United Arab Emirates

Established as a federation in 1971, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seven semi-autonomous emirates or territories under an emir's rule.

In the first half of the 20th century, the UAE remained a traditional society. Yet, with the discovery of oil, it has become a modern and diverse society with a free market. The UAE has no democratically elected institutions and no rights of free speech, press, or religion. However, the women in the UAE have more rights than any other Middle Eastern women. The UAE constitution guarantees women equal rights in terms of legal status, inheritance and property rights, and education. The 2007-08 United Nations Report ranked the UAE 29th among 177 countries for the Gender Empowerment Measures.

The advancement of women began with the discovery ...