Oman: Children's Rights References in the Universal Periodic Review

Oman - Twenty Third Session - 2015

 
Thursday 5 November 2015 -14:30 - 18:00
 

 

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National Report 

Compilation of UN Information 

Stakeholder Information 

Accepted and Rejected Recomendation 

 

National Report 

B. National  legislation

22. The  Children’s  Act  was  promulgated  under  Royal  Decree  No.  22/2014.  The  Act   ensures   that   children   in   Oman   are   able   to   exercise   all   their   rights   in   a   manner   consistent  with  the  Convention  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child,  its  two  Optional  Protocols   and  other  relevant  legislation.

IV. Government  departments  and  official  institutions  concerned   with  human  rights

The  Ministry  of  the  Interior

The  Omani  Nationality  Act,  promulgated  under  Royal  Decree  No.  38/2014

29. The   Omani   Nationality   Act   No.   38/2014   was   enacted   pursuant   to   the   international   treaties   to   which   Oman   is   a   party   and   in   token   of   the   country’s   commitment   to   promote   human   rights.   The   Act   contains   a   number   of   new   provisions   which,   as   far   as   possible,   closed   loopholes   which   had   previously   exposed   certain   persons   to   the   risk   of   statelessness.   Those   provisions   are   contained   in   article   11,   paragraph   3,   of   the   Act   under   which   Omani   citizenship   is   granted   to   the   children   —   whether   born   in   Oman   or   abroad   —   of   a   foreign   woman   married   to   an   Omani   man   even  if  the  latter  has  lost  his  citizenship.

31. Article  18  of  the  Act  allows  Omani  citizenship  to  be  granted  to  a  minor  child  of   an   Omani   woman   married   to   a   foreign   man   who   is   still   alive   but   has   left   and   abandoned   her,   or   of   an   Omani   woman   who   is   widowed   or   divorced   from   a   foreign   man.  Under  this  provision  such  children  are  able  to  receive  Omani  citizenship  and  all   its  associated  rights.

The  Ministry  of  Social  Development

44. The   Ministry   of   Social   Development   has   made   respect   for   human   rights   one   of   the   main   components   of   its   policies   and   programmes.   It   is   endeavouring   to   introduce   human  rights  principles,  especially  as  they  relate  to  children,  women  and  persons  with   disabilities,  into  its  quinquennial  and  annual  development  plans  and  is  monitoring  the   implementation  of  treaties  in  this  regard.

45. Working  alongside  other  human  rights  and  development  institutions  in  Oman,  the   Ministry’s   first   concern   is   to   ensure   that   certain   social   groups,   namely   children,   women,   persons   with   disabilities,   young   people   and   the   elderly,   enjoy   social protection.   To   this   end,   its   programmes   and   projects   are   geared   to   meet   the   needs   of   those  groups  and  ensure  that  they  are  able  to   exercise  their  rights.

Mechanisms  and  programmes

46. The   Directorate   General   for   Persons   with   Disabilities   was   established   under   Royal  Decree  No.  18/2014,  while  the  Family  Protection  Department  was  set  up  under   Ministerial  Decree  No.  330/2012.  The  latter  operates  the  Dar  al-Wifaq  centre  which  is   a  shelter  offering  protection  and  assistance  to  women  and  children  who  are  victims  of   violence   or   human   trafficking.   The   Department   for   the   Elderly   was   created   under   Ministerial  Decree  No.  15/2015.  The  Ministry  has  also  established  a  number  of  other   care  institutions:...

- The  Child  Welfare  Centre...

- Guidance  and  reform  facilities  for  juvenile  delinquents...

 

47. The   Ministry   has   organized   conferences   and   seminars   on   the   rights   of   specific   categories  of  persons,  such  as  women  and  children,  and  has  begun  to  prepare  a  number   of  strategies  including  the  following:...

-  A  draft  national  strategy  for  children  2016-2025...

