A Guide To Basic Women’s Rights In Dubai (UAE)

Considering all the other Middle Eastern countries, women’s rights in Dubai are quite liberal and advanced. It was when the World Economic Forum prepared a report in the year 2022, the name, Global Gender Gap Report, they found this achievement of Dubai. The government of Dubai has recognized the equal partnership of both genders in the smooth functioning of society.

Apart from recognizing equality, they have also taken measures to increase women’s partnerships in a lot of fields including entrepreneurship, governmental, and STEM sectors. A recent study other than the above-mentioned one recognizes Dubai with a position of 24 among the 170 other countries that competed for women’s inclusivity, security, and justice in their respective territories. 

To ensure equality in opportunities and justice, the government of Dubai has made sure to include the rights in its constitution. The right to inherit property is one of the crucial women’s rights that has been included in the constitution, breaking all the so-called stereotypes and orthodox beliefs that had been prevailing in society. The right to education and the right to be in professions of choice etc. are also included in the list. 

Women’s Rights In Education

The right to education might seem relatively easier to grant and access during these contemporary times. But the potential of power hidden inside this incredible right has not yet been estimated to its fullest. Only a wise country can recognize this particular power and potential and take action to educate its people beyond the differences of gender.

Dubai is one such country that realized the strength and resources of its educated people. The country has been taking many efforts to educate its men and women and thus increase their literacy rates.

According to recent reports conducted in the territory of Dubai, the men and women in the country have got a literacy rate that never falls down the mark of 95%.

Since women had been denied a lot of rights during the earlier days in the educational aspect, the government is now quite particular about encouraging women’s education and emancipation through education and making some laws regarding women’s rights in Dubai. The nation has given the educational right to their women to attend primary and secondary schools.

They also have the right to attend higher educational institutions such as colleges and universities. 77% of Dubai women are seen pursuing their university education after completing their secondary education. Considering all the students getting graduated from these institutions, 70% form women students emphasise the enthusiasm of Emirati women toward education. 

Women’s Rights In Employment

The employment rights of women are another important aspect of liberty that is looked upon in every society. The practical implementation of education is done when the individual starts to work and gets financial independence out of it.

Hence setting the best environment to work and earn is quite important for all genders especially women since they have been oppressed and denied work and be financially independent over these years.

The Dubai government has become quite particular and made it a point to give equal pay for equal work without any gender discrimination. The inclusivity of women in the government sector jobs is also quite remarkable in the case of Dubai.

However, if a woman needs to work in the government sector, she is required to seek a record of permission from her father/guardian. Even if this rule exists, you can find two third of the governmental workforce is occupied by women and they also form 40% of the workforce in the entire territory of Dubai. 

Women’s Rights In Marriage And Family

Women’s rights in Marriage and Family can be a bit confusing and not up to the mark since the institution of marriage and family in Dubai is still bound to strict religious concerns.

The marriage laws existing in Dubai permit a man to get married to 4 different women to the maximum limit provided that he has got the financial capacity to look after each of them. The divorce rights granted to men and women are also quite deviating from the equality concerns of modern society.

When a man can divorce his wife without much hassle and time, a woman has to approach a court and do according to the legal procedures which usually takes a considerable amount of time, if she is the one who is taking initiative to get divorced.

Even if she follows the legal procedures accurately, the probability of her being granted a legal divorce is much lower. If a woman is working in any of the professions without the consent of her husband, the legal systems of Dubai still consider her to be ‘misbehaving’. Moreover, if a woman wants to enter into an institution of marriage, her male guardian has to approve the same for her marriage to be legally valid. 

Women’s Rights in Healthcare

The healthcare section is quite advanced concerning women’s rights in Dubai. The specialty hospitals in the territory of Dubai are open to all and it does not discriminate between genders to provide healthcare and medical support.

Moreover, healthcare in the country is getting advanced day by day so that the residents and natives of the country do not need to fly abroad seeking better medical facilities. Apart from that, you can also have the right to seek medical support from a general hospital whenever you are in need.

However, some demerits can be spotted when it comes to the reproductive rights of women. Abortion is not a legal medical procedure in the country and you cannot do that unless you can prove the medical condition convincingly to the legal authorities.

Even then the chance to get permission for a legal abortion is much lower in the nation. The mother mortality rate is decreasing in a positive trend it is shown that only 6 woman dies when 100,000 births take place. 

Women’s Rights in Society

Women’s Right in Society is a term that is inclusive of all the rights mentioned above women’s rights in Dubai. It includes the educational, employment, entrepreneurship, familial, and reproductive rights entitled to women in the society of Dubai. Considering the overall rights credited to women and the ones that are still in some confusion, we can assume that Dubai is taking a big leap forward in the societal rights of women.

However, women living in Dubai have certain aspects, society is yet to think twice and restructure its legal systems to accommodate women’s rights in better conditions. However, it should not be neglected that the strategies and measures of women empowerment have begun to show better results in the overall economic growth of Dubai society.

The involvement of Emirati women in economic and business concerns has resulted in the development of the nation at a better pace. The property inheritance rights accredited to women have also resulted positively since women started to deal with the fiscal side of life and began implementing better economic strategies. Their way of using economic resources has also brought a positive response to the overall growth and development of the Dubai people and society. 

Women have grown and shown advancement in all sections of society which is a positive sign of improvement in Dubai society. However, we should not forget that there are still areas that need improvement and rethinking that can make the country a better place to live for all the native and expatriate women out there.

Meanwhile respecting religious concerns, we should also not forget the personal space required for women to take individual actions and decisions. In order to become a more liberal and advanced society having a better perspective and proactive setup in women’s rights, the restrictive part of women’s rights that are still enjoyed by their male counterparts in society should be withdrawn as soon as possible.

But we also should not miss out on the things that are gaining excellent improvement in the territory of UAE concerning women’s rights in Dubai. In many of the fields, Dubai society is getting more and more advanced that is even capable to compete with the greatest egalitarian national forces in the world. This is giving the world more hope and power about a better tomorrow possible in the future of Dubai. If Dubai can succeed in such goals and expectations, the country is sure to become an expatriate’s paradise in the nearer future. 

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