Overview
The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks 146 countries on progress toward gender parity across four dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. The index measures gaps rather than levels, assessing how equitably resources and opportunities are distributed between men and women regardless of overall development level.
Oman’s Position
Oman typically ranks between 120th and 135th on the Gender Gap Index, with significant variation across sub-indices. Health and survival scores are strong, reflecting near-parity in life expectancy and healthcare access. Educational attainment has improved dramatically, with female university enrolment now exceeding male enrolment. However, economic participation remains low – female labour force participation hovers around 30 percent – and political empowerment is minimal, with very few women in senior government or legislative positions.
Regional Comparison
GCC countries collectively rank in the lower half on gender parity, though the UAE and Bahrain have made notable advances. The UAE’s appointment of female cabinet ministers and its push for women in the private sector have improved its ranking. Saudi Arabia’s recent reforms – including driving rights, workforce participation incentives, and entertainment sector openings – represent a rapid trajectory. Oman sits in the middle of the GCC pack, ahead of Qatar on some measures but trailing the UAE.
Trajectory
Oman’s gender trajectory shows divergent trends: educational parity is strong and improving, but economic participation gains have been slow. Vision 2040 explicitly targets increased female workforce participation, and recent reforms to labour law, maternity provisions, and entrepreneurship support for women signal policy intent. The appointment of women to the State Council and senior public-sector roles, while still limited, represents directional progress. Closing the economic participation gap is essential for both social equity and economic growth.