A new package of initiatives to support Emiratis get married and raise children includes a longer maternity leave of 90 days, interest-free loans and rental assistance, among other services.
The Emirati Family Growth Programme was approved on Monday by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, headed by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
The Programme has been launched by the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD), with initiatives implemented by several partners, including the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority.
The Emirati Family Growth Support Programme will be implemented over a period of five years, during which the positive impact of the initiatives will be assessed to ensure their contribution to building a more stable and prosperous community.
What are the initiatives?
The Marriage Loan Initiative aims to promote a culture of simple marriages by providing a financial advance without interest or fees to citizen employees working in the public and private sectors who are about to get married.
The Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority will implement the Maternity Leave Support for Women Working in Private Sector Initiative, to extend the maternity leave of citizen mothers working in the private sector to 90 days to ensure sufficient time to rest and care for the newborn.
The Home Visit Service Initiative will be implemented by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, which will provide assistance during the first weeks of motherhood, with the aim of supporting parents’ well-being and monitoring the child’s growth and development.
The Abu Dhabi Housing Authority will implement the Rental Assistance for Newlyweds, providing annual rental assistance to newly married couples through specified financial support that will last for four years. The support will gradually decline, with specific incentives linked to the birth of children.
The fifth initiative is the Loan Partial Deduction, which is an exemption of a percentage of the loan amount, specifically linked to the birth of a fourth, fifth, and sixth child in the family.
The Abu Dhabi Housing Authority will also implement the initiative titled Extending Housing Loan Repayment Period, for housing loans for a period of three years linked to the birth of the fourth, fifth, and sixth child.
