Omani Women’s Day: Digital media offers limitless potential

Over the past years, women have made great strides and have broken many barriers. However, as we celebrate these accomplishments, we have to acknowledge the fact that there is still a long way to go as there are many obstacles to overcome. Many people, even women, think that men can always do a better job in journalism. There are many examples to prove that women survived and can do further in this profession. It just makes the women stronger and more willing to push for what they believe in. His Majesty’s trust in women as development partners has been the sword for women to motivate them to work in all fields. Encouraged by this positive push by His Majesty, Omani women who were usually seen in the fields of teaching or nursing, began applying for newsroom jobs in great numbers, in addition to other unconventional professions. Unfortunately, not just in Oman, the majority of high profile journalists and editors remain males, although there have been significant changes in the prospects for women working in the media in the past few decades. Women in the media industry are still noticeably a few, despite making up the majority of journalism students. Omani female journalists assure that they get equal pay, equal opportunities and are subject to the same regulations and laws. They are also quite confident that they have changed the perspective of the community regarding this matter. They enjoy the busy life of journalists and exploring the outside world through the media coverages and events held abroad. This expands horizons and knowledge. However, every field has its own troubles. It will take some time also to convince media houses that women can do the same job as men. Some media HR managers claim that women take more holidays than men. They take maternity leave, and take break when their children are sick. But in today’s digital world office space is not a limitation and opportunities remain untapped.