Not too long ago, I boarded a plane in Dubai bound for the United States. There were a number of Emirati families on board, some of whom I recognised and greeted. After a 14-hour direct flight, we descended from the plane and made our way to passport control. One Emirati family walked towards the line for US citizens and, in my naivety, I almost told them they were standing in the wrong queue. I hesitated, correctly it turned out. They were American citizens and obliged to stand in the US citizens section. Read more »
Reform
Judicial reform will make the country stronger
The national reputation of the UAE rests on the effectiveness of its judicial system and a more distinct separation between civil and criminal law should be considered. Read more »
Expectations Haven’t Advanced With UAE Women
This occasion also allowed me to recall the very first article I wrote, The pen, the book and a boss in an abaya, which tackled the rise of women in the UAE and the Gulf. Two years on, that phenomenon is becoming stronger and is widespread across the country. Read more »
Nothing should be ambiguous about what’s indecent
‘Sexpats in trouble again in Dubai” is how one web portal summarised a recent allegation of explicit text messaging. There was also the incident of public kissing involving a British couple in Jumeirah Beach Residences earlier this month. Such cases demonstrate the ambiguity of decency laws in the UAE. Read more »
Some long-term residents should have residency
The idea being called for and debated is a long-term residency programme for expatriates so they would no longer have the status of transient interlopers, but instead be acknowledged as stakeholders. Read more »
Book that proves some Emiratis are more equal than others
The vast majority of Emiratis have a family book except for a small number of children of Emirati mothers and foreign fathers. In the past few years the UAE government has taken positive steps to naturalise the children of Emirati mothers who married non-nationals so that they could be given the same rights of children whose fathers are Emirati but whose mothers are not. Previously these mothers had to resort to seeking exemptions for their children to enrol in public schools and to receive treatment in government hospitals. Read more »