Spinsterhood still high in country

The tendency for UAE nationals to marry late and have fewer children is thought to be a major factor in the decline of the national population, according to a senior educationist.

Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Mansoor, Deputy Chancellor of the UAE University for Student Affairs, said: "In spite of the diligent efforts the country has been making to boost marriages among nationals, especially through the Marriage Fund grant given to national grooms, the rate of spinsterhood is still high.

"More national girls have been delaying their marriage plans to pursue higher education or make a professional career." Mansoor was speaking at a conference hosted recently at Umm Almoumineen Women's Association in Ajman on boosting childbearing in the national family.

He noted that in 1999, some 93.5 per cent of national girls aged between 15 and 19 years were unmarried compared to 47.5 per cent in 1975.

The trend to delay marriage was even higher in the older age groups. Some 62.7 per cent of those between 20 and 24 were unmarried in 1999 compared to 11.5 per cent in 1975. Moreover, around 31.6 per cent of those aged between 25 and 29 were unmarried in 1999 against 2.9 per cent only in 1975.

Another possible factor in the population decline is that 96 per cent of national women are aware of birth control methods and almost 55 per cent of them apply one of those methods.

Mansoor observed that a large number of national girls had been pursuing a higher education and a job to secure an income and a good position, so they tend to postpone conception accordingly.

A survey carried out on national families in 1999 revealed that almost all women under 40 were opting for a smaller number of children. Higher birth rates, however, were recorded among women above 40, many of whom had married late and wanted to have as many children as possible while they were still fertile, he said.

Mansoor observed that the higher the level of the woman's education, the fewer children she would likely have. Women who live in the cities also tend to have fewer children than those who reside in rural areas.

"Judging by those tendencies, there is a growing fear that the natural population growth might be notably affected in the future," he said.

To avoid those consequences, he stressed the need to establish a higher council for population that would monitor the demographic situation in the country and make plans to encourage national families to have more children, as well as set up regulations on the use of contraceptives.

That council should comprise all the sectors concerned about demographic policies and its related services. He noted that more child incentives should be granted to national employees to spur them to enlarge their families.

He emphasised the need to issue laws that help working women cope with motherhood responsibilities and the demands of work, and overcome fears that having a baby might hinder or ruin their careers.