Evolution of Womens Rights and Roles in Dubai

This was a time when the UAE government took this vital step of education, which gave women a path to fly, grow, and have their own identities in society. This was actually possible with the core vision of leaders like Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted the nation’s development.  

IMPORTANT ADDITION TO SHAPE UP FEMALE EDUCATION 

• Establishment of schools in UAE to provide education  
• Primary, secondary and higher education for all 
• Adding equality all over for girls  
• Encouraging each one of them  
• Strenuous efforts are taken to bring everyone into the education system 
• A free education system was made  
• Scholarships were given to the selected students 
• Colleges were created for further education in medicine, science and engineering  
• Joined hands with international organizations to enhance the education quality  

This way female literacy got great numbers ensuring that this was the right step taken in the education system of UAE, and today more than 70% of females have graduated and doing well in their own areas.  

Even at this point of time, there was a formation of 1st women’s associations that worked for their welfare, interesting events were there to educate females and sessions where open discussion on the problems used to encourage girls to talk about their difficulties and get solutions to the problems.  

Along with the expansion of the education system in UAE in the forms of schools and universities, most of the girls started enrolling in order to grab knowledge and be able to fit in a world where challenges, roles and responsibilities are different.

And because of this initiation of education, UAE found their first female minister of Economics Affairs “Sheikh Lubna Al Qasimi” so this level of change was seen after the implementation of the education system, and now more prominent females playing the role of a leader.

MORE TRANSFORMATIONS IN 1990’S EDUCATION SYSTEM IN UAE

• Focused on the English language to have an easy global existence
• Addition of more private schools with international standards systems
• Forming new methods to improve the quality of education
• Some technologies were added to add betterment to the overall process of the educationsystem
• Dubai was forming robust knowledge based economy
• The formation of first government university in Dubai by the name Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
• Emiratis could easily access the higher education system

With the dense amount of education, the knowledge of rights was important for every female so that they could live freely, so for this, more participation of women in public life to create opportunities and more rights for them.

And addition of the foremost policy where “Equal Pay Scale” that gave assurance of the females to work hard as they will be paid equally, and this policy was mandatory everywhere to ensure there is no fraud against any female who is working.

This was again a pivotal year as the formation of Knowledge and Human Development Authority opened an oversee education system, new rules for training institutions, universities and private schools to add flexibility and clean education system.

THE IMPACT OF KHDA

• It improved Dubai’s education platform
• Addition of annual inspections in schools to measure the growth of students
• Systematic ways to present results on the report card
• School ratings for its ranking so that parents can get full insight
• Introducing multiple international curricula where American International Baccalaureate (IB), Indian (CBSE), and British (IGCSE) to meet global standards
• Alluring International Universities to set up their campus in Dubai in order to provide a high range of education system
• A platform for parents where they can give feedback to address every problem
• A special addition for a person of determination to give them equal education
• Start of E-learning methods and smart classroom for effective learning process

So, Knowledge and Human Development Authority had a vital impact where many things were addressed so that a new education system can be formed that bring equality and takes the power of a girl ahead.

With the support of education, females started getting their positions in renowned sectors where seeing a woman holding a government position be it a judge, minister, ambassador was a far fetched view, but this kind of recognition was possible after the addition of education and equality to promote every gender.

Despite the fact that females were working in every sector, the equal wages and protection were some of the robust niche that had to be addressed, so in 2015, there was an introduction of “Gender Balance Policy” that looked into all the matters where females were not left behind, this policy was mandated across all sectors in the UAE.

With education and other rules, Dubai has got females ahead in sectors like business followed by teaching and even those sectors which are male dominated, so women’s empowerment initiatives opened a gateway for them to enter every route that showcases their abilities & skills.

This has become the biggest achievement for females: 50 per cent of females are in the Federal National Council, which takes the female identity to another level where they have become economic contributors.

The drops of effort in breaking the role of a traditional women to an economic contributor , the addition of education, rules, equality, equal wages, associations, KHDA, and more has made an expansion of females in the social realm, politics, teaching, business, and technology elevated women’s status and worth in society.

And after this, more milestones have turned the entire picture of females to get higher recognition in every sector where awards used to bring confidence and zeal to work more for the family & country, so this the entire pool of females formed an ocean for themselves to work with no fear and equal rights.

The idea of showing you then & now position is to give you the rate of success that females have grabbed so after, where starting with the right to an education, understanding the role & responsibility to move ahead, and knowing all the legal rights, having diversified jobs and more to change the identity of a woman, so have a look and cherish the evolution so far: -

EDUCATION

THEN: At that point of time, education was limited for females and only a few could study because of the cultural norms where the role of a girl was around domestic needs.

NOW:In the current time, 70% of graduates from universities are women holding all advanced degrees in hand, and with the support of scholarships, the education for females has become tension free.

MEDIA SECTOR

THEN: As females were bound for household work, so no such gender was in the media sector.

NOW:To much involvement of females in the media industry where some of them are running media campaigns, in the advertising sector, working on all social media platforms and more to be expressive and be the voice of a country.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITY

THEN: The biggest caregivers and homemakers at the same time, and even today, it is an irreplaceable job.

