" The Hidden Landscape of Disability and Poverty in Oman" 31 August 2025

Oman is a country of about 4 million people at the southeastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. Its rich oil reserves have made it one of the richest countries in the Middle East. Yet, its relatively high GDP per capita—estimated at $39,800—belies the many socio-economic issues affecting large sectors of the Omani population...Poverty is even more severe among foreign workers in Oman, who number 1.8 million of the country’s residents but have experienced exclusion from most poverty-related programs and statistics...

Some of Oman’s poorest citizens have disabilities as well. There are 44,513 total Omani citizens living with disabilities. This translates to nearly 1% of the total population. The most common types of disabilities in Oman are hearing disabilities (34%) and physical disabilities (23.7%). Such disabilities reduce the likelihood of having a stable income. In 2003, only 15.7% of disabled Omanis were economically active, and 65% were unable to work at all. Thus, disability has a high correlation with poverty in Oman...

Through its massive oil wealth, Oman has greatly solidified its current social safety net, known as the “Social Protection Fund.” The fund allows impoverished Omanis to receive unemployment benefits, monthly allowances and job recruitment opportunities when necessary. The Social Protection Fund partly explains how Oman was able to eliminate its absolute poverty rate (the proportion of people living below $1.25/day) in 2025... This money allows Omanis with special needs to secure necessities like food, water and shelter, while reducing the likelihood of them falling into poverty...