The labour force of the United Arab Emirates is primarily made up of foreign temporary workers, most of whom come from the Indian subcontinent and other parts of the Arab World and Asia. There is a sizeable number of Westerners, the majority of them being British and Americans.
There are very few anti-discrimination laws in relation to labour issues, with Emiratis being given preferential treatment when it comes to employment, even though they generally do not show an interest in working. [1] Emiratis and nationals from developed countries are also given higher salaries compared to workers from other parts of the world. Expatriates who have lived in the countries for long periods of time are generally not given full UAE citizenship and are treated like those who have just arrived recently.
NPR reported that workers "typically live eight to a room, sending home a portion of their salary to their families, whom they usually don't see for years at a time." The BBC has reported that "local newspapers often carry stories of construction workers allegedly not being paid for months on end. They are not allowed to move jobs and if they leave the country to go home they will almost certainly lose the money they say they are owed." [2] Additionally, most of the workers are forced to give up their passports upon entering Dubai, making it very difficult to return home. In September 2005, the Minister of Labour ordered one company to pay unpaid salaries within 24 hours after workers protested, and published the name of the offending company. [3]
In December 2005, the Indian consulate in Dubai submitted a report to the Government of India detailing labor problems faced by Indian expatriates in the emirate. The report highlighted delayed payment of wages, substitution of employment contracts, premature termination of services and excessive working hours as being some of the challenges faced by Indian workers in the city. On 21 March 2006, workers at the construction site of Burj Khalifa, upset over bus timings and working conditions, rioted: damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction tools. [4] [5] [6]
The city's discriminatory legal system and unequal treatment of foreigners has been brought to light by its alleged attempts to cover up information on the rape of Alexandre Robert, a 15-year-old French-Swiss national, by three locals, one of whose HIV-positive status was hidden by the authorities for several months [7] and by the recent mass imprisonment of migrant laborers, most of whom were from India, on account of their protests against poor wages and living conditions. [8]
The alleged labour injustices in Dubai have attracted the attention of various Human Rights groups, which have tried to persuade the government to become a signatory to two of the International Labour Organization's 7 core conventions, which allows for the formation of labour unions. The Dubai government has denied any kind of labour injustices and has stated that the watchdog's (Human Rights Watch) accusations were misguided. [9] Towards the end of March 2006, the government announced steps to allow construction unions. UAE labour minister Ali al-Kaabi said: "Labourers will be allowed to form unions."
Prostitution, though illegal by law, is conspicuously present in the emirate because of an economy that is largely based on tourism and trade. Research conducted by the American Center for International Policy Studies (AMCIPS) found that women from the former USSR and Ethiopian women are the most common prostitutes, as well as women from some African countries, while Indian prostitutes are part of a well-organized trans-Oceanic prostitution network. [10] A 2007 PBS documentary entitled Dubai: Night Secrets reported that prostitution in clubs is tolerated by authorities and many foreign women work there without being coerced, attracted by the money. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
The United Arab Emirates is a high-income developing market economy. The UAE's economy is the 3rd largest in the Middle East, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$415 billion in 2021-2023.
The United Arab Emirates, or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East. It is located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula and shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia, while also having maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran. Abu Dhabi is the country's capital, while Dubai, the most populous city, is an international hub.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the country's seven emirates.
The Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's tallest structure. With a total height of 829.8 m and a roof height of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009, supplanting Taipei 101, the previous holder of that status.
Hindus are the third largest Religious group in the United Arab Emirates and constitute around 6.6%-15% of the population in the nation. Hinduism is followed mainly by the significant Nepali and Indian population in the United Arab Emirates.
Khaleej Times is a daily English language newspaper published in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched on 16 April 1978, Khaleej Times is the UAE's longest-running English daily newspaper.
According to human rights organisations, the government of the UAE violates a number of fundamental human rights. The UAE does not have democratically elected institutions and citizens do not have the right to change their government or to form political parties. Activists and academics who criticize the regime are detained and imprisoned, and their families are often harassed by the state security apparatus. There are reports of forced disappearances in the UAE; many foreign nationals and Emirati citizens have been abducted by the UAE government and illegally detained and tortured in undisclosed locations. In numerous instances, the UAE government has tortured people in custody , and has denied their citizens the right to a speedy trial and access to counsel during official investigations.
