Empowering Women in Society.

Empowering women is one of the most crucial topics related to improving their status in society at large. However, in conservative societies, or those known for their patriarchal nature, women face compounded challenges compared to societies that have developed laws to provide equal opportunities and treatment for men and women. These challenges manifest in various aspects, such as legal discrimination in favour of men, limited job opportunities, the inability of women to pass their nationality to their children if married to a non-national, lack of or weak protection against domestic violence, and other barriers that hinder women’s progress, development, and independence. Additionally, in conservative societies, women suffer from perpetual dependence on their families, as they cannot make crucial decisions such as marriage, work, travel, or education without family approval or support.

One of the worst outcomes that women face due to the lack of awareness about the importance of their empowerment, as well as the weakness of national or local laws that enhance this empowerment and provide adequate protection for them to live their lives without restrictions, is violence, which in many cases escalates to murder. Additionally, they lose opportunities that could be available to them in the professional sphere. Therefore, empowering women serves as a means to raise awareness about the importance of women’s roles in society and how effective these roles can be when a safe and suitable legal, social, and economic environment is provided.

Empowering Women:

Empowering women is defined as “the process through which women gain awareness of and challenge unequal power relations based on gender, obtaining a louder voice to confront prevailing inequalities at home, in the workplace, and within the local community.” 

Through its work on women’s issues over the past decade, the OCHRD emphasises the necessity of seriously addressing the realities of societal differences, whether due to religious, cultural, or ethnic reasons. Considering these differences does not imply disregarding fundamental goals aimed at enhancing women’s roles and achieving effective empowerment. It does not advocate for inventing methods and mechanisms that deviate from those previously established and applied. Rather, it involves finding a balance that effectively addresses challenges in a manner that demonstrates to communities that empowering women does not diminish the values of these societies nor pose a threat to their core principles.

In Oman, despite Oman’s signing and ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), restrictions imposed on women and laws that exhibit bias in favor of men continue to be in effect under Omani domestic laws. For instance, although the Basic Statute of the State in Article 15 affirms the principle of equality in rights and obligations, stipulating that there shall be no discrimination on the basis of gender, laws such as those governing Personal Status and Penal Law matters include provisions that violate women’s rights. According to the Global Gender Gap Report issued by the World Economic Forum, Oman ranks very low, at 139 out of 146 countries, with a score not exceeding 0.614.

Achieving effective empowerment for women in Oman necessitates legal reforms that ensure women’s rights across all facets of life, including personal status, employment, political participation, and economic opportunities. There is also a critical need to raise public awareness about the importance of gender equality and the elimination of discrimination against women in Omani society.

Based on the legal, social, and economic realities for women in Oman, the OCHRD proposes this plan to enhance awareness of the importance of women’s empowerment and to increase their role in a more effective manner. It is crucial to emphasise the significance of relying on women from diverse social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds in order to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses all factors posing challenges to women’s empowerment and their effective contribution to society.

From a legal standpoint:

  1. Review of Local Laws: Conduct a comprehensive review of all local laws and repeal any legislation that constitutes or may constitute discrimination against women, whether concerning their social status in family life or in their professional lives.
  2. Introduction of Protective Laws: Introduce laws that enhance protection for women against domestic violence, including establishing protection centres for victims that ensure their safety away from any threats posed by their perpetrators. Implement stringent laws that penalise any acts of violence against women.
  3. Improvement of Citizenship Laws: Enhance laws facilitating the transfer of Omani citizenship from Omani women married to non-Omanis to their children, without the need for prolonged waiting periods or imposing prohibitive conditions related to the woman’s social status.

From a social perspective:

  1. Removing Social Barriers: Eliminate social barriers or restrictive norms that limit women’s roles outside the home. Develop an educational plan for the community at large, highlighting the dangers of these barriers and their negative impact on women’s roles, as well as their psychological and social well-being.
  2. Engaging Men in Awareness: Involve men in the awareness and education process to ensure a safer and broader dissemination of information. Emphasize the importance of men’s support in challenging societal norms and promoting gender equality.
  3. Utilising Technology for Social Awareness: Employ technology to enhance social awareness and facilitate quicker access to information. Leverage platforms and tools that can effectively spread messages about gender equality and women’s empowerment across various segments of society.

From a psychological & health perspective:

  1. Safe Space Provision: Establish safe spaces for women to openly discuss their issues and the impact of societal challenges on their mental and physical health.
  2. Empowerment Tools and Channels: Provide safe spaces, effective tools, and channels that enable women to assert their rights and advocate for them confidently.
  3. Free Counseling Program: Implement a program offering free psychological and health counseling by specialised professionals, aimed at addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by women.

Politically:

  1. Enhancing Women’s Participation: Activate women’s participation in society by expanding the parliamentary representation base with a system that allows them access to representative councils without the need to navigate the same steps or rules currently in place. This is especially important if societal trust in women is hindered by customs or a male-dominated culture.
  2. Equal Appointment in Official Positions: Work towards appointing women to official positions on an equal basis with men, ensuring equal representation.
  3. Establishment of Women’s Committees: Establish special committees for women within civil or official institutions, ensuring their membership includes a diverse cross-section of women from the community.

The necessity of empowering women is crucial for establishing a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable world. This empowerment ensures women’s equal access to education, employment, and leadership positions, thereby enriching societies with a broader range of perspectives, skills, and talents. It also results in enhanced economic growth, improved public and individual health outcomes, and more effective governance. Moreover, it is essential to emphasise that empowerment is an effective means to break cycles of poverty, reduce gender-based violence, and achieve social justice. Thus, it is evident and certain that the concept of empowering women cannot be confined solely to fairness or equality; it is a critical strategy for advancing humanity and creating a balanced and harmonious society for all.

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