MUSCAT: In a speech delivered on the occasion, via video conference, Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, praised the tangible progress made by the Sultanate of Oman in empowering women and enhancing their position in various aspects and highlighted Oman’s distinguished position on the international scene as a peace maker and bridge builder to promote regional and international stability.

The experiences of nations have proven that investing in people is the most effective way to renaissance, progress, economic growth and human solidarity, and that empowering women with skills, knowledge and experiences adds to human wealth, and cultural and development value – it enhances society’s belief in the values of justice, equity, equality and peace, she noted.

Explaining further, she said that the Sultanate of Oman realized from an early period that the empowerment and advancement of women is an essential element in the march of nations and the title of their renaissance. Preserving the position of women in the home, work environment and society.

She stressed that Omani women over the past decades have been able to demonstrate their distinguished presence and effectively invest the opportunities that have been available to them. She stated: “Statistics indicate an increase in women’s enrollment in educational institutions, reaching 73% in 2019, and in the same year women acquired 40% of the list of scholarship students abroad, which is encouraging and inspiring percentages that send many messages of ambition to girls and women in the Arab region and the Middle East.”

She indicated that the Omani woman have assumed distinguished leadership positions in the various organs of the state in several locations, and pointed out that the percentage of Omani women working in the government sector reached more than 40% of the total number of employees in 2019, and that they achieved a presence in the private sector, economy and business sectors with 88% of the total number of workers.