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UAE: Background check for non-Emiratis marrying citizens proposed

Abu Dhabi - This is to ensure they have a good track record and have no extremist ideologies.

A member of the Federal National Council (FNC) has suggested background checks for non-Emiratis who wish to marry UAE citizens to ensure they have a good track record and have no extremist ideologies.

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During the FNC meeting on Tuesday, Ahmed Abdullah Al Shehhi said it was important to first obtain a security approval in the marriages between citizens and non-Emiratis.

“The reason for this is for the security authorities to first investigate and make sure that the non-citizen wife or husband had not embraced destructive ideas or extremist ideologies,” he said.

He proposed the issue to the Minister of Community Development, Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, during a discussion on the “Family Cohesion Policy".

Al Shehhi also suggested the establishment of a federal council for Emirati family affairs and strengthening the role of the family counsellors.

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The FNC report on the efforts by the Ministry of Community Development on the matter of "family cohesion and its role in achieving the goals of sustainable social development" outlined 15 recommendations that included tightening penalties for families who abuse children by exploiting them through using them in their businesses or by filming them in offensive videos with the aim of circulating them on social media to increase the number of their followers.

The report also recommended that the ministry develops an integrated programme to reduce genetic diseases, in coordination with the concerned authorities, by conducting genetic tests as a requirement before marriage.

The FNC report also proposed amending the requirements for granting licences for family counselling centres to ensure their efficiency.

For the people of determination who wish to get married, the report recommended the need for preparing counselling programmes for them and the allocation of places to provide educational courses on family and marriage affairs.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com