Embassy News and Events

Opportunities for Women:  "Moving History Forward"

By Gary A. Grappo, American Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman

Gary A. Grappo, American Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman

In the United States, March marks the observation of Women's History Month.  The theme for this year's celebration is "Generations of Women Moving History Forward."  As the son of a working mother, the husband of a dedicated educator, and the father of daughters whose professional aspirations are high, I know the truth in Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's words that, in every aspect of our lives, we see "women of courage, compassion, strength, and hope playing transformative roles in their societies, inspiring the international community, and enriching our world."

These roles are recognized here in Oman as they are in the United States.  His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has consistently emphasized the important role of Omani women.  The Basic Law forbids discrimination on the basis of gender; Oman has ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; women have the right to vote for and to be candidates in the Majlis Al Shura; and women hold positions of authority in both the private and public sectors. 

Women are essential contributors to strong and active communities.  If women are not educated, they cannot pass knowledge to their children, and there is no true security for the next generation. If women do no participate in the political process, there can be no real popular participation in governance.  If women are deprived of economic opportunity, a nation's development is crippled.  This is why the United States is committed to working with partners around the world on innovative efforts to improve the political, social, and economic standing of women everywhere. 

Enabling women for participation in the public sphere is essential in a modern society.  A key component of U.S. efforts to support better governance around the world is to help foster the development of women as active participants, leaders, and innovators in their country's institutions and processes.  The U.S. supports programs aimed at enabling women, giving them the skills needed to take their place in business, in academia, in civil society, and in government, with a special focus on leadership and advocacy skills. 

The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a program launched by the U.S. Government in 2002, includes as one of its core goals support for women's activities, along with the promotion of good governance, economic progress, and quality education.  To date, it has provided almost $400 million in funding for more than 350 programs in 14 countries and the Palestinian territories.  In Oman, our MEPI partners include ministries, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions.

The United States is privileged to sponsor innovative partnerships to promote economic opportunities for women.  For example, the Women in Technology (WIT) Program, with MEPI funding and support from Microsoft and other private sector companies, provides training and tools that offer women cutting-edge skills in information technology, professional development, and career networking. Oman is one of six countries participating in the WIT Program, and the Oman Women's Associations in Muscat, Buraimi, and Salalah are invaluable local partners.

Women are active participants in all of the exchange programs funded by the U.S. Department of State.  We are especially pleased, for example, with the remarkable work being done by Omani teachers participating in the Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant program (FLTA).  FLTA places English teachers in colleges and universities across America for a full academic year.  They teach American university students Arabic (a vitally needed skill that is much in demand in the United States) and take advanced university courses in teaching methods and related subjects.  Six of the 17 Omani FLTA teachers now in the U.S. are women, and they have proven themselves extraordinary representatives of Omani culture and society, reaching out through lectures, media appearances, and community programs to build bridges between our two countries.

As Ambassador, I have made it a priority to ensure that in all the areas in which the United States works with our friends and partners in Oman, women take their rightful place.  Whether promoting the benefits of U.S higher education for Omani students, helping the business community here better understand opportunities made available by the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, or any other of the countless ways in which we are working together, I and my colleagues at the Embassy and in Washington strive to build on the firm foundation Oman has created for its women and its future.  Together, we truly are "moving history forward."