Over 12,000 Emiratis without a job: Minister

abu dhabi — A total of 12,653 UAE nationals across the country are jobless, a minister has said.

Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, told members of the Federal National Council (FNC) during a virtual meeting on Tuesday that this include 4,461 Emiratis in Abu Dhabi, 3,812 in Dubai and 4,180 in the northern emirates,

The minister was responding to a question raised by FNC member Adnan Hamad, who asked her why social allowances are not being issued to jobless Emiratis in the country.

Hamad argued that it was true that unemployed persons are not among those directly entitled for social assistance according to Article 4 of the law no. 2 of 2001.

“But Article 7 of the same law says that social assistance should be extended to Emiratis who have no jobs on an exceptional basis, to support them in certain situations,” he said.

However, Buhumaid said a total of 3,245 social allowances have been given out to jobless Emiratis since 2017 till the first quarter of 2020 for a period of six months.

To a question by FNC member Kifah Al Zaabi on why the ministry gives financial allowances to divorcees aged above 45 years, the minister said there are many factors taken into consideration if the divorcee cannot find a job for a number of reasons.

FNC member Naama Al Sharhan asked the Ministry of Community Development to come up with a comprehensive plan to raise fertility rates among Emiratis. .