The uae Marriage
Fund, set up by
the federal gov-
ernment in 1994
to facilitate mar-
riages between
uae nationals,
provides grants
to pay for the
exorbitant costs
of the wedding
and dowry, and
promotes mass
weddings to en-
able nationals to
save for a down
payment on a
house.Identity &
Lifestyle
The population in dubai is one of the most diverse, multicultural and
male (three quarters of the population) in the world� in stark contrast
to neighbouring saudi arabia and nearby iran, both dubai and abu
dhabi are, overall, tolerant and easy-going societies� Most religions are
tolerated and places of worship have been built for christians, hindus
and sikhs� notwithstanding, both dubai and abu dhabi’s traditional
culture and social life is firmly rooted in islam, and day-to-day activi-
ties, relationships, diet and dress are very much dictated by religion�
r olE of WomEn
Living with such a large proportion of expats, and an increasing number
of Western cultural influences, has led to both growing conservatism and
liberalisation. This is especially noticeable among young women: while
some dress in Western fashion (usually those with foreign mothers), oth-
ers are individualising traditional dress, while yet others are ‘covering up’.
Gender roles are changing, with more and more women wanting to es-
tablish careers before marriage. Women’s contribution to the workforce
has grown considerably in the past decade. Successful Emirati women
are increasingly serving as role models, such as the United Arab Emir-
ates (UAE) Minister of Trade, Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi (one of the 100
most powerful women in the world, according to Forbes magazine), and
Dr Amina Rostamani (CEO of TECOM, a corporation that oversees several
free-trade zones).
Marriage
An indirect byproduct of the shifting role of women is the ongoing trend
for Emirati men to marry foreign women. One reason is that Emirati wom-
en are becoming better educated and as a result are less willing to settle
down in the traditional role of an Emirati wife. Other contributing factors
are the prohibitive cost of a traditional wedding, plus the dowry the groom
must provide – essentially, it can save a lot of dirhams and a lot of hassle
to marry a foreign girl.
prESErving thE uaE hEritagE
Some say that Dubai is fake and principally a ‘shopping culture’. Take
these comments with a pinch of salt – shopping is merely a pastime, albeit
an extremely popular one. In both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Emirati cultural
identity is expressed through poetry, traditional song and dance, a love
of the desert and nature, and of camels, horses and falconry, all of which
remain popular activities. If you’re lucky enough to be invited to a wed-
ding (and you should take up the offer), it’s a great way to see some of these
cultural traditions in action.