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Oman
Women in decision-making positions
1%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (1 elected women)
No woman is Head of Government
No data available on women parliamentarians
15%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Oman is a unitary monarchy with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and one tier of local government composed of municipalities.

  • Head of State: The Sultan assumes the role hereditarily.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is appointed by the Sultan.
  • Legislative body: The Majlis Oman is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the Majlis Al Dawla) and a lower house (the Majlis Al Shura). Members of the Majlis Al Dawla are appointed. Members of the Majlis Al Shura are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Council of Ministers is composed of the Prime Minister, who presides over the meetings, and ministers appointed by the Sultan.

Organization: Local government is organized into one tier of 11 governorates. Each governorate is divided into provinces which, due to lack of financial and administrative power, are not considered to be tiers of local government. The deliberative bodies of governorates are called municipal councils.

Competencies: Local government is responsible for establishing and managing municipal facilities; maintaining public health; collecting municipal tax; preparing draft municipal regulations.

Ministerial oversight: the Ministry of Interior is responsible for central government oversight of local government.

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The municipal council (المجلس البلدي) is composed of appointed members and two elected members per province. A council chairperson (رئيس المجلس البلدي) is appointed to preside over the municipal council; the council chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The Governor, assisted by a deputy, is the executive at the municipal level of government. The Governor is appointed by the Sultan.

Local government elections

Electoral system for deliberative bodies: majority/plurality (block vote)

  • Two candidates are elected at the level of each province of the municipality. The winning candidates are the ones who obtain the higher number of votes.

Electoral System for governors: no direct elections

  • The governor is appointed to preside over the municipal council.

Source: Municipal Councils Law, 2020, article 8; Regulations for the Elections of municipal council members, 2022, article 56

  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No

  • Term length: 4 years
  • Last local elections: 2022
  • Next local elections: 2026

Ministry of Interior

National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of Oman, 2021;
  • Municipal Councils Law, 2020;
  • Law issuing the Governorate system, 2022;
  • Executive regulations for the Municipal Councils Law, 2022;
  • Regulations for the elections of municipal council members, 2022.

According to Oman’s constitution of 2021, article 64, “The administrative divisions of the state and the work mechanisms of local administration shall be governed by royal decrees. Municipal councils shall be regulated and their competences shall be specified in accordance with the law.”

The Majlis Oman is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation which regulates local government is the Municipal Councils Law of 2020, which outlines the provisions of the municipal level of government in Oman.

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.