Shaikhah Bint Ashour Al Hambasiyah serves as a prime example of how barriers for women in the Gulf are breaking down. Serving as a lieutenant colonel, she was recently appointed as the first woman ever to head a police station in Oman.
Hambasiyah, who now heads the Watayah Police Station in Muscat, said that the decision is "motivation" for her and "other Omani policewomen to provide the best" for the sultanate, according to Gulf News.
Hambasiyah first joined the Royal Oman Police in 1990 and has held a number of prominent leadership positions throughout her career. Previously she has worked as part of the task force for Public Security and Investigation and also lead the police force's juvenile department in Muscat.
In 2011, she served as the head of the female military police at Oman's Royal Court. Hambasiyah describes this experience as "the most important turning point" in her life. She felt honored and proud as she became the "first Omani woman to lead the military police parade under the patronage of Sultan Qaboos."
Her family has always been supportive of her career as well, she explained.
"What makes it easier for me is that I have an understanding husband and a family that takes my work into consideration," she said. Hambasiyah credits her family's support with helping her overcome many difficulties she has faced, allowing her to achieve so highly.
Although women have been an important part of the Oman police force for decades – training and working alongside their male associates – Hambasiyah's new role is definitely a major milestone for women in the sultanate.
Her example encourages all Omani women, especially fellow policewomen, to strive for their goals and achieve their ambitions.