A Workshop to Enhance Tax Awareness for Women Entrepreneurs in Dhofar Governorate

In the frame of the Tax Culture initiative which is organized by the Tax Authority, the Department of Taxes in Dhofar Governorate in coopeeation with the committee of women entrepreneurs in Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a workshop entitled “Tax Culture” in the headquarters of the Chamber. The workshop aimed to enhance the awareness of tax culture for women entrepreneurs to foster the sustainability and growth of their works, and contribute in the economic development of the governorate. 

The workshop discussed some important topics such as: an introduction about the tax system in the Sultanate of Oman including the definition of tax, its importance, and the types of taxes in force in the Sultanate of Oman. 

 Besides, the workshop showed the laws of VAT and income tax, the conditions of registration in them, and the procedures related to the submission of returns. The tax challenges faced by women entrepreneurs were also discussed such as: the difficulty in understanding the laws and regulations of tax, the administrative obligations related to tax, and failure to find an appropriate accounting system. 

 In the end of the workshop, the best practices of enhancing the tax compliance were discussed, included registering in tax, obtaining tax number, keeping the updated and accurate tax records, submitting correct tax returns on time, paying the due tax, and communicating with the administration of tax in case of having any questions or inquiries. 

 This workshop is the first workshop that was targeting women only, and it witnessed fruitful discussions and active participation from businesswomen and entrepreneurs, who showed great interest in the topics addressed. 

The workshop stressed the importance of awareness of the tax laws and legislation in force in the Sultanate of Oman, as it has a positive impact on enhancing transparency in commercial activities. In addition to motivating women entrepreneurs to comply with their tax obligations, and support the government's efforts to diversify sources of income and achieve sustainable development.