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Pregnant and Punished in the UAE

In the UAE, sex outside marriage can land you in prison. Three women tell of how they fell foul of the law, and reveal that it's often pregnant women and mothers who are most vulne

The United Arab Emirates sells itself as a land of sunshine and opportunity. But for many vulnerable women, the reality can be very different. In the UAE, sex outside marriage can land you in prison - and it's often women migrant workers who are being punished. Some are jailed for consensual relationships, others are victims of rape but feel unable to report it for fear of prosecution. In this film, three women tell the moving stories of how they fell foul of the law, and reveal that it's often pregnant women and mothers who are most vulnerable. For the UAE authorities, it's an issue which poses a big dilemma: how do they balance Sharia-based laws with the rights of its women workers?

30 minutes

Last on

Fri 27 Nov 201503:30GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 6 Nov 201520:30GMT
  • Sat 7 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Sat 7 Nov 201503:30GMT
  • Sat 7 Nov 201511:30GMT
  • Sat 7 Nov 201516:30GMT
  • Sat 7 Nov 201522:30GMT
  • Sun 8 Nov 201503:30GMT
  • Sun 8 Nov 201517:30GMT
  • Thu 12 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Thu 12 Nov 201503:30GMT
  • Tue 17 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Mon 23 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Wed 25 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Wed 25 Nov 201503:30GMT
  • Fri 27 Nov 201500:30GMT
  • Fri 27 Nov 201503:30GMT