Gulf | Oman
No women in Shura this time
Several new faces got elected to Majlis Shura's 84 seats but there was no place for a woman in the sixth term of the Council that at best plays an advisory role to the government.
- Sahar Al Kaabi is the founder of country's first and only women only café in Muscat.
- Image Credit: Sunil K. Vaidya/Gulf News
Muscat: Several new faces got elected to Majlis Shura's 84 seats but there was no place for a woman in the sixth term of the Council that at best plays an advisory role to the government.
"It is very sad," reacted Raheela Al Riyami, who finished third in Baushar constituency in her bid to get elected a third time.
She told Gulf News yesterday with not a single woman in the Council there won't be anyone to voice women's concerns at the Shura meetings.
Raheela, who has worked in the education sector for over 37 years, said she was elected the last two times not only to represent women but the entire wilayat (province) of Baushar. "We do represent our wilayat in Shura but we can talk about and give opinions on issues related to women," she said.
Sad but not disappointed
In the last two Shura terms two women representatives were elected and Raheela was one of them. This time 20 women contested the election.
Raheela stressed that although she was sad that no woman was in the Council, she was not disappointed. "There are a lot of other ways to serve the society," she said.
Barka Al Bakry, a social activist who champions the cause of the visually challenged, echoed Raheela's views. "It is indeed sad that not a single woman is elected to the Council. Instead of taking a step forward we have taken two steps backwards," she said.
She felt that candidates' inability to offer any kind of agenda put them back.
"I campaigned for Raheela and most voters wanted to know what she had done for the constituency and its voters or what she would do," she told Gulf News.
"We need transparency to take the democratic process forward. People want to know what the Shura members do for them. If they cannot be informed they will vote out candidates." She felt that several members failed to retain their seats this time. "Those who work need to inform people what work they have done or would do," she added.
But Barka added: "[As] they are fathers of women, brothers of women and husbands of women, men will take up issues relating to women." She pointed out that Oman was the first GCC state to make special efforts to get women elected to the Council. "We don't need women's votes to get women elected."
Sahar Al Ka'abi, who is the founder of the country's only women's cafe in Muscat, felt the Shura results showed the time has come to reserve a seat for women. "I think we should keep one seat reserved for women only so that we will ensure at leest one representative in the Council," she told Gulf News over phone from Syria where she is attending a conference on 'Women on Investing'.
| Winners of Majlis Ashura's elections for the sixth term held on Saturday | ||
| No | Name | Wilayats |
| 1 | Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Shamsi | Al Sinainah |
| 2 | Salim Bin Ali Al Kaabi | Mahda |
| 3 | Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Harsousi | Hima |
| 4 | Hashil Bin Hamad Al Jenaibi | Daqam |
| 5 | Mubarak Bin Mohammed Bin Al Sanh | Shaleem, Halaniyat Islands |
| 6 | Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al Shahi | Bakha |
| 7 | Mohammed Bin Saleh Bin Ali Al Badi | Yanqul |
| 8 | Rashid Bin Ali Bin Ahmed Al Shahi | Diba |
| 9 | Ahmed Bin Mohammed Baqi | Rakhyout |
| 10 | Salim Bin Mohammed Al Hajri | Bidiya |
| 11 | Said Bin Abdullah Al Kathiri | Thumrait |
| 12 | Rajih Bin Sulaiman A'akak | Dhalkout |
