United Arab Emirates UAE

In the United Arab Emirates, since the discovery of oil in the country more than thirty years ago, the poverty level has been very low. The UAE has a negligible level of undernourishment, with less than 2.5% of the population falling into this category. This figure is especially impressive when compared to other Near Eastern countries, which have an average of about 12% of their populations undernourished. The unemployment rate in the UAE is only 2.4% and the per capita GDP is, according to a 2006 estimate, $49,700. This GDP is on par with those of leading Western European nations. Many of the people in the UAE have a very high standard of living, which has made it a location of choice for migrant workers.

The United Arab Emirates has, over the past few decades, donated large sums of money to various international organizations to combat poverty and hunger. One reason for this generosity, as well as for the low poverty rates inside the UAE itself, could be the importance of altruism contained in the Islamic faith. One source inside the United Nations noted that the Qu’ran (Koran) contains various verses emphasizing the value of voluntary spending on the welfare of the poor, or infaq. Islamic society also has many institutional devices designed to facilitate infaq, such as a form of social security for the poor.

One of the major human rights issues in the United Arab Emirates is the trafficking of men, women, and children for involuntary servitude and sexual exploitation. These individuals are smuggled in from locations such as South and East Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. According to the CIA, the United Arab Emirates was placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because it did not show a satisfactory increase in efforts to combat trafficking, specifically in 2005. It appears that the UAE government did not substantially improve its commitment to stem to flow of foreign girls and women into the country for commercial sexual exploitation.

Even women who enter the country legally, most often to work as domestic servants, may have their passports confiscated or be denied permission to leave their places of employment in the home. They may also find themselves physically or sexually abused by their employers. Male migrant workers are also occasionally subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude, mostly in instances where they are forced to pay off recruitment and travel costs. In addition to forced servitude, migrant workers commonly face wage exploitation and extremely dangerous working conditions. Many human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, believe that the government has not adequately addressed this issue.

The United Arab Emirates has made some progress towards combating child exploitation. In July 2005, a law passed to ban the practice of child camel jockey trafficking. The effectiveness of this ban, however, has been disputed.

There continue to be issues regarding women’s rights in the country. Women are, in some cases, subject to discrimination under UAE laws, particularly the nationality law. The nationality law dictates that women, unlike men, cannot transfer their UAE citizenship to their children if their spouses are foreigners. In this situation, the child would suffer extreme restrictions on residency, employment, and education rights. In fact, the child would be classified as a migrant worker.

A disturbing human rights issue in the country is that the United Arab Emirates has, as of 2006, yet to register an independent human rights organization. The government is accused of delaying the consideration of an application submitted in July 2004 by the UAE Association for Human Rights.

The UAE has made impressive progress in improving health care and disease prevention. The government launched several preventive medical programs designed to fight and control more than 36 infectious diseases. These programs have had a significant impact on life expectancy in the country, driving it up to just over 75 years.

Very little is known about the AIDS situation in the United Arab Emirates. There is little information available for groups attempting to study the transmission and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Since the disease has such a stigma attached to it, groups inside the United Nations believe that the actual rate of HIV/AIDS in the country has been under-reported. Also, the surveillance systems in place in many Middle Eastern countries are inadequate, which is the reason why international organizations have virtually no information. As of 2001, the estimated adult prevalence rate in the entire Arab region was less than .2%, which indicates that the demographic impact of HIV/AIDS on adult mortality in the Arab region is, for the time being, negligible.

As for other diseases, there is a limited risk of malaria in the UAE, with the disease found almost exclusively in the foothill areas and valleys of the regions bordering Oman. There is virtually no risk of contracting the disease in any of the major urban areas such as Abu Dhabi or Dubai. The population remains at risk for both typhoid and influenza.

Generally, the entirety of the United Arab Emirates has become increasingly urbanized in recent decades, which has led to some environmental issues. The main terrestrial habitat is sandy desert, which supports various forms of seasonal vegetation. The Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman contain a wide variety of environmentally valuable ecosystems. Permanent fresh water is very scarce in the UAE, but the country does hold some of the world’s largest and best-developed sabkhas, salt flats on which rainwater occasionally stagnates. Run-off from the Hajjar Mountains is the only source to replenish ground water in the country. Natural hazards in the UAE include frequent sand and dust storms.