The economy of Dubai represents a per capita gross domestic product as of 2022 of US$46,665. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, announced that the UAE's non-oil trade over 10 years totalled Dhs16.14 trillion. The UAE GDP jumping from $407 billion in 2021 to $440 billion in 2022 and $467 billion in 2023. Similarly, per capita GDP will also expand from $43,868 in 2021 to $46,665 in 2022 and $48,822 in 2023.
Human rights in Dubai are based on the Constitution and enacted law, which supposedly promise equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race, nationality or social status, per Article 25 of the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Despite this, Freedom House has stated: "Extreme forms of self-censorship are widely practiced, particularly regarding issues such as local politics, culture, religion, or any other subject the government deems politically or culturally sensitive. The Dubai Media Free Zone (DMFZ), an area in which foreign media outlets produce print and broadcast material intended for foreign audiences, is the only arena in which the press operates with relative freedom."
Muhaisnah is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Situated in eastern Dubai in Deira.
According to Human Rights Watch, there is substantial discrimination against women in the United Arab Emirates. The status of women has improved over the years. UAE performs better on metrics of gender equality than many other states in the Gulf region, and it has been making reforms to protect women's rights and empower women in different sectors. Critics describe some of these reforms as window dressing.
Mass media in the United Arab Emirates is subject to government control and censorship. Media freedom is severely curtailed in the UAE. Most UAE media is owned by the government or by groups that have ties to the government. UAE law permits the government to censor content critical of the government. Journalists and writers who criticize the government are subject to repression.
Indians in the United Arab Emirates constitute the largest part of the population of the country. Over 3,860,000 Indian expats are estimated to be living in the UAE, which is over 38 percent of the total population of the UAE and the fourth highest number of overseas Indian people in the world, after the United States, Saudi Arabia and Nepal. Indian contact with the emirates that now constitute the UAE dates back several centuries, as a result of trade and commerce between the emirates and India. The UAE has experienced a tremendous increase in the population of resident Indians who initially migrated to the country as a result of opportunities in petroleum. Now, Indians are key to the UAE's construction, retail, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and transport sectors. A sizeable minority of Indian migrants are involved in professional services and entrepreneurship. Relations between India and the UAE have traditionally been very friendly.
Arabtec Holding PJSC, Dubai's most heavily traded and largest construction group in GCC together with its subsidiaries, provided construction services for residential, commercial, oil and gas, infrastructure, power, facilities management, and property development sectors in the United Arab Emirates and internationally. It operated through Construction; Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing; Oil & Gas, Infrastructure and Power; and other segments. The company was involved in the construction of high-rise towers, buildings, and residential villas, as well as drainage, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contracting, and civil and infrastructure construction works. It also engaged in real estate investment, development, leasing, and management activities. In addition, the company manufactured precast panels and steel structures, as well as ready-mixed concrete
Emiratis in the United Kingdom are Emirati expatriates in the United Kingdom. They number several thousand and include many students pursuing higher education.
There are thousands of Jordanians living in the United Arab Emirates. As of 2009, their population was estimated at 250,000, an increase from 80,000 in 2003, making them one of the largest Jordanian diaspora communities both worldwide and in the Persian Gulf region and also form the second largest community of non-citizen Arabs in the UAE after the Egyptians. Most Jordanians live in Dubai and the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates represent about 90% of the population, while Emiratis constitute roughly 12% of the total population, making the UAE home to one of the world's highest percentage of expatriates.
The Emirati diaspora comprises Emirati citizens who have emigrated from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to other countries, and people of Emirati descent born or residing in other countries.
Migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates describe the foreign workers who have moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for work. As a result of the proximity of the UAE to South Asia and a better economy and job opportunities, most of the migrant foreign workers are from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia, also known as Maghaba, was an Indian-Emirati businessman, trader, philanthropist and the founder of the Indian High School, Dubai, first Indian educational institution established in the UAE. He was one of the four businessmen to introduce electricity to Dubai, and the first Indian citizen to be appointed as board member of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry by Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.