DUBAI, 11 April 2018:
Men and women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be equally paid as a draft law to ensure gender equality in the workplace is set to take effect, reported local media.
The vice president and prime minister of UAE and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, made the announcement on the gender equal pay, Gulf News reported.
On his official Twitter account, Shaikh Mohammad said the draft of the first gender equal pay and wage legislation was adopted during the Cabinet meeting.
The UAE has taken great strides towards achieving gender equality and last year – authorities launched The Gender Balance Guide: Actions for UAE Organisations, which will be adopted by private and public organisations, as well as institutions, as a tool to advance gender balance in the workplace.
The guide, which was established by the UAE Gender Balance Council in coordination with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, was the first of its kind in the world.
Gulf News also reported that as of March 1, a new policy ensured that Dubai government employees received three-month paid maternity leave.
It is also permitted to add annual leave and unpaid leave to the maternity leave, with the condition that it does not exceed 120 days.
The new policy, which was approved by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and chairman of the Executive Council, further extended breast-feeding period at work for nursing mothers to two hours instead of one hour.
– Bernama