48. The  Ministry  has  issued  a  series  of  laws  and  decrees  to  protect  certain  categories   of   persons   the   care   of   whom   falls   within   its   jurisdiction,   as   illustrated   by   the   following:

- The  Children’s  Act,  issued  under  Royal  Decree  No.  22/2014;; Ministerial  Decree  No.  212/2012  establishing  regulations  for  kindergartens;;

Decree  No.  21/2011  of  the  Minister  of  Social  Development  setting  forth  rules   and  procedures  to  combat  the  phenomenon  of  mendicancy;;

Ministerial   Decree   No.   72/2014   establishing   regulations   for   social   assistance   benefits;;

Ministerial  Decree  No.  228/2013  regulating  the  Dar  al-Aman  shelter;; Ministerial  Decree  No.  235/2014  regulating  the  provision  of  compensatory  and   assistive  devices.

49. The  Ministry  has  set  up  various  programmes  to  improve  the  situation  of  families,   women  and  children.  They  include:

- A  financial  assistance  programme  for  elderly  persons,  persons  with  disabilities,   orphans  and  widows,  pursuant  to  the  Social  Security  Act;; 

-   A   social   protection   programme   for   families,   including   family   and   marital   counselling  and  guidance  hotlines;; 

-  A  legal  awareness-raising  programme  for  women;; 

The  Ministry  of  Education 

51. Oman   has   conducted   a   pioneering   experiment   in   the   field   of   human   rights   education,  culminating  in  the  promulgation  of  Royal  Decree  No.  22/2014  under  which   education   is   both   compulsory   and   free.   Measures   have   been   taken   to   implement   the   Arab   Plan   for   Human   Rights   Education   2009-2014   which   seeks,   inter   alia,   to   incorporate   human   rights   concepts   into   academic   curricula,   provide   human   rights   training   for   teaching   staff,   propagate   a   human   rights   culture   and   encourage   civil   society  to  participate  in  the  dissemination  thereof.

Children  with  disabilities 

52. Pursuant   to   Royal   Decree   121/2008,   the   Ministry   of   Education   is   endeavouring   to  protect  the  interests  of  persons  with  disabilities  and,  in  particular,  to  ensure  that  all   children   in   Oman   enjoy   equal   educational   opportunities   without   discrimination.   This   programme   was   expanded   to   include   627   schools   in   the   academic   year   2013/14.   A   programme  to  integrate  persons  with  mental  and  hearing  disabilities  in  b asic  education   schools   has   also   been   developed   and,   in   the   academic   year   2013/14,   it   covered   182   schools  and  1,390  pupils.  A  programme  to  treat  speech  and  communication  disorders,   which   began   in   only   one   school   in   the   academic   year   2004/05,   was   extended   to   all   educational  districts  in  the  academic  year  2010/11  and,  in  the  academic  year  2013/14,   it   covered   a   total   of   72   schools   and   648   pupils   under   the   supervision   of   31   school   inspectors.
53. The   Ministry   is   seeking   to   ensure   that   these   students,   like   their   peers,   continue   their   studies   up   to   the   level   of   the   general   certificate   of   education.   They   are   then   enrolled   in   the   Ministry   of   Higher   Education’s   standard   admission   programme   and   assigned   to   academic   programmes   appropriate   to   each   category,   depending   on   the   conditions   and   grades   required.   Students   with   visual   and   hearing   impairments   are   admitted   to   university-level   education   in   the   Sultan   Qaboos   University   as   well   as   in   various   private   universities   in   Oman   such   as   the   Gulf   College.   A   number   of   deaf   students   who   graduated   in   the   academic   year   2013/14   were   sent   to   complete   their   higher   education   in   the   United   States   of   America   and   the   Hashemite   Kingdom   of   Jordan.   Following   graduation,   deaf   students   have   been   enrolled   in   administrative   and   vocational  training  institutes.

Compulsory  education 

54. In   view   of   the   vital   importance   of   education   and   its   status   as   a   human   right,   article   36   of   the   Children’s   Act   promulgated   by   Royal   Decree   No.   22/2014   makes   education   compulsory   up   to   the   completion   of   the   basic   level.   The   children’s  guardians  are  responsible  for  their  enrolment  and  for  ensuring  their  regular  attendance   at   school.   Statistics   show   that   the   average   net   enrolment   rate   for   the   academic   year   2012/13   was   98.2   per   cent   in   State   schools   for   grades   1   to   6,   while   the   average   net   enrolment   rate   in   the   educational   system   for   grades   7   to   9   was   95.5   per   cent   in   the   same  academic  year.

