UAE lawmakers call for extending paid maternity leave to 98 days

UAE lawmakers have renewed calls to extend paid maternity leave in the federal government to at least 98 days, while urging a wider rethink of family support policies — including greater recognition of fathers, widowers and men who head households.

The proposals were raised during a Federal National Council (FNC) session discussing family protection, social stability and work-life balance, attended by Minister of Family Sana bint Mohammed Suhail.

A female member said existing policies largely focus on women and mothers, while overlooking the needs of men who play key roles in sustaining families. Muna Hammad questioned why family empowerment debates consistently centre on women alone.

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“When we speak about empowering the family, we always speak about empowering women — but what about empowering men?” she asked, calling for incentives and support mechanisms for fathers, widowers and elderly men who head households.

She noted that while widows receive government support, little attention is paid to men who lose their spouses. “Wouldn’t he become a widower too?” she said, adding that men can also be victims of domestic abuse and should not be excluded from protection frameworks.

Responding to the member, the minister agreed that family programmes should address all members of the household. “Any programmes we develop must be directed at the family as a whole and benefit all members,” she said, adding that the point raised would be taken into consideration.

Push for longer maternity leave, flexible work

The renewed debate comes as the FNC presses for paid maternity leave in the federal government to be increased to a minimum of 98 days, in line with global practices. Members also called for clearer national standards on flexible work and remote working — particularly for mothers with young children, parents caring for elderly relatives, and families of people of determination. Members stressed that flexibility should not depend on individual employers, but be embedded into policy with defined timelines for approvals.

The minister said balancing family responsibilities with workforce participation remains a national priority, noting that studies continue on how work policies influence family formation and stability. She added that motherhood is a natural instinct and not tied solely to financial incentives, but acknowledged that support mechanisms require further review.

Domestic abuse, counselling reforms

Members also urged amendments to the domestic abuse law, including mandatory psychological assessments before reconciliation and bans on settlements in repeat abuse cases or when victims are children, pregnant women, the elderly or people of determination.

The FNC further recommended transferring family guidance and counselling centres from the courts to the Ministry of Family, arguing that their current location discourages families from seeking early help and frames mediation as a legal process rather than a preventive one.

The minister said the government is studying local models where such centres operate independently of courts, aiming to improve accessibility and long-term follow-up for families.

Council members proposed the introduction of an automatic federal “bereavement allowance” for widows, to be paid within days of a spouse’s death, alongside a unified electronic notification system to prevent delays in support. They also called for guaranteed housing rights for widows after the death of their husbands, and stronger protection for women who divorce later in life and lose access to housing once custody ends.

The minister said services that proactively support families during critical transitions — such as death or divorce — are a government priority, and that successful local initiatives could be expanded at the federal level.

The minister said recommendations from the session would be refined and forwarded for further review, as part of broader efforts to modernise family-related legislation and social support systems across the country.