International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 3, No. 3 (2007)

The status of Omani women in the ICT sector

Ayman Elnaggar, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Abstract
Despite the great strides in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) globally and the far-reaching effects of its spread, Women in the Arab Gulf region in general and in Oman in particular are at a higher risk of being marginalized from today’s knowledge-based economy, due to factual findings related to a traditionally male-dominated ICT sector, unequal access to training, the lack of “Arabized” Internet content and training, and the lack of awareness and policy advocacy, among others. In response to the need in more information about the status of Omani women in the ICT space, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) commissioned a research group to conduct a gender sensitive assessment of the ICT space in Oman and the status of women within it, and to develop the seeds of an information base that provides gender analysis of opportunities and challenges in the ICT space. The analysis and recommendations presented in this research are intended to assist policymakers who are willing and committed to reorienting ICT policy to take account of the needs, aspirations, and constraints of women in the Omani society.

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