A woman walks along an empty beach in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Photographer: Francois Nel / Getty Images
Photographer: Francois Nel / Getty Images
follow us @Middle East for more news about the region.
The UAE’s new plan to Offering citizenship to a select group of foreigners has sparked a rare public debate about rights, including of the wife of a reigning Sheikh.
In a Twitter post On the same day as the announcement, Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi alluded to the fact that Emirati women do not have the same right to automatically pass on citizenship to their children as Emirati men. “Naturalization of the children of female citizens. That’s a requirement, ”she wrote. Work for Emirati citizens. That is a requirement. “
Her husband is the ruler of Sharjah, one of the UAE’s seven emirates, and she heads the Supreme Family Affairs Council there. In a later tweet, she emphasized that her comments on various topics on Twitter were not intended to be a criticism of the government. Her office confirmed it was her personal Twitter account, but declined to comment further on the topic.
Family stability and social cohesion are paramount to UAE leadership, a UAE government official said in response. The government has always been keen to integrate individuals born of Emirati mothers and foreign fathers and see them contribute to the development and prosperity of the country, the official added.
In the UAE, children of Emirati women and foreign men are allowed to do this seek citizenship, but it is not automatic. In contrast, children of local men and foreign women are given citizenship at birth. The situation is similar in many countries in the Middle East, where efforts have been made to expand citizenship rights resistance.
The UAE government allows children of Emirates mothers and foreign fathers to apply for UAE citizenship when they turn 18, while their mothers have the right to apply for citizenship on their behalf if the child is at least six years old has lived in the country, the government official said. Thousands of people born under these conditions have been granted UAE citizenship in recent years, the official added.
UAE opens citizenship to select foreigners to boost the economy
The citizenship policy review announced on Saturday is mainly aimed at attracting talent to boost economic growth, which was hit hard by Covid-19 and lower crude oil prices last year. The lack of a social safety net forced many expats – who make up nearly 90% of the population – to return home after job losses record heights.
Analysts and other Emiratis commenting in local media and online saw the change as a milestone that will enable further economic and financial benefits. But while the UAE seeks to boost its economic recovery through citizenship and other initiatives, Sheikha Jawaher was not alone in cautiously noting that the changes could give expats a path to citizenship that is not automatically available to the children of Emirati women.
Some accused the government of selling the country’s birthright. Others said granting the same rights to foreigners as the locals endangers the future of Emiratis. Open criticism of government policies is rare in the UAE.
Citizenship is a problematic problem in Gulf states, where foreigners from all walks of life make up a large proportion of the population and where citizens benefit from a generous welfare system. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, a recent decision to grant citizenship to children of unknown parents also caused a relapse.
Even in Lebanon, which promotes itself as the Arab world’s most liberal country, citizenship is not matrilineal as some politicians are concerned it could upset the country’s already fragile sectarian balance.
– Assisted by Abbas Al Lawati, Donna Abu-Nasr, Dana Khraiche and Reema Al Othman