trips. This is an indication that women are an integral part of the Omani workforce and on an equal footing with their male counterparts!
I remember one day I was on a flight when I met an extraordinary Omani lady who used to work in space affairs. The flight was one hour but it felt like it was only a minute. We kept exchanging our experiences and she told me her history and how she entered that field. Another day, I went to an event and I met an amazing lady marine engineer. She told me her story and how she developed the technical knowledge by being on actual ships for five months! To me, all of this is phenomenal and I can’t stop myself from celebrating successful ladies around me.
How would you view the growth and advancement of Omani women in the last many years? What would you like to say about that?
In the past, we could hardly find women working in harsh environments but now, they are all there! There are ladies working in the desert, in the marines, space, climbing mountains, visiting Antarctica etc. In short, I see women everywhere. I feel proud when I see my colleagues are following their passion and doing what they like regardless of the hurdles they face. This inspires other ladies like me to give their best to society and the world. Today, the world is a small village and the opportunities are multifold. Ladies nowadays can sharpen their skills in almost any field they want. It is just a mere click away from them. With the right dedication and consistency, they can learn new skills and I believe that is why now we can see so many amazing ladies who prioritise and devote their time for their own development. And that is how they become success stories!
Also, with regards to the advancement, would you say that today the Omani women are on par with other women of the world? If not, what more should be done?
I feel that the challenges posed to the advancement of women are universal. Since we are able to communicate easily with anyone through social media, we have better knowledge and understanding about the challenges faced by women from other parts of the world. In such interactions with ladies from different countries via social media, I understood that ladies across the world are facing similar challenges regardless of their nationalities or languages. On the other hand, I can see that the government in Oman is focusing tremendously on women and this has produced excellent results.
Some organisations’ committees have dedicated seats for ladies to ensure they have a female presence so that they are able to make better decisions. I can confidently say that Oman is heading in the right direction in terms of women’s empowerment.
What I personally do is to highlight the achievements of brilliant ladies who are around me and tell the world that we are also a country of competent women! We should spread this message widely and proudly.
About:
Zahra Al Hajri is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment in the workplace. With a Masters (honours) in Information Technology from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia, plus 15 years of professional experience, 10 of which is in the oil and gas industry, Zahra is a seasoned speaker. She recently won the annual speech contest at Oman Level and represented Oman in the District Toastmasters Annual Conference.An energetic bilingual emcee (master of ceremonies) for official events in the oil and gas industry with the presence of the ministry of the energy and minerals, Zahra likes to highlight women’s achievements whenever she can in her social media account because she believes, women achievement is one of the crucial pillars of a society’s development.
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