Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised), 1948 (No. 89) - United Arab Emirates (Ratification: 1982)

Article 3 of the Convention. General prohibition of night work for women. The Committee notes the Government’s renewed reference to Ministerial Order No. 46/1 of 1980 which authorizes the night work of women mainly in the tourism, health-care and transport sectors as well as in cases of serious accident, repair work or extraordinary work pressure. As the Government indicates in its last report, these exceptions reflect women’s high participation rate in economic activity but also the Government’s commitment to applying the principle of equal opportunity. The Committee recalls its previous comment in which it invited the Government, in consultation with the social partners, and in particular with women workers, to consider the possibility of further modernizing its legislation by ratifying either the 1990 Protocol to Convention No. 89, which opens up the possibility for women to work at night under certain well-specified conditions, or the Night Work Convention, 1990 (No. 171), which applies to all night workers in all branches and occupations. The Committee notes, in this regard, the Government’s indication that it is currently examining the possibility of amending the legislation relating to the employment of women in line with the Committee’s comments. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any progress in the revision process and the possible ratification of either the Protocol to Convention No. 89 or Convention No. 171, and recalls that the Government may, if it so wishes, draw on the technical assistance of the Office on these matters.