Abu Dhabi: A Council of Elders may be set up to offer counselling to families and couples in an effort to recognise, and better manage or reconcile, troublesome differences and repeating patterns of stress on relationships in Emirati society, Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs told the Federal National Council on Tuesday.
“The move is meant to reduce the divorce rates in the UAE,” the minister added as she responded to a question by Ali Eisa Al Nuaimi, a member of the House from Ajman.
Al Nuaimi argued alarming divorce rates in the UAE have not produced efforts to tackle the problem but have instead been met with the dropping of a strategic goal to cement marriages and family ties by the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Al Nuaimi questioned efforts made by the ministry to reduce the high rate of divorce among Emirati couples and strengthen marriages and family relationships and said statistics showed that there were 13 divorces every day and there were more than 2,300 divorces in 2012.
The FNC member cited 3,901 cases that have been lodged in courts across the UAE last year as revealed by the National Centre for Statistics in Abu Dhabi.
The figures showed 1,704 cases involving Emirati couples, 647 cases of Emirati men separating from non-Emirati women, and 133 cases of Emirati women divorcing non-Emirati husbands. The number of divorces among expatriate couples last year reached 1,417 cases.
Divorce cases in Abu Dhabi were 1,700, while there were 1,125 in Dubai, 454 cases in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah had 308 cases, Fujairah 147, Ajman 142 and Umm Al Quwain 25.
Al Nuaimi said he noted the problem has exacerbated while efforts have not been intensified to address it effectively. “A strategic goal of the Ministry of Social Affairs for 2011-2013 to cement marriages and family relationships was dropped in 2014,” Al Nuaimi said.
Al Nuami stressed it is the ministry’s duty to enhance formation of the Emirati family on sound principles and foundations, and support its components, identity, as well as its Arab and Islamic values.
Al Nuaimi argued more efforts should have been made to prepare and implement such family awareness programmes and prepare a suitable climate and atmosphere for family stability.
The minister said no strategic goal had been dropped, but it was changed because indexes were linked to international competitiveness reports.
“Programmes will continue to reduce divorce rates through preventive and precautionary measures. The Ministry of Social Affairs and 32 federal and local authorities have been assigned to achieve this goal by 2021,” the minister said.
