UAE sees sharp drop in fertility and birth rates

Govt has taken proactive steps to promote family formation and empower families

- Waheed Abbas

The UAE's fertility rate has declined significantly over the past 30 years, but it is expected to improve slightly over the next three decades, according to a recent UN report.

World Fertility Report 2024 revealed that the fertility rate of live births per woman dropped from 3.76 in 1994 to 1.21 in 2024. However, there are projections suggesting a slight rise to 1.34 live births per woman by 2054 in the UAE.

The government has taken proactive steps in this regard by establishing the Ministry of Family and upgrading the Ministry of Community Development to the Ministry of Community Empowerment. These changes aim to promote family formation, empower families, and strengthen their cohesion, and fertility rates particularly among UAE nationals.

Additionally, the Department of Community Development Abu Dhabi (DCD) has introduced a programme featuring six initiatives to support the growth of the Emirati family which included support to UAE Nationals to marry and raise children, build and grow families, and contribute to family and societal cohesion.