The Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority (SSA) recently announced a 90 day paid maternity leave for Emirati mothers in the private sector. The Maternity Leave Support for Women in Private Sector Initiative falls under Abu Dhabi’s Department of Community Development’s (DCD) Emirati Family Growth Support Program. This reform also allows Emirati women to request complimentary financial support after childbirth, in addition to their paid maternity leaves after gaining approval from their employer.
الدكتورة بشرى الملا، مدير عام هيئة أبوظبي للدعم الاجتماعي، تتحدث عن دور “مبادرة دعم إجازة الأمومة للعاملات في القطاع الخاص” في تعزيز الاستقرار الأسري عبر توفير تسهيلات لراحة الأمهات وأطفالهن حديثي الولادة، ما يتماشى مع أهداف استراتيجية أبوظبي لجودة حياة الأسرة. pic.twitter.com/o3yLQPd5Aw
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Dr. Bushra Al Mulla, director general of SSA, comments that “this initiative is in line with the government’s directives to encourage Emiratis to join the private sector and aligns with SSA’s strategic vision of enhancing the stability of Emirati families while increasing their social contribution.” The UAE is championing a range of social reforms such as voluntary pension schemes to bolster the wellbeing of its citizens. The 90 day paid maternity leave initiative emphasizes on the UAE ambitions to cultivate an inclusive and diverse workforce. Supporting Emirati female employees in private sector extends to The UAE’s efforts to strengthen its female workforce that account of 20% of the country’s GDP, according to Business Link, a leading business consultancy firm in the UAE and KSA.
Dr. Ahmed Al Azeezi, executive director of the Social Support Applications Sector at SSA, said, “the Maternity Leave Support for Women in the Private Sector Programme is designed to complement the Nafis program, which seeks to provide up to 90 days of paid maternity leave for Emirati mothers working in the private sector.” Azeezi stresses on the timeliness of the reform and its impact on family stability.
Female Emirati employees working in the country’s capital must have posses a family book issued in Abu Dhabi and no-objection certificate from their employer to become eligible for the service. To avail the new service, new mothers must apply for the service within 30 days of the birth of their newborn. Additional details such as a valid salary certificate, and bank account details, including the IBAN must be presented. The newborn’s date of birth must be on or after September 1, 2024. Aside from these preliminary details, the SSA will provide details in September 2024 regarding the service delivery channels and the commencement date for accepting applications for the Maternity Leave Support for Women in the Private Sector.