| 13 | Hamoud Bin Khalifa Al Rashdi | Bausher |
| 14 | Hamoud Bin Abdullah Al Hassani | Bausher |
| 15 | Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Maja'ali | Masirah |
| 16 | Saleh Bin Mohammed Al Ma'amari | Ibra |
| 17 | Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al Harthy | Al Qabil |
| 18 | Malik Bin Hilal Al Abri | Al Hamra |
| 19 | Nasser Bin Hilal Al Ma'awali | Wadi Al Ma'awil |
| 20 | Masallam Bin Ali Al Ma'ashani | Taqa |
| 21 | Salim Bin Hamoud Al Maliki | Wadi Bani Khalid |
| 22 | Marhoon Bin Masaud Al Ghaithi | Al Buraimi |
| 23 | Rashid Bin Said Al Ghaithi | Al Buraimi |
| 24 | Ibrahim Bin Hazhiz Zabanout | Al Mazyona |
| 25 | Ali Bin Sulaiman Al Shibli | Sohar |
| 26 | Said Bin Ghanim Al Maqbali | Sohar |
| 27 | Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Saadi | Madha |
| 28 | Al Khalil Bin Abdulrahim Al Kharousi | Al Awabi |
| 29 | Nasser Bin Ali Al Mahrooqi | Adam |
| 30 | Saif Bin Mubarak Al Rahbi | Muscat |
| 31 | Saleh Bin Ibrahim Al Balushi | Liwa |
| 32 | Salim Bin Manakhr Al Wahaibi | Mahut |
| 33 | Saif Bin Sulaiman Al Harthy | Bidbid |
| 34 | Abdullah Bin Said Al Saifi | Nizwa |
| 35 | Salim Bin Mohammed Al Toobi | Nizwa |
| 36 | Amer Bin Said Al Mashrafi | Sur |
| 37 | Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Farsi | Sur |
| 38 | Ahmed Bin Harith Al Hadi | Al Amerat |
| 39 | Ahmed Bin Saud Al Ma'ashari | Al Amerat |
| 40 | Salim Bin Nasser Al Alawi | Mirbat |
| 41 | Salim Bin Amer Al Ameri | Sadah |
| 42 | Masallam Bin Brokeen Al Masehali | Maqshan |
| 43 | Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Kamzari | Khasab |
| 44 | Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al Shahi | Bakha |
| 45 | Rashid Bin Said Al Harasi | Nakhal |
| 46 | Ali Bin Salim Al Awaisi | Ja'alan Bani Bu Hassan |
| 47 | Salim Bin Hamoud Al Maliki | Wadi Bani Khalid |
| 48 | Hilal Bin Hamad Al Maja'ali | Manah |
| 49 | Maktoum Bin Mattar Al Azizi | Dhank |
| 50 | Nasser Bin Yasser Al Jenaibi | Al Jazir |
| 51 | Talal Bin Rajab Al Matroshi | Shinas |
| 52 | Yousif Bin Ahmed Al Balushi | Shinas |
| 53 | Fuad Bin Ja'afar Sajwani | Muttrah |
| 54 | Younis Bin Sabil Al Balushi | Muttrah |
| 55 | Zayed Bin Khalfan Al Abri | Al Rustaq |
| 56 | Khalid Bin Saif Al Ghafri | Al Rustaq |
| 57 | Said Bin Salim Al Fazari | Saham |
| 58 | Ali Bin Masallam Al Badi | Saham |
| 59 | Said Bin Saif Al Ma'amari | Dima Wal Taein |
| 60 | Hilal Bin Said Al Yahyaei | Bahla |
| 61 | Badr Bin Ali Al Muani | Bahla |
| 62 | Zayed Bin Khalifa Al Rashidi | Izki |
| 63 | Hamoud Bin Said Al Ameri | Izki |
| 64 | Mohammed Bin Jumah Al Raisi | Seeb |
| 65 | Said Bin Saud Al Ameri | Seeb |
| 66 | Mubarak Bin Amer Al Habsi | Mudhaibi |
| 67 | Amer Bin Ali Al Shabibi | Mudhaibi |
| 68 | Suhail Bin Ahmed Jaboub | Salalah |
| 69 | Rasheed Bin Al Safi Al Auraibi | Salalah |
| 70 | Mohammed Bin Said Al Kalbani | Ibri |
| 71 | Ali Bin Abdullah Al Manthari | Ibri |
| 72 | Salim Bin Khalid Al Rasheedi | Suwaiq |
| 73 | Hamad Bin Khamis Al Jadidi | Suwaiq |
| 74 | Said Bin Sulaiman Al Balushi | Quriyat |
| 75 | Nasser Bin Malik Al Battashi | Quriyat |
| 76 | Yasser Bin Hamoud Al Ma'amari | Al Kamil Wal Wafi |
| 77 | Hamid Bin Mohammed Al Rawahi | Sumayil |
| 78 | Khamis Bin Said Al Sulaimi | Sumayil |
| 79 | Hamoud Bin Ali Al Saadi | Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali |
| 80 | Hamad Bin Amer Bin Rashid Al Kasbi | Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali |
| 81 | Ibrahim Bin Baqir Al Ajmi | Khaboura |
| 82 | Omar Bin Ali Al Hosni | Khaboura |
| 83 | Said Bin Mohammed Al Saadi | Musanna |
| 84 | Ahmed Bin Essa Al Balushi | Musanna |
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