NOW: And now this diversified role & responsibilities where from being a family person they have turned into an economic contributor (working in politics, arts, business and more)

LEGAL RIGHTS

THEN:  The legal rights were restricted for females at that time and they were just based on safety, employment and equality.

NOW:  And now they are protected in every way be it maternity, workplace, domestic violence and more to curtail the harassment.

LEADERSHIP

THEN: As it was a male dominated country, so all the decisions were taken by the males be it at home or in society.

NOW: Today, women are in every sector making vital decisions for society where they are actively participating in the Federal National Council and other prominent positions taking all vital decisions.

EMPLOYMENT

THEN: They were only into the family business to run their family and were employed with their family duties.

NOW: The picture is altogether different, they are active in government, technology, finance, aviation and more, and today flexible work approach made it super comfortable for females to work in the sector, and they are beautifully balancing their personal and professional lives.

To take the journey of women empowerment ahead the strenuous efforts are required and for this more milestones are coming into pictures to progress with Emirati women: -

 2023-2031: National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women

INVOLMENTS

• Encourage women’s participation
• Enhance the quality of life
• New guidance for decision makers

2024: Global Women’s Forum Dubai

INVOLMENTS

• Forums to address all the challenges faced by women
• Exchanging international experiences to educate other

2024: Dubai Forum by Empower Women Media

INVOLMENTS

• Addition of new tools to support women
• Creating better workplace
• Narrating stories of women to encourage others

AGENDA FOR GENDER BALANCE

INVOLMENTS

• To reduce gender gap in all the sectors
• Global competitiveness to improve UAE’s ranking reports
• Working in food security, climate, space, medicine and more

SECURITY INDEX: In 2021, UAE ranked first in the Women, Peace and Security Index for women’s safety as they keep the safety of females first to support them throughout the time.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS: There is a constitution that safeguards female rights in order to achieve equality in everything, including jobs, facilities, and needs.

LAWS: Creating a safe realm for females where harassment laws control violence against them is one of the vital steps to bring safety all around.

WOMEN & CHILDREN: The foundation is named the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children which works for them to address domestic violence, human trafficking and more where this foundation is an umbrella for all to ensure their safety at first.

Further assistance is given in the form of legal approaches, rehabilitation programs, welfare societies, and more to bring female problems together and comfort them.

POLICE UNITS: There is a dedicated police units that control the crime against females and handle everything wisely, in fact, female police give true support on sensitive issues.

These are some of the prominent steps to ensure legal security to the females in order to safeguard them at every level, and implementation of diversified laws for female safely makes UAE a place for females where they can live without any fret along with the family.

Gone are the days when a woman had no power or access to things, but as mentioned above, education has opened important pathways for females to enter and have equal rights & contributions just like males.

This right is also given in the property where women can easily buy or sell it as per the requirement & choice , so here are some important details to catch up which is based on the property rights for Dubai females: -

FULL OWNERSHIP RIGHTS: Just like males, females get full ownership or the same legal rights if they buy property, and for this, they are not liable to take permission from the male to buy or sell the property.

FOR ALL GENDERS: Dubai properties are available for all genders, and females can easily obtain freehold properties and full ownership to use the property as they choose.

ACCESS TO INHERIT PROPERTY: Under Sharia law, women inherit a portion or share of property, but it is comparatively less than that of men.

RIGHT OF A MARRIED WOMEN: They can independently buy property of their choice without any interference, but at the time of divorce, the jointly owned property needs to be dealt with by personal laws.

WOMEN WILLS: The property is all under the right of women, and for further security, they can create a will to ensure the property is served to the right person of their choice.

NO GENDER RESTRICTIONS: Buying a property in Dubai is not gender based, females can direct buy property from the developer or through the secondary market like Dubai Housing to purchase directly without any interference.

ACCESS TO BUSINESS PROPERTY: Along with residential property, females can buy business property for better asset and financial growth, and for this, there are a plethora of commercial properties available in Dubai.

These are some of the property rights governed by UAE laws in order to protect the women’s ownership so that they get property of their choice and have full authority to use it in any way they want, and in case, you have property and facing any trouble, then personal laws can serve personalized guidance to address the problem rightly and get out of the trouble asap.

And also, smooth rights and laws have made it super flexible for females to buy property without any hesitation, and this is the reason, single women in Dubai own 2.72 million more homes than single males and this in total, has increased by more than 50% transaction volume, and this shows female empowerment in property ownership where they are not less in any case.

So, from playing a traditional role to an economic contributor, the females have shown another level of success in their field, and this has all been possible because of the stand for “Education” that was taken in 1980 with the core vision of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

And since then females have formed a strong niche in every realm , and the result of it is here, more than 70% of females are graduated from universities and doing well in their area of interest to serve to an economy and remove the stigma of financial dependency, and 50 per cent of females are in the Federal National Council and single women in Dubai own 2.72 million more homes than male, so these are some of the milestones that has shown the power of a female.

And above all, security is one of the key features that UAE has always been working on because if females are safe in their country, then they can grow in every way and stay focused, for this, there are different laws, constitutions, foundations, dedicated police and more to keep the security at another level.