United Arab Emirates
الإمارات العربية المتحدة (Arabic)
al-Imārāt al-‘Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah
Motto: الله، الوطن، الرئيس
Anthem: عيشي بلادي
Īshī Bilādī
"Long Live My Country"
Location of United Arab Emirates (green) in the Arabian Peninsula
Location of United Arab Emirates (green)

in the Arabian Peninsula

Map
United Arab Emirates
CapitalAbu Dhabi
24°28′N 54°22′E / 24.467°N 54.367°E / 24.467; 54.367
Largest cityDubai
25°15′N 55°18′E / 25.250°N 55.300°E / 25.250; 55.300
Official languagesArabic
Common languagesEmirati Arabic, English
Ethnic groups
(2015)
Religion
(2020)
Demonym(s)Emirati
GovernmentFederal semi-constitutional monarchy
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Legislature
Establishment
1820 and 1892
 Independence from the United Kingdom
2 December 1971
 Admission of Ras Al Khaimah
10 February 1972
Area
 Total
83,600 km2 (32,300 sq mi) (114th)
 Water (%)
negligible
Population
 2024 estimate
11,027,129
 2005 census
4,106,427
 Density
132/km2 (341.9/sq mi) (83rd)
GDP (PPP)2024 estimate
 Total
Increase $849.8 billion (34th)
 Per capita
Increase $77,251 (14th)
GDP (nominal)2024 estimate
 Total
Increase $545.1 billion (26th)
 Per capita
Increase $49,550 (21st)
Gini (2018)26
low inequality
HDI (2022)Increase 0.937
very high (17th)
CurrencyUAE dirham (AED)
Time zoneUTC+04:00 (GST)
Calling code+971
ISO 3166 codeAE
Internet TLD

Over the past three years, the United Arab Emirates has achieved a paradigm change in terms of narrowing the gap linked to wage inequalities between men and women working in the same industry or owning companies of equal value, according to the Emirates News Agency Wam.

Gender parity in compensation for equal work is a key component of a society’s dedication to human rights as well as its commitment to achieving a gender balance. The nation was rated 18th in the world and first in the region in the Gender Inequality Index (GII) in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report 2020, according to the United Nations Development Programme.

On Saturday, September 18, the United Arab Emirates will join nations all around the globe in commemorating International Equal Pay Day (IEPD). Women’s Empowerment Day was designated by the United Nations (UN) as an annual occasion for intensifying efforts to empower women and girls and eliminate all barriers to attaining equality between them and men in the job market, according to Wam.

A number of legal changes relating to women’s economic involvement that were implemented during the past three years have resulted in the United Arab Emirates being ranked number one in the MENA region in the World Bank’s 2021 “Women, Business and the Law” (WBL) report. The yearly report contains eight indicators that are organised around women’s contacts with the law as they begin, progress through, and finish their professional lives in the United States. Mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pension are some of the factors to consider.

The UAE received 82.5 points out of 100 points this year, compared to 56 points in the report’s 2020 edition and 29 points in the 2019 edition. In addition, the UAE received a perfect score (100 points) in all five categories included in the current report: movement, workplace, wages, entrepreneurship, and pensions, among others.

In the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report for 2021, the United Arab Emirates was rated #1 in the Arab world overall. The UAE also placed first in the world in four of the report’s categories, including the proportion of women in parliament, the gender ratio at birth, the literacy rate, and the proportion of children enrolled in basic school.

According to the UAE Labor Law, “Female workers must receive remuneration equivalent to those received by male employees if they do the same job or another of similar value as male employees.”

Table of Contents

Legal Services On-Demand

Providing detailed information on your legal needs allow our team to offer tailored proposals across all practice areas. Experience our innovative approach, blending legal expertise with technological agility for unparalleled value.
There is no obligation, and submitting a request does not establish an attorney-client relationship.

The Decree of Federal Law No. 06 for 2020, which establishes equal pay for men and women in the private sector, went into effect in September 2020, and will remain in effect until further notice.

All limitations placed on women working at night or in difficult professions such as mining, construction, manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and transportation would be abolished under the UAE Labor Law, allowing them to pursue careers in these fields. Because of her pregnancy, an employer is not permitted to terminate or warn a working woman’s employment or to refuse her services.

Discrimination between workers in terms of access to employment and advancement, as well as gender discrimination in occupations with the same job responsibilities, is prohibited by federal and state legislation.

Emirati women have maintained a strong presence in a variety of business sectors; for example, females account for 64 percent of workers in the education sector, the same percentage of total doctors, nurses, and technicians in the health sector, and 31 percent of total workers in the finance, banking, and insurance industries. Emirati women have maintained a strong presence in a variety of business sectors.

Women own 80,025 licenced businesses, accounting for 21.5 percent of management positions and 32.5 percent of employees in specialised professions, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners.

According to the United Nations, the General Assembly called for immediate action to achieve the objective of equal pay for equal labour for everyone. In addition, it urged all parties involved to embrace the objective of equal pay for equivalent-value labour in the years ahead.

Explore our services in United Arab Emirates
Request Legal Assistance

Legal Services On-Demand

Providing detailed information on your legal needs allow our team to offer tailored proposals across all practice areas. Experience our innovative approach, blending legal expertise with technological agility for unparalleled value.
Expert Attorneys on Demand
Whether for a quick question or a full legal strategy, we’ve got you covered.
Request Free Proposals