21st Century Spinster

Spinster News: UAE Seeks To Stamp Out Spinsterhood

Talk about living in different worlds on the same planet...check out this gem that ran in the United Arab Emirates' Khaleej Times:

Alarm bells ring as rate of UAE spinsters rises

By Muawia E. Ibrahim 16 July 2004

ABU DHABI - The number of spinsters in the UAE is increasing at an alarming rate, calling for the involvement of all segments of society as well as the authorities to find a practical solution, according to a study conducted by the Police Research Centre of the Ministry of Interior.
The study, which was carried out in Sharjah, showed that the number of spinsters was growing at an alarming rate, reaching 73 per cent.
The survey covered a random sample of 100 men and women who were asked to answer a questionnaire on the characters of potential future partners including age category, reasons behind choice of partners, roots of the problem, average age of spinsters and the psychological and social effects of the problem.
The study showed that high dowries, social traditions associated with wedding ceremonies, as well as other reasons such as reluctance of girls to accept their would-be-husbands as a result of fear of failure or failed family experiences have contributed to the problem of spinstership in the country.
Good reputation and behaviour were the most targeted characters by both male and female youths in selecting a partner, representing 13.24 per cent of the selection criterion, followed by the question of whether the potential partner is a religious person, which constituted 13.10 per cent.
Compatibility, emotional bond, and nationality represented 11.17 per cent, followed by education. At bottom of the list was the condition of marrying a relative where the sample showed a visible tendency towards marrying outside relations despite the dominance of the deep-rooted tradition of kin marriages.
The age at which a person is considered spinster ranges between 25 and 35. The favourite age of partners for both men and women is below 22.5 years. Young men prefer future wives to be teenagers. However, girls do not mind husbands above 20 years of age.
On reasons behind rejecting a proposed fiance among females, the study showed that many rejected such proposals anticipating a better future husband.
The study highlighted the negative effects of spinstership on women including depression and anxiety (33 per cent), family disobedience (19 per cent), psychological and physical effects (19 per cent).
Among other effects is feeling rejected by the society among spinsters.
Blaming the problem primarily on the family, the study proposed a number of solutions to the problem including curbing extravagance in doweries and wedding, correcting wrong cultural and social traditions with regard to selecting partners and setting up matchmaking bureaus by the government.
The problem of spinstership has been a source of concern to the authorities as well as to social institutions on top of which is the Marriage Fund.
On the occasion of the UAE Women Federation's 25th silver jubilee, Her Highness Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Wife of the President and Chairperson of the UAE Women's Federation, expressed concern over the rate of spinstership among nationals.
"I am deeply concerned with the problems of spinstership, divorce and unemployment.
"Efforts by women organisations and ministries concerned should be stepped up to root out these dangers."
She added: "The more negative phenomenon we face, the more responsibilities needed to be shouldered by social organisations about welfare of women and society. We should not sit on our laurels or close our eyes while these women are continuously struggling against all odds."
Shaikha Fatima called for a study on the reasons behind these problems to find practical solutions to them.

posted by Spinster21c @ 1:49 AM