The environmental issues in the United Arab Emirates are typical of desert countries. The country lacks natural freshwater resources but compensates with desalination plants, which purify salt water. However, with the overpumping of ground water, regions of the country have seen an increase in soil salinity.

Since the discovery of oil, the UAE has dealt with increased beach pollution from oil spills, as well as a rise in air pollution. In 1992, the UAE was ranked among the top 50 countries with the world’s highest levels of industrial carbon dioxide. Urbanization and industrial development have cost the country habitat for its wildlife. Many species have also begun to disappear as a result of increased hunting and trapping. Although plans are being made to restore some of these animals to their former numbers, there remains a lack of suitable habitat. Desertification, the result of the clearing of natural vegetation, livestock overgrazing on rangelands, and extensive deforestation many years ago, has also become an increasing problem. However, impressive forestry operations are ongoing in an attempt to green the UAE’s deserts.

Both governmental and non-governmental organizations have made admirable efforts in the areas of environmental protection and restoration. In addition, the United Arab Emirates is in the final stages of creating a Green Business Council, the purpose of which is to attain a high level of sustainable building possible by promoting high-performance green buildings and environmentally friendly technologies.

The United Arab Emirates is a country that has never wavered in its commitment to the education of its population. Following the founding of the UAE, there was an explosion of public education facilities and, in the ensuing seven years, the federal government spent more on education than on any segment of the budget other than defense. The UAE constitution states that education is fundamental to the progress of society and must be compulsory at the primary level, which covers students age six to twelve. Education is free at all levels. The government has also stipulated that uniforms, books, equipment, and transportation must be provided free of charge. Beginning in the 1991-92 academic year, military courses were compulsory in federal secondary schools.

In addition to the public schools, students have the option of attending private or religious schools. Many schools in the country remain separated by gender, though at the coeducational United Arab Emirates University, female students far outnumber males. Despite several quality institutions of higher education in the country, many UAE nationals go abroad to complete their higher education. Popular destinations include other Arab countries, Britain, and the Unites States.

Total population literacy, defined as the percent of the population age 15 and over who can read and write, is currently at 77.9%. The female literacy rate is higher than the male literacy rate, at 81.7% and 76.1% respectively. These numbers represent a staggering improvement from those less than two decades ago. As of 1989, the estimated literacy rate in the UAE was only 53.5%, more than 20% lower than it is today. This dramatic increase can probably be attributed to the sudden increase in government spending following the discovery of oil in the country.

ABLE UAE - ABLE UAE will provide high quality programs to impact children with special needs toward their overall development, thus enabling them to become productive members of the Global Society.

Dubai Autism Center - The Dubai Autism Center is a non-profit center working in the area of training and helping autistic kids and providing families with training and information.

Emirates Environmental Group - The vision of the Emirates Environmental Group is to contribute positively to the advancement of sustainable development in Dubai and the UAE by acting as a focal point for the people of the UAE.

Golden Key International Honour Society - Golden Key International Honour Society is the world’s largest academic honor society. The mission of the society is to enable members to realize their potential by connecting individual achievement with service and lifelong opportunity. The Society recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence in all undergraduate fields of study; unites faculty and administrators in developing and maintaining high standards of education; provides scholarship opportunities to outstanding members and provides career, internship, and graduate school opportunities to members through top name companies and universities worldwide. Membership is by invitation only to the top 15% of juniors and seniors from over 335 chapters in the United States, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

Human Appeal International of United Arab Emirates - The mission of this organization is to improve the quality of life of underprivileged communities through its projects that aim to provide education, health, and social development. Also, the group works to provide relief to victims of natural disasters, war, and social hardship. In addition, there are programs designed to facilitate secure provisions for orphans.

