UAE becomes first Arab country to grant private sector employees paid paternal leave

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved a Federal Decree-Law on amendments to the Federal Law on Regulation of Labour Relations granting a paid paternity leave to a male employee in the private sector to care for his child.

The decree, which has made the UAE the first Arab country to grant private sector employees paternity leave, aims to strengthen the country’s leadership, reinforce its competitiveness in the area of gender balance, achieve family stability and cohesion, and encourage young people to work in the private sector, as paternity leave becomes one of the advantages offered by the private sector.

The decree stipulates that the private sector employee is entitled to five days of paid paternity leave to care for his child, which could be taken anytime within six months of their child’s birth date.

It will also raise the UAE’s legal stature in the area of gender balance and enhance its private sector working environment, as part of its preparations for the next fifty years.

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On the other hand, Dubai Women Establishment (DWE), in collaboration with the Supreme Legislation Committee of Dubai, has launched the Women-Specific Legislations Lab that seeks to develop new legislations to support the enhanced socio-economic participation of women in the emirate.

The initiative will address various aspects related to women’s development including their active inclusion in society, personal status law, women in the economy, the protection of women, and health and wellbeing.

Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Dubai Women Establishment, stated: “We are pleased to forge a collaboration with Dubai’s Supreme Legislation Committee.

This initiative translates the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance government performance by strengthening partnerships between government entities.”

She added that the Women-Specific Legislations Lab, which has the goal of enhancing the legal framework required to support the advancement and welfare of women in Dubai, will work to review and monitor the implementation of women-specific legislations and develop new legislations focused on women.