Dubai: Members of the Federal National Council have expressed their concern over the late marriage of Emirati women and said it was a serious problem that called for urgent intervention from the Government, NGOs and members of the public.

Mosabah Saeed Al Katbi, a member from Sharjah, said as many as 175,000 or 60 to 68 per cent of Emirati women in their 30s were still single, calling it a serious problem that threatened society's cultural traditions and exacerbated the demographic imbalance.

"I may not be exaggerating to say that every Emirati family has one or two single women in their 30s, a trend that is causing concern for every member of the society," Al Katbi said.

He blamed the problem on "the excessive dowry and marriage expenses, which may drive young Emiratis to tie the knot with foreign women, and should they not find a foreign partner, they stay single."

Not accurate

Al Katbi quoted figures of statistics centres which put the rate of Emirati men getting married to foreign women at 20 per cent of the marriages made in 2010.

"An online poll revealed that 38 of respondents blames late marriage on exorbitant dowry, 32 per cent on parents, seven per cent on career-oriented girls and five per cent on customs and traditions, which oblige marriage among relatives or members of the same tribe," he said.

Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairman of the marriage Fund, told the House neither of these statistics was accurate. However, Al Shamsi agreed studies by the fund showed up to 79 per cent of polled people said there was a strong relation between late marriage and excessive marriage in the UAE.

According to Al Shamsi, the marriage fund extended the necessary relevant marriage information and awareness by giving lectures and holding seminars and workshops to educate the future wedded couples of their matrimonial rights and obligations towards each other and towards their expected children, i.e. to guide them to the apt way of becoming responsible and worthy parents.

The Marriage Fund was set up in 1992 and allows Emirati grooms of at least 21 years of age to apply for a Dh70,000 marriage grant. The applicant must be employed with a monthly salary and must intend to marry an Emirati woman of at least 18 years of age. Al Al Shamsi said the number of career-oriented women was increasingly delaying marriage and children — and when they do tie the knot, they know exactly what they want in a husband, which is a personal affair.

The chairman of the Marriage Fund said modern UAE society has affected attitudes of young generations, who are increasingly choosing to delay marriage and motherhood in favour of education and a career.