Women urged to break personal barriers to achieve professional success in Oman

Muscat: Women must break their own barriers in order to achieve professional success, said Dr. Bernice Ledbetter at the Women Leadership Seminar on Wednesday.
“What hurts women the most is being an imposter, being a perfectionist and self-blame. It is herself, not others, who keep her down.”
Dr. Yahya Al Mawali, Minister of Social Development, inaugurated the event with a beautiful keynote on the importance of women in the workplace, and the celebration of women in Oman.
“We, in the Sultanate of Oman, are always working towards creating balance and we confirm the significance of women’s role in economic and social development. In fact, our constant slogan is that women are a partner in development.”
Although women are doing well in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the handicraft industry, only 22 per cent of leadership and middle positions are held by women in Oman.
Muna Al Alawi, a specialist in Finance and Administration at the Capital Market Authority, was motivated to change her life, and potentially her career path, under the guidance of Tuesday’s seminar.
“I came here because these days women are considered to be at the same level as men when it comes to the professional world,” Al-Alawi said. “Ever since I was young, I had hoped to become a respectable leader that competes on the same level as men. So far, I have passed sthrough the entry level stages and am now in a position to use what I learned from today’s seminar.”
Omani Women’s Day will be celebrated on October 17.

• 43 per cent of the SMEs employees are women
• 89 per cent of the handicraft industry employees are women
• 41 per cent of the public sector employees are women
• 24 per cent of the private sector employees are women
• 22 per cent of leadership and mid-level executive positions are held by women