UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Home | UNICEF · PDF fileUnited Arab Emirates,” which is used by government institutions.16 4 Information provided by the UAE General Women’s Union to the

MENA Gender Equality ProfileStatus of Girls and Women in theMiddle East and North Africa

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF.The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of the material do not imply on the part of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) the expression of any opinion whatsoever concerning the legal status of any country or territory, or of its authorities or the delimitations of its frontiers.

Photo CreditsUNICEF/GAO/2010/Walid Khalil Abu Hamza

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1. Background

Demographics Value Year

Total population (000) 4,599 2009

Total adolescent (10-19) population (000) 501 2009

Total under-18 population (000) 1,019 2009

Total under-5 population (000) 307 2009

Population annual growth rate (%) 4.4 2000-2009

Total fertility rate (births per woman) 1.9 2009

Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 live births)

7 2009

Life expectancy at birth (years), male 77 2009

Life expectancy at birth (years), female 79 2009

Singulate mean age at marriage, male 27 1995

Singulate mean age at marriage, female 24 1995

Economic indicators

GNI per capita (current US$) 26,360 2004

% share of income held by lowest 20 % -

% share of income held by highest 20 % -

Sources: UNICEF, The State of the World’sChildren 2011. Life expectancy and economic indicators from The World Bank, Data Catalog, http://data.worldbank.org/, [accessed in August 2011]Marriage data from UNPD, World Marriage Data 2008, www.un.org/esa/population/

2. LegaL Framework

Legal system. The laws in United Arab Emirates (UAE) are based on Islamic law (Shari’a) and are influenced by

Egyptian code and French civil law. The court system comprises Shari’a courts and civil courts.1 The Personal Status

Law, which is based on Shari’a and regulates matters such as marriage, divorce and child custody, was enacted in

2005. Before 2005 no codified personal status law existed. In criminal matters a woman’s testimony is worth half of

that of a man before a court. In some civil matters a woman’s testimony is equal to that of a man. A large proportion

of the population in UAE consists of expat workers; only about 20 per cent of the population are citizens.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. UAE acceded to the Convention

on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2004 and maintains reservations

to articles 2 (f) (reform laws and practices that constitute discrimination against women), 9 (equal rights with

regard to nationality), 15 (2) (equal legal capacity), 16 (equality in marriage and family life) 29 (1) (an article related

to the administration of the convention; i.e. arbitration in the event of a dispute).2 Several of these articles are

considered to be at the core of the purpose of the convention. The CEDAW Committee indicated in 1998 that: “…

reservations to article 16, whether lodged for national, traditional, religious or cultural reasons, are incompatible

with the Convention and therefore impermissible...” and that article 2 is central to the purpose and objective of the

convention.3

Convention on the Rights of the Child. UAE acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1997 and

maintains reservations to articles 7 (right to name and nationality), 14 (freedom of thought and religion), 17 (access

to information) and 21 (on adoption). UAE is not party to the two optional protocols to the CRC.

1 Hauser Global Law School Program, New York University School of Law, GlobaLex, Foreign Law Research, (electronic publication, www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex) [accessed in August 2011]

2 See United Nations Treaty Collection (http://treaties.un.org) for declarations and reservations made by State Parties

3 Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Session, A/53/38/Rev.1, 1998, p.49

Gender Gap Index 2010

Rankings of MENA countries with available data

Score Rank

United Arab Emirates 0.6397 103

Kuwait 0.6318 105

Tunisia 0.6266 107

Bahrain 0.6217 110

Lebanon 0.6084 116

Qatar 0.6059 117

Algeria 0.6052 119

Jordan 0.6048 120

Oman 0.5950 122

Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0.5933 123

Syrian Arab Republic 0.5926 124

Egypt 0.5899 125

Morocco 0.5767 127

Saudi Arabia 0.5713 129

Yemen 0.4603 134

Source: World Economic Forum, The Global Gender Gap Report 2010 (rankings of in total 134 countries)

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Nationality rights. A female Emirati citizen who marries a foreign man can keep her citizenship if she requests a

special dispensation. Children of female citizens married to non-citizens do not acquire citizenship automatically

at birth, but their mothers can obtain citizenship for them after submitting an application, which the government

usually accepts.4 Nationality is automatically derived from the father and an Emirati man can also pass his

nationality to a foreign spouse.5

Divorce rights. While an Emirati man can divorce his wife for any reason, women can request divorce only under

certain specific circumstances. It is also possible for a woman to seek divorce without the burden of evidence, but

she will then have to return her dowry. The latter type of divorce (called “khula”) was introduced as an option in

the codified personal status law of 2005.6 Women have the right to financial support after a divorce (if they did not

forfeit this right in exchange for divorce), according to UAE’s initial CEDAW report (2008).

