THE SOCIAL
SECTOR
Introduction
"The government of the UAE strongly believes in human development as a process of expanding and augmenting its people's choices. The most critical in the long list of these choices are to have a comfortable command of goods and services, to live a long and healthy life, to be educated, to feel safe and secure, and to have access to resources needed for an adequate standard of living. The choices people make are their own concern. However, the process of development must create a conducive environment that allows them to generate their full potentials."
(speech by Saeed Ahmad Ghobash, Minister of Economy and Commerce at the opening of Milcon'95 in Abu Dhabi).
The above quotation from a speech by the UAE's Minister of Economy and Commerce clearly summarises the philosophy behind the giant strides that have been taken since the birth of the Federation. Evidence that the Government has matched its words with actions can not only be seen in all the key areas of social development throughout the UAE but is also confirmed by a study of how available funds have been allocated each year, over the past one or two decades. Thus, for example, expenditure on health in 1985 reached 7.7% of total government expenditure whilst this climbed to 9.0% in 1990 and was at 10% in 1993. Education is another example with the 1985 share of total expenditure for this sector at a healthy 10% but with it continuing to climb to 14.2% in 1990 and 14.8% in 1993. The same story can be seen in relation to housing where the 1985 level was 20.1% whilst this had climbed to 26.1% in 1990 and 29.7% in 1993. Meanwhile, as living conditions improved, so did personal security so that expenditure on internal security and justice, taken as a percentage of total government expenditure, actually dropped from 8.2% in 1985 to 7.9% in 1993.
These comparative figures indicate the firm line that the UAE Government has taken towards improvements in these essential sectors. Whilst they indicate the thinking behind the national development policies however, they do not give an indication of the actual expenditure or the tangible results of this bold programme of social change. For that, one must turn to other annual statistics. The ones which are perhaps the most revealing are the extension of life expectancy and the fall in infant mortality rates. In 1970 average life expectancy of a UAE citizen was 61, in 1992 that figure had climbed by over ten years, to 72 and today it is even higher. At the same time infant mortality rates have been reduced from 68 per 1000 live births to under 20 per 1000 live births.
The UAE now ranks 45th among the world's countries in its implementation of human development programmes, according to the 1995 United Nations Human Development Report. Furthermore, the report emphasises the great strides that have been made with regard to the status of women: "Women are not discriminated against as in some societies, as they receive equal opportunities to their male counterparts, in education and various other occupations", the report states.
When UAE citizens speak of their country's achievements, they are not speaking primarily of the high rise buildings, magnificent roads, or wonderful physical facilities that they can all enjoy. Whilst these aspects of the country's development are of vital importance, and deeply appreciated, it is on the human side that the improvements are most deeply felt and valued. The UAE government has truly focused its attention on the whole person and a key element of this holistic approach has been in the sphere of education.
Housing
In 1985 Government spending on housing stood at 20.1% of
total government expenditure. By 1993 this had climbed to almost 30%. There has
been a noticeable improvement in overall housing standards within the UAE.
Whilst the split between adequate, average and above average percentages stood
at 79.1/14.8/6.1 in 1975 the balance had shifted noticeably upwards by 1993 when
the figures stood at 46.2/41.8/12.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Social Services and Commercial
Buildings had 504 buildings and villas under construction in Abu Dhabi and Al
Ain in mid 1995 and was studying 417 new projects.
The Department has constructed 40,000 housing units since its inception in 1976.
The Department's investments rose from Dh 79 million in 1976 to Dh 11 billion in
1993. It was also managing construction one of the biggest projects in the
Middle East: the privately owned 157-feet Bainuna Tower in Abu Dhabi, completed
in early 1995 at a cost of more than Dh 200 million.
Important housing schemes have been provided by all the Municipal authorities in the UAE and government funding has been substantial. In addition a number of schemes funded by personal contributions have been undertaken. Among these is the scheme for construction of 2,000 houses for UAE nationals, financed by the President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan.
Zayed Agricultural Project
The Zayed Agricultural Project for the Rehabilitation of
Handicapped in Abu Dhabi, located on eastern Sir Bani Yas island, is a unique
work scheme that has been established to provide productive work for handicapped
young people.
The project was established under the instructions and guidance of Sheikh Zayed
who has been impressed by the resourcefulness and courage of handicapped people
and is keen to assist in their efforts to find challenging and meaningful work.
