Women in the United Arab Emirates: Evolution and Progress

Many nations in the Middle East are committed to protection of women rights and freedoms. Standard western mindset and stereotypical perception holds that the Middle East discriminates women and denies them their fundamental human rights. While appreciating some incidences of violation of basic human rights are common in every society whether in Western nations or the Middle East nations, the purpose of this paper is to refute the Western perception on the roles of women in the Middle East societies. This goal is accomplished through discussion of roles of women in the Middle East by focusing particularly on the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) as a case example of nations in the Middle East where compliance to women rights has taken center stage in the systems of administration.

History of Women in the UAE

Following the discovery of oil in the UAE, women roles in the society have been evolving. The history of the UAE’s women before 1960 was not encouraging, as they were only involved in very limited opportunities related to familial roles and domestic work. However, this aspect does not imply that only the UAE’s women faced oppressed in comparison to the western nations’ women. The difference between the evolution process for women rights in the US and the UAE is simply time. President Zayed bin Sulatn Al Nahyan raised the issue for the relevance of ensuring incorporation of women in the labor force.

Even after his death, this commitment never ended. New Economic Foundation (2013) supports this assertion by informing that Zayed’s wife, Sheikha Fatima, heads the Women’s Federation and promotes training, education, and the advancement of the status of women. Protection and promotion of rights of women has been a major concern among the UAE citizens as evidenced by the presence of 5women organizations created to advance issues relevant to women including health and literacy in early 1990s.

Participation in Employment and Education

By 1988, the involvement of women in formal employment sector had started to rise and it settled at 6.2 percent. Study conducted by the Institute for Administrative Development in 1998 indicated that a vast number of these women served in the Ministry of Health coupled with the Ministry of Education. Eighty-two percent of all employees in the two ministries were women by 1988. Since education is an important factor determining successful recruitment of an employee in any formal job, this significant number of women in health and education ministries in 1998 evidences inaccurateness of the perception that women in the UAE are oppressed in terms of access to education.

Key Statistics and Data

• Employment Growth: By 1988, the involvement of women in formal employment sector settled at 6.2 percent.
• Sector Dominance: Eighty-two percent of all employees in the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education were women by 1988.
• Social Progress: There was a presence of 5women organizations created to advance issues relevant to women including health and literacy in early 1990s.