Guardianship and custody rights. Upon divorcing, a woman may be granted custody of her daughters until they

reach the age of 13 and her sons until they reach the age of 10. After this, a court will reassess custody.7

Inheritance rights. Women have the right to inherit, but the share of the woman´s inheritance will be half of the

man´s if there is one male and one female inheritor with the same relationship to the deceased.8 There are limited

circumstances under which women might receive equal shares of their male counterparts, for example in the case

of parents of a childless descendant.9

Freedom of movement. The constitution guarantees freedom of movement, but, according to the Women’s Rights

in the Middle East and North Africa report in practice, a woman can be stopped from traveling abroad.10

Protection from child marriage. The legal minimum age of marriage is 18 for girls and boys.11 The prospective

husband and the woman’s guardian are parties to the marriage contract. The woman’s signature is also required.

Polygyny is legal.12 Islamic law has identified conditions for polygyny in terms of number, alimony, justice between

wives and consent of women.13

Protection from gender-based violence. Rape is considered a serious crime that is punishable by death, if the

crime led to the death of the victim. Otherwise, the penalty is imprisonment – from several years up to life. Yet, the

victim of rape also risks being prosecuted for extramarital relations if she “willingly engaged herself in extramarital

relations.”14 There is no law against domestic violence and marital rape is not addressed by the penal code. In fact,

the penal code allows men to discipline their children and wives using violence.15

Governmental response. In UAE the Ministry of Social Affairs is responsible for social policies related to women

and children. The main national organisation that promotes the advancement of women is the General Women’s

Union. The General Women’s Union has launched a “National Strategy for the Advancement of Women in the

United Arab Emirates,” which is used by government institutions.16 4 Information provided by the UAE General Women’s Union to the UNICEF Gulf Area Office in November 2011.

5 Freedom House, Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa 2010 (report, online version, www.freedomhouse.org)

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Responses [by United Arab Emirates] to the list of issues and questions with regard to the consideration of the initial report, CEDAW/C/

ARE/Q/1/Add.1, 2009.

9 Information provided by the UAE General Women’s Union to the UNICEF Gulf Area Office in November 2011.


11 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Initial report of United Arab Emirates, CEDAW/C/ARE/1, 2008




15 Freedom House, Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa 2010, and U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2011 (report, online version http://www.state.gov/g/

drl/rls/hrrpt/) [accessed in August 2011]


ARE/Q/1/Add.1, 2009

3. InStItutIonS and mechanISmS

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Strategies and services responding to gender-based violence. The state has established and supported shelters,

social support centres and a telephone hotline for women who are victims of violence. A department for the

protection of human rights has been created in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that provides legal assistance to victims of

abuse.17

4. women’S PoLItIcaL PartIcIPatIon

Political representation. UAE has not held national legislative elections. However, the country has a 40-member

partially elected body called the Federal National Council (FNC). The FNC is an advisory body without legislative

powers and only those appointed to the electoral colleges (which included both women and men) were allowed

to vote and stand for election in the first (and so far only) elections to the council in 2006. One woman won a seat

this way, and eight other women were appointed to the FNC following the elections. Thus, women now hold 23 per

cent of the seats in the FNC. There are plans to expand the FNC and strengthen its legislative powers.18 As of 2010,

there were four women in ministerial positions in UAE.

Representation in the legal system. In 2008 the law was amended to allow women to serve as judges and federal

prosecutors. Since then two women have been appointed as judges, and two as prosecutors.19

Civil society. Freedom of assembly and association is organized by Federal Law No. 2 of 2008, concerning

associations and civil society organizations.20 According to the 2010 Freedom House report, the UAE Human Rights

Association is the only human rights NGO operating in the country and is supported by the government. In its

communication with the CEDAW Committee the government mentions several government-supported women’s

organisations that are dedicated to various activities.21 Mafiwasta, an organisation for the rights of migrant

workers, submitted a shadow report to the CEDAW Committee with regard to the initial UAE CEDAW report. The

organisation Migrant Forum in Asia also submitted a report to the CEDAW Committee on the situation of female

migrant workers in the country.

