Muscat:The 13th Intellectual Forum, organized by the National Committee for Bioethics, concluded with a recommendation for a national strategy to enhance family stability and increase fertility rates in Oman. This strategy includes incorporating family stability indicators into the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
According to Oman News Agency, the forum emphasized the need for advancements in reproductive health services to encourage childbearing. It advocated for the expansion and support of fertility and infertility clinic services and proposed the establishment of a research and treatment center for fertility and delayed childbearing. Additionally, the forum called for more research into the causes of infertility and reduced fertility.
In addressing economic and financial support, the forum suggested studying financial incentives for young low-income families with increased numbers of children. It also recommended establishing an endowment to support the Marriage Fund in collaboration with private sector institutions, increasing the support amount from the Marriage Fund, and expanding its target group. The forum also proposed increasing financial support for childhood benefits to ease financial burdens related to childbearing and facilitating affordable housing for young families through interest-free loans or rent-to-own options.
The forum also focused on social and awareness initiatives, calling for mandatory, free preparatory, and counseling programs for those about to marry. It proposed a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of facilitating marriage and family formation, and suggested preparing a national framework to rationalize marriage costs. Coordination among government and private entities, civil society associations, and specialized centers for family counseling was also recommended.
Participants discussed rapid demographic changes, highlighting a decline in Oman's birth rate from 34.1 to 20.8 births per thousand population between 2015 and 2025. The forum addressed this issue from a comprehensive national perspective, considering ethical, social, economic, and health factors to support family stability.
The program included presentations of scientific papers and dialogue sessions on three main themes: demographic, health, and social realities; family-supportive policies and their impact on national development; and proposed solutions and future aspirations. Discussions covered topics such as population changes, societal aging, delayed marriage, early divorce, economic impacts, and policies supporting work-life balance.
The forum concluded with a presentation by Sheikh Dr. Kahlan Nabhan Al Kharousi on the impact of Islamic Sharia and the importance of forming and preserving the family. The event opened under the patronage of Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health, and in the presence of His Highness Sayyid Dr. Fahd Al Julanda Al Said, Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University and Chairman of the National Committee for Bioethics.