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DUBAI / WAM
Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, revealed that the number of Emirati young would-be spouses benefiting from marriage grants increased by nearly 100 percent from January to the end of April, compared to the same period in 2020.
There were 1,080 beneficiaries in the first four months of 2021, compared to 526 during the same period in 2020, she added.
The minister confirmed that the total amounts of the marriage grants that were disbursed to the Emirati would-be spouses from January 1 to April 30 reached AED75.6 million.
Buhumaid noted that the goals and visions of the Ministry of Community Development is based on a “cohesive family, a coherent society”. This is reinforced by encouraging young people to get married through the government support provided by the ministry as the realisation of the leadership’s keenness to provide the best contribution to build stable, happy and cohesive families.
The minister revealed that the Ministry of Community Development has strategies, educational and awareness programmes and promotional plans to stimulate and double the number of beneficiaries of marriage grants, as increased numbers will achieve the formation of stable Emirati families. This reflects in the steady increase in the number of marriage grant beneficiaries during 2020, compared to 2019, and during the first months of this year 2021.
Buhumaid pointed out that the marriage grant is an indicator to achieve an increase in the number of marriages among Emirati citizens, as one of the basic conditions of receiving the grant is that Emirati men get married to Emirati women.
The increase in disbursement of marriage grants to Emirati young would-be spouses is due to high awareness among young people on the concept of building a stable and cohesive family, where marriage grants support family stability and encourage young people to get married by reducing marriage costs.
The total amount of the marriage grant is AED70,000 to be disbursed one time to beneficiaries, as part of supporting aspirations of young people to build new families that are financially and morally stable. This helps young would-be spouses begin their married life with stability as they get financial support to meet the requirements of marriage and reduce their financial burdens. It also raises awareness of how family life is important after marriage.
The main marriage grant conditions include: applicant and his wife must be Emirati citizens, husband should be more than 21 years old, wife’s age must not be less than 18 years at the time of marriage, net income of husband shall not exceed AED 25,000, the couple should attend awareness courses and lectures organised by the Ministry of Community Development.
The potential beneficiaries can apply for the grant by accessing the ministry’s website www.mocd.gov.ae.