55. The   Ministry   of   Education   runs   adult   education   centres   in   which   persons   who   have  spent  three  years  in  the  illiteracy  eradication  programme  or  who  dropped  out  of   regular  education  but  know  how  to  read  and  write  can  complete  grades  7  to  12.  It  has   been  noted  that  the  majority  of  the  students  at  those  centres  are  women.  The  illiteracy   rate  in  Oman  amounted  to  9.18  per  cent  in  2013.

Human  rights  education

56. A   number   of   good   practices   have   been   observed   in   the   field   of   human   rights   education  at  all  levels.  Those  practices  include  the  following.

57. Oman   has   incorporated   the   concepts   of   human   rights   and   the   rights   of   the   child   into  the  national  academic  curricula  at  all  stages  of  education.  A  draft   “charter”  for  the   inclusion   of   these   concepts   in   the   curricula   was   adopted   and   teaching   staff   have   been   trained  in  its  implementation.  A  number  of  officials  have  been  enrolled  in  internal  and   external   human   rights   training   courses   in   order   to   acquire   new   skills   and   precise   knowledge   on   human   rights   education,   especially   in   regard   to   child   development   and   protection.

58. Developers  of  curricula  on  all  subjects  have  been  trained  as  part  of  an  integrated   plan   to   train   teachers   and   school   inspectors   in   the   use   of   the   charter   for   the   inclusion   of   the   concepts   of   human   rights   and   the   rights   of   the   child   in   school   curricula.   That   training  is  supplemented  by  brochures  and  training  packages  to  help  teachers  to  apply   those   concepts   and   values   and   organize   educational   activities   to   instil   them   in   their   students.  The  self-learning  process  is  also  facilitated  by  workshops,  written  materials,   images,  drawings  and  classroom  and  extramural  activities  on  children’s  rights.

The  Ministry  of  Higher  Education

64. Student   delegations   from   a   number   of   countries   around   the   world   have   participated  in  activities  at  higher  educational  institutions.  In  recent  years,  delegations   have  been  welcomed  from,  inter  alia,  Taylor’s  University  in  Malaysia,  the  University   of  Pennsylvania  and  the  People’s  Friendship  University  of  Russia.

68. The   Omani   Programme   for   Cultural   and   Scientific   Cooperation   is   effectively   a   system   of   grants   accorded   by   higher   educational   institutions   to   Arab   and   non-Arab   students.  Between  the  academic  years  2011/12  and  2014/15,  a  total  of  52  grants  were   disbursed,   including   14   by   the   Sultan   Qaboos   University,   11   by   colleges   of   applied   sciences,  20  by  technical  colleges,  5  by  the  College  of  Banking  and  Financial  Studies   and  2  by  the  Sharia  College.

69. In   accordance   with   Ministerial   Decree   71/2014,   a   guide   for   student   advisory   councils   was   introduced   in   the   academic   year   2014/15   and   is   due   to   come   into   effect   as   of   the   academic   year   2015/16.   It   is   seen   as   a   way   to   ensure   democracy   among   students  in  higher  educational  institutions.

V. National  mechanisms  for  the  promotion  and  protection  of   human  rights

Formulation  of  a  national  strategy  to  disseminate  a  culture  of  human  rights
80. One  of  the  functions  of  the  National  Human  Rights  Commission  is  to  draw  up  an   annual   national   plan   for   human   rights   education   and   awareness -raising.   To   that   end,   the  Commission  has  undertaken  a  number  of  field  visits  to  educational  institutions  and   youth  centres,  including  the  following: 

- Various  Omani  universities,  youth  centres  and  UNICEF; 

- A   delegation   was   received   from   the   Asia-Pacific   Forum   to   evaluate   the  
Commission’s  performance;; 

-  Summer  camps. 

