The gap between perceptions and outcomes of women's rights in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates have taken steps to alleviate gender inequalities in its legal system, amending their labour, personal status and criminal laws. The motivation is subject to debate. Carefully curated images often do not reflect the experiences of ordinary Emirati women, but important strides towards gender equality have been made. Simeon Djankov and Karolin Lehmann write that without reliable data, assessing the effectiveness of gender legal reforms remains a challenge.