São Paulo – A landmark new law was enacted last Friday (25) in the United Arab Emirates to ensure equal wages for male and female private sector workers, The National reported. The law had been in discussion since its draft was approved in April 2018 by the UAE Cabinet.
The decree enacting the new law was issued by president Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Recruiters argue that although the country promotes gender parity, some employers’ mindsets are a hindrance. UAE Gender Balance Council president Manal bint Mohammed hailed the law on Twitter.
The new law stipulates that “women shall be granted a wage similar to that of a man if she performs the same work, or another of equal value.” It amends a preexisting federal law from 1980 in a bid to encourage more women to join the private sector.
“Congratulations to all the women working in the UAE private sector. This step will undoubtedly boost the social inclusivity of women, support their role in national development, and advance the UAE’s status on the world’s Gender Equality Index,” she said.
The UAE climbed 23 positions in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2019 Gender Inequality Index. It ranks as the most gender-equal country in the Arab world and 26th in the world. In establishing the Gender Balance Council in 2015, UAE vice president and Dubai ruler Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum set out to join the top-25 by 2021.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