Working  group  for  the  preparation  of  the  report  submitted  by   Oman  under  the  International  Convention  on  the  Elimination  of  All   Forms  of  Racial  Discrimination

83. Oman  acceded  to  the  Convention  in  2002  pursuant  to  Royal   Decree  No.  87/2002.   Notice   of   ratification   was   published   in   the   Official   Gazette   on   26   October   2002   and   the  Convention  thereby  entered  into  force  as  part  of  the  national  corpus  juris  pursuant   to   article   76   of   the   Basic   Law   of   the   State.   The   provisions   of   t he   Convention   have   been   examined   in   a   number   of   seminars   and   workshops   by   various   bodies   in   Oman   and  the  country  presented  its  second  to  fifth  periodic  reports  (2006  to  2012)  in  a  single   document.

84. Maternity   and   childhood:   As   part   of   its   efforts   to   protect   children,   the   Ministry   of   Social   Development   in   cooperation   with   partners   such   as   the   Ministries   of   Health   and   of   Education   and   with   the   support   of   UNICEF   and   the   participation   of   civil   society  organizations,  has  prepared  two  separate  strategies,  one  for  children  and  one   for  women,  which  focus  on  developing  policies  and  programmes  in  that  regard.

The  Oman  Charitable  Organization

89. The   Organization   has   launched   seven   national   programmes.   One   focuses   on   the   care  of  orphans  and  grants  a  basic  monthly  allowance,  as  well  as  another  allowance  on   special   occasions,   to   an   estimated   2,400   orphans.   The   other   programmes   focus   on   providing   care   for   families,   cash   assistance,   medical   treatment,   education,   food   and   housing.

VII. National  policies  and  strategies National  strategies 

93. These   strategies   are   based   on   a   number   of   general   principles.   The   main   priority   is  to  ensure  that  citizens  enjoy  a  decent  standard  of  living  by  improving  education  and   health-care   systems,   with   emphasis   on   social   development   and   the   enhancement   of   governmental  services.  They  include: 

- The  Omani  Health  Vision  2050  rests  on  the  framework  approach  of  the  World   Health   Organization   and   its   six   main   building   blocks:   leadership/governance,   financing,  health  workforce,  service  delivery,  information  and  medical  products,   vaccinations  and  technology;; 

- The  2008-2016  national  plan  to  combat  human  trafficking;

-  The  2016-2025  national  strategy  for  childhood...

VIII. Voluntary  pledges  and  recommendations  accepted  during  the   first  universal  periodic  review  in  2011

Promotion  of  the  role  of  women  (empowerment)  

99. Oman   has   been   successful   in   increasing   the   proportion   of   girls   in   schools   to   50   per   cent,   while   55   per   cent   of   university   students   are   female.   According   to   the   statistics  for  2012,  women  constitute  43  per  cent  of  the  workforce  in  the  public  sector   and  20.3  per  cent  in  the  private  sector.

100. In  the  political  sphere,  women  have  the  right  to  vote  and  be  elected  to  the  Omani   parliament   —   which   is   made   up   of   two   chambers,   the   Consultative   Council   and   the   State   Council   —   and   to   municipal   councils.   Three   women   currently   hold   ministerial   rank,  two  of  whom  have  a  minister’s  portfolio,  while  in  the  diplomatic  service  three   women  hold  ambassadorial  posts.  Under  Royal  Decree  No.  125/2008,  women  have  the   right  to  receive  government  land  grants  on  a  par  with  men.  Women  also  have  the  right   to  obtain  a  passport  with  having  to  seek  the  permission  of  their  husbands.  The  Labour   Code   protects   women   from   arbitrary   dismissal   in   case   of   illness,   pregnancy   or   childbirth   and   gives   them   the   right   to   50   days   of   paid   maternity   leave   and   up   to   one   year  of  unpaid  maternity  leave.

Achievements  and  best  practices

Principal  educational  indicators 

109. -   Illiteracy  eradication  programmes  and  educational  policies  in  Oman  led  to  a  drop   in   the   illiteracy   rate   to   9   per   cent   in   persons   between   the   ages   of   15   and   79   in   2013;; 

-  Educational   outcomes   have   shown   that   there   is   no   quality   gap   in   school   education   between   males   and   females,   reflecting   the   belief   that   education   is   a   universal  right  for  men  and  women  alike;; 

- Oman   has   encouraged   its   citizens   to   enrol   their   children   in   school   education,   which   is   provided   free   of   charge.   As   a   consequence,   the   net   enrolment   rate   in   primary  education  has  reached  98  per  cent;; 

- Oman  has  a  good  student-teacher  ratio,  with  10  students  per  teacher. 