5. educatIon and economIc PartIcIPatIon

Education. According to data from 2005, 97 per cent of female youth and 94 per cent of male youth are literate. The

net enrolment ratios of girls and boys in primary school are roughly equal (89 per cent for girls and 90 per cent for

boys, according to data from 2009). This is also the case in secondary school where the net enrolment ratio is 84

per cent for girls and 82 per cent for boys. Gross enrolment data in tertiary education show higher enrolment rates

for women than for men (41 per cent compared to 22 per cent).22

Access to financial credit. Women and men have equal rights to access bank loan and other forms of financial credit

and women do not require the permission of their husband or father to obtain a loan or other forms of credit. 23

Participation in the labour market. The labour force participation rate (that is, the proportion of the working-age

population that actively engages in the labour market either by working or looking for work) of women aged 15

and above is less than half that of men (42 per cent compared to 92 per cent). Globally, women’s labour force

participation rate is 52 per cent.24 Despite similar primary and secondary school net enrolment rates and high

17 Ibid.


19 Ibid.



ARE/Q/1/Add.1, 2009

22 UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) online database [accessed in August 2011], data refer to 2009

23 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Initial report of United Arab Emirates, CEDAW/C/ARE/1, 2008

24 United Nations, DESA, The World’s Women 2010, p. 76

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youth literacy rates for both girls and boys, the labour force participation rate among young women between 15-24

is only 29 per cent, compared to 57 per cent among young men. While 8 per cent of male youth are unemployed,

the female youth unemployment rate is 22 per cent, according to data from 2008.

6. reProductIve heaLth

Maternal health. The most recent data on maternal health available date from 1995 and show that coverage of

critical interventions for safe motherhood was high: 97 per cent received antenatal care at least once by skilled

health personnel and 99 per cent of births were attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife. The 2008 Maternal

Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (MMEIG) estimates maternal mortality for UAE at 10 deaths per 100,000

live births.25

Early childbearing. For UAE nationals, the adolescent birth rate is 22 births per 1,000 adolescent girls aged 15–19.

7. key IndIcatorS on the SItuatIon oF gIrLS and women

MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH

YEAR TOTAL URBAN RURALPOOREST

20%RICHEST

20%SOURCE

Contraceptive prevalence (%)

1995 28* - - - -

UNFPA, UNPD, MDG database http://unstats.un.org[accessed in August 2011], *data pertain to nationals of the country

Antenatal care coverage at least once by skilled personnel (%)

1995 97 - - - -

UNICEF global database/Family Health Survey 1995

Skilled attendant at birth (doctor, nurse or midwife) (%)

1995 99 100 99 -

UNICEF global database/Family Health Survey 1995

Adolescent birth rate (number of births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19)

2002 22*

UNFPA, UNPD, MDG database http://unstats.un.org[accessed in August 2011], *data pertain to nationals of the country

Maternal Mortality Ratio (adjusted) (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births)

2008 10WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (MMEIG) / UNICEF global database

Lifetime risk of maternal death, 1 in:

2008 4200

25 See WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank, 2010, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990-2008. The report categorizes countries’ progress towards MDG5. (Countries with MMR ≥100 in 1990 are categorized

as “on track” if there has been 5.5% decline or more annually, “making progress” if MMR has declined between 2% and 5.5%, making “insufficient progress” if MMR has declined less than 2% annually,

and having “no progress” if there has been an annual increase in MMR. Countries with MMR <100 in 1990 are not categorized) Since United Arab Emirates had an MMR which was <100 in 1990 it is not

categorized.

