Omani Association for Human Rights
On 24th August 2020 Salma Al Harrasi thanked on change.org the 2464 signatories of the petition she posted two days earlier under the title “Changes and amendments of rules for the Omani women married to non Omanis & their children”. This petition aims to change current laws in Oman, according to which the children of Omani women are not recognised as Omani citizens, to recognise these children as full Omani citizens. In effect to make the children of Omani women and men equal in the eyes of the law. The petition was widely circulated in different social media websites and gained sympathy and support for over two thousand signatures in under two days.
Here is the text of the petition in full:
Omani women married to foreigners with permissions from the Ministry of Interior and living in Oman, with children or without, who are living as per the rules, wish to raise some issues that will help them,their husbands and children to live and continue living in Oman in a more stable life by:-
1- The right of wives to sponsor their husbands, so they can find jobs, and if husbands losses their jobs, then wives can sponsor them immediately, so husbands don’t have to leave the country, as it will create separation of the family and the children and will effect their stability and causes a lot of disturbance.
2- Exempting working husbands from being released from their jobs in Government or private unless they commit issues that will harm the country etc. And the issues to be evaluated,this is for the family stability
3- Mothers to sponsor their children and not necessarily under the father’s visa if both agree
4- Children to be given Omani nationality at any age, without waiting10 -15 years or until are adults then request, if both parents agree and sign even if fathers are abroad for any reasons, this is for their stability and for the Omani mothers to be in peace having their children.
5- Children to be entitled of scholarships abroad as per required by the ministry of higher education