The farm of 12 hectares on the island is staffed by 16 young people and has been
developed by Abu Dhabi Municipality. Facilities include two large green-houses,
a conference hall, mosque, restaurant, warehouse, storage tank and a wide range
of equipment.
Produce grown on the farm is sold through the Municipality's agricultural
marketing section. It is a unique project that has attracted interest from
several other countries and management assistance is being provided by the
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs together with the United Nations
Development Programme, UNDP.
Social Security
Monthly social security benefits are allotted to those nationals who need financial help. They are paid in the form of salaries to those families whose income is below that required for a minimum standard of living, and to other special cases, as part of the National Social Security Programme.
UAE Job Scene
A four-day Second Annual UAE Job Scene programme was held
from January 10 1995 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and it ran parallel to the
Gulf Education and Training Exhibition.
The UAE Job Scene provides an opportunity to organisations seeking high-calibre
staff and managers of the future to meet UAE school and university students at a
time when the latter are actively considering and evaluating career options.
The exhibition has become one of the most well-attended shows in Dubai with
20,000 visitors, mostly students, attending.
The Marriage Fund
The Marriage Fund was created, on the instructions of
President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan in early 1994, as a means of
lightening the load on young national couples marrying in the UAE. The fund is
aimed at encouraging UAE men to marry UAE women, and to assist in covering the
expenses of both the wedding and of setting-up house.
The Fund provides up to $19,000 to young UAE nationals with a limited income, so
that they can get married. In tandem with this, the Government has launched a
campaign aimed at persuading UAE fathers to accept lower dowries. It has also
built special "wedding halls" where receptions can take place without
incurring the expenses associated with hotel receptions. One of the immediate
results is a reduction in the number of spinsters of marriageable age.
A study on the Marriage Fund, released in August 1995, proposed that the Dh 70,000 marriage grant given to each newly wed national couple, which has a pay-back arrangement attached to it of Dh 100 per month, should be modified so that the national is exempted from 20% of the repayment with the birth of each child. There is a real need to correct the imbalance in the demographic make up of the UAE by boosting the percentage of nationals in the overall population and this is perceived as one way of encouraging such a trend.
From the start of the fund until May 1996 over 8,902
youths benefited from grants, according to a statistical report prepared by the
Marriage Fund Foundation, MFF, Dh 548 million as grants was distributed.
Chronicling the MFF's progress, it allocated Dh 80 million in 1992 and another
Dh 80 million in 1993. It started distribution in the same year, when 3,405
youths applied and 2,185 of them received grants. 1,220 cases were carried
forward to 1994, when the Fund's budget was raised to Dh 190 million, 97% of
which went for grants as Dh 180 million was issued to 2,712 persons and another
1,534 cases were carried forward to 1995.
The 1995 budget of Dh 190 million was granted to 2,987 applicants, while 1,299
applicants were carried forward to this year. Between the period of January to
June of 1996, 2268 people have benefitted and a total of Dh 134 million has been
granted.
MFF activities, also included participation in a charity
exhibition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Women's Association, where brochures on
the MFF were distributed to visitors. The MFF has also established
correspondence with national youth studying abroad, in collaboration with the
Cultural Attaché at the UAE Embassy in Washington.
The correspondence was aimed at educating the national youth about the bright
side of their culture and to avoid marriage to foreigners. It also briefed them
on the MFF's readiness to provide them with grants so as to enable them to marry
compatriots.
In addition, it highlighted the message by President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al
Nahyan's wife Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to the national girls, urging them to
drop the new trend of asking for huge amounts of dowry and to adhere to the
Islamic teachings which called for austerity.
Human Appeal International
The Human Appeal International, is a UAE based charity
organization which provides humanitarian relief to orphans, needy families and
people rendered handicapped in wars.
The HAI presently has 22 offices around the world which sponsor social welfare,
health and educational projects.
The HAI started an eight week campaign in September, 1996
to raise funds for the impaired. "Operation Hope" as it was called
aimed to collect donations from large corporations and private firms throughout
the country to aid in its so called "Give An Hour’s Pay To Make A
Child’s Day" campaign.
A "Hope Festival 96 " exhibition accompanied the campaign. In
addition, a six man cyclist team set off from Fujairah on a UAE tour to promote
the HAI’s most recent project.
