Women post tough battle in Majlis elections

Even as only two women have been elected to the ninth term of the Majlis Ash’shura, all the 40 female candidates who participated in the elections exhibited a fierce comptetition.

While Tahrah Abdulkhaliq al Lawatiya in the Wilayat of Muttrah in Muscat Governorate garnered 1,647 votes and Fadhila Abdullah Sulaiman al Ruhaili in Suhar in North Al Batinah received 1,964 votes to make their entry into the 86-member Majlis Ash’shura.

According to the Higher Committee, which monitored the election process, the strong presence that Omani women have shown in the elections is a result of women empowerment programmes in the country.

“Women rising their levels to the national decision making process is a clear sign that the women empowerment policies of His Majesty are bearing fruits and women are equally wanting to fulfil their roles as citizens of the Sultanate”, Dr Khalifa bin Mohammed al Hadhrami, Vice President of the Supreme Court, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Majlis Ash’shura 9th Term Elections, said.

According to figures revealed at a press conference on Monday, all the female candidates gave stiff competition to their rivals in their respective wilayats.

While Salma Naseeb Khalfan Salim al Farsi in Sur received 1,436 votes; Reem Noor Mohammed al Zadjali from Bausher, 807 votes; Naama Jameel Farhan al Busaidi from Seeb, 793 votes; Khalsa Said Juma al Tubi from Manah, 704 votes; Basmah Mubarak Said al Kiyumi from Bausher, 499 votes; Anisa Yasser Hamood al Rashdi from Samayil, 439 votes; Fatma Suleiman Mohammed al Mohammed from Saham, 416 votes; and Fatma Mohammed Ahmed al Balushi from Buraimi got 363 votes.

As for the qualifications of the candidates, two female candidates were holders of PHD, eight with masters, and 10 with bachelor degree holders, and five with were higher diploma certificate holders and 15 female candidates were holders of General Education Diploma.

The governorates of Muscat and Al Dakhiliyah reported the highest number of female candidates with 20 and the 6 respectively.

The Wilayat of Qurayat recorded an increase in the number of female voters with participation rate reaching 51 per cent.