DUBAI // Emirati mothers who work at Dubai Municipality now have a free office nursery for their children.
It is hoped the nursery will give working mothers peace of mind by enabling them to be closer to their children.
"It offers the flexibility to the mothers to have their children in trusted care within the same premises," said municipality director general Hussain Lootah. "Proximity to their little ones helps them concentrate on their work while increasing their productivity."
The nursery at the municipality's headquarters in Deira is a branch of the British Orchard nursery and is the group's fourth branch at a government office.
Seven years ago the federal Cabinet required nurseries at all federal and local government departments with more than 50 female staff, or where female staff had more than 20 children in total.
"We are delayed because of internal procedures but we were determined to complete the project," said Zobaida Sharif, who is overseeing the nursery.
The nursery is available only to Emirati mothers in the municipality's main building who have children below the age of four. Nevertheless, it is vastly oversubscribed.
More than 150 mothers meet the criteria, but because of space restrictions only 30 have been able to enrol their children.
"We had to set criteria for admission as the project could not accommodate all our female employees," said Mrs Sharif, and priority was given to the longest serving workers.
Those who did get a place are delighted. "I am one of the few lucky ones who have been granted this opportunity. This is something we have been waiting for for a long time for - like a dream that has now been realised," said Mona Alemadi, who works at the finance department and has a two-year-old girl.
"Last year it was a difficult time for me. I was always worried about my daughter as I was leaving her alone with the nanny, but now I will be able to concentrate better at work," she said, and the project had encouraged her and her husband to try for another baby.
"I was never going to even think of having a third child because of all the stress of having to leave them and come back to work - but now the situation will be different," she said.
The youngest child at the nursery is aged three months.
Female staff who commute from other emirates also welcomed the move.
"This is a very important step for us," said Latifa Alawadi, from Sharjah, who has a 10-month-old. "I would not have been able to take my baby to an independent nursery even if I wanted to as I leave very early before any of them are open."
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