The social sector in Abu Dhabi reviews the quality of life model during the Social Development Summit in Doha
Doha, 7 November / WAM / The social sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi participated, as part of the United Arab Emirates delegation, in the Second World Summit for Social Development, organized by the United Nations in the Qatari capital, Doha, during the period from 4 to 6 November 2025, with wide participation from governments, international and regional organizations, and research and academic centers from around the world.
The delegation included His Excellency Salama Al Amimi, Director General of the Family Welfare Authority, His Excellency Abdullah Al Humaidan, Director General of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination, His Excellency Dr. Mona Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority, and His Excellency Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Acting Director General of Strategic and Digital Affairs at the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, along with a number of officials.
The Department of Community Development organized a session entitled “Quality of Life is the Basis for Prosperous Communities: Applicable Global Models,” as part of the “Solutions Sessions” theme that was held during the summit, which brought together an elite group of international experts from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development in Singapore, along with leaders from the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi.
The session discussed the experience of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a pioneering model in adopting data-based quality of life as a tool for developing social policies and evidence-based decision-making, and reviewed global experiences in transforming quality of life concepts into practical applications that contributed to improving services and enhancing social inclusion, by focusing on key axes that included data for quality of life, digitization for inclusion, as well as readiness for the future in developing skills and social protection systems.
During the participation, the delegation reviewed the efforts of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination in strengthening the system of empowerment and social inclusion, by adopting a comprehensive strategy based on four main axes, including empowerment, sustainability, innovation, and community inclusion.
The delegation explained that the Authority worked to develop an integrated national model based on transforming social policies into realistic programs that enhance the participation of people of determination in all areas of life, and ensure equal opportunities in education, work, health and social care.
The delegation highlighted the most prominent national innovations in services targeting people of determination, including assistive technologies, training and rehabilitation programs, and professional and social inclusion initiatives, in addition to the efforts made to strengthen international partnerships and exchange experiences with global institutions working in the field of disability.
For its part, the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority reviewed its integrated model in empowering families and promoting social sustainability in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, through support programs based on data, partnerships, and institutional integration, in addition to an explanation of the social support program, which provides a package of services that include financial support, economic empowerment, financial awareness, and family growth, with the aim of enhancing independence and improving the quality of life of limited-income national families. It works according to five main principles: shared responsibility between the citizen and the government, integration, evidence-based decision-making, continuous improvement, and innovation in Providing value to society.
The Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority highlighted its efforts in developing a case management and empowerment model that balances meeting the needs of beneficiaries and achieving operational efficiency, in addition to implementing financial empowerment programs through awareness workshops, individual training, and partnerships with specialized institutions to address debt challenges and enhance economic stability.
Her Excellency Salama Al Amimi, Director General of the Family Welfare Authority in Abu Dhabi, reviewed the integrated model adopted by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to achieve the well-being of families and society.
During her participation in a high-level dialogue session entitled “Transforming the social sector towards more stable and cohesive families,” Her Excellency stressed the importance of partnerships in building strong families, noting that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is working to translate global aspirations for social development into practical frameworks that enhance the resilience of families and the cohesion of the societal fabric.
Her Excellency Al Amimi said, “Families do not live in isolation from each other, and our systems must not work in isolation. Family well-being is a shared responsibility between government agencies, civil society, and the private sector, and when all concerned parties cooperate to achieve this common goal, we are confident that we will achieve building a prosperous society in which every individual feels a sense of belonging, support, solidarity, and hope.” She explained that true social progress is achieved when we enable families, as the basic pillar of every society, to enjoy well-being and reassurance, and for that. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi continues to lead strategic efforts towards partnerships that go beyond the required dialogue to tangible collective action, and through global forums and forums like this one, we affirm our commitment to international cooperation and work to build integrated, just, and cohesive societies, in line with the goals of the United Nations and the future vision of our nation.”
For his part, His Excellency Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan, Director General of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination, stressed that the Authority’s participation in the UN summit comes as a translation of its commitment to transforming humanitarian principles into practical policies that ensure the inclusion of people of determination and their effective participation in development paths at the national and global levels.
He explained that inclusiveness is not just a slogan, but rather a national and humanitarian commitment that reflects the vision of the wise leadership that sees people as the center and goal of development, noting that the Authority’s presence contributes to transferring the UAE’s model of inclusion and empowerment to the world as a pioneering experience based on innovation, partnerships and integration between sectors.
During his presentation entitled “National Innovations and Service Models for People of Determination,” Al-Humaidan added that the strategy of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination is based on four main axes: empowerment, sustainability, innovation, and community inclusion. He pointed out that participation in the summit represents a practical translation of these axes by building an integrated and equal system that provides people of determination with equal opportunities in education, work, and health and social services. Global partnerships also enhance the UAE’s position as an influential platform in formulating international policies that support social inclusion and achieving sustainable human development.
In this regard, His Excellency Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Acting Director General of Strategic and Digital Affairs at the Department of Community Development, stressed that participation in the World Summit for Social Development reflects the pioneering role of the Department of Community Development and entities in the social sector in developing the social work system by adopting an approach based on data, innovation, and integration between entities, which contributes to achieving a sustainable positive impact on the lives of individuals and society.
Al Hammadi said that the summit formed an ideal platform for exchanging experiences and reviewing the best global practices in the field of social quality of life, stressing that Abu Dhabi continues to invest in building a more comprehensive and cohesive society by developing evidence-based social policies and strengthening strategic partnerships with international organizations, thus enhancing the emirate’s position as a global model in quality of life and sustainable development.
Her Excellency Dr. Mona Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority, said: “Our participation in the World Summit reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to enhancing sustainability in the social support system. Since the launch of the Authority in 2019, we have adopted a model based on five principles, which are shared responsibility between citizens and the government, integration of the work system with partners, data-based decision-making, continuous improvement, and citizen-centered innovation. Within the approved model, we are working to achieve families’ financial independence in the long term by managing We are keen on building trust, accurate diagnosis and continuous follow-up, with a greater focus on addressing pivotal social issues such as financial education and debt management, which contributes to enhancing the sustainable economic independence of families.”
Al Mansouri added: “In the future, we are committed to enhancing self-responsibility through citizen empowerment initiatives, providing proactive support to families deserving of support, and benefiting from artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to achieve better results and provide more efficient services. The continuous development of the social services sector in the United Arab Emirates prompts us to expand the scope of measuring the impact of our services and adopt proactive solutions that address the root causes of problems.”
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