UAE initiative supports working mothers and fathers
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Fatmah Rashed Alkaabi, Advisor at the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, explained that successful workplaces in the United Arab Emirates must now support employees in balancing their careers and family lives.
Alkaabi stated that employers should not force women to choose between professional ambition and motherhood. The Parent-friendly Label, an initiative launching its fourth cycle and expanding into the government sector, helps employers create everyday support for working parents, including maternity arrangements, nursing facilities, and flexibility for childcare.
Over the last ten years, Emirati women have increased their participation in fields like science and education, and workplaces are shifting from simply having policies to creating genuinely supportive environments. One working mother benefited from a flexible work arrangement that allowed her family to travel to Australia to visit relatives. The initiative also focuses on encouraging fathers to take paternity leave, with 74 percent of fathers in participating organisations reporting they feel encouraged to do so.
The Parent-friendly Label assesses whether employees understand their rights, managers apply policies fairly, and career opportunities are protected during leave, with a long-term goal of integrating family needs into workplaces by 2030. Alkaabi hopes to see Emirati working mothers experience professional growth alongside their family responsibilities, and to foster a culture where caregiving is a shared responsibility.
