Muscat: "We call upon Omani women everywhere, in the villages and the cities, in both urban and bedu communities, in the hills and mountains, to roll up their sleeves and contribute to the process of economic and social development … We call upon Omani women to shoulder this vital role in the community, and we are confident that they will respond to this call." Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed.
Women in Oman have responded to the leader's call in equal measure. And, in the business world, Oman has a significant number of female entre-preneurs in the traditionally male bastion. Women now hold senior management posts in more than half of the 10 trading families in Oman.
Women form almost 49 per cent of the Omani population and provisions have been made in the Personal Statute Laws (PSL), granting them equal rights.
Although there are no official records, leading entrepreneur Lujaina Mohsin Haider Darwish Al Za'abi reckons that there are not less than 1,000 Omani women in businesses large or small.
Lujaina said that the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) had given her the task of setting up a forum for Omani businesswomen within the chamber. "We have just started and hope to compile some data soon," she said.
A chamber official could not give exact numbers for women in business, pointing out that scores of Omani women running small businesses might not bother to register.
As one of the two women elected to the Majlis As'Shura, Lujaina wants every young Omani woman to make the best use of opportunities provided by the government for self-employment. "There's encouragement from the government and more and more women should [open] businesses [of their own]."
For Lujaina, business is in her blood. "We have inherited it from our father," said the eldest of the three daughters of Mohsin Haider Darwish. She said that since they didn't have a brother, their father initiated them into the business world at an early age.
"We learnt the nuances of business by accompanying him to business meetings," she said.
Lujaina does not find any difficulty in working in the male-dominated field.
"Attending meetings with male counterparts is normal for me as they treat me equally, as a business person," said out the joint deputy managing director of the diversified Mohsin Haider Darwish Group of companies.
She believes that the respect shown to businesswomen by male counterparts stems from the fact that the Omani leader treats both genders equally.
"There is understanding and support from His Majesty. He has given us equal rights, equal education," she said, urging women in Omani society to reciprocate.
The modest 35-year-old winner of numerous business awards for the company said hard work by the staff was the secret to the success of her company. "We are a one big family and keep our doors open for our employees," she said.
"I treat my staff like my family but I can be tough with them if they err.
"Women are no longer traditional housewives in Oman, they take part in the official and well as business affairs," she stressed.
Lujaina credits her upbringing for her success as an entrepreneur as well as her role in the political world as a Shura member. "Our father never treated us as special and at the same time he never let us feel that we were daughters," she said a bit emotionally.
If Lujaina inherited her business, Sahar Al Kaabi has made the most of the opportunities that have come her way and set up the country's only all-ladies' coffee shop along with a fresh flower and gift shop in the upmarket Madinat Al Qaboos district of Muscat.
"After graduating in 1996, I didn't like the idea of working for a boss, I wanted to write my own cheque," Sahar told Gulf News. Her first foray into business lasted for two years. "I went back to complete my masters after that," she said.
Sahar set up another business three years ago with the help of Sanad, a self-employment programme. She added that Prince Charles visited her coffee shop when he visited Oman last year. "We are open till midnight and have a lot of women visiting throughout the day," she said, adding that she wanted to be different and uniqueness has made her business a success.
Being a woman entrepreneur is not odd for her. "Omani society has had women … in farming, pottery and other family businesses since the early 20th century. So now when women come forward to do business they are accepted as business people," she felt.
According to Sahar, people in Oman have no problem with women doing business. "My mother started in business 25 years ago when she set up a private school," she said. Even her grandmother encouraged her to start a business of her own.
It is smooth sailing for Sahar as no different criteria are applied when dealing interacting with other businessmen.
Sabrah Al Riyami also believes that the environment provided in Oman for women entrepreneurs was just perfect.
"When I walk into a room full of men for a meeting, they don't think that I am a woman. Omani men respect me as an entrepreneur," adding that she has never experienced gender bias while interacting with her male clients or business colleagues in Oman.
Sabrah has had a lot of firsts to her credit since setting up the first event management company Darren LLC in Oman with her Egyptian husband Aymen Helal in 1995. "More and more women are coming forward as there's respect for them if they [are] entrepre-neur[s]," Sabrah feels.
Sabrah said that she doesn't conduct her business with a female label. "When I speak or conduct my business I am a business person not a woman who is doing business," she reiterated.
Sabrah believes that the modern Omani woman is extremely creative, imaginative and outward looking.
Lujaina, Sahar and Sabrah epitomise other successful women entrepreneurs who are emerging as the government tries to encourage self-employment among young Omanis.
