Resources for women in the UAE
Verified helplines, legal rights, funding, business networks and official registers for women in the UAE. Checked by hand, free to use.
Everything on this page was opened and checked before it was listed. Dead links were removed, wrong numbers corrected, and where a service is not what it claims to be it is not here.
In an emergency, call 999 (Police) or 998 (Ambulance) or 997 (Fire).
Call or text
7 helplines
Dubai Foundation for Women and Children
Shelter, counselling, legal and case support for women and children experiencing violence or abuse.
Sharjah Social Services — women's protection
Social, psychological and legal counselling, and protection for women and families in Sharjah.
Child Protection Centre, Ministry of Interior
National line for a child at risk — yours or one you are worried about.
Sakina — mental health support
Free mental health support in Arabic and English, run with the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi. Dial 800 SAKINA.
Human trafficking helpline
For anyone brought here or held under false terms, or forced into work or sex. Connects to Ewa’a shelters for shelter, medical and psychological care.
Labour complaints
Unpaid wages, a confiscated passport, hours you never agreed to. Covers domestic workers as well as company staff. MOHRE’s own call centre is 600 590000.
Dubai Police — victim support
Follow-up and support for victims of crime, separate from the 999 emergency line.
Networks & business support
11 entries
Aurora50 — Pathway aurora50.com
A 12-week board accelerator for women in the GCC — 40 hours of training and a board governance certification. Over 80 per cent of graduates now sit as non-executive directors. Apply yourself, or have your employer sponsor you.
Dubai Business Women Council dbwc.ae
Membership body for women in business in Dubai — events, mentoring and a member network. You can join directly on the site.
Sharjah Business Women Council sbwc.ae
Membership, training and market access for women running businesses in Sharjah, under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi. Use the /en address — the root opens in Arabic.
Dubai Women Establishment dwe.gov.ae
Runs ShEntrepreneur, Women on International Boards, Tamkeen+ and the YES! mentorship programme, plus corporate governance training with Hawkamah. Its remit is Emirati women.
NAMA Women Advancement namawomen.ae
Sharjah, under the Executive Office of Sheikha Jawaher. An events calendar, an e-library of research on women’s economic participation, and open roles — current vacancies are listed under Opportunities. +971 6 594 1362.
Female Fusion femalefusionnetwork.com
The largest women’s business community in the UAE. Membership you join directly, workshops, events, an annual awards judged by an independent panel, and a directory of women-founded businesses.
Funding
10 entries
Sharjah Women Impact Fellowship sheraa.ae
Twelve women founders a year, taken through a leadership programme ending in a graduation gala. For scaling a startup or strengthening an SME. Applications open in August, cohort runs October to March.
Sheraa — Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center sheraa.ae
Five programmes by stage, from a free 2.5-hour Blueprint to the Access Sharjah Challenge, which puts founders in front of government and corporate partners. Membership brings coworking and founder perks.
Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund mbrif.ae
An accelerator for innovations still taking shape, and a guarantee scheme that gets a bank to lend where there is no collateral. Open to applicants anywhere, not only UAE nationals.
Emirates Development Bank edb.gov.ae
The federal development bank. Lending and credit guarantees in its priority sectors, plus mentoring and a banking platform built for startups. For companies registered in the UAE, any size.
Dubai Founders HQ dubaifoundershq.com
What used to be Dubai SME. Routes into Dubai’s government-backed investment funds, a members’ campus, and a separate track of benefits for Emiratis. By application.
Hub71 — Abu Dhabi hub71.com
Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem. Initiate is for the idea stage, Access is a package for entering the market, Sandbox lets you trial a regulated product with the regulators watching.
Directories
3 entries
Dubai Business Directory investindubai.gov.ae
Search any business by name or Dubai Unified Licence number and see whether it is actually licensed. Worth doing before you take a job with a company you have never heard of, sign with a consultancy, or pay anyone for a business setup.
Verify a health professional — DHA Sheryan dha.gov.ae
Check that a doctor, therapist or counsellor is licensed in Dubai and in good standing before you sit down with them. It is a government portal and slow to load — give it a moment.
Accredited charities in Dubai iacad.gov.ae
The official list of charitable organisations licensed by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department. If someone is collecting on behalf of a charity, this is where you check the charity is real.
Rights & law
18 entries
What counts as domestic violence under UAE law u.ae
Six forms are named in law — physical, verbal, psychological, sexual, financial and neglect. Controlling your money counts.
Divorce in the UAE u.ae
Non-Muslim couples: either spouse can end it without giving a reason or proving harm, decided at the first hearing. Muslim couples: the 2024 Personal Status Law, which includes khula. Custody goes to the mother first.
Family law for non-Muslims u.ae
Your home country’s law or UAE civil law, your choice. Abu Dhabi runs its own. Settle which applies before you file.
Free legal aid and guidance u.ae
The official list of free routes to a lawyer. Open the tab marked “Providing legal aid and guidance”.
Legal Clinic — Community Development Authority, Dubai cda.gov.ae
Free legal consultation for any Dubai resident, weighted to personal status and child protection. [email protected].
Legal in Your Help — Ministry of Justice moj.gov.ae
Free legal services if you cannot pay the fees. Apply at elawyer.moj.gov.ae.
Support & safety
3 entries
Dubai Foundation for Women and Children dfwac.ae
Shelter, counselling and case support for women and children. Helpline 800 111, or text 5111.
Child Protection Centre moi-cpc.ae
National child protection helpline: 116 111.
Sakina — Department of Health, Abu Dhabi doh.gov.ae
24/7 mental health support in Arabic and English, run with the Department of Health. Call 800 SAKINA (800 725462).
Open to apply
24 jobs, fellowships, mentoring places and awards women in the UAE can apply to right now.
Every link on this page was opened and checked by hand. Last reviewed 04 October 2026.