Greater maternity leave shows family is at the heart of Emirati life

Enabling new mothers to strike the right balance between their professional and family lives has never been more important. Silvia Razgova / The National

There are few times in life as precious – or demanding – as those first weeks with a new child. With the joy of welcoming a new family member come sleepless nights, doctors’ appointments and receiving well-wishers keen to meet the newest member of the family. It is an all-consuming task, particularly for new mothers, and one that by necessity requires the world of work to take a back seat for a while.

As such, paid maternity leave is critical to supporting new mothers. On Tuesday, authorities in Abu Dhabi announced that Emirati women working in the emirate’s private sector can now apply for 90 days’ maternity leave from their employers.

Family retains a central role in UAE society. As the country marks Emirati Women’s Day, the achievements of women who have taken up prominent positions in the workforce, academia and elsewhere are rightly being celebrated. Sheikha Fatima bin Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood sent a message to Emirati women saying “your exceptional accomplishments across various fields, inspiring entrepreneurship and empowerment have earned you the trust, esteem and respect of our visionary leadership”.

This was echoed by President Sheikh Mohamed, who today said the country’s journey of development “would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of determined and inspirational women”. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also offered his wishes on Emirati Women's Day, saying that the UAE ranked first globally in 33 indicators related to women's issues, including education, personal rights, social security and employment.

Given the increasing demands of the modern workplace, enabling new mothers to strike the right balance between their professional and family lives has never been more important. Abu Dhabi's maternity leave announcement also complements the country’s Emiratisation drive aimed at encouraging more citizens to take up private sector opportunities.

Opening the door to improved maternity leave is part of a wider policy of ensuring that Emirati women can have the best of both worlds: fulfilling careers as well as the space needed to start and raise a family. Steps to make the private sector more appealing are worthwhile, and in 2022 the International Labour Organisation said better maternity leave and childcare services could generate 299 million jobs by 2035. However, taking action to help build happy and healthy families has been at the heart of the country’s social policy for many years.

In March 2018, the federal government approved a National Family Policy to “promote the stability of family life for generations to come”. In July last year, the Department of Community Development - Abu Dhabi launched an Emirati Family Growth Support Programme that includes maternity leave support for women working in the private sector and a home visit service for new mothers. Many other initiatives and support packages exist across the Emirates to promote cohesive family life.

Globally, there is a growing understanding in the private sector that flexibility for employees who have new children – or who are thinking of starting a family – is important to recruiting and retaining valuable staff. This is particularly true in the UAE where a competitive job market offers employees a range of opportunities. In May, The National reported that companies across the country were extending paternity leave and embedding more support for new fathers in their HR policies. Under UAE labour law, fathers are entitled to five working days off, but many companies are now offering significantly more.

Abu Dhabi’s new maternity leave policy acknowledges that while careers and opportunities for citizens are important, it is the ties of family that bind the country together.