Principal  health-care  indicators

111. One  hundred  per  cent  of  children  under  the  age  of  1  were  vaccinated  in  2012,  as   part  of  the  efforts  to  improve  children’s  health  and  minimize  the  dangers  of  infectious   diseases  in  the  future.

Capacity-building 

115. In  recent  years  the  Ministry  of  Civil  Service  has  been  implementing  a  distance   learning  (computer-based  training)  programme  to  build  human  capacity  in  Oman,  and   a   regulatory   structure   has   been   created   in   that   regard.   It   is   hoped   that   this   form   of   training   will   lead   to   an   increase   in   the   number   of   trainees,   save   time   and   costs   and   enable  officials  to  undergo  training  without  having  to  interrupt  their  work.  In  2013,  the   Ministry   of   Civil   Service,   in   partnership   with   a   number   of   specialized   foreign   institutions,  implemented  programmes  for  more  than  90  participants,  all  of  whom  were   supervisors  in  government  offices.  The  aim  was  to  improve  performance,  train  middle   management   and   study   other   successful   administrative   and   capacity-building   experiences   and   practices   in   such   areas   as   the   training   of   government   administrators,   strategic   planning,   performance   evaluation,   human   resource   development   and   the   improvement   of   government   services.   Officials   in   Oman   have   been   trained   to   deal   with   cases   involving   human   rights,   human   trafficking   and   violations   of   the   rights   of   women   and   children.   Police,   public   security   and   judicial   officials   all   receive   training   on   ways   to   treat   prisoners   and   differentiate   between   accused   and   convicted   persons...

Challenges  and  priorities

120. Oman  is  evaluating  its  strategies  in  regard  to  women  and  children.  It  is  taking   steps   to   combat   human   trafficking   while   re-evaluating   and   examining   the   extent   to   which   strategies   have   been   successful   in   attaining   their   goals.   It   is   also   compiling   a   statistical  database  on  all  aspects  of  its  human  rights  practices.

 

Compilation of UN Information 

C. Right to marriage and family life

23. The Committee was concerned that, despite the legal prohibition, marriage of girls under the age of 18 was still widely practised and was accepted by Omani custom.

24. The Committee was deeply concerned that women and men did not enjoy equal rights to nationality, as Omani women were legally unable to transfer their nationality to their children if the father was a non-national. It reiterated that this situation constituted discrimination against Omani women in the area of nationality and citizenship rights. It was also concerned about discrimination against women with regard to naturalization of their foreign spouses under Omani law. The Committee called upon Oman to amend its domestic laws to grant Omani women equal rights with men with regard to transmission of their nationality to their children and to their foreign husbands. UNHCR made a similar recommendation.

D. Freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and right to participate in public and political life

27. His concerns were heightened by reports from non-governmental organizations and the media about an unprecedented use of force and mass arrests of peaceful protestors who had gathered in Muscat and Sohar in January and February 2011 to demand, inter alia, better working conditions, higher standards of education, the end of corruption and economic and political reforms. Furthermore, reports indicated that a massive peaceful protest had been violently dispersed by the police in Sohar in April 2011.

E. Right to work and to just and favourable conditions of work

35. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women noted with concern the very low participation of women in the labour force (11 per cent); and that working women were concentrated in the education and health sectors, indicating a gender- based segregation of the labour force. It urged Oman to (a) guarantee equal application of all labour laws to women and men and ensure equal remuneration for work of equal value; (b) promote a balance between family and employment responsibilities; and (c) regulate paid maternity leave for all working women, including migrant women and those in domestic service.

F. Right to health

37. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women noted the decline in the infant mortality and maternal mortality rates and the improvement in prenatal and birth care standards.

