Martial Relationships before and after Getting Married in UAE Essay - 1

Martial Relationships before and after Getting Married in UAE - Essay Example While this traditional patriarchal system has survived through ages, the 21st-century woman is breaking this concept. â€Å"Emirati women in 2010 were ranked number one in terms of gender equality among the whole Arab world and our ranking internationally was 103. This is a big leap,† said Shamsa Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of the DWE. (Chowdhury, 2011 April 02, Khaleej Times Online ). The society of UAE is mostly governed by Islamic laws, also called sharia and family laws pertaining to marriage and divorce are handled accordingly. Muslim men are allowed to have four wives at the same time and they can even marry non-Muslim women. However, they have to bear the financial expenditures of all their wives and children. They are the ‘providers’ of their wives and children and in return, their wives are supposed to be absolutely chaste, obedient, and available to satisfy their sexual and domestic needs. The United Arab Emirates is one of the advanced countries in t he entire Gulf region. Exposure to foreign lifestyle due to tourism, foreign media, multinational organizations with its multinational workforce and education has gradually changed the social system of Emirates. The youth has responded well to the social changes and they find it implausible to fit the traditional practices in their modern and contemporary lifestyles. The most adverse effect of the clash of civilizations has been on marital relationships. An increase in the divorce rate has been recorded in UAE during the past few decades. â€Å"According to latest available statistics, the UAE leads GCC states in divorce rates, which hit 36 percent, reported 'Emarat Al Youm'†. (Emirates 24/7, March 04, 2011)