US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI3037

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KWMN, TC 
SUBJECT: UAEG COMMITTED - IN PART - TO ELIMINATE 
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 2095 
 
1. THE UAEG HAS SIGNED THE UN CONVENTION ON THE 
ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST 
WOMEN (CEDAW), BUT LIKE OTHER ISLAMIC COUNTRIES, THE 
UAE WILL NOT ENFORCE PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION THAT 
CONTRADICT SHARIA' LAW, OR UAE FAMILY LAW AND CUSTOMS. 
BY ACCEPTING THE CONVENTION, THE UAE COMMITS ITSELF TO 
UNDERTAKE A SERIES OF MEASURES TO END DISCRIMINATION 
AGAINST WOMEN, AND TO ESTABLISH TRIBUNALS AND OTHER 
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS TO COMBAT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST 
WOMEN. 
 
2. WHILE THIS IS ANOTHER CLEAR INDICATION THAT THE UAEG 
INTENDS TO GRADUALLY ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST 
WOMEN, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT PREPARED TO REPLACE 
CERTAIN SHARIA' LAW PROVISIONS.  FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO 
NOT AGREE WITH PROVISIONS IN THE CONVENTION THAT WOULD 
GRANT WOMEN EQUAL RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO THE 
NATIONALITY OF THEIR CHILDREN.  NOR WILL THEY CONFORM 
TO PROPOSALS DEALING WITH ACQUIRING, CHANGING OR 
RETAINING A WOMAN'S NATIONALITY.  IN ADDITION, THE UAE 
WOULD NOT ACCEPT PROVISIONS RELATED TO HOW A WOMEN 
ENTERS INTO MARRIAGE, CHOOSES A SPOUSE, RAISES 
CHILDREN, ADOPTS CHILDREN, CHOOSES A FAMILY NAME AND A 
PROFESSION, AND OWNS OR ADMINISTERS PROPERTY. 
 
3.  LOCAL PRESS INTERVIEWED 10 PROMINENT UAE WOMEN IN 
THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. HESSA AL MIDFAA, AN 
APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE SHARJAH CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL, 
WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT JOINING THE CONVENTION WOULD EXPAND 
THE ROLE WOMEN PLAY IN THE SOCIETY AND COULD PAVE THE 
WAY FOR A WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED AS A GOVERNMENT 
MINISTER.  "IT IS A MATTER OF TIME," SHE SAID.  WHILE 
THE MAJORITY OF THESE WOMEN BELIEVE THAT THE CONVENTION 
WOULD REMOVE SOME LEGAL RESTRICTIONS, THEY ALSO FELT 
THAT EXTENSIVE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN STILL 
EXISTS.  FOR INSTANCE, THEY BELIEVE THAT UAE STILL 
CUSTOMS RESTRICT WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC AND 
POLITICAL AFFAIRS. SOME WOMEN SAID UAE WOMEN ALREADY 
ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS AS MEN, AND THAT THE UAE 
CONSTITUTION GRANTS THEM THESE RIGHTS. 
 
SISON