G. Right to education

39. While commending the high levels of women’s and girls’ enrolment throughout the education system, and the advances in fighting illiteracy, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was concerned at the lack of compulsory free education for all. It recommended that Oman make education compulsory and free for all, continue its efforts to ensure equal access to education for women and girls, and ensure that girls gain optimal benefit from career and vocational programmes.

40. In 2011, the ILO Committee of Experts requested that Oman take the measures necessary to raise the minimum age for admission to employment from 15 to 16 years, in order to link that age with the age of completion of schooling, in conformity with article 2 (3) of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138). Moreover, the Committee recalled that compulsory education was one of the most effective means of combating child labour and requested Oman to continue to provide information in the future on any measures envisaged on that subject.

41. UNESCO referred to recommendations on the right to education accepted by Oman during its first universal periodic review73 and stated that Oman had adopted various programmes to improve access to quality education, through several development plans and national plans and through the National Strategy for Childhood. However, according to UNESCO, no sufficient measures had been taken to address persisting discrimination, especially against women. In addition, no further measures, including human rights education in training programmes and curricula, especially for Omani military and police officers, had been taken.

42. UNESCO recommended that Oman be encouraged to continue to submit State reports for the periodic consultations of the education-related standard-setting instruments of UNESCO; to provide further human rights education, especially for its military and police officers; and to further promote education for all, especially by continuing to implement programmes to ban discrimination against women.

H. Persons with disabilities

43. UNESCO indicated that Oman had strived to make education more inclusive by adopting the National Strategy for the Disabled. It recommended that Oman could be encouraged to further its policy to improve access by persons with disabilities to education.

 

Stakeholder Information 

C. Implementation of international human rights obligations, taking into account applicable international humanitarian law

1. Equality and non-discrimination

10. HRW referred to recommendation accepted by Oman during its first UPR in 2011 to “take   additional measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and promote  the  status  of  women  and  their  participation  in  all  State  institutions.” It indicated that while Article 17 of the Basic Law stated that all citizens were equal and prohibited gender-based discrimination, women however continued to face discrimination in law and practice, in relation to divorce, inheritance, child custody and legal guardianship of children.16 Society for threatened Peoples (STP) expressed similar concern.17 HRW added that the authorities had taken some steps to tackle discrimination against women but some of the changes did not go far enough.

11. HRW recommended that Oman end discrimination in law and practice against women and girls in accordance with CEDAW.

2. Right to life, liberty and security of the person

17. Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (GIEACPC) stated that in Oman, corporal punishment of children was lawful, despite repeated recommendations to prohibit it by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. GIEACPC noted that no specific recommendation to prohibit corporal punishment was made during the first UPR of Oman in 2011, but the country accepted recommendations to strengthen domestic legislation in light of international human rights standards, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child under which States parties have an obligation to enact legislation to prohibit corporal punishment.29 GIEACPC hoped that Oman will receive during its second review in 2015 a specific recommendation requesting that legislation be adopted to clearly prohibit all corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home.30

6. Freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and right to participate in public and political life

26. As regards freedom of association, Alkarama indicated that the Constitution established the right to form associations, but limited this   to   those   having   “legitimate   objectives”;   activities   considered   “contrary   to   social   order”   were thus prohibited. FLD stated that the law defined five thematic areas in which associations were permitted to work, namely: orphans care, maternal and child care, women services, elderly care, and care for people with disabilities. The law prohibited associations from engaging with politics, according to FLD. Alkarama added that the law forbade associations from having relations with foreign countries, providing assistance to others associations, or organising festivities without prior permission from the administration. The Ministry of Social Development which monitored associations might oppose the establishment of an association if it believed that   “Omani   society   did not need it, if there was a similar association, or the object stated in the articles of association was contrary to the interest of national security or for any other reason that the Minister considered relevant”, and such refusal could not be challenged by judicial proceedings, according to Alkarama.

8. Persons with disabilities

34. Concerning the integration of children with special needs into national educational system, the NHRCO advised that educational teams, specialized staff and qualified facilities should be put in place in order to ensure that disabled children with special needs enjoy their full educational rights according to international standards.

 

Accepted and Rejected Recomendation

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Countries

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