IRI Supports Gulf Women's Conference

July 11, 2003

June 28 - June 30: IRI supported the participation of two Omani women leaders at the 2003 Global Women's Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. More than 650 women from more than 80 countries discussed issues women face with respect to leadership, social norms, economic opportunity and advocacy.

IRI's support of Omani participation is part of the Institute's regional efforts in the Gulf to expose emerging leaders to peers elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa and make reforms in Oman better known in the international arena.

In October 2003, Oman will hold elections for the lower-house of the Oman Council, the Majles A'Shura. The elections will mark the first time suffrage is extended at a universal level in Oman and will also mark the largest popular election to date among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. IRI-supported participants at the Global Summit are among 16 women who will compete for seats on the consultative Majles A'Shura council.

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