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EDUCATION YEARMALE

%FEMALE

%

GENDER PARITY INDEX

(F/M)SOURCE

Net enrolment ratio primary school (%)

2009 90 89 0.98UIS, online database, http://stats.uis.unesco.org[accessed in August 2011]

Net enrolment ratio secondary school (%)

2009 82 84 1.02UIS, online database, http://stats.uis.unesco.org[accessed in August 2011]

Youth (15-24) literacyrate (%)

2005 94 97UIS, online database, http://stats.uis.unesco.org[accessed in August 2011]

YEAR TOTAL SOURCE

Share of females among teaching staff (%) in primary education

2007 85UNESCO, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011

Share of females among teaching staff (%) in secondary education

2007 55UNESCO, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011, UIS estimate

CHILD PROTECTION YEAR TOTAL URBAN RURALPOOREST

20%RICHEST

20%SOURCE

% of women aged 20-24 who were married/in union before the age of 18

- - - - -

Female genital mutilation/cutting among women 15-49 (%)

- - - - -

YEAR TOTAL MALE FEMALE SOURCE

% of children aged 5–14 engaged in child labour

- - -

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ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

YEAR% WHO AGREE WITH AT LEAST ONE

SPECIFIED REASONSOURCE

Women (15-49) who think that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife under certain circumstances (%)

-

Adolescent girls (15–19) who think that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife under certain circumstances (%)

-

HIV/AIDS YEAR TOTAL MALE FEMALE SOURCE

HIV prevalence among young people (15–24)

- - -

% of young people (15-24) who have comprehensive knowledge of HIV

- - -

USE OF ICT YEAR TOTAL SOURCE

% of young women (15-24) who used a computer during the last 12 months

-

% of young women (15-24) who used the internet during the last 12 months

-

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WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

YEAR TOTAL SOURCE

Number of women in parliament (single/ lower house) 2011 9

IPU, http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm (data updated as of 30 June 2011) [accessed in August 2011]

% women in parliament 2011 23

Legislated quotas for women for single/ lower house (yes/no)

* No UAE is not listed in The Quota Project database on www.quotaproject.org [accessed in August 2011*] which lists all countries with legislated quotas

Quota type n/a

Number of women in ministerial positions

2010 4DAW/DESA, IPU, Women in Politics: 2010 (reflecting appointments up to 1 January 2010)

% women in ministerial positions 2010 17

WOMEN´S ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION

YEAR TOTAL SOURCE

Labour force participation rate (%), male 15+

2009 92

ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM), 6th Editionhttp://kilm.ilo.org Table 1a (ILO estimates), [accessed in August 2011]

Labour force participation rate (%), female 15+

2009 42

Labour force participation rate (%), male 15-24

2009 57

Labour force participation rate (%), female 15-24

2009 29

Total unemployment rate (%), male 15+

2008 2

ILO, KILM, 6th Edition, Table 8a, [accessed in August 2011]

Total unemployment rate (%), female 15+

2008 12

Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%), male

2008 8

ILO, KILM, 6th Edition, Table 9, [accessed in August 2011]

Youth (15-24) unemploymentrate (%), female

2008 22

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MATERNITY LEAVE YEAR SOURCE

Maternity leave duration 2004-2009 45 days

United Nations Statistics Division, http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/indwm/tab5g.htm#tech, Table 5g, [accessed in August 2011]. Data compiled between 2004-2009.

% of wages paid in covered period 2004-2009

50 % or 100 % depending on the duration of employment

Provider of benefit 2004-2009 Employer

Notes:* Data pertain to nationals of the country.The UNICEF global databases are available on www.childinfo.orgFor indicator definitions and further information on data sources please see "Guide to MENA Gender Profiles"n/a = not applicable

8. ratIFIcatIon oF treatIeS

TREATYYEAR OF

SIGNATURE

YEAR OF RATIFICATION,

ACCESSION (A), SUCCESSION (S)

RESERVATIONS

Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1953)

Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (1962)

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)

2004 (a)Articles 2 (f), 9, 15 (2), 16, 29 (1)

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1999)

Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) 1997 (a) Articles 7, 14, 17, 21

Amendment to article 43 (2) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1995)

n/a 1997 Acceptance

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000)

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (2000)

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

2008 2010

n/a = not applicableSource: United Nations Treaty Collection, http://treaties.un.org [accessed in April 2011]

United Nations Children’s FundRegional Office for the Middle East and North Africa

October 2011

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Home | UNICEF · PDF fileUnited Arab Emirates,” which is used by government institutions.16 4 Information provided by the UAE General Women’s Union to the