Nations Human Rights Council, were criticized for voting against a debate based on allegations of human rights abuses against them and the Muslims in Xinjian, China. Among the 19 member countries, the United Arab Emirates was one, which has been accused in the past for the detention and deportation of the vulnerable Uyghurs who found shelter in Dubai, back to China. Women's rights The United Arab Emirates ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2004. This Convention regards violence against women as a form of discrimination and calls on participating governments to put measures in place to combat violence in all forms, be it domestic or public. The UAE regularly participates in and hosts international and GCC conferences on women's issues. The UAE has signed several other international treaties on protecting the rights of women. Among these are the Convention on the Rights of a Child, the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, the Equal Remuneration Convention, the Conventions Concerning Employment of Women During the Night and the Minimum Age Convention. The 2015 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) status report on Millennium Development Goals noted that the state legislations in the UAE do not discriminate on the basis of gender with respect to education, employment or the quality of services provided. Through several initiatives women in the UAE are playing an increasingly important role in the economy, politics and technology and are viewed by some as leaders of gender equality in the Gulf region. There is an alternative for women to dissolve their marriage found under article 110 of the Personal Status Code, or khul', however this means a woman relinquishes her right to the mahr – or the dowry she received as part of the marriage contract. As to custody of children, women are considered physical guardians, they have the right to custody up to the age of 13 for girls and 10 for boys. But if a woman chooses to remarry she automatically forfeits her right to custody of her children. Current laws gives custody of children to the who is suitable. Furthermore, under article 71, women who leave their husbands can be ordered to return to their marital home. In November 2021, a report by The Independent highlighted the lack of fundamental protection of women’s rights in the UAE. British politicians — Sir Peter Bottomley, Debbie Abrahams and Helena Kennedy