Women in UAE Face Government Repression and Marginalization

Human rights organizations report that women in the UAE are subjected to government repression, injustice, and marginalization, despite official propaganda that claims to advance women’s rights and appoint them to high-ranking roles.

The Emirates Center for Human Rights has revealed that Abu Dhabi is systematically oppressing and sidelining Emirati women, even as the media showcases a select few to obscure these abuses.

In a recent statement, the center noted that while Emirati women endure significant social injustice and oppression, authorities are attempting to mask these issues by promoting a handful of women as exemplars of their purportedly progressive policies.

On August 28, the UAE marked Emirati Women’s Day, even as many Emirati women, particularly those with relatives who are prisoners of conscience, endure severe humanitarian hardships. These difficulties stem from restrictions imposed by the authorities, which are part of a broader strategy by Abu Dhabi to retaliate against those imprisoned for their beliefs.

Two prisoners of conscience, Maryam Al-Balushi and Amina Al-Abdouli, are being held in Abu Dhabi prisons. They were arrested in November 2015 due to their sympathetic stance towards the Syrian revolution.

Al-Balushi and Al-Abdouli were sentenced to five years in prison, but the authorities have refused to release them since their sentences ended about four years ago.

The UAE authorities have also revoked the citizenship of a number of prisoners of conscience, including their daughters, wives and children.

In addition, Abu Dhabi has deprived all female relatives of prisoners of conscience from visiting them over the past years, and even prevented them from contacting them.

The UAE Detainees Advocacy Center has underscored the significant roles and immense sacrifices made by Emirati women, particularly those enduring harsh conditions due to the absence of their husbands, fathers, or sons who are detained arbitrarily, including prisoners of conscience.

The center noted that many Emirati women face severe material, emotional, and psychological challenges following the arrest of a family member who was the primary breadwinner. Despite these hardships, these women have demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience.

Alongside Al-Balushi and Al-Abdouli, Abu Dhabi also detained activist Alia Abdel Nour in the same month, sentencing her to ten years in prison. Abdel Nour passed away on May 4, 2019, after cancer metastasized due to being denied necessary medical treatment. Human rights reports indicate she was bedridden until her death.

The story of Dr. Mohammed Al-Rukn’s mother exemplifies extraordinary resolve. At 75 years old, she braved a three-hour journey, the summer heat, and physical exhaustion to visit her son in Al-Razeen prison.

On July 7, 2013, she traveled a road filled with trucks and camels to reach the prison. Despite the oppressive heat, she chose to walk rather than ride in a car, arriving only to wait over 30 minutes for permission to enter the second waiting room. After enduring the sweltering conditions and another half-hour wait, she was confronted with a glass barrier during her first visit with her son. She refused to proceed and demanded a direct, unimpeded visit with him.

Despite her desperate desire to see her son, the 70-year-old mother of Dr. Mohammed Al-Rukn was denied her request by the prison administration. She refused to accept the deliberate humiliation imposed on detainees’ families and left without speaking to her son, walking back to the first waiting room and rejecting a ride in the prison’s covered vehicle.

Her heart must have been aching as she had traveled a long distance and waited for hours just to touch and hug her son. Like any mother, she was willing to go to great lengths to see him. Yet, she could not endure the humiliation of seeing him only through a glass barrier. She bravely stood her ground, undeterred by the threats from guards and prison officials.

Another notable example of Emirati women’s sacrifice is Mrs. Awatif, the wife of prisoner of conscience Abdul Salam Darwish Al Marzouqi. Her story highlights the unwavering dedication and resilience of Emirati women, who, despite the most challenging circumstances, strive to provide a dignified life for their children.

Mrs. Awatif, who resided in the UAE at the time of her husband’s arrest, undertook a grueling three-hour journey to visit him in prison. She brought her young children, who suffer from autism and nervous spasms, hoping to bring them some joy. Despite the authorities canceling the visit after their long trip, she remained resolute in her determination to see her husband.

In 2016, when her children’s health worsened, she traveled to the United States for their treatment. Shortly thereafter, Abu Dhabi revoked her children’s citizenship, halted their treatment funding, and ceased her husband’s retirement salary in an attempt to coerce her into returning.

Undeterred by this pressure, Mrs. Awatif continued her children’s treatment and endeavored to provide them with a dignified life despite the difficulties of living abroad and the absence of their father. Her actions stand as a testament to the strength and sacrifice of Emirati women.

If we are talking about strength and resilience, the journey of Alaa Al-Siddiq, the daughter of the prisoner of conscience Mohammed Al-Siddiq, is another example. Despite her young age, she chose a difficult and risky path to defend her father.

This young Emirati woman endured exile twice, the first time when she was forced to leave her country for Qatar due to threats from the authorities, and the second time when she traveled from Doha to London to continue defending her father and the rights of Emiratis.

In the United Kingdom, Alaa painted a bright picture of the hard-working and intelligent Emirati woman, and became the director of the ALQST organization for human rights, and later became an inspiring model for thousands of Arab youth, after death suddenly snatched her away, to become one of the icons of defending human rights in the world.