No women in Shura this time

Several new faces but no women in Oman's Shura this time

Last updated:

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

Get Updates on Topics You Choose

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Up Next