How UAE woman's silent miscarriage inspired a bold new workplace policy

Gulf News

22-04-2025

Dubai: Eight years ago, Armin Jamula was managing director at an advertising agency and in the early stages of her first pregnancy. During a routine lunch break, she visited her gynaecologist - only to be informed, in a cold and indifferent tone, that she had suffered a miscarriage.
'I went back to the office and worked for the rest of the day,' she recalled.
Today, Jamula is a mother of two healthy children and the co-founder of ItsHerWay, a UAE-based entrepreneurship platform that empowers women through business funding, career support, and advocacy for workplace equity.
'Before I launched ItsHerWay.com, I was navigating the demands of leadership at an agency that helped shape my entrepreneurial mind set. But the pressure was immense,' she told Gulf News. 'During that time, I went through two back-to-back miscarriages. I will never forget hearing the term 'biochemical loss' for the first time. I was 10.5 weeks pregnant, and in the middle of a packed day, I was told I had lost my baby. That was it.'
It was my first real experience with grief but I never allowed myself to grieve. That silence, that void, and that dismissal of emotional pain in the workplace stayed with me. Years later, with the strength and voice I've gained through ItsHerWay, I knew I had to do something for others like me. That's when the Leave of Absence pledge was born.
Turning grief into advocacy
What stayed with Jamula was not just the pain of the miscarriage, it was the complete absence of space to grieve. She returned to work immediately. She and her husband did not speak about it. No one did.
'Years later, with the voice I found through ItsHerWay, I knew I had to speak up not just for myself, but for others who had been quietly carrying the same weight. That's how the Leave of Absence pledge was born.'
The initiative is the first corporate pledge in the region advocating for formal bereavement leave for employees experiencing a miscarriage. It encourages companies to offer a minimum of seven days of paid leave to employees regardless of gender, who go through pregnancy loss.
Miscarriages are far more common than people think, more than one in five pregnancies globally end in loss, a trend that holds true in the UAE. Yet, 95 per cent of employees in the country who experience miscarriage do not take a single day off work.
'In the workplace, miscarriage is often treated as a clinical event, not an emotional or physical trauma,' Jamula said. 'But it's both. The pain, the bleeding, the hormonal crash, it's overwhelming. A woman needs space to recover biologically and emotionally, and this leave policy offers that space with dignity and empathy.'
The unseen trauma of early miscarriage in the workplace
For many women, early pregnancy is something to hide not celebrate. Workplace culture often discourages disclosure until after the first trimester, and by then, it's too late for many.
According to psychologists, miscarriage isn't just physically painful, it's emotionally devastating. But in many fast-paced industries, women wear a mask of control to be taken seriously.
Social norms reinforce the silence. Many women don't reveal their pregnancies until three months in. So when miscarriage happens early, colleagues and employers often don't even know.
Clinical psychologist Nusrat Khan, who has worked with women for over two decades, witnessed how 'early invisible miscarriages' are dismissed.
'There's a societal belief that early losses don't merit grief. But the reality is that from the moment women see a positive pregnancy test, they begin to build dreams. There's an emotional and visual map already forming,' she said. 'When that ends, it's like a future is taken away. Grief doesn't follow deadlines, and suppressing it to appear professional can lead to anxiety, depression, and emotional numbness.'
Khan explained that unprocessed grief often resurfaces in other areas - relationships, self-esteem, even confidence. 'Many women tie their self-worth to their ability to carry a pregnancy to term. When that's taken away without acknowledgment, it can deeply impact their identity.'
Licensed psychologist Ritasha Varsani added that miscarriage affects not just women, but their partners as well.
'The hormonal changes after loss intensify emotional reactions—ranging from guilt and sadness to anxiety about future pregnancies,' she said. 'If these feelings go unaddressed, they can cause long-term emotional and relational strain.'
Varsani emphasized that while implementing bereavement leave is an important step, what matters just as much is the culture it creates. 'We need to cultivate empathy in the workplace, where people feel truly seen and supported.'
Why a supportive leave policy helps both employees and employers
The impact of bereavement leave goes beyond empathy, it's also good for business.
'By offering miscarriage leave, companies demonstrate they care about employee well-being during a vulnerable time,' said Sarah Brooks, managing director of Fikrah HR. 'It helps reduce stigma around pregnancy loss, builds loyalty, improves morale, and enhances a company's image as a supportive employer.'
She added that firms that have introduced such policies internationally have seen better employee retention and engagement.
Brooks advised companies to draft policies that clearly define pregnancy loss - including miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, and failed IVF.
'Communication is key. The policy should be shared through multiple platforms, and managers should be trained to respond with compassion and confidentiality,' she said. 'Integrating it with mental health support and flexible work arrangements makes it even more effective.'
By providing dedicated miscarriage bereavement leave, companies demonstrate empathy and support for their staff during a vulnerable time. This not only helps reduce the stigma around pregnancy loss but also supports employee well-being, increases loyalty, and enhances the company's reputation as a compassionate employer. Internationally, organizations that have introduced such policies have reported improved morale and retention, further highlighting the benefits from an HR standpoint.
What the UAE Labour Law currently says about miscarriage leave
Employees are entitled to full maternity leave (45 days paid, 15 days half pay) if the pregnancy is lost after 24 weeks (considered a stillbirth). Additionally, up to 165 days of unpaid leave may be granted in cases of pregnancy-related illness with a valid medical certificate.
'But there's no clear provision for paid leave for miscarriages occurring before 24 weeks,' Brooks said. 'This gap means many employers treat it as regular sick leave or not at all. And although bereavement leave exists, it's not designed for pregnancy loss.'
She noted that in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), new regulations effective April 2025 will entitle employees to maternity leave in cases of miscarriage or stillbirth after 24 weeks. Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), however, currently has no specific rules on miscarriage leave, though some employers in free zones offer support at their discretion.
Globally, there is momentum for change. The UK's proposed Employment Rights Bill, for instance, would require paid leave for pregnancy losses before 24 weeks, a sign of growing recognition.
UAE employers begin to embrace miscarriage leave
'The response has been incredibly moving,' said Jamula. 'Within our ItsHerWay community of more than 7,000 women entrepreneurs, we've seen overwhelming support—from members sharing their own stories to employers stepping up to adopt this change.'
Dr. Seham Asad Ali Khan, co-founder of Aries Dental and Aesthetic Clinic, was among one of the workplaces in the UAE to sign the pledge.
'With a team that's predominantly female, the response was positive and heartfelt. This kind of leave is essential, and I hope more companies follow suit,' she said.
Dr. Khan was inspired to sign after witnessing a family member's struggle. 'I saw how hard it was for them to return to work. Even though early miscarriages are often invisible, the pain both physical and hormonal is very real. This leave gives women the time they need to heal.'
Jamula's goal is to get 100 companies across the UAE and MENA region to sign the Leave of Absence pledge and implement a 7-day bereavement leave policy. She also hopes to run awareness campaigns across media to break the silence around miscarriage.
'Ultimately, I want this to be part of national labour law,' she said. 'But even more than that, I want to see a cultural shift—one where grief, especially women's grief, is never dismissed. One where support is given, not silence.'
'And when my daughter or son joins the workforce someday, I want them to know that if they face such a moment, they won't be expected to push through it quietly. They will be allowed to grieve with dignity, and with support,' Jamula said.