Excessive spending on weddings and dowries by UAE families has emerged as the main cause of household problems and collapse of the marriage, a UAE Minister was quoted on Tuesday as saying.
Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Head of the State Marriage Fund, said it was not easy to change what she described as negative traditions, adding a comprehensive strategy is needed in this respect.
“There is a strong relationship between exaggeration in family spending and the growing problems that destroy the marital life,” she told local reporters in Abu Dhabi after announcing a campaign by the Fund to tackle high spending.
“Research has shown high spending on dowries and weddings account for a large part of family expenditure…the motive behind this is not rational but a blind imitation, exaggeration and showing off.”
The campaign, the second to be launched by the Marriage Fund, will last until the end of 2010 and is conducted in participation with the media under the title “towards real rationalization of family spending.”
“Changing these negative habits is not an easy task nor can it be done through one or two media campaigns,” Al Shamsi said.
“The change requires a strategic comprehensive vision in which all public and private establishments participate…the aim is to bring about a real change in the negative habits and values and replace them by pragmatism, moderation, wisdom and rationalisation of spending.”