Inner Ear Productions - Inner Ear Productions (IE Film and Video Company) is a California-based not-for-profit tax-exempt organization that is committed to the production and education in Film Video, and other Media Production in the Arts and for social development. IE has the capability to develop, produce, and complete broadcast television programs and other media, IE has capabilities and facilities in the USA, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. All production services are available worldwide.

Mosaic Foundation - The Mosaic Foundation is a charitable and educational organization founded by the spouses of Arab Ambassadors to the United States. The Mosaic Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of women and children, while fostering cultural, educational, and professional dialogues between the peoples of the Arab world and the United States.

Red Crescent of the United Arab Emirates - United Arab Emirates Red Crescent is a national, humanitarian and voluntary authority that provides aid and assistance to the vulnerable without discrimination regarding nationality, race, gender, color, religion, political or ideological beliefs

Sufi al Jalalani - Sufi al Jalalani is a non-profit organization that brings together people of all races and creeds to join in an effort to have peace and prosperity by following the teachings of Hazrat Nasir Mohammed Sufi al Qadiri, R.A. whose shrine is presently in Jalalani Sharif, Sindh, Pakistan. Thousands benefit from HIS spiritual teachings of breathe-control and taking the name of GOD constantly.

The Valley of Love - The mission of The Valley of Love is to empower individuals to realize that they can make a positive difference in society, by assisting them in providing practical support to all kinds of needy human beings. The organization also strives to bring social and cultural communities together to collaborate in programs for the benefit of all.

Worldwide Disabled Organization - Worldwide Disabled Organization is a nonprofit association that works on projects beneficial to people with disabilities in any place in the world, of any nationality and religion.

World Wide Handicapped Center - The mission of the World Wide Handicapped Center is to help handicapped individuals participate in social life.

Al Noor - Al Noor is a Center for Children with Special Needs run under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs. It is passionately committed to helping special needs children from their infancy to adulthood, its goal being to integrate its students into society. Volunteer opportunities include working directly with children, administrative tasks, and fundraising activities, as well as assisting with summer camps and social club events.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières - is an organization that is independent of all political, religious, military, and economic influence. The goal of the organization is to relieve suffering by working directly with those in need, ensuring respect for their dignity, and endeavoring to provide the best possible care for all those in need. MSF provides relief and medical care to those living through a crisis that threatens their physical and mental wellbeing.

In the UAE, MSF activities include raising awareness, to let people know about the plight of people in need, and fundraising, to enable doctors, nurses, and other staff in the field to have the equipment in order to do their jobs.

Dubai Center for Special Needs - At the Dubai Center for Special Needs, we have always held strong to our ideals, our beliefs, and our mission. Our management and staff seek to improve the quality of like of people with special needs of all ages and their families by promoting their independence, promoting high-quality programs and services, promoting the prevention of disabilities through public awareness, and providing advocacy and information dissemination to accomplish our goals.

Volunteers work in various sections of the Center and in various capacities, like spending individual time with students while following a program set by the staff, or working with and supporting the teachers and therapists

Make A Wish Foundation - Each year in the UAE, children are unfortunately diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Thanks to advances in diagnostic and therapeutic technology, many are now being cured while others have their lives prolonged for many years. Some, unfortunately, lose their battle. The Make-A-Wish Foundation steps in to assist these children and their families by providing an avenue for hope and strength. By focusing on the positive, the Make-A-Wish Foundation brings magic and joy to these children each year, by granting them their most cherished wish.

By becoming a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation you become a ‘partner’ in bringing excitement and relief, if only for a short time, into the life of a child with a life-threatening illness. Sometimes their wish is the only positive-thing the child has to look forward to. The most important skill you’ll need to be a volunteer is enthusiasm and a willingness to be involved. Make-A-Wish volunteers also require a genuine empathy for the families they meet and a respect for confidentiality. You’ll also be involved in exciting fundraising activities and passing on the great news about the work of the Foundation to family, friends and the community.

Manzil - Manzil is a non-profit center for individuals with challenges. Manzil will provide a highly professional learning and care-giving environment for individuals with special needs to nurture their potential and develop the requisite self help, social, educational, and vocational skills that are required to function in society.