UAE to grant paternity leave

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved a Federal Decree-Law on amendments to the Federal Law on Regulation of Labour Relations granting a paid paternity leave to male employees in the private sector to care for his child.

UAE is the first Arab country to grant private sector employees paternity leave. The decree aims to strengthen the country’s leadership, reinforce its competitiveness in the area of gender balance, achieve family stability and cohesion.

It'll also encourage young people to work in the private sector, as paternity leave becomes one of the advantages offered by the private sector.

The decree stipulates that the private sector employee is entitled to five days of paid paternity leave to care for his child, which could be taken anytime within six months of their child’s birth date.

It will also raise the UAE’s legal stature in the area of gender balance and enhance its private sector working environment, as part of its preparations for the next fifty years.