Based on fieldwork and qualitative interviews of 43 mothers with disabled children in Bedouin communities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this article probes the research question of whether and to what extent the UAE social welfare system addresses the demands of these mothers. The limited literature on the intersection of gender, family and disability in the Arab world largely employs Western feminist models. Stressing established gender roles, cultural norms, coping mechanisms and structural constraints, these models are inadequate to explain the conditions of Arab communities. The articles contend that religiosity, mothers' job, family of origin and the child's gender are variables that significantly contribute to the explanation of the experiences of these mothers. Given the inadequacy of Western models, the article concludes by stressing that new perspectives based on the cultural features of the Arab world ought to occupy a more prominent position in the development of adequate theories that explain gender discrimination and inequality.