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Network to address declining birth rates, increasing divorces

DUBAI - Declining birth rates and increasing divorces have alarmed policy makers in the country prompting them to focus on removing the stigma attached to such issues.

With support from the private sector and governmental entities, the Emirates Family Network, a charitable organisation, was launched recently to address the emotional and communication issues among newlyweds and infertility issues with women in a country where a daily average of eight divorces have been recorded.

On the other hand, the birth rate has almost halved from 4.4 children per woman in 1990 to just 2.3 in 2007 according to the World Health Organization.

Aisha Rashed Al Ali, the official spokesperson of the network and representative of Shaikha Hind bint Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Emirates Business Women Council under whose patronage the network has been launched, termed the topic a big taboo in society.

“The ability of a woman to conceive, and to have a child is the cornerstone of our traditions of family. But if a couple is having problems conceiving, in other words having problems getting pregnant with a baby, well, we just don’t talk about it freely in society,” she said.

“For a couple, there is much grief and exclusion and disappointment. This problem can even lead to a breakdown of the marriage. The husband and wife may get depressed and begin to suffer from what the experts call ‘Emotional Divorce’, and if this goes on, it often leads to an end to the relationship and to divorce,” she said.

Between 1994 and 2008, divorce cases totaled about 35,000 — one of the highest in the world relative to the adult population.

“Infertility affects one in six couples,” she added. Studies indicate 80 per cent of couples having regular relations will conceive within a year and 70 per cent will have a baby.

“Any couple’s first port of call should be their doctor because infertility is a couple’s problem, it is not a woman’s issue or a man’s issue, and both in the couple must be dedicated to wanting to have a child,” said Aisha.

She, however, said that infertility was not always “fixable”. “Even with today’s advances, one in 20 couples will be diagnosed with unexplained infertility,” she said.

“Just one in three couples who embark on IVF will be successful, she pointed out, and the odds decrease as the woman in particular gets older.

“Successful couples also need counseling. Pregnancies as a result of fertility treatment tend to be much more stressful, as the couple are more nervous about such issues as miscarriage and other problems,” she added.

“We cannot afford to stand by and not act on these issues.”

The network plans to conduct ongoing awareness and education activities throughout the UAE, in shops and malls, and will also provide seminars in workplaces, discussing the topics of family related activities and achieving good family communications.

“Our goal is to provide a central network to bring together members of society who are concerned about the health of their family. We aim to combat the current social stigma attached to various issues to create happy families through public education and awareness,” said Aisha.

—asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com