The Department of Community Development (DCD) has announced the launch of a new strategy to enhance the wellbeing of families in Abu Dhabi. The strategy, which has been approved by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, consists of a wide-ranging plan that aims to further strengthen families as the foundation of a connected, cohesive, and productive society that contributes to the emirate's success.
Key Initiatives
The strategy includes several initiatives that will support marriage preparation, family cohesion, parenting skills, financial literacy, work-life balance, life skills, and senior well-being. Some of the key initiatives are:
New centers to support marriage preparation, enabling couples and individuals to build fulfilling and healthy relationships, and to provide them with helpful techniques that support family cohesion.
Guidance and services to parents, in addition to financial literacy training and financial planning guidance for every generation.
A new family preparation and counseling centre, and work-life balance policies to support seniors and their well-being.
Implementation Partners
The strategy will be implemented by local and federal entities from across the public, private and social sectors: including the Department of Community Development, the Family Care Authority, the Family Development Foundation, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the Crown Prince's Court, the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma'an, the Department of Healthy - Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Pension Fun, the Human Resources Authority, the Abu Dhabi Police, the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, the Abu Dhabi Center for Sheltering and Humanitarian Care - Ewa's, the Abu Dhabi School of Government, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education, and the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Community Development.
Vision And Goals
Commenting on the launch of the strategy, Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, said:
"The Abu Dhabi Wellbeing Strategy is the culmination of a robust and highly collaborative process with leading partners to develop projects and innovative programs that empower all family members. The strategy aims to build strong foundations for families and support the advancement of socioeconomic development by leveraging opportunities available to them in all fields. An investment in the w of youth is an investment in future generations, and building a strong foundation an investing in youth advances socioeconomic development that benefits all: likewise, the family unit as a whole serves as the binder of society; while seniors are an asset as their skills, knowledge, and experience are resources that can be leveraged by current and future generations."
The strategy is aligned with the vision of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of UAE; H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces; H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; as well as with Abu Dhabi's social priorities.
The strategy is also based on extensive research and analysis conducted by DCD in collaboration with its partners. The research included surveys, focus groups, interviews, workshops, benchmarking studies, and data analysis to understand the needs and aspirations of families in Abu Dhabi.
The strategy aims to achieve four main goals:
Enhance family cohesion and stability
Empower families to achieve their full potential
Foster a supportive environment for families
Promote a culture of family well-being.
The strategy also defines 12 key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure its impact on various aspects of family well-being such as happiness, satisfaction, resilience, health, education, employment, income, savings, social participation, safety, security, and inclusion.
The DCD will monitor and evaluate the progress and outcomes of the strategy through regular reports and reviews. The DCD will also coordinate with its partners to ensure effective implementation and alignment with other relevant strategies and initiatives.
The DCD invites all stakeholders from public entities, private sector organisations, civil society organisations, academia, media outlets as well as individuals and families to join hands in supporting this vital strategy that aims to enhance the wellbeing of families in Abu Dhabi.
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