Dubai aims to remove "national nepotism" from its labor market by updating Article 25 of the UAE Constitution. National nepotism favors some foreign nationals over others for organizational positions, salaries, and labor law interpretation based on nationality rather than merit or competence. As a cosmopolitan city with over 200 nationalities, Dubai's labor platform should be strictly based on merit, not nationality status. The Labor Ministry plans to create a department to investigate undue favoritism claims and punish offenders. Companies should adopt equal opportunity employment and compensate employees based on efficiency rather than nationality. Individuals and society should reject stereotyping and prejudgement in favor of evaluating people based on their training and experience.

1. What is Dubai doing about Article 25 of the UAE Constitution?
Tagged as the map that gets updated every day, Dubai is known as a pace setter
for cities and countries all over Middle East and beyond. She boasts the first
seven star hotel, flags the tallest building, commissions the largest airport and
flexes the biggest mall but one thing that blemishes this glamorous map and
needs to be removed is what I term “National Nepotism”.
Unlike Emiratization which gives necessary recognition and advantages to
Emiratis which I am vividly in support of, nationality nepotism favours some
foreign national over others in terms of organization ladder, salary scale and
even interpretation of the labour law.
As a cosmopolitan city with over 202 nationalities as at 2006, according to the
Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Dr Khalid Al Khazraji, it is
imperative to create a labour platform based strictly on merit and competence
rather than nationality status. The mentality of inducing nationalities of
developed countries with upper level positions, better salaries and benefits
without recourse to merit or competence but just to serve the image of a
company is not only archaic but also glorifies societal mediocrity at the highest
order. Worse still is that such an uncharitable act has no basis in developed
worlds where the beneficiaries emanated from.
To eradicate this uncivilized norm, the Labour Ministry needs to sanitize the
labour market by creating a department where undue favouritism can be
reported with investigation and attending penalties for culprits. In addition,
aside from international posting by multinational companies, visa application
should be backed by employee dossier and certificates. Such a development will
empower the authority to create checks and balances in situations when an
individual with less qualification and no local or regional experience is placed
on a higher position or better salary scale without any cogent reason but for
nationality.
On the parts of companies, they should be willing to adopt “equal opportunities
employer” status with a succession and promotion plan, compensate efficiency
and commitment rather than inducing hypocrisy. This will not only breed
healthy competition but also translates to a better image and reputation as round
pegs are put in round holes. A phenomenon whereby employee in the same

2. position earn different salary in accordance with country of origin or whereby a
superior is brought in only to be trained by the subordinate does not just create
animosity in the work place or hinders retainment of staff but it also serves as
an insult to humanity at its evolving rate.
Finally, individuals and environment at large should purge itself of stereotyping
and prejudgement but should imbibe the culture of individualism. Needful is for
everyone to know that intelligence or capability is not based on where a person
comes from but on training and experience one has acquired.
"O Mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and made you into
nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most
honourable of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwa among of you.
Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware." (Quran 49:13)