Her Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has approved amendments to more than 40 laws in the UAE, the largest legislative reform in its history.

In a new move for the United Arab Emirates, Her Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has approved amendments to more than 40 laws in the UAE, the largest legislative reform in its history.

While there were rounds of fake news around laws regarding alcohol consumption and improving online security, lawmakers have finally brought a clear picture regarding the same.

The new law effectively offers improved protections for women and domestic servants, strengthens public safety and security provisions and eases restrictions on extra-marital relationships and it will be fully enacted starting from January 2, 2022.

The new legislation eases restrictions on extra-marital relationships, decriminalising consensual relationships out of wedlock and that any child conceived as a result of the relationship will not be a crime.

Also, it will be no longer be a crime to have relationships and can live with your partner outside of marriage, and if a couple falls pregnant then they will not be breaking the law.

‘Any couple conceiving a child out of wedlock will be required to marry or singly or jointly acknowledge the child and provide identification papers and travel documents in accordance with the laws of the country of which either is a national, considering the applicable laws of that nation. Failing this, a criminal case would introduce a prison term of two years for both correspondents,’ stated the legislation.

Ratifying a new and updated Federal Crime and Punishment Law, the move has been intended to further develop and refine the legislative system of the UAE.

In relation to alcohol, the legislation prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place or at unlicensed locations. The sale, provision or provocation or inducement to consume alcoholic beverages to any person below 21 years of age, is also prohibited in the UAE.