“Oman has opened the door of opportunities to its women and with sure and strong support, we are now standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world,” says AL ANOOD AL WAHAIBI, final year MSc in marketing candidate at the King’s Business School, UK. “As Omani women, we need to look for these opportunities and grab them,” Al Anood, who is also a communications liaison officer and TEDxThaqafah St Women organiser told the Purple online.
Giving back to the country
An important aspect of enjoying the many opportunities that the government of Oman has provided is not just to grab them but also give back to the country, Al Anood stressed. “I, as an Omani woman, will always strive to give back to my country through my work,” she said, noting that as a young woman in Oman, she sees a lot of opportunities provided to them. The trick was to grab them, utilise them and also give back to the country, and this full circle is what advances not only them but also the country, she said.
EXCERPTS:
Women’s Day generally brings forth many thoughts: Women’s equality and gender parity, women’s rights, and the foremost need to break the bias (against women). Here, in Oman, we could 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 agree: the Omani Women’s Day is not only about the success stories of Omani women, but also the integration of the two genders in the work arena.
And we are also witness to both male and female leadership at the work front and that is a wonderful big change. We also see a lot of successful Omani female leaders who are not only taking care of their homes and their families, but also running their businesses in such an efficient and successful manner.
How would you view the growth and advancement of Omani women in the last many years? What would you like to say about that?
I see a major growth, especially in the opportunities that have opened up before Omani women. These are wide ranging from sports to medicine to the tech industry. I have also seen the great support we get from both our female and male counterparts at the workplace. Today, Omani women can proudly claim that they have proven their capabilities in every arena out there and this has led to their own advancement and growth in line with the country’s advancement.
From the time of our great departed leader, the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said (may he rest in peace) to our current leader, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, we have witnessed continuous growth and advancement in all areas as well as the opening up of a variety of opportunities for Omani women, ranging from education to jobs in various industries and leadership positions.
Also, with regards to the advancement, would you say that today the Omani woman is on par with any other woman of the world? If not, what more should be done?
I would say yes. Oman has opened the door of opportunities to its women and with strong support, we are now standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.
As Omani women, we need to look for these opportunities and grab them. I, as an Omani woman, will always strive to give back to my country through my work, and I as a young woman do see a lot of opportunities provided to us Omani women, but we just need to search